The Role of the Caliphs and Some Families in the Translation Movement During the First Abbasid Era and The Most Famous Translators and the Most Important Translated Books (132-232h/749- 846m)

Abstract

This study examines the role of the Abbasid caliphs in the translation movement, the most prominent translators, and the most important works translated during the early Abbasid era. The translation movement provided scholars and translators with the opportunity to explore the heritage and civilizations of earlier nations in various fields such as medicine, mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, and others. It also contributed to preserving this heritage from loss and presenting it to later civilizations after being revised, corrected, and enriched by Arab and Muslim scholars, who played a pivotal role in shaping both earlier and subsequent civilizations. This movement flourished under the patronage and encouragement of the Abbasid caliphs, to the extent that the early Abbasid era came to be known as the “Golden Age of Translation.” During this period, books in diverse sciences were translated, and translators served as the active agents of this movement, acting as the vital link between different languages and Arabic. The research also addresses the concept of translation, the factors that contributed to its prosperity, its beginnings, and its outcomes.