The Golden Age of Islamic Thought and Its Cultural Impact on Europe

Eric Gerlach

Excerpt: "In Luciano Canfora's book, The Vanished Library, he ends with a curious story about a conversation between John Philoponus and 'Amr, the Islamic general who conquered the city of Alexandria. John asks 'Amr to spare the books in the Library of Alexandria, imploring, "there are certain things which are of use neither to you or your men...(such as) the books of the royal treasury...You have taken possession of them, but I know that you would not know how to make use of them." 'Amr writes a letter to the Caliph concerning the library, and receives a chilling but logically reasoned reply:"

« Back