I was so enthused after reading Michael Morgan's Lost History: The Enduring Legacy of Muslim Scientists, Thinkers, and Artists (2007) that I searched for other reviews to make sure I wasn't missing something - I didn't so I heartily encourage readers to dig in for an introduction to a different view of Islam than is perpetuated in most contemporary media. Morgan provided meticulous and authoritative documentation in this resource for those who want to understand Islam, its emergence, history, and
movement throughout the Middle East, Europe, and Asia.
Each major
segment of the book is introduced with a contemporary (21st century)
story and then reflects back to the historical period related to that
example. The first example of this was
in Chapter 1, “Rome’s children.” The
contemporary context was a family outing in Tours, in the Loire Valley of
France. The family, originally Moroccan
and now living in France, had no idea that Tours was the site where much of the
Muslim world’s technology advantage was transferred to Europe. An early settlement in Roman Gaul, Tours was
where Christian forces, led by Charles Martel, encountered the highly developed
organization and technology of advancing Muslim military forces. Against all odds, the Christian forces persevered
and were the beneficiaries of Muslims leaving their devices and armaments behind as
they fled in the night. These abandoned
resources would first be adopted in the military but would also spur other technology
advances never before seen in Europe.
One of the most revealing aspects of Lost History is its tracking of the various groups within
Islam. Particularly of interest in this
time of conflict between Sunni and Shiite in Iraq, Morgan traces the slaughter
of the Umayyad (predecessor of Sunni) Caliphate in Damascus at the hands of the
Abbasid (predecessor of Shiite) Caliphate which would result in Damascus being
abandoned and the Umayyad starting their great center for learning and culture
in Cordoba, Spain, and the Abbasids doing the same in Baghdad. The Umayyad legacy will include support of
the Christians of Spain who would become the linguists translating Latin, Greek
and Hebrew classics into Arabic as well Jews fleeing Visigoth persecution who
would become the traders and financiers for their Muslim protectors.
The twists and turns that resulted in shifting centers for
the Muslim world ultimately may have contributed to the advancement of Islamic
learning and innovation. Even though the
conflicts destroyed many things, each time conflict arose, new centers emerged
as knowledge and inquiry unfolded in mathematics, astronomy, geography, music,
and medicine. The revival of Lost History that Morgan recounts
documents that much of the base on which European advancement was built was
derived from the major centers of learning and advancement of the Muslim world. The only thing that obscured this
contribution was the Anglicization of names that Europeans could not pronounce,
denying the real benefactors their rightful place in intellectual history.
Although Lost History charts
many conflicts and battles both within Islam as well as across other religions
(most notably Judaism and Christianity), there have been multiple voices within
Islam that declared the importance of inter-faith understanding and cooperation,
including the Prophet Muhammad himself.
Sufi mystic Jalal ad-Din al-Rumi, declared in mid-13th
century (page 243):
In the adorations and benedictions of righteous men
The praises of all the prophets are kneaded together,
All their praises are mingled into one stream,
All the vessels are emptied into one ewer.
Because He that is praised is, in fact, only One.
In this respect all religions are only one religion.
Because all praises are directed toward God’s Light,
These various forms and figures are borrowed from it.
The last chapter, “Enlightened Leadership,” is particularly poignant in
advocating a view of leadership that most leadership educators today would quickly
endorse. It gives credit for the many
advancements in knowledge and understanding throughout the period so heavily
influenced by Islam to a vision of leadership based on “democratic behavior,
consensus building, conflict resolution and responsiveness to public opinion.”
(page 254) Abu Bakr, the first Caliph to
follow the Prophet Muhammad, left a legacy of “humility, compromise,
incorruptibility, and a dedication to charity and public welfare” (page 255)
that would shape the faithful practice of Islam for the 7th century
as well as today.
Lost History was not only an
informative read but it stimulated deep hope that Islam’s future will unfold to
embrace the intellectual vigor, commitment to peaceful coexistence, and humble
leadership that have echoed among its Muslim brothers and sisters over the ages.
