Islamic Innovations 

The Islamic Empire, from the 8th century to the 13th century, began during the leadership of Abbasid caliph al-Rashid from 786-809, beginning with the inauguration of the House of Wisdom located in the city of Baghdad. The Empire is characterized as a period of academic advancement and development of innovative ideas in which are still significant in the modern world. The Islamic Empire spanned throughout the Arabian Peninsula down to Western Spain and Northern India, covering a vast amount of territory, making way for inventions and ideas to travel across the Empire. Academic hotspots such as Baghdad and the House of Wisdom harboured a place for Islamic scholars to expand prior knowledge made by other civilizations and further develop their ideas into innovations that changed the world. Islam mastered many fields of academia, such as art, science, mathematics, medicine, and technology. 

Islam pioneered in the devlopment and betterment of hospitals, then known as The bimaristan, or, Asylum of the Sick. Islamic hospitals prioritized the innovation and improvement of medicine and enhanced patient care. Islamic scholars extensively studied and recorded medical procedures, which in turn aided future doctors and scholars in the pursuit of advanced medicinal knowledge. Islamic innovations in hospital care is to thank for the level of advancement in which modern-day hospitals possess today.

During the Islamic empire, the Muslim world began to improve and perfect the credit and banking system in order to better organize financial matters such as agriculture profit and trade. The system worked so well, that the banking system used today is hardly different from how it was then. This early usage of a banking system is to thank for our modern-day banks.

Muhammed Ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, known as the “father of algebra,” played a significant role in the development of algebra. al-Khwarizmi was a scholar in the House of Wisdom in Baghdad, who helped develop and translate the concept of algebra, and eventually went on to write a book, The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing, a book with instructions on how to solve algebraic equations.

Early Islamic cartographers have played a major role in the innovation of cartography. Islamic scholars used their extensive knowledge and past resources, such as Ptolemy’s geographic maps, and went on to create the first scientifically accurate world map. During the Islamic Golden Age, scholars spent much of their time mastering techniques used to perfect their maps. Without the research and work done into efficiently creating accurate maps, cartography may not be as advanced as it is today.

Islamic artillery arose sometime during the 14th century, with the usage of the first portable cannon, which became a favored battle tactic throughout history, but did not catch onto Asians or Europeans until much later. These cannons, powered by gunpowder and could shoot a variety of weapons, were a formiddible development in the field of artillery. The use of the cannon spread throughout the Islamic empire, and later onto different empires, and became a very vital part of Islamic warfare. Throughout history, cannons have been and still are used during times of warfare.

Lastly, the flying machine, which was developed during the Islamic empire in 875 A.D. and is still a highly significant innovation today. The flying machine heavily famous aviation enthusiasts such as Leonardo Da Vinci and the Wright Brothers and is credited with the development of the Ornithopter theory; hence the advancement to modern day airplanes.