Harun al-Rashid

Description

Ahmad Amin says of this delightful book: “I was asked to write a book about Harun al-Rashid, and I was delighted by this request because I love him. Perhaps the reason for my love for him is that he is a sensitive and discerning man, easily swayed by fleeting influences. He prays one hundred rak’ahs every day and performs the Hajj on foot, yet—on the other hand—he is captivated by beauty, music, and drinking parties. Abu al-‘Atahiyah speaks to him of asceticism, and he weeps until his beard is soaked. Ibn Abi Maryam tells him a joke, and he laughs so hard he falls on his back. He is pleased with the Barmakids, giving them free rein, and he is angry with them, inflicting the most severe punishment upon them.

A man like this is usually frank and honest… I also love him because he elevated the status of the East in the West.” Whenever Harun al-Rashid is mentioned, Westerners imagine the East with its wondrous allure and captivating charm. This is due to the book *One Thousand and One Nights*, the prestige and reverence bestowed upon him by his relationship with Charlemagne, the constant flow of delegations to and from him, the flourishing trade between East and West during his reign, and other factors.

All of this and more contributed to his enduring popularity and widespread fame. I have deliberately written this biography in a modern and accessible style suitable for a broad readership. I have avoided excessive depth that would make it cumbersome, nor have I burdened it with a plethora of sources, as is the practice of academics and those who follow their approach. May God grant him the same favor that He granted al-Rashid.