The beginnings of European civilization date from the
seventh century of the Muslim era. The particulars were these: toward the end
of the fifth century of the hegira, the Pope or Head of Christendom set up a
great hue and cry over the fact that places sacred to the Christians, such as
Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth, had fallen under Muslim rule, and he stirred
up the kings and the commoners of Europe to undertake what he considered a holy
war. His impassioned outcry waxed so loud that all the countries of Europe
responded, and crusading kings at the head of innumerable hosts passed over the
Sea of Marmara and made their way to the continent of Asia. In those days the
Fátimid caliphs ruled over Egypt and some countries of the West, and most of
the time the kings of Syria, that is the Saljúqs, were subject to them as well.
Briefly, the kings of the West with their unnumbered armies fell upon Syria and
Egypt, and there was continuous warfare between the Syrian rulers and those of
Europe for a period of two hundred and three years. Reinforcements were always
coming in from Europe, and time and time again the Western rulers stormed and
took over every castle in Syria, and as often, the kings of Islám delivered
them out of their hands. Finally Saladin, in the year 693 A.H., drove the
European kings and their armies out of Egypt and off the Syrian coast.
Hopelessly beaten, they went back to Europe. In the course of these wars of the
Crusades, millions of human beings perished. To sum up, from 490 A.H. until 693, kings, commanders and other European leaders
continually came and went between Egypt, Syria and the West, and when in the
end they all returned home, they introduced into Europe whatever they had
observed over two hundred and odd years in Muslim countries as to government,
social development and learning, colleges, schools and the refinements of
living. The civilization of Europe dates from that time.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (‘The
Secret of Divine Civilization’)
