Study of Religions during the Abbasid Era

By Dr. Zafar Darik Qasmi, New Age Islam 22 July 2025 The Abbasid era promoted religious and intellectual diversity through translation, interfaith dialogue, and institutions like Bayt al-Hikmah, encouraging unbiased scholarly study of global philosophies, sciences, and religions. Main Points: 1. 1.Bayt al-Hikmah became a centre for translating global religious, scientific, and philosophical texts into Arabic. 2. Abbasid caliphs supported Hindu, Greek, and Persian scholars for interfaith harmony and cultural exchange. 3. Muslim scholars studied and compared world religions, fostering a rational and respectful understanding of beliefs. 4. 4.Indian knowledge, especially in medicine, mathematics, and astrology, enriched Islamic science and scholarship. 5. 5.Religious tolerance and intellectual freedom defined the Abbasid golden age of comparative religious studies. —--- Muslims realised the importance of studying different religions and took positive steps toward it. This shows not only their tolerance but also their scholarly impartiality. Muslims did not let prejudice affect their pursuit of knowledge and literature. Along with scholars, even Muslim rulers upheld this tradition of intellectual diversity and introduced society to new religions, philosophies, and cultures. When we analyse the Abbasid period in this context, we find that various sciences, knowledge systems, and wisdom spread during this era. People also became familiar with different religions, beliefs, cultures, and religious literature. Great efforts were made to study Greek philosophy as well. In short, the Abbasid period had a deep impact on the field of Comparative Religion. Efforts Toward the Study of Religions During the Abbasid era, several steps were taken to understand different religions and ideologies. The most notable effort was the establishment of the Bayt al-Hikmah (House of Wisdom) by Caliph Harun al-Rashid, which flourished under Caliph Al-Ma'mun. This was not just an institution but a centre for studying all kinds of sciences, philosophies, beliefs, rituals, and cultures from different nations. It became world-famous for promoting religious diversity, scholarly research, and social harmony. The House of Wisdom made remarkable contributions in intellectual, religious, and cultural fields without any prejudice. In fact, the House of Wisdom played a key role in sparking the European Renaissance. For Muslims, this era is rightly considered a golden age, where scientific, philosophical, and religious studies reached their peak. Comparative Religion became a formal subject during this time. Muslim scholars, translators, and philosophers deeply studied Greek, Indian, Persian, and other religious and cultural systems, analyzed them, and compared them with Islamic teachings. The Abbasid caliphs, especially Harun al-Rashid and Al-Ma'mun, supported the translation of Greek and Indian books into Arabic, which covered religious, philosophical, and logical topics. These translations helped Muslims better understand other religions. There were also scholarly debates and discussions with Christian, Jewish, Zoroastrian, and Hindu scholars. The goal was to understand their beliefs and present Islamic teachings with rational and logical arguments. Religious texts were translated into Arabic from Sanskrit, Syriac, Persian, and Greek. This open-mindedness led to: Greater understanding and dialogue between different communities. The development of Islamic theology, philosophy, and logic. Promotion of interfaith respect and tolerance. Foundations for global inter-religious understanding. The Abbasid era became a milestone in the history of religious studies. Introduction to Religions in the Abbasid Era The Bayt al-Hikmah, as a centre of knowledge, appointed scholars from different religious backgrounds—Muslims, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Hindus, and others. These scholars came from various regions and followed different beliefs. When people of diverse faiths work together in academic research, it fosters intellectual diversity and promotes mutual understanding of each other’s cultures and beliefs. Thus, Bayt al-Hikmah became a hub for religious understanding and dialogue. Books were translated into Arabic from languages such as Sanskrit, Hindi, Syriac, Hebrew, Chaldean, Persian, and Phoenician. This gave the Arabs exposure to a wide variety of civilizations and systems of thought. They became familiar not just with Indian religions and sciences, but also with Christianity, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, and others. In truth, knowledge, wisdom, and