Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
Associate Professor of History and Civilization of the Muslims Dept., Shahid Beheshti University (SBU); Tehran, Iran. Professor Guest of Shanghai International Studies University, China
2
PhD Candidate in Critical Western Studies, Baqir al-Uloom University, Qom, Iran
3
Associate Professor of Islamic Studies Depart, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/jiiph.2026.70187.2612
Abstract
This article employs a historical-contextual approach to examine whether a conceptual basis for seawater desalination can be identified in the thought of Khwaja Rashid al-Din Fazl-Allah Hamadani (d. 1318 CE), the renowned vizier and scholar of the Ilkhanid period. The study is based on the hypothesis that Rashid al-Din’s prominent role in the scientific, architectural, and medical development of Rabʿ-e Rashidi, together with his efforts to address practical challenges of his time, particularly water supply in Iran’s central plateau, reflects a broader concern with developing innovative solutions to problems of water provision. Although these concerns cannot be equated with modern seawater-desalination technologies, they may reveal an early conceptual interest in water treatment and resource management. Drawing on scientific observations and empirical knowledge, Rashid al-Din discusses various methods of water purification, including filtration through natural materials, distillation, heating, and the use of plants. He also emphasizes the preservation and protection of water resources and refers to rainwater harvesting as an important source of freshwater. These observations are significant not only for understanding medieval approaches to water management but also for examining the historical development of ideas related to sustainable resource use. The study aims to clarify the place of these ideas within Rashid al-Din’s broader intellectual framework and to assess the extent to which they reflect an innovative approach to environmental and social challenges. Using qualitative content analysis, the research examines both direct and indirect textual evidence in Rashid al-Din’s writings. The findings highlight the importance he attached to water management, resource preservation, and practical responses to environmental constraints, while also demonstrating the need to distinguish such historical ideas from modern concepts of seawater desalination
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