Islamic Science
Key: All bold words in my document are defined in my glossary below
Olivia Buklarewicz
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My Question: How have the discoveries of Islamic Science impacted us today?
My Question: How have the discoveries of Islamic Science impacted us today?
Why have I chosen this question?
Why have I chosen this question?
I choose this question because I remember last year in science we did a little bit of research on the relationship between science and Christianity during the Dark Ages. The Dark Ages was a time in Europe when science was not being pursued due to people thinking that God was the reason for all of people's actions. However, I remembered one thing, which was that during the Dark Ages, in the Middle East, science was flourishing. This always seemed to interest me, however, I never really researched more into that, until now. I wondered what exactly was the Middle East doing during this time to make it so successful and what were the outcomes of this succession? This is how I eventually developed the question, "How have the discoveries of Islamic Science impacted us today?".
This is an image of what it looked like as Muslim scientists studied various areas of science:
Buddha Channel Eng. “Buddha Channel.” Islam and Science - Buddhachannel, 17 May 2016, www.buddhachannel.tv/portail/spip.php?article3463.
This image is what is looked like inside the House of Wisdom:
John, John and. “Al-BAB.” The House of Wisdom and the Perfect Storm of Knowledge, 1 Jan. 1970, http://albabblog.blogspot.nl/2012/11/the-house-of-wisdom-and-perfect-storm.html
My Research:
My Research:
In order to understand the impacts of Islamic Science in the modern-day, you need to know how they got there. From my research, I have learned that the stimulation of interest in Islamic Science began in the Islamic Golden Age, which lasted from the seventh century, to the thirteenth century. The Islamic Golden Age started with the caliphs that took over after the death of Muhammad. These caliphs built the city, Baghdad, which is now the capital of modern-day Iraq, and was successfully ruled by the Abbasid Dynasty. Baghdad was soon thriving, since many aspects of the city were catching the eye of people all over the world, for example, the location which was right next to the Tigris and Euphrates river. Soon scholars from all over the world came to Baghdad and the Abbasid caliphs used this opportunity to create The House of Wisdom. In The House of Wisdom, they welcomed Cristian and Jewish scientists and mathematicians to all work there to translate and build off of work from Ancient Greek, Roman, Mesopotamian and Babylonian civilizations. They expanded and translated works from Hippocrates, Galen and Dioscorides, who were all famous Ancient Greek scientists, to find cures for diseases such as cancer, however, they also developed ideas in other subjects such as in math, algebra. Though the two biggest areas of interest and development within the topic of science were medicine and astronomy.
Astronomy:
Astronomy:
The advancement Islam helped make in astronomy is one of it's most famous areas of growth. Astronomy is a point of interest for Muslim Scientists and it is seen in many quotes in the Quran such as, “It is he who created night and day, the Sun and it’s Moon, each floating in it’s orbit.” - Quran 21:33 or “And the earth, moreover, hath he made he made egg shaped.” - Quran 79:30. One of the most famous advancements in astronomy was the creation of the Solar Calendar which was extremely accurate, especially at the time it was created. The Solar Calendar was created in 1073 CE by Sultan Jalaluddin Malikshah who found that in one year there are 365.24219858156 days. Sultan Jalaluddin Malikshah created a calendar that flowed with the seasons by finding the positions of the stars and sun. The Solar Calendar had a major impact on our world today for it helped create the Islamic Calendar that is currently used. This calendar is also very important in the religion of Islam because Muslims use this calendar to help know when to pray.
This image represents how Muslims studied astronomy by looking at where the sun and stars were in the sky:
Source, Science. “Islamic Astronomers by Science Source.” Fine Art America, http://fineartamerica.com/featured/1-islamic-astronomers-science-source.html.
This image represents how Muslims studied and created cures to impact medicine today:
ThingLink. “Islamic Medicine By.” Annotate Images and Videos - ThingLink, www.thinglink.com/scene/852672403493355520
Since there were many cures Muslims were discovering, they wanted to find a way to help spread this knowledge to people around them. That was when Harun al-Rashid created the first modern-day hospital in 805 CE. These hospitals were connected to libraries and medical schools where students were making great improvements in their learning of medicine and medicine itself. For example, Abu Ali Sina, who, through this education, at age 18 became a physician for the Royal Family in modern-day Uzbekistan during the tenth century. Abu Ali Sina also created the Canon of Medicine which included 760 translated summaries of Ancient Greek descriptions for cures and diseases which was used to the nineteenth century. There was also Abu Bakr Al-Razi, who created 200 books on cures for things such as measles, allergies, smallpox, kidney stones and many more. However, these Muslim physicians were not the only one with this success, over 400 others had their books translated into European languages and served as an impact for modern-day medicine.
