Lost History: Review

Name        : Lost History

                     (The Enduring Legacy of Muslim Scientists, Thinkers, and Artists)

Author      : Michael Hamilton Morgan

Publisher : The National Geographic Society

Language : English

Category  : Non-Fiction

Review of Lost History

Introduction

The history of Muslims was not as upsetting and neglected as it is now. Since the advent of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Muslims have ruled most of the region of the world for several centuries. Their creativity, bravery, governance, innovation, education, and scientific practices were envied by other nations. Hence, for centuries Muslim civilization was the absolute model to be followed throughout the world. Therefore, we need to understand the great role of the Muslim world in that golden age if we want to influence modern society with Muslim ideals. Michael Hamilton Morgan’s Lost History is just that book that gives you a sense of the golden age of the Muslim past. It gives a clear idea about all the historical achievements of Islam and explains the mystery behind conflict with the infidels of the present world.

Author’s Profile

Michael Hamilton Morgan is an American political scientist, global speaker, strategic consultant, and award-winning author. He was born in 1951 in Carolina, U.S. Among His books, Lost History, Arabia, and Collision with History are famous all over the world. The impetus for Lost History came after the attack on the world trade center on September 11, 2001. So, the author felt the need to share this forgotten Muslim history with the wider community over the world. Every learner will like the style in which he has connected the past Muslim history with the present in this book.

Book Discussion

Lost History themes at telling the untold story of the cultural and intellectual history of Islam and its relationship with the western world. According to his reading and research, the author has introduced his goal to share the fascinating Muslim history of invention, ideas, creativity, tolerance, and coexistence. The book confirms that Islamic culture founded the European Renaissance and enabled various aspects of modern global civilization.

Lost History begins its opening chapter with the story of a Moroccan-French Muslim family enjoying their time on a summer day. The book takes the reader to Mecca, Arabia in AD 570 from there and addresses the beginning of Islam. The author also traces the rapid spread of Islam over the century, pivoted battle in France in AD 732, and its impact on the expansion of the Muslim empire over entire Europe.

Subsequent chapters reflect the great accomplishments in Baghdad during the rule of the Caliph al-Ma’mun from 813-833 AD. The book details how Baghdad became a center of learning during his reign. The book clearly discusses how the foundation of modern mathematics, chemistry, astronomy, medicine, and literature was developed under the patronage of a Muslim ruler. However, the author highlights in that chapter that the cultural, scientific, and literary practices at that time were richer and more advanced than any other region of the West.

Lost History has included the numerous contributions of the Persian mathematician al -Khwarizmi in its next chapter. Reading the book, you will learn how his translated works became the textbooks of mathematics and astronomy in the Muslim and Western worlds of the time.

The next chapter features the great Persian poet, and mathematical and astronomical genius Omar Khayyam. Before 1200 years, he calculated the length of the solar year to be 365.24 days which is established in today’s science also. Lost History says that Omer Khayyam also demonstrated that the earth revolves on its axis and the heavens did not orbit the earth. Another chapter introduces the contributions of Armen Firman, ibn Faris, and Ahmed Celebi as the pioneers of modern-day flying.

“Healers and Hospitals”-the following chapter describes numerous significant discoveries and experts of the Muslim obstetrician, dentist, and physician al-Zahrawi. This chapter adorned some plots on the prevailing environment in Baghdad in the 8^th century when thinkers, artists, librarians, learners, and inventors got their finding answers to many universal questions from the generous patronage of the Muslims. Lost History also describes the multifaceted contributions of various Muslim sages like al-Tabari, al-Razi, ibn Sina, ibn Zuhar, and ibn al-Nafis on philosophy, alchemy, and metaphysics at that time.

The final chapter of Lost History highlights the qualities of Muslim leadership picking examples from caliph Abu Bakr, Umar, Ali, and others who championed an ethos of social fairness, justice, public health, and tolerance of diversity in faith, nationality, and ethnicity. The author also describes the character and style of Harun al-Rashid and Saladin by highlighting how they treated the population in Jerusalem after conquering the city. This chapter ends with a short description of the rule of the Ottoman empire by the greatest Turk Sultan Suleiman I.

Conclusion

In Lost History, the author narrates that the elevation of Europe and the collapse of the Muslim lands are two sides of the same coin. He also notes that for every rub stage in the Muslim world in the 21^st century, there is a new undertaking center of innovation in the Muslim community in Europe and America. This is one of the most informative, researched, and relevant books to share the forgotten, misinterpret, and terminated Muslim history. So, I would like to recommend this book to every Muslim learner to acquire knowledge about the rich past history of Muslims in science, arts, medicine, philosophy, commerce, mathematics, astronomy, and literature.

More on Book Review: