RESEARCH and development (R&D) is an important facet of new technologies. R&D activities can be costly, especially when unchartered territories are involved.
In overcoming this problem, several parties must share the responsibility of spurring technological development.
One important entity is the government. Without government support, encouragement and vision, it would be difficult for R&D activities to be institutionalised.
In this regard, we could certainly benefit from the rich history of the Islamic civilisation, where the caliphate played a crucial role in the knowledge-building and R&D activities.
Its catalytic role should be emulated today if we would like to see R&D advancements in science and technology.
No doubt, a nation’s progress or decline has much to do with the leadership’s attitude and role. This is especially true when we scrutinise the growth and development of intellectual as well as R&D activities in Middle Age Andalusia (Spain).
The Muslim caliphs of Andalusia were concerned with the development and progress of knowledge, particularly in the area of science and technology.
They were very much interested in intellectual discourse, so much so that the caliphs endeavoured to invite all intellects, scholars and researchers of that time from all over the world to work in Andalusia. There were numerous learning and research institutions across Andalusia.
The caliphs of Andalusia undertook the effort to bring thinkers to Andalusia to stimulate and inculcate the R&D culture in the Muslim world.
Ever since the time of the Ummayyad caliphate in Andalusia, its leaders had shown deep interest in intellectual activities.
Abdul Rahman I, the founder of the Ummayyad Dynasty in Andalusia, was himself a learned and intellectual man.
Subsequently, during the rule of Abdul Rahman II, many intellects from the east migrated to Andalusia.
The presence of these intellects had greatly encouraged the growth of knowledge until Cordova was dubbed the “Second Baghdad”. It also resulted in the fluorishing of middle eastern culture in Europe.
Abdul Rahman II had established many institutions of higher learning in many cities in Andalusia so that knowledge could be disseminated to the masses.
During the rule of Abdul Rahman III, it was noted that Andalusia reached its peak in all fields of life.
As noted by Dozy in the book Spanish Islam, it was during this time, circa the 10th century, that Andalusia became a nation with almost all of its populace educated and literate.
Almost all of the rulers of the Ummayyad Dynasty were great scholars.
Al-Hakam II, the successor of Abdul Rahman III, was a very wellknown intellect. During his 15-year rule, Al-Hakam II gave great encouragement to intellectual and research activities in Andalusia.
On top of giving encouragement, the caliph also handed out scholarships and assistance for scholarly activities in various fields.
It was during his rule that the University of Cordova was renovated, enlarged and given a more prominent role in R&D, until it became the best and biggest university in the world at that time.
As a learned caliph, Al-Hakam II had a great love for knowledge. This was evident from his collection of priceless and rare books and manuscripts from other centres of knowledge such as Baghdad, Cairo, Damascus and Alexandria.
Al-Hakam II would despatch his ambassadors to these centres, to either purchase or make copies of manuscripts and books. Cost was not an issue to Al-Hakam II.
The palace of Al-Hakam II was occupied by many people working as copiers and binders of books and manuscripts.
Al-Hakam II did not stop at collecting rare books and manuscripts, he made it a point to read all these published materials.
His interest in intellectual and research activities also led him to establish a special bureau to translate the works of Aristotle and Euclid.
This was how Al-Hakam II gained prominence as an intellectual ruler. His knowledge spanned different fields of knowledge, ranging from geography, geneology and history.
It has also been recorded that his intellectual prowess was greater than some of the scholars of his time. It was during this period that saw the growth of interest in the areas of mathematics, geography, astronomy, medicine and pharmacy.
Today, we see many branches of knowledge researched upon. In a recent report published by the US National Science Foundation and the US Department of Commerce, there are four rapidly and intertwining technologies that are revolutionalising the world today.
The four technologies are genomics, robotics, information and nanoengineering abbreviated with the acronym GRIN.
These emerging technologies hold the potential to improve human abilities, societal outcomes and quality of life tremendously.
Perhaps, it is time for Malaysia to focus on these four technologies. At the moment, we have initiatives such as the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) and the BioValley.
The former is capable of addressing the development and progress in the area of information and communication technology. The latter could contribute towards the progress in genomics.
Both these projects are initiated by the Government. The Malaysian Government is aware of the need to inculcate the R&D culture with a view to producing our own technologies.
This realisation has led to numerous other R&D institutions and centres for knowledge excellence.
For the BioValley project, the Prime Minister himself is taking the effort to woo foreign investors to support this project.
There are indeed parallels between what is being done here in Malaysia to that of the initiatives during the rule of the Ummayyad Dynasty in Andalusia.
It is imperative, for instance, for leaders to be learned and knowledgeable.
We should learn from the example portrayed by Al-Hakam II.
Aside from this, there must also be co-ordination of R&D activities so that there is no overlapping as well as wastage of financial and human resources.
Local scientists and scholars should work hand-in-hand with foreign experts so that the best could be produced.
We could certainly take a cue from Abdul Rahman II of Andalusia in luring scholars and intellects from all over the world to Cordova.
If a centre of research excellence could co-ordinate this effort, much could indeed be gained from this endeavour.
New knowledge could be introduced and new technologies could be developed. What is more important is that these knowledge and technologies are home-grown, thus making us more independent of foreign technologies.