The
House of Wisdom (;
Bayt al-Hikma) was a major intellectual center during the
Islamic Golden Age. The House of Wisdom was founded by
Caliph Harun al-Rashid (reigned 786–809) and culminated under his son
al-Ma'mun (reigned 813–833) who is credited with its formal institution. Al-Ma'mun is also credited with bringing many well-known scholars to share information, ideas, and culture in the House of Wisdom. Based in
Baghdad from the 9th to 13th centuries, many learned scholars including those of
Jewish or
Christian background were part of this research and educational institute. Besides translating books into
Arabic and preserving them, scholars associated with the House of Wisdom also made many remarkable original contributions to diverse fields.