There is one thing you can not find in İstanbul and that is silence and tranquility. Being the short tempered and hyper anxious people that we are, Istanbul is a ‘hustle and bustle’ 24 hours a day. I have recently learnt of a development study that shows that even Turkish babies are more anxious compared to many European babies crying more often, for longer periods and with a difficulty of being soothed. Anxiety and rushing is in our nature and everything has a potential to turn into drama.
So where does a local who is seeking a peace of mind flee away from the crowds, drama and lots of noise? My favourite spot is the Fuat Sezgin Library inside an old Ottoman Stable in the former gardens of the Topkapı Palace which is now a public park. When I first visited the library, I had no idea who Fuat Sezgin was and was puzzled about a reference to Islamic Science which to me was like an oxymoron. What could science got to do with Islam and why was this library referring to it? Next to the library is an Islamic Science Museum which initially had sounded really ‘bizarre’ to me.
Then I started reading about Fuat Sezgin who was a professor of the history of science in Islam, especially during a period which scholars call the ‘lost enlightenment of Islam’. That is a period where the ‘lingua franca’ of science was Arabic and Muslim scientists and scholars were very productive across many disciplines such as astronomy, mathematics and philosophy, translating and discussing ancient Greek texts, discovering the laws of physical world, diving into the labyrinths of mathematical calculations and delving into the mysterious of the human body. Scholars state that enlightenment in Europe was triggered by the texts of these early Islamic Scholars who had translated ancient Greek texts into Arabic and therefore had preserved ancient wisdom.
Sezgin knew a wide range of languages from ancient Greek to Latin, from Hebrew to Arabic. He had a massive library and wrote 19 volumes on the history of science in Islam. This is a period from the 9th to the 13th centuries in Central Asia where scholars like Ibn-i Sina and Ibn-i Haldun were productive.
He was a professor in Germany but he wanted to be buried in his home land and wanted his books to be preserved in Turkey. Some of his books are in the Library for those scholars who are interested in the history of science in İslam.
What fascinates me about the place is its tranquility, perfect for those who love to read and produce in silence just like me. The building is also amazing with high ceilings and thick bricks on its walls that take one back in time.
So if you ever get overwhelmed by this anxious city, do yourself a favour and visit Fuat Sezgin Library to pay tribute to the man who uncovered an Enlightenment period of Islam in Central Asia from 800 to 1200 AD and that was crushed for ever by the invasion of the Mongols.
Sezgin is buried in Gülhane Park very close to his library. We owe this great man a gratitude for making a lost enlightenment to be remembered!
