Who is al-Jahiz? | Assassin's Creed Mirage

The new game Assassin's Creed Mirage takes place in 9th century Baghdad and includes some really important and interesting historical figures. In this short video, we explore one of these - al-Jahiz - and his amazing writings on all kinds of different philosophical and scientific topics.
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#assassinscreedmirage #islamicgoldenage #aljahiz

[@12gmkk29]

He has a famous book called ‘the crown of kings ‘ where he talks about how to get power and keep it . He brings a lot of stories about ancient kings from persia Mesopotamia and the early islamic empires The books is very similar to the prince of machiavelli

[@hegeliandianetik2009]

The crown in the morals of kings

[@LK-em1bv]

The prince by Machiavelli

[@adamsnow4979]

Rulers like hajjaj were cause of this

[@JeelKher]

Fun fact: Al-Jahiż was a somewhat derogatory nickname meaning "One with bulging [eyes]". He may have had a medical condition we know today as "exopthalmos".

[@nihilean]

ive never liked the assassins creed gameplay, but ive gotta give the developers massive props for the past games excellently realized historic settings

[@CatastrophicDisease]

This is true for all games except for Valhalla.

[@hakel4372]

The history theme in the games is what i like about them most

[@thescoobymike]

Wow, literally crushed by the weight of his own books. Tragic yet darkly poetic.

[@ace9924]

That's just something say. We really don't know how he died. It could be likely that he was killed by those who disliked the Mutazilla.

[@kaiapparent2653]

i was starstruck when i learned about al jahez for the first time. such an incredible man. thanks for talking about him!!!

[@dorotapogubila4427]

I’ve never learned in school anything about this great culture. It was always about Greeks, Roman’s and Europe. Maybe because Poland is predominantly catholic.

[@rezamurshed]

Unfortunately it's the same case in the Islamic countries as well. Some how there seems to be a tedency to avoid the Islamic golden age from history.

[@HakimJamil94]

​@@rezamurshedDepends on where you're from. In Malaysia, the resource is expansive and you can pretty much learn anything as much as possible, although not many students are interested in history though.

[@Mutazili]

​@@rezamurshedThey don't want you to be Mu'tazila...

[@atheralikarim4235]

I genuinely appreciate your dedication towards this channel and the content you create. You are true master yourself. Thank you for all the knowledge you spread.

[@ashimov1970]

💯

[@vaiyaktikasolarbeam1906]

thank you. Your channel is truly a gem in this chaotic platform and overall world

[@ashimov1970]

💯 tik-tok being the most destructive to human soul

[@MrHazz111]

He's the bald guy in the House of Wisdom who keeps insulting me even after I give him free books.

[@ajwadfida2105]

good librarian never changes same in my college lmao

[@cometmoon4485]

It was awesome learning about all these cool figures from Abassid history!

[@zacharycurrie3708]

I love these mini biographies

[@tintin6455]

Very informative. Thanks for uploading.❤

[@AbuAishah2018]

This is really a commendable job. You are presenting an extensive research in a lucid way, the language is clear and intelligible.. Wish you best...

[@ouahidharireche3620]

Great video!

[@shiningWiz4rd]

Fascinating!!!

[@lerneanlion]

It's been a while since I heard of al-Jahiz. Glad to hear of him again! And who knows, he may actually discovered evolution for real if he lived longer.

[@kaiapparent2653]

right? he was so close!

[@tesso.6193]

He actually lived a pretty long life. He died aged 80 or so.

[@lerneanlion]

@@tesso.6193 Wait! Really?!

[@tesso.6193]

@@lerneanlion Yeah. It's already an achievement that he wasn't killed in the political purge after the new caliph if I recall correctly. He was still pretty famous in his old age but wouldn't touch politics again and instead buried himself in books.

[@Mutazili]

​@@tesso.6193Yeah, despite the new Caliph Al-Muttawakil's purge of Mu'tazila scholars, he allowed Al-Jahiz to continue writing (Not in theology though).

[@UlyssesJonah]

Thanks 🙏

[@Raydensheraj]

Great subject. I first heard of him in a book about evolutionary theory called "Darwin's Ghost" by Rebecca Stott. She wrote an entire chapter about his natural philosophy and other ideas. In my opinion one if the last enlightened followers of Islam....before the dark ages of Islam that last until....today.

[@cihankilic4814]

I am an Alevi ( the Turkish/Anatolian form of Alawism ) and I would love to see a Video about Alevism and our scholars like “Pir Sultan Abdal” and “Haci Bektaş Veli” and maybe about “Shah Ismael Hatayi”, who kind of created this branch of Islam. (Disclaimer: there are some “experts” which claim that alevism has nothing to do with Islam. And I wanted to add that the main diffrence between “Alevi” and “Alawi” is, that we have different scholars like the previous mentioned and for example “Yunus Emre” of which you have already made an Video about).

[@user-oq8my3po7c]

Really I never thought there a difference between Alevi and Alawi that shocked me! I thought just an accent in Turkish and Arabic. Are you guys really different from those Alawi in what is called Syria nowadays ?

[@sariahmarier42]

I want to play the game just for the historical visuals!

[@MorganEarlJones]

SIR GIDEON OFNIR, THE ALL KNOWING

[@dogukan7406]

That comment about evolution is pretty significant for his time actually I'm surprised

[@hagfish4998]

The fact that it was specifically evolution by natural selection

[@Raydensheraj]

When you want to know more....I highly recommend "Darwin's Ghost" by Rebecca Stott. She wrote an extensive chapter on his pre-evolutionary ideas or natural philosophy. The entire book is full of individuals that had ideas that came close to evolution. But the facts are clear....Charles Darwin was the first to not only come up with a verifiable testable scientific theory of evolution....but he completely revolutionized the life sciences. Alfred Wallace also wrote his famous paper....but it was Darwin who came up with natural selection years before Wallace send him his famous letter.

[@christopherrobinsons4529]

Lots of "black africans were apart of al andulusia. We started it.look at african americans, we are known to have up to 20 percent european and still are "black".

[@Motivation-Dose476]

Lol nope and he wasn't black

[@THEWORLDROCKSSS]

@@Motivation-Dose476he was half East African half Arab I came across him when I read ibn al jawzi books and he was also Dark Skinned infact he wrote a book against anti blackness within the Ummah because he himself was insulted and denigrated for his dark complexion

[@Motivation-Dose476]

@@THEWORLDROCKSSS he was from a pure Arabian tribe no source mentioned him as half East African

[@Delhi_Sultan]

Very interesting video on a very real and interesting figure during the Golden Age of Islamic civilization.

[@aberami6090]

Hi Filip, can you do an informative video on lucifer i feel there's a ton of misconception. You could also save it for a halloween vid 🎃 love you always, friend

[@Lalalala22537]

can you make a video on psychedelics and it's relationship with mystical experience ?

[@sule2318]

Al Jahiz was also a rejector of Hadith and referred to it as mere conjecture hearsay and bidah- innovation. He called Ahlul Hadith “Al Nabita” The Contemptible.

[@sule2318]

And he was right. Allah claims numerous times that the Qur’an is fully detailed with full explanation. Exposition of everything. That Allah left nothing out of the book. That it is the Best of Hadith. Best of Tafsir. Warns against any Hadith after it. That it is Perfected. Completed. Sufficient guide. Clear. Al furqan the criterion. And all the messenger spoke of and followed. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eprcdIyXg6t_ps0si=d5Gr8KL0HL2GgWAJ Allah also warns against following any Narrations traditions (Hadith) after the quran. ‎ فَبِأَىِّ حَدِيثٍۭ بَعْدَهُۥ يُؤْمِنُونَ 77:50 Then in what Hadith after it2 will they believe?3 ‎تِلْكَ ءَايَـٰتُ ٱللَّـهِ نَتْلُوهَا عَلَيْكَ بِٱلْحَقِّ فَبِأَىِّ حَدِيثٍۭ بَعْدَ ٱللَّـهِ وَءَايَـٰتِهِۦ يُؤْمِنُونَ 45:6 Those are the proofs1 of God; We recite them to thee in truth.2 Then in what Hadith after God and His proofs4 will they believe? ‎ ٱللَّـهُ نَزَّلَ أَحْسَنَ ٱلْحَدِيثِ كِتَـٰبًا مُّتَشَـٰبِهًا مَّثَانِىَ تَقْشَعِرُّ مِنْهُ جُلُودُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ ثُمَّ تَلِينُ جُلُودُهُمْ وَقُلُوبُهُمْ إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ ٱللَّـهِ ذَٰلِكَ هُدَى ٱللَّـهِ يَهْدِى بِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ وَمَن يُضْلِلِ ٱللَّـهُ فَمَا لَهُۥ مِنْ هَادٍ 39:23 God has sent down the best narration:1 a Writ2 of paired comparison3 whereat shiver the skins of those who fear their Lord; then their skins and their hearts soften to the remembrance4 of God - that is the guidance of God wherewith He guides whom He wills; and whom God sends astray, for him there is no guide. ‎وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَشْتَرِى لَهْوَ ٱلْحَدِيثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّـهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَيَتَّخِذَهَا هُزُوًا أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ 31:6 And among men is he who purchases the diversion of Hadith/idle tales to lead astray from the path of God without knowledge, and takes it in mockery: those have a humiliating punishment. ‎أَوَلَمْ يَنظُرُوا۟ فِى مَلَكُوتِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّـهُ مِن شَىْءٍ وَأَنْ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَكُونَ قَدِ ٱقْتَرَبَ أَجَلُهُمْ فَبِأَىِّ حَدِيثٍۭ بَعْدَهُۥ يُؤْمِنُونَ 7:185 Have they not considered the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and what things God has created, and that it may be that their term has drawn nigh? And in what Hadith after this will they believe? ‎أَفَبِهَـٰذَا ٱلْحَدِيثِ أَنتُم مُّدْهِنُونَ 56:81 Is it then this narration1 you disdain - And thus have We appointed for every prophet an enemy - satans of servi and Domini- instructing one another in the decoration of speech as delusion, (and had thy Lord willed, they would not have done it; so leave thou them and what they fabricate) And that the hearts of those who believe not in1 the Hereafter might incline thereto, and be pleased therewith, and that they might commit what they are committing. “Is it other than God I should seek as judge when He it is that sent down to you the Writ set out and detailed?” And those to whom We gave the Writ know that it is sent down from thy Lord with the truth; so be thou not of those who doubt. And perfected is the word of thy Lord in truth and justice; there is none to change His words; and He is the Hearing, the Knowing. And if thou obey most of those upon the earth, they will lead thee astray from the path of God; they follow only assumption, and they are only guessing. Thy Lord: He best knows who strays from His path; and He best knows the guided. So eat of that over which the name of God has been remembered, if you believe in1 His proofs. And what is with you that you eat not of that over which the name of God has been remembered when He has set out and detailed1 to you what is forbidden you save that you be compelled thereto? And many lead astray by their vain desires, without knowledge; thy Lord: He best knows the transgressors. - 6:112-119

[@Mutazili]

Yeah Mu'tazila either reject most Hadith (Like Al-Nazzan) or apply different criterias in ranking Hadith (the Hadith must be transmitted by many independent chains of transmission + the content of the Hadith musn't contradict the Quran or logic, which is different from the Sunni method where by you trust the individuals who confirm your bias).

[@THEWORLDROCKSSS]

Many people at that time were skeptical about Hadith because many fake ones were made

[@user-uu2cd4wl3i]

So the electron is really condensed energy made up from the electromagnetic field.... Now the negative charge around the electron is just the field being pulled in by the electron ... And for the nucleus of the Adam the same thing with positive charge..... And the same thing with the neutral charge inside the nucleus.... Now whenever negative charge meets negative charge the field around the electron is the same density as the other field around the other electron (and of course I'm talking about the charge around the electron or the energy around the electron)so ... Because the negative charge around the electrons are the same density they bounce off one another.... And whenever positive charge meets negative charge they are different densities so they pull into one another.... But positive charge and neutral charge are around the same density so they pull into one another.... And positive charge is more condensed so it condenses the neutral charge inside of it.... Then whenever the electron comes along with its negative charge then the energy that's already condensed inside the positive and neutral fields around the nucleus becomes even more condensed inside the electron and that energy that is condensed inside the electron made up of the neutral and positive charges....... Pulls on the neutral and positive charges more because it is more condensed and they're around the same condensity... So whenever the election leaves the electron does not have a strong enough pull to pull on the positive and neutral charge that it made more condensed inside of it so the electron moves away from the nucleus and then the nucleus pulls out the energy that was in the electron and that creates a photon my name is dylan stone

[@sekedad4819]

His idea of natural selection sounds much more like Lamarckian evolution. Still extremely noteworthy though

[@bluesteel1389]

These educational ads are slowly convincing me to actually buy the game sooner

[@death-istic9586]

1st comment!❤

[@Cross-Carrier]

I came late to playing these games when I was younger. Unity was the first one I played and loved it and I remember my pal saying.... " wait till you play black flag " 🏴‍☠️ . I think I covered every inch of that map. Oh man, it was brilliant being like 20/ 21. Spend an entire day swimming around random islands and listening to my crew sing sea shanties 😊

[@mccarraa]

H3 Family thanks Dan

[@soham9119]

Happy Diwali

[@_AI_Shah]

Sir please make a video on Imam Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi R.A

[@-zorkaz-5493]

A little off-topic but would you still happen to be in search of a "logo" of sorts? How could I reach out to you?

[@Mutazili]

Another Mu'tazili genuis

[@laithhherzallah]

Im arabic and i till you aljahiz got a more than perfect language he write magic he got a heavnely hand no one can top him and his famous and most important book is albian w altbeen "البيان والتبيين "

[@binjalan6777]

I never knew that "الجافظ" was a polymath/Renaissance. We were only taught in school that he was a poet and his cause of death lol.

[@LetsTalkReligion]

I think you are confusing al-Jahiz with Hafiz?

[@binjalan6777]

​@LetsTalkReligion sry I miss spelt الجاحظ

[@gregcampwriter]

The biological speculation here is Lamarckian evolution, not Darwinian. But it is the kind of thinking that would eventually lead to the explanation of how populations change over time.

[@hakel4372]

Assassins creed is best game franchise ever

[@zosasho8036]

As an Arab who lives in an Arab country and is interested in islamic history, this is the first time I’ve heard of him unfortunately

[@agadirmoon5475]

اسمه الجاحظ سمي بذلك لجحوظ عينيه اي لديه عيون واسعة مركزة ومعروف عنه ايضا انه قبيح الشكل لدرجة ان الخليفة عندما سمع بعلمه اراد منه ان يعلم ويربي احد ابناءه وعندما راى شكله احتقره لقبحه

[@tesso.6193]

My one objection is al jahiz is supposed to be ugly. Like, *famously* ugly. There are stories out there about how strikingly ugly he was. It's his intelligence and sharp sense of humour is what made he so loved in court. That's how he got his nickname "al jahiz" which basically means guy with bulging eyes. That NPC however is super cute lol.

[@2070ahmed]

he exactly described evolution, he just didn't pack it up with scientific evidence like Darwin did.

[@Azizullah13579]

His name is the cananite, the visionary.

[@IrfanKhan-fx2tg]

He was a taller man with strong body shap why in the game they represent him average man..

[@hakel4372]

3:02 Hashwiyya is more like those who give God some creature aspects

[@Mutazili]

It is rooted in Hasha- margin, but yeah it designed the scholars who were ignorant enough to believe Allah is a sky daddy (who are dominant today sadly)...

[@tech9iq]

The Mu'tazila were Refuted by al Ghazali rh or Abu Mansur al Maturudi and Abul Hassan al Ashari rahimuhullah ajma3in.

[@Mutazili]

They were not, it's the political power that decided it.

