The Abbasid Rule- Remembering the Golden Period

English: The Tombs of the Abbasid Caliphs in Cairo, taken from the 19th century collection of architectural images photographed by A. D. White (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Abbasid coins during Al-Mu'tamid's reign (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Guess who is coming to Dinner...

“My Friends”

My Daughter earlier during the past week told me that her

Friends were coming for dinner.... So I got excited too as they were her cherished best friends whom I have never met!!!

Living in this part of the world in United States, have given us great opportunity to meet friends from different part of the world. They are also 2nd generation migrants just like my daughter.

One of the friend parents migrated from Iraq...and other from Northern Punjab India.

Whenever some-one mention Iraq or Baghdad Shareef instantly my mind wanders off like ‘Google Search’ to the great cradle of civilization Mesopotamia presently known as Iraq.

All those historical images, events, figures, and terms surface like crazy on the front screen of my mental desktop. Even before I press enter!

Sub haan Allaah to Allaah Kareem's creation …our wonderful mind!

Sadly sad that my ABCD’s along with their generation have no clue about this glorious history ...
Even if they do...it is not enough...

The expressions and the terms synonym with the period of the history of Iraq-Sumer, Babylon,Nebuchadnezzar ,Karbalaa and many more.The Golden period of glorious Abbasid period-resonates no sentimental chord with them. While mine is dancing …at the mere mention of Baghdad … also due to spiritual affiliations with the great saints of the past.

The most famous king of the Babylonian Empire best known for his accomplishment the legendary Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. I love the fact that he made it for his loving wife who was from Persia and was homesick.

They have no clue while Europe languished in what was once called its "Dark Ages," Muslim thinkers in the Muslim world expanded upon the theories of Euclid and Ptolemy. They invented algebra, and named stars.

During that era Muslim scholars also made important and original contributions to mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and chemistry. Commentaries on the Qur’an were written, the traditions of the Prophet were gathered and sifted and schools of jurisprudence were developed. The House of Wisdom was an establishment dedicated to the translation of Greek, Middle Persian and Syriac works. This is where the oldest universities in the world was built.

One of my favorite Arabic style of writing was originated and developed in the city of Kufa.

This was also the period that produced the stories of my childhood dreams Arabian Nights; the tales of Ali Baba, Sinbad the Sailor, and Aladdin.Thanks to Disney world my ABCD’s do know about Aladdin but do not know that it was in the fabulous reign of Khaleefah Haroon ur Rasheed that these great stories were written.

Cannot help pay tribute to the remembrances of his wife the famous beautiful, generous and brilliant Lady Zubaidah bint Ja`far. She is particularly remembered for the series of wells, reservoirs and artificial pools that provided water for Muslim pilgrims along the route from Baghdad to Makkah and Madinah, which was renamed the Darb Zubaidah in her honor.

Baghdad has also been an important cultural center for the Islamic world, for centuries producing some of the most brilliant intellectual and Spirituals Luminaries.

Several of the most important mosques and shrines in the Islamic world are found in Baghdad.

Also to me the name Baghdad Shareef has very deep spiritual reverence due to the fact that this is the city of my favorite Saints in Islaam.The famous Abdul Qaadir Jeelaani

[Rahmatul Laahi Alaieh].

So….I made a mental note to do a post on the Past Glorious History of Islam …The Abbasid Period.