student1
PAKISTAN
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 Topic initiated on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 7:59 PM 
Their Once was a Civilization
THERE ONCE WAS A CIVILIZATION...
There once was a civilization that was the greatest in the world. It was able to create a continental super-state that stretched from ocean to ocean and from northern climes to tropics and deserts. Within its dominion lived hundreds of millions of people, of different creeds and ethnic origins.
One of its languages became the universal language of a large part of the world and the bridge between the peoples of a hundred lands. Its armies were made up of people of many nationalities, and its military protection allowed a degree of peace and prosperity that had never been known. The reach of this civilization's commerce extended from Latin America to China, and everywhere in between.
And this civilization was driven more than anything, by invention. Its architects designed buildings that defied gravity and its mathematicians created algebra, logrithems and algorithms that would enable the building of computers and the creation of encryption. Its physicians examined the human body and found new cures for disease, whilst its astronomers looked into the heavens, named the stars, and paved the way for space travel and exploration. Its writers created thousands of stories — stories of courage, romance and magic. Its poets wrote of love, when others before them were too steeped in fear to think of such things.
When other nations were afraid of ideas, this civilization thrived on them and kept them alive. When the censors threatened to wipe out knowledge from past civilizations, this civilization kept the knowledge alive and passed it on to others.
While modern Western civilization shares many of these traits, the civilization I'm talking about was the Islamic world from the year 800 to 1600, which included the Ottoman Empire and the courts of Baghdad, Damascus and Cairo, and such enlightened rulers as Sulayman the Magnificent.
Although we are often unaware of our indebtedness to this other civilization, its gifts are very much a part of our heritage. The technology industry would not exist without the contributions of Arab mathematicians. Sufi poet-philosophers like Rumi challenged our notions of self and truth, and leaders like Sulayman contributed to our notions of tolerance and civic leadership.
Perhaps we can learn a lesson from this example: It was leadership based on meritocracy, not inheritance. It was leadership that harnessed the full capabilities of a very diverse population, which included Christian, Islamic and Jewish traditions.
This kind of enlightened leadership that nurtured culture, sustainability, diversity and courage led to 800 years of invention and prosperity.
In these dark and serious times, we must affirm our commitment to building societies and institutions that aspire to this kind of greatness. More than ever, we must focus on the importance of leadership, both bold acts of leadership and decidedly personal acts of leadership.”
The preceding description are not the words of a famous Muslim scholar, but those of Carly Fiorina, the CEO of Hewlett Packard, ending her speech on “Technology, Business and Our Way of Life: What’s Next?” held in Minnesota (September 2001).
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