[@jeffmerrell4019]

Might have!…look up his THOUGHTS on black africans i think you may find your answer there

[@ioan_jivan]

that is basically evolution...

[@saeedabdullah3356]

He was 100% Black very Black and his most famous book was "Fakhr al-Sūdān ala al-Bīḍān (فَخْر السُودان على البيضان) 'pride of blacks over whites'', to combat the growing Arab racism towards Blacks.

[@phoenixk4328]

he was Arab himself from Banu Laith tribe but didn't experience any racism bcuz of his color rather than his eyes shape. He wasn't very black he was in the brown tone the dark tone

[@saeedabdullah3356]

@phoenixk4328 Not true at all he was from the tribe of Banu Kinana

[@phoenixk4328]

@@saeedabdullah3356 Laith is a branch of Kinana same as Quraysh

[@vesey1585]

​@phoenixk4328 you can't spew bad information like this. You clearly never read his works.

[@phoenixk4328]

@@vesey1585 not even a single wrong info about him. I don't need to read his work cuz I talked about his biography which he didn't mention in his works

[@GlobalAgenda2024]

The name you are talking about is Al-Jahiz= الجاحظ = Al jah(ح)idh

[@subhanhasan990tsikfm]

i wish it had Rabia al Adawiyya

[@LetsTalkReligion]

Would have been cool, but she was already long dead by then, and lived in Basra

[@dogukan7406]

I wonder why don't we have Islamic philosophical debates today or do we?

[@Mutazili]

If we convert back to Mu'tazilism we'll have that again... Sunnism stifles the brain.

[@Tetrapod1st]

first

[@Michael-Archonaeus]

It sounds like the Islamic world was nearly 800 years ahead of the rest of the world, in regards to science.

[@Talia.777]

😂😂😂

[@blackpalacemusic]

Yes they inherited the information gathered by the Egyptians and Greeks. The irony is where they are today.

[@darkday8913]

​@@blackpalacemusic"Inherited" as if someone just spoon fed them all that knowledge. No, they sought it out, decoded the language, learned from it and developed it. If we go by your logic than the later enlightenment Europeans inherited it from the Arabs.

[@blackpalacemusic]

@@darkday8913 yes they did actually.😆 I cant believe you never heard "inherited" used in that context. *INHERIT* : receive or be left with (a situation, object, etc.) from a predecessor or former owner. "spending commitments inherited from previous governments"

[@Ser3456]

@@blackpalacemusicNo , your wording clearly indicate that you downplay the achievements and the sophistication of the Islamicate at that time. Would you also look down at Greeks as today’s Greeks are nowhere close to the Ancient Greeks in terms of their position in the world in intellectual pursuits?

[@IMADALBASRII]

We say his Name Jahedh Or jahdd because none Arabs can’t say letter ض)DH) they pronounce as Z

[@user-vv1kb9ye2h]

Fun fact he’s The father of Evolution not Darwin 😢

[@richardnoll4003]

I don't know how to contact you via email, so I will leave a comment here that has nothing to do with the video. I am one of your patreon acolytes. I am also a scholar of shamanism. I know you have mostly been sticking to the traditional canon of "World Religions" but I would love to see your take on the problematical construction of "shamanism" and how it is understood by scholars.

[@zmarghardes6801]

Darwin copied his work

[@abdullahemirdoruk6543]

A story about al jahiz, in a day he was crying and praying a student of him asked el jahiz my master what do you want from Allah to make you cry this much he answers i am so ugly i ask Allah to make me look better student ansewers my master it would be easier for Allah to destroy and create you back more than fix your looks 😂 he also known for his bad looking

[@drcheekyisback]

Let’s talk Israel Palestine

[@ericpitt-bey3005]

There are some very glaring ommissions in this video. There's not a single depiction or image in this video that reflects any discernable any Cushite facial features for Al jahiz. You also ommit any mention of his classic work on race & racism, "The Boast Of Superiority Of The Black Race Over The Whites", which was a pre-cursor of the epic Zengh Rebellion in Baghdad. What a dismissive "whitewash" of history