Q. & A. 711 to 1707 with solved Papers css 1971 to date

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translation works from Greek Syriac, Pahlvi and Sanskrit. Translators like Nasturi, Yaqbi, Sabi Majusi, Rumi and Brahma all from Iraq, Mesopotamia, Syria and Persia gathered in Baghdad a rendezvous of art and science. It resulted in the increase of the number of copyists and booksellers in Baghdad.
Ma’mun arranged for permanent endowments for his court scholars. In 830 A.D. he established house of wisdom (Bayt alHikmah) where literary and scientific discussions were held to unite the literary treasures of the Islamic and un-Islamic literatures and to reconcile the theocratic ideas of Islam with the secular ones. It was the combination of library, academy and translation bureau. According to Ibn Sa’id al-Andalusi, Ma’mun established friendly and cultural relations with the Byzantines and had the Greek works on sciences translated into Arabic and also had the original works compiled on them bringing the Abbasid learning to level of Greek one. Scholars like Hajjaj b. Matar, Ibn al-Batriq and the chief of Bayt al-Hikmah were sent on delegation to Roman libraries for the selection and purchase of books.
Greek works which were forgotten and proscribed in the eastern Roman territory and were looked up in the monasteries of Syria, Asia Minor, Alexandria and the Levant were collected and received from the Byzantine emperor by Ma’mun who had them translated into Arabic. Among the translators of the period of his rule were Ya’qub b. Ishaq al-Kindi, Hunayn b. Ashaq’ Abbadi, Qusta b Luqa Ba’ibaki, a Christian and Umar b. Farkhan Tabari. The Nestorian Christian Hunayn ibn Ishaq translated Greek works of Galen, Plato and Aristotle into Syriac with the assistance of his nephew Hubaysh ibn al-Hasan and his colleague? made translation from Syriac into Arabic. Ma’mun paid Hunayn the” chief translator the weight of the books he translated. Original works were composed on various subjects including medicine even on juggleiy and hypnotism a list of which have been preserved by al-Nadim and ibn Khallikan under the patronage of the caliph and his courtiers
Mamun being himself addicted to poetry patronized poets and appreciated their works. The father of modern Persian poetry Abbas flourished at his court. His court was the rendezvous of scholars, scientists, physicians, poets, philosophers, and grammarians. Jewish and Christian scholars and linguists were

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invited and patronized as well. Traditionalists like Bukhari, Jurists like Imam al-Shafi and Imam ibn Hanbal and historians like alWaqidi philosophers like Abu Yusaf Ya’qub ibn-Ishaq al-Kindi tried to combine the views of Plato and Aristotle. He was also an astrologer, alchemist and optician. Allan a Persian copyist in the library of Harun and Ma’mun colleted the mutual insults of the Arab tribes in the old poetry and received thereby the name of al-shu’ubi, the defender of rights among the nations.
Mamun’s reign was the most glorious and brilliant of all in the intellectual history of Islam. His reign was the revival of learning both in the East and the West. At this Court were munificently entertained men of science and letters, poets, physicians and philosophers. Besides being an age of the philologists and grammarians ”it was the age also of the collectors of traditions, such as the great Bukhari and of historians as al-Wakidi”. Moreover, the Jews and the Christians were welcomed at the court not only for their learning but for being well-versed both in Arabic and the language and literature of Greece. He completed the works of translation started by his grandfather Mansur. Under his guidance Sanskrit books, Greek mathematics and philosophy, science of Euclid and Ptolemy were translated into Arabic.
Qusta bin Luqa, was appointed for the translation of Greek and Syrian; Yahya bin Harun, of Persian; and Duban the Brahman, of Sanskrit works into Arabic. ”It was through the labours of these learned men”, says W. Muir, ”that the nations of Europe, there shrouded in the darkness of the Middle Ages, became again acquainted with their own proper but forgotten patrimony of Greecian science and philosophy”. The Persian language received a great impetus in his hand. An observatory was established on the plain of Tadmore for the study of astronomy and geometry. Astronomical observations made a great stride during this reign. Abul Hasan invented the telescope from a tube, Poet Abbas, founder of the modern Persian poetry, and al-Kindi, employed at the famous ’Bayt al-Hikmat’ established by Mamun in Baghdad, and translator of Greek works, flourished during this period.
Mamun was so much interested in philosophical discussions that he set apart Tuesday fully for the same purpose. The savants and scholars used to attend his chamber regularly and the Khalifah
Arnold. The Legacy of Islam, P 380.
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satisfied them with his philosophical conversation. Thus taking all these points into consideration, we can undoubtedly say that the reign of Mamun constitutes the most glorious epoch in Saracenic history and has been justly called the ’Augustan Age of Islam.’
Under Ma’muns patronage the astronomers watched the celestial movements, studied obliquity of the ecliptic and the length of the solar year, measured the length of terrestrial degree and determined the size and circumference of the earth. An observatory was constructed on the plain of Tadmor for the study of astronomy. The observatory of the Shammasiyah gate of Baghdad became known as Rasad Ma’mun. It was directed by Sind ibn Ali and Yahya Ibn Ali Mansur. Ibrahim al-Fazari constructed an astrolabe. Ma’mun’s astronomer Abu’l Hasan invented a telescope from a tube. Works on popular science of astrology and alchemy and books of travel and history were written. The great Arab philosopher al-Kindi even cultivated military science and wrote an essay on swords of about twenty five varieties. Muhammad al-Khwarizmi prepared a resume of Sind-Hind for Ma’mun and composed an independent work on algebra. He revised Ptolemy’s astronomical tables.
The works on astronomy and mathematics written by Euclid and Ptolemy were translated under the heads of Almagest of the Arabs by al-Hajjaj ibn-Matar. The unparalleled intellectual awakening culminated under the patronage of Ma’mun. It was through the efforts of Abbasids, particularly Ma’mun, that Greek sciences were preserved, improved and passed on to the modern age through the Europeans who were then shrouded in darkness when the Muslim Orient was on the height of civilization. This was as stream of culture and learning which flowed from Babylonia to Greece, back to the East and then again directed to Europe through Spain and Sicily and later even through Turkey to bring about the Renaissance in Europe. Ma’mun was a just and mild ruler but a man of yielding disposition and of changing views. He fell a prey to the personal caprices and influence of Fazal b. Sahi. The blind poet who eulogised Abu Dulaf chief of Hamdan and friend of Amin retired to his Persian home on the death of Amin as a sincere Arab was hardly tolerated by Ma’mun.
Among others who suffered from his capricious violence were Fazal, ibn Aishah as well as Tahir and Harthamah to whom the caliph owed so much. Considering, however, the time and circumstances under which he haci 10 work and his liberal attitude towards the rebels of Baghdad and several Others he should be eulogized for his tolerance and magnanimity.

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