Academic powerhouse Bayt al-Hikmah (House of Wisdom) carried the global light of learning in Baghdad for centuries as a centrepiece of the Islamic Golden Age and a hub of knowledge that fostered intellectual pursuits across fields and profoundly influenced Islamic and Western science
Mustansiriya University, one of the world’s oldest universities, founded in 1233, symbolizes Iraq’s rich intellectual heritage as one of its significant educational institutions during the Islamic Golden Age, which survived neglect, the Mongol onslaught, floods, manmade and natural calamities that claimed much of Baghdad’s heritage over centuries
Twelvth-century Muslim saint Sheikh Abdul Qadir Gilani’s impact transcends time and geography and inspires devotees worldwide through his teachings and spiritual presence, fostering a sense of community and acceptance across sectarian and cultural divides through coexistence, empathy, understanding, truth, compassion, unity, and honesty.
The inclusive ethos of Qadiriyya Sufi Order’s mother shrine in Baghdad, housing the tomb of 12th-century saint Sheikh Abdul Qadir Gilani, endures transcending cultural, religious, and bridging sectarian divides as a symbol of coexistence and tranquillity
Sunnis, Shias, Kurds, and Christians continued living cheek by jowl rebuffing the toxic mix of religion and politics inside the warrens of Bab al-Sheikh, drawing inspiration from the 12th-century saint Sheikh Abdul Qadir Gilani, whose final resting place is located there
Baghdad, which was founded as Madīnat as-Salām in 762, quickly emerged as the epitome of Islamic civilization, scholarship, and scientific progress under the Abbasids and contributed to Western enlightenment and global progress
The Sinak Bridge in Baghdad offered a breathtaking view of the snaking Tigris in the Cradle of Civilization, where pivotal technological innovations such as writing, the wheel, and irrigation originated
Baghdad Green Zone, the heart of dictator Saddam Hussein’s regime which was sealed off for Americans when they made it their base after the US invasion of Iraq, continued to be a symbol of tyranny symbolizing the disconnect between Iraq’s new rulers and ordinary citizens
Executed former Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein projected his unbridled power like other demagogues through the size, bombast, and grandeur of his palaces meant to constantly remind people of his riches, omnipresence, and permanence
The violence had begun to ebb by 2016 but corroded car bomb hulks, and abandoned, bombed out and bullet-riddled buildings represented the horrors Baghdad, the city of about seven million, had suffered
