Harun al-Rashid

Harun ibn Muhammad al-Mahdi al-Abbasi, known as Harun al-Rashid (148–193 AH), was the fifth Abbasid Caliph and the most famous ruler of the Abbasid golden age. Under his reign, Baghdad became the most prosperous and culturally vibrant city in the world. He patronized arts, scholarship, and learning, sponsoring the translation movement that brought Greek science and philosophy into Arabic. Imam al-Shafi'i and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal lived during his reign. He conducted annual Hajj journeys and fought against the Byzantines. The tales of the Arabian Nights (Alf Layla wa-Layla) are set in his court, though they are fictional. His reign is considered the peak of Abbasid civilization.