The rise and decline of civilizations often follow similar patterns, particularly regarding ethnic dynamics and power structures. I want to highlight the compelling parallel between two significant historical moments: the Islamic Golden Age during the Abbasid period and contemporary Western civilization. Both cases suffered from ethnic superiority claims with and sometimes conflict with civilizational progress.
During the Abbasid Caliphate's golden age, Islamic civilization represented the pinnacle of human achievement. However, it's crucial to note that it was "the greatest civilization of its time" rather than "the greatest civilization ever" - an important distinction that many contemporary thinkers claim about western civilisation nowadays.
The Arab population, as the founders of this Islamic empire, often claimed moral and cultural superiority. However, the civilization's greatest achievements came through contributions from various ethnic groups, for example :
- Ibn Sina (Avicenna), of Persian origin, revolutionised medicine and philosophy
- Al-Khwarizmi, from Central Asia, laid the foundations for algebra and algorithms
- Numerous scientists of Turkish, Kurdish, and other ethnic backgrounds made significant contributions
The tension between Arab cultural dominance and non-Arab achievements created interesting dynamics:
1. The Shu'ubiyya movement (can be loosely translated to Popularism, in reference to population not popular) emerged as a cultural response to Arab claims of superiority
2. Non-Arab rulers (Turks, Seljuks, Kurds) gradually gained political control
3. Some of the most celebrated Islamic leaders, such as Saladin (of Kurdish origin), came from non-Arab backgrounds
Today's Western civilization faces similar dynamics. Some like Douglas Murray, emphasises Western civilization's unprecedented achievements. However, this perspective often overlooks several crucial factors:
1. The multi-ethnic nature of modern scientific and cultural achievements
2. The increasing role of non-Western contributors in technological advancement
3. The global interconnectedness that makes purely "Western" achievements increasingly rare
4. This is only now, things changed in the past and will definitely change in the future
Shared Patterns between the two ages:
- Claims of ethnic/cultural superiority by founding groups
- Actual progress driven by diverse contributions
- Resistance to changing power dynamics
- The inevitability of multi-ethnic participation in civilisational advancement
The historical parallel reveals that civilizations thrive not through ethnic exclusivity but through inclusive participation. Because an ethnic group started a civilisation does not give them exclusive rights to dominate and control. Just as the Islamic civilization wasn't exclusively Arab despite its Arab origins, Western civilization's future lies not in ethnic preservation but in successfully integrating diverse contributions.
The lesson is clear: civilisational progress requires balancing foundational cultural elements with openness to diverse contributions and adaptation to changing circumstances.
The wheel of time shows that civilisation's advancement requires participation from all quarters. Just as the Islamic civilization transcended its Arab origins to achieve its greatest heights through multi-ethnic contributions, today's Western civilisation faces the challenge of embracing the inevitability and benefit of diverse participation in its future development.
Ahmad Baker
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