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Needless
to say, that the term heritage
has multiple connotations, namely, the nation’s memory that needs
permanent restoration and development, as well as the cultural legacy
passed by the predecessors on to their processors. Furthermore, the word
heritage means something that has been or may be inherited by legal
descent or succession. The same term is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an
combining both the religious and cultural denotations, as in the prayer of
Zakariyyā “(One that) will (truly) inherit me, and inherit the
prosperity of Jacob” (Miriam, 6). This verse is an indication to the
heritage of prophethood, knowledge, and virtue. Moreover, many citations
from the Holy Qur’an refer to the inheritance of belief and faith in the
Holy Books revealed before the Holy Qur’an.
 It
appears, thereby, that the Arab Islamic Heritage is what we have inherited
from our forefathers to support us in combining the legacy of the past
with the knowledge of the present, so as to preserve our entity with its
Arab traits and Islamic characteristics. We believe that the main
objective of heritage is not to be concerned with the past, so that we
would end in a static status, but rather to acquire from it the impetus to
engage in a dynamic status able to interact with reality, to develop it
and to advance towards the future. Thus, we can deal with the culture and
the civilizations of the west, to open a dialogue with and absorb them
without losing our private identity and distinguishing culture.
As
for the book in hand, it reviews the works and thought of Prof. Dr Youssef
Ziedan, whom I met two decades ago when we joined the higher studies at
the Faculty of Arts, Alexandria University. And from that day on, we
traveled together on the roads of heritage. We initiated our journey with
investigating the infinite spiritual heritage of Sufism, in which
philosophy is mixed with religion as well as literature, and thought is
blended with emotions. Time has passed by and more interest was given to
the figures and subjects of Sufism. Eventually, Dr Ziedan shifted his
attention to the field of the history of Arab Islamic sciences in general,
and medicine in particular, to focus on
‘Alā’ al-Dīn al-Qurašiy. He studied and
authenticated a number of Ibn al-Nafīs’ works, for which he was
widely acknowledged and awarded.
 We
would like to draw the reader’s attention that the purpose of the book
is not to present a comprehensive study of Dr Ziedan’s works, as his
prolific writings cannot be studied in one single work, given its diverse
nature that varies between compositions, authentication, cataloging, and
critical studies. Hence, it would be better to delay this detailed insight
for a more ample treatment in the future. Nevertheless, the book aims at
introducing a model to be followed in the field of Heritage work, and to
highlight the features of the heritage project of Dr Youssef Ziedan,
especially that he has taken an exceptionally daring step when he started
authenticating al-Šāmil fī al-Sinā‘a
al-Tibbiyya-
‘The Definitive Corpus of Medicine,’ a voluminous scientific
encyclopedia comprising 40 volumes on pharmacy and medicine by ‘Alā’
al-Dīn al-Qurašiy. Moreover, he took on a new turn in the
heritage work when he made use of computer and Internet in a remarkable
attempt to revive heritage and to employ the information technology in a
contemporary discourse of knowledge concerned with presenting our Arab
Islamic heritage with all its beauties to the whole world. Thereby, he has
taken an original and a bold step on the path of love of heritage.
The
book in hand includes six chapters, in which we have quoted intensively
from Dr Ziedan’s writings, so as to provide the reader with the
particularities of the text in the author’s own style, given that a text
is the direct reflection of the thought and course of its creator.
The
first chapter deals with heritage and its different dimensions,
objectives, issues, the past and present crisis, as well as the methods of
authentication and cataloging. The chapter concludes with reviewing and
analyzing the methodology adopted by Dr Ziedan.
The
second chapter tackles the Arab scientific heritage through two towering
figures. The first is ‘Alā’ al-Dīn ‘Aliy bin-Abīl-Haram
al-Qurašiy (Ibn al-Nafīs), who has been the center of attention
of researchers in the past and the present. However, Dr Ziedan has
surpassed all the previous attempts to treat Ibn al-Nafīs
quantitatively and qualtitatively by rediscovering him. The second is
Ibn al-Haytham,
whose novel treatise al-Athar al-Zāhir
alā Wajh al-Qamar-
‘The Trace on the Moon’s Face’ has been also the subject of Dr
Ziedan’s scrupulous study and revision.
The
third chapter is concerned with the terms, features and issues of Sufism.
It examines its nature, definitions, the characteristics of the Sufi path,
as well as the most significant topics that occupied the scholars, and to
which Dr Ziedan has contributed remarkably in the development of its study
such as the perfect man, miracles, statuses and stations.
The
fourth chapter sheds light on the eminent Sufi figures that Dr Ziedan
dealt with in his assorted writings, namely, ‘Abdul Kādir al-Jīlāniy,
‘Abdul Karīm al-Jīliy, Najm al-Dīn Kubrā and others.
The
fifth chapter treats Sufi literature. It discusses the factors that led to
the linguistic revolution of al-Hallāj during his crisis, as well as
the efforts that followed him to develop these attempts topped by the text
of al-Ghuthiyya,
which is a subject for doubts and controversy between scholars. The
chapter also quotes some texts authenticated by Dr Ziedan from the poetry
of ‘Abdul Kādir al-Jīlāniy, ‘Abdul Karīm al-Jīliy,
and al-Tilmisāniy.
The
last chapter is dedicated to critical studies, in which we stopped at Dr
Ziedan’s recent accomplishments in controversial issues related to
heritage, thought, and literature. It highlights his philosophical and
critical approach in studying of al-Tawhīdiy, reviewing of the works
of Zaki Mubarak and Abdul Rahman Badawi, as well as criticizing some
literally works of al-Ghitaniy, in addition to the Sufi poetry of Imam
Abul-‘Aza’im and Ahmad al-Shahawi.
The
idea of the book was crystallized in the mind of Hatim Misilhi, who read
the majority of Dr Ziedan’s works and followed up his activities for
many years. Thus, he started the composition by reviewing the assorted
achievements of Dr Ziedan. Then I followed with my critical reading of the
contents. Finally, we coauthored the book adding the concluding remarks
and touches.
In
conclusion, we hope that this book will guide the researchers and scholars
on their road to discover our unknown heritage through the features of a
towering heritage project, that of Dr Ziedan.
By
Dr Karam Amin Abu-Karam & Hatim Misilhi
Alexandria,
1999.
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