Harun al-Rashid Ahmed Amin

About the author of the book Harun al-Rashid

Ahmed Amin is one of the most important intellectuals who contributed to establishing the foundations of modern Arab culture in the first half of the twentieth century. He studied at Al-Azhar and worked as a judge and teacher at the Sharia Judiciary School, then became a professor of literary criticism at the Faculty of Arts in Cairo and dean of the same college. He wrote a weekly article in "Al-Risala" magazine and was the editor-in-chief of "Al-Thaqafa" magazine, which was issued by the Committee for Authorship, Translation and Publication, where he also served as its head. Ahmed Amin was also chosen as a member of the Egyptian, Iraqi and Syrian Arabic Language Academies, and he published a number of works, including "Fajr al-Islam" (Dawn of Islam), "Duha al-Islam" (Forenoon of Islam), "Zuhr al-Islam" (Noon of Islam), and "Harun al-Rashid".

It is important to note that Ahmed Amin's statement: "I want to work, not to dominate" represents an important key to understanding his great personality.

About the book Harun al-Rashid

Ahmed Amin expressed his admiration for Harun al-Rashid in his enjoyable book, saying: "I was asked to write a book about Harun al-Rashid, and I was delighted with this request because I loved him. Perhaps the reason for my love for him was that he was an emotional and tasteful man, subject to the influences of time, so he would pray a hundred rak'ahs every day and perform Hajj on foot. He also felt beauty and singing and enjoyed drinking gatherings. He would talk with Abu al-Atahiyah about asceticism and cry until he became ashamed, and Ibn Abi Maryam would tell him a joke and he would laugh until he lay on his side. He would accept the Barmakids and treat them with respect, but he would get angry with them and punish them severely if they wronged him."

"And this honest and frank man, who holds a prominent position in the East and West, whenever Harun al-Rashid is mentioned, Westerners imagine the attractiveness of the East and its strange charm, and the reason for this is the book 'One Thousand and One Nights' and the relationship that existed between him and Charlemagne, and the successive delegations between the East and West in his days. All of this made him beloved and famous, and so I wrote about him in a modern and easy style that suits the general public, without complexity or mentioning many sources as academics and those who tend to do so do. And I ask God to grant me great luck as Harun al-Rashid was granted."