São Paulo – The Arabs contributed for the development of medicine, philosophy and mathematics. They are examples of resistance to survive in difficult conditions and, through Islam, show that tolerance is fundamental in relations between ethnic groups and religions. These are some of the characteristics of this people, from when they started their formation, between 3000 BC. and 1000 BC., and were presented on Tuesday night (22) by historian Arlene Clemesha at talk “Caminhos na história dos povos árabes” (Routes in the history of Arab people), the last in the 2013 Arab Chamber talk cycle.
The professor and doctor of the Oriental Letters Department at the College of Philosophy, Literature and Humanities of the University of São Paulo (FFLCH-USP) spoke to around 100 people about the history of the Arab people, which originated with the domestication of camels and from people who, in 1400 BC, started to organize and form semi-nomadic tribes, clans and families.
Clemesha also explained to the public that before the birth of Islam, in around 600 AD, the people who made up the Arabs were polytheistic and adored approximately 360 gods. Each tribe had a god. It was after Allah’s message, disclosed by the prophet Mohammed, in the 7th century, that the Arab people started spreading throughout the Middle East, part of Europe and Africa.
“The Arab people needed to meet and expand as they faced lack of resources. If they did not join forces, the Arab state could fall apart,” said the professor in reference to the hardships in obtaining food and housing.
Between 622 and 750, the Arabs expanded rapidly and one of the factors that helped this was their meeting persecuted minorities of Jews and Christians in the areas they dominated. Many of those who were unhappy converted to Islam. “One of the values forecasted in the Koran (the holy book of Islam) is tolerance. Tolerance of Jews and of Christians,” she said.
Clemesha explained that the Abbasid dynasty, led by a relative of Mohammed’s, which followed the Umayyad dynasty, left culture as the great contribution to humanity. It was at the time of the Abbasid’s that books of the Greek philosophy of Plato, Aristotle and of the Neo-Platonic philosophers were translated into Arabic. “Translation was very important for the Arab people as up to that moment the language used by them was Greek,” said Clemesha.
From the translation of important classic Greek works, philosophers like Avicenna and Ibn Rashid also developed their theories. Areas of knowledge in which the Arabs made great contributions, like medicine, mathematics and astronomy, also developed from the heritage of the Abbasids.
Clemesha stated that the talk was aimed at showing the audience the history of the Arab people, their origins and their characteristics and also demystifying the impression of people who defend war and terrorism. “The word ‘jihad’ does not mean holy war. It means effort,” she said.
Opportunity
“I liked to see the interest of people in learning more about the Arab culture, asking and learning more. It was a beautiful initiative of the Arab Brazilian Chamber, which, apart from simplifying trade to the countries, is also concerned with the education and culture,” said Clemesha.
Arab Brazilian Chamber president Marcelo Sallum recalled that this was the last talk promoted by the institution at its offices and observed that the events promoted are an opportunity to attract associates and the public in general. “It is a way to promote the Arab Brazilian Chamber and to provide its partners the opportunity to share knowledge and also, importantly, the option to develop networking at these meetings,” he said.
*Translated by Mark Ament