intellectual development should not be limited by prejudice. Valuable knowledge—no matter its origin, language, or religious background—should be embraced if it benefits humanity. The Abbasid caliphs proved through the establishment of Bayt al-Hikmah that Muslims were broad-minded. They gathered scholars from across the world and studied various subjects including philosophy, culture, medicine, mathematics, music, logic, astronomy, and religious beliefs and rituals. Familiarity with Indian Civilization Arabs became familiar with Indian civilization and its religions when the Abbasid caliphs established Bayt al-Hikmah. Many Sanskrit books written by Hindu scholars were translated into Arabic. Regarding the beginning of these translations, Maulana Syed Sulaiman Nadvi wrote in his book "Arb-o-Hind Ke Talluqaat" (Relations between Arabs and India): The idea of translating foreign books started during the mid-1st century Hijri (7th century CE), but at that time the centre of power was Syria, where Greek and Syriac languages dominated. When the Abbasid capital moved to Iraq, Indian and Persian languages gained attention. When Caliph Al-Mansur’s love for knowledge became known, in 164 Hijri (771 CE), a scholar from Sindh came to Baghdad with an astronomy and mathematics book in Sanskrit. With the help of court scholar Ibrahim Fazari, this book was translated into Arabic. This was the first time Arabs realized the intellectual strength of India. Later, Harun al-Rashid invited Indian physicians, who impressed Arabs with Indian medical knowledge. Under the patronage of the Barmakid family, books on medicine, astronomy, mathematics, and ethics were translated from Sanskrit to Arabic. These translations increased India’s intellectual reputation. Many Indian scholars were employed at Bayt al-Hikmah to continue this work. Syed Sulaiman Nadvi further wrote that due to the encouragement of Caliphs like Al-Mansur and Harun al-Rashid and the generosity of the Barmakids, many Indian scholars came to Baghdad and joined scientific and educational departments. They translated many Indian books into Arabic. Unfortunately, the Indian names of these scholars were changed so much in Arabic pronunciation that today it is nearly impossible to identify them. Some of them were probably followers of Buddhism, which used different naming traditions than modern Hindu names. Also, some of the names were not names but titles. Indian civilization and religions not only gained attention, but Indian knowledge and achievements were highly respected. Many Arab travellers and historians, such as Al-Jahiz (Nazar al-Sudan 'ala al-Baydan), Al-Yaqubi (Tarikh al-Yaqubi), Abu Zayd Sirafi (Al-Bayan), Al-Masudi, Ibn Hawqal, Al-Muqaddasi, and Ibn Battuta praised India’s knowledge and wisdom in their books. These observations show how deeply Indian culture and religious diversity influenced others. The Abbasid scholars were intellectually open and impartial. Thus, the Abbasid era can be rightly described as a golden period of social diversity, cultural harmony, and academic research. During this time, new dimensions of religious studies opened, and people not only learned about other beliefs but also accepted and tolerated them. Hindu Scholars in the Abbasid Era Many Hindu scholars worked during the Abbasid era. Some of the most well-known include: Kanka Pandit: A famous Hindu philosopher and astrologer who participated in scholarly debates in Caliph Al-Ma'mun’s court. He introduced Hindu philosophical systems like Sankhya and Vedanta to the Islamic world. Manaka: A Hindu scholar and expert in Ayurveda. He provided Indian medical texts to the Abbasid court, which were translated into Arabic. In addition to them, many lesser-known but valuable Hindu translators came to Baghdad. They translated Sanskrit and Prakrit texts into Arabic. These translations introduced the Islamic world to Buddhism, Nyaya, Vedanta, Ayurveda, astrology, and mathematics. Hindu scholars helped Islamic civilization connect with global knowledge. Their contributions promoted interfaith dialogue and understanding. Just as Greek philosophy influenced Islamic theology and Sufism, Hindu thought also left a mark on Islamic intellectual traditions. The role of Hindu scholars in the Abbasid era is unforgettable. Although their names may not be well-known today, their impact on Islamic sciences, philosophy, astronomy, mathematics, and medicine is clearly visible. The intellectual openness and tolerance of the Abbasid caliphs gave the world a treasure of knowledge, in which Hindu scholars played an important part. 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