Medicine:
Medicine:
The extensive progress that Muslims made in medicine has vastly impacted the way medicine is today. Cures are also often mentioned in the Quran as well. Some quotes from the Quran explaining some cures are, “And with fruit that they may choose. And with the flesh of fowls that they desire” - Quran 56:20 and "God created no illness, except that He has established for it a cure, except for old age. When the antidote is applied, the patient will recover with the permission of God." - Quran.
This image is a page out of The Canon of Medicine by Abu Ali Sina:
Nizamoglu, Cem. “Ibn Sina's The Canon of Medicine.” Ibn Sina's The Canon of Medicine | Muslim Heritage, www.muslimheritage.com/article/ibn-sinas-canon-medicine.
Summary to the Answer of my Question
Summary to the Answer of my Question
From my research, I have learnt from the Golden Age of Islam, Islamic Science has pursued to impact many different areas of science in the modern day. Such as astronomy and medicine and it's creations such as the Solar Calendar, the creation many helpful books, the modern-day hospital, cures and treatments, and lastly, many new theories. All of which have been shown in the Quran from many different quotes. This knowledge we have now on areas of science would not have been created without the inventions that Muslim scientists have made, however, it also would not have been there without their willingness to share it with the world. While Europe was facing its dark ages, Muslims passed their ideas and knowledge to Europe and got them researching science more. This is shown in certain words in English root back to Arabic. For example, alchemy is al-kimiya in Arabic or sofa is suffa or safari is safari. Also, certain words come from the names of people who invented or mentioned the topic from books, for example, algebra comes from al-Jabr which was the name of a book or algorithm which comes from al-Khwarizmi who is a mathematician who started to introduce it.
This image was taken in 2009 in The University of Cairo while Barak Obama was talking about the impacts of Islamic Science:
Staff, WSJ. “Obama’s Speech in Cairo.” The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company, 4 June 2009, http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2009/06/04/obamas-speech-in-cairo/.
People today are still acknowledging the impact that Islamic Science has made, such as in 2009, former president of the United States of America, Barak Obama, mentioned the impact in a speech in the University of Cairo, Neil Degrasse Tyson, an American astrophysicist, mentioned it in a speech, and so did Steven Weinberg, a theoretical physicist, mentioned it in a speech as well. In conclusion, Islamic science has had many effects on modern-day science which is shown from actions in the past and present.
Glossary:
Glossary:
Babylon Empire
“The Babylonian Empire was the most powerful state in the ancient world after the fall of the Assyrian empire (612 BCE). Its capital Babylon was beautifully adorned by king Nebuchadnezzar, who erected several famous buildings. Even after the Babylonian Empire had been overthrown by the Persian king Cyrus the Great (539), the city itself remained an important cultural center.”
-Livius. “Babylonian Empire.” Babylonian Empire - Livius, 26 July 2017, www.livius.org/articles/place/babylonian-empire/.
Ancient Greeks/Greece
“The civilization that flourished around the Mediterranean Sea from the 3rd millennium to the 1st century BCE (including the first two European civilizations, Minoan and Mycenaean), known as the cradle of Western civilization.”
-Ancient-Greece Dictionary Definition | Ancient-Greece Defined, www.yourdictionary.com/ancient-greece.
Ancient Mesopotamians/Mesopotamia
“An ancient region in W Asia between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers: now part of Iraq.”
-“Mesopotamia.” Dictionary.com, Dictionary.com, www.dictionary.com/browse/mesopotamia.
Ancient Romans/Rome
“The civilization associated with Rome from the 9th century BC to the 12th century AD and the Roman Empire centered on it”
-Ancient-Rome Dictionary Definition | Ancient-Rome Defined, www.yourdictionary.com/ancient-rome.
Babylon Empire
“The Babylonian Empire was the most powerful state in the ancient world after the fall of the Assyrian empire (612 BCE). Its capital Babylon was beautifully adorned by king Nebuchadnezzar, who erected several famous buildings. Even after the Babylonian Empire had been overthrown by the Persian king Cyrus the Great (539), the city itself remained an important cultural center.”
-Livius. “Babylonian Empire.” Babylonian Empire - Livius, 26 July 2017, www.livius.org/articles/place/babylonian-empire/.
Ancient Greeks/Greece
“The civilization that flourished around the Mediterranean Sea from the 3rd millennium to the 1st century BCE (including the first two European civilizations, Minoan and Mycenaean), known as the cradle of Western civilization.”
-Ancient-Greece Dictionary Definition | Ancient-Greece Defined, www.yourdictionary.com/ancient-greece.
Ancient Mesopotamians/Mesopotamia
“An ancient region in W Asia between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers: now part of Iraq.”
