Dr. Seham Abdelbaki Mohamed Hameed
Head of Department's Speech
The study of history is one of the oldest social sciences that humans have engaged in, as social beings who need to understand their history, its development, and the civilization and artifacts that remain as evidence of their ancestors' greatness. Thus, history has become a branch of knowledge that can solve present and contemporary problems by comparing them to similar issues or relating them to past events. It has turned into a cumulative knowledge resource for humanity across ages and time periods, inspiring human intellect and fostering the advancement of various sciences, the elevation of nations and civilizations, and their flourishing. The importance of history lies in its ability to understand the past and derive conclusions and analyses that contribute to building a prosperous future for nations and peoples in all human societies.
Archaeology, on the other hand, is a scientific study of the remnants of past human civilizations, focusing on studying humans from the beginning of creation, their tools, weapons, caves, homes, graves, skeletal remains, and the history and evolution of human culture to identify races through in-depth studies of ancient peoples across historical periods. It can compare different eras or divide those periods into time frames based on the evolution of tools, styles, patterns, and decorations. This contributes to preserving material heritage. While historical texts are essential for tracking the flow of history and recording its events, artifacts are primary sources that help validate historians' claims and reveal truths not covered by various historical sources. Therefore, both fields are complementary. The courses offered by the Department of History and Archaeology at the Islamic University of Minnesota represent a distinctive knowledge blend that is indispensable for students.
The department comprises a group of well-known specialists in various media platforms, as most of them participate in numerous local and international seminars, conferences, and lectures, in addition to their books and robust scientific research in the same field, contributing to graduating prominent students in history and archaeology at the level of the Arab world.
Congratulations to our students for having this blessed department, which will contribute to developing their analytical and critical skills, helping them achieve a comprehensive understanding of their current issues, shaping their future, and regenerating leadership qualities that can revive the glory of the Islamic nation and cling to its identity, which has no dignity without it, no humiliation with it, and no hope without remembering its past and history, and recovering its looted artifacts. Embrace history, study it, and recognize the value of what past civilizations have left for the youth of the nation to thrive today and tomorrow.
Allah is the Grantor of success.