-“Mesopotamia.” Dictionary.com, Dictionary.com, www.dictionary.com/browse/mesopotamia.
Ancient Romans/Rome
“The civilization associated with Rome from the 9th century BC to the 12th century AD and the Roman Empire centered on it”
-Ancient-Rome Dictionary Definition | Ancient-Rome Defined, www.yourdictionary.com/ancient-rome.
Abbasid dynasty
“Abbāsid Dynasty, second of the two great dynasties of the Muslim Empire of the Caliphate. It overthrew the Umayyad caliphate in ad 750 and reigned as the ʿAbbāsid caliphate until destroyed by the Mongol invasion in 1258.”
-The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. “ʿAbbāsid Dynasty.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 24 Oct. 2014, www.britannica.com/topic/Abbasid-dynasty.
Caliphs/caliphate
“Any of the former Muslim rulers of Baghdad (until 1258) and of the Ottoman Empire (from 1571 until 1924).”
-“Caliph.” Dictionary.com, Dictionary.com, www.dictionary.com/browse/caliph
Measles
“a disease that causes a fever and red spots on the skin”
-“Measles.” Measles - Definition for English-Language Learners from Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary, www.learnersdictionary.com/definition/measles.
Smallpox
“A serious disease that causes fever and a rash and often death
-“Smallpox.” Smallpox - Definition for English-Language Learners from Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary, www.learnersdictionary.com/definition/smallpox.
Kidney Stones
“Kidney stones are hard, pebble-like pieces of material that form in one or both of your kidneys when high levels of certain minerals are in your urine. Kidney stones rarely cause permanent damage if treated by a healthcare professional.”
-“Definition & Facts for Kidney Stones.” National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1 May 2017, www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/kidney-stones/definition-facts.
My Bibliography:
My Bibliography:
-Ancient-Greece Dictionary Definition | Ancient-Greece Defined, www.yourdictionary.com/ancient-greece.
-Ancient-Rome Dictionary Definition | Ancient-Rome Defined, www.yourdictionary.com/ancient-rome.
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-avizliran. “Neil DeGrasse Tyson Talk about Science and Islam.” YouTube, YouTube, 16 Apr. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNdFMTDCfy8.
-“Babylonian Empire.” Babylonian Empire - Livius, www.livius.org/articles/place/babylonian-empire/.
“-Buddhachannel.” Islam and Science - Buddhachannel, www.buddhachannel.tv/portail/spip.php?article3463.
-“Caliph.” Dictionary.com, Dictionary.com, www.dictionary.com/browse/caliph.
-“Definition & Facts for Kidney Stones.” National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1 May 2017, www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/kidney-stones/definition-facts.
-Dodge, Christine Huda. The Everything Understanding Islam Book: a Complete Guide to Muslim Beliefs, Practices, and Culture. F W Media, 2010.
-eclemif. “A Part of Barack Obama's Speech in Cairo, Egypt: Muslim Heritage in Our World.” YouTube, YouTube, 5 June 2009, www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyhZkjxz5JM.
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-gubik. “Steven Weinberg - Islamic Contribution to Science.” YouTube, YouTube, 21 Feb. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAXc1qUquLg.
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-“Measles.” Measles - Definition for English-Language Learners from Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary, www.learnersdictionary.com/definition/measles.
-“Mesopotamia.” Dictionary.com, Dictionary.com, www.dictionary.com/browse/mesopotamia.
-Shahzad. “Naveed Shamem.” Articles about Islam, islam44.blogspot.nl/2014/02/islam-and-science-quotes.html.
-“Smallpox.” Smallpox - Definition for English-Language Learners from Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary, www.learnersdictionary.com/definition/smallpox.
-Stanizai, Zaman. “Islamic Solar Calendar: Eclipsed by Politics and Ideology.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 20 Mar. 2015, www.huffingtonpost.com/zaman-stanizai/islamic-solar-calendar-ec_b_6913868.html.
-The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. “ʿAbbāsid Dynasty.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 24 Oct. 2014, www.britannica.com/topic/Abbasid-dynasty.
-ThingLink. “Islamic Medicine By.” Annotate Images and Videos - ThingLink, www.thinglink.com/scene/852672403493355520.
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-“‘We (Allah) Will Show You (Mankind) Our Signs/Patterns in the Horizons/Universe and in Yourselves until You Are Convinced That the Revelation Is the Truth.".” Science Islam - http://Muslims Contribution To Science, scienceislam.com/muslims_science.php.
-“Why the Arabic World Turned Away from Science.” The New Atlantis, www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/why-the-arabic-world-turned-away-from-science.
-“6 Important Islamic Advances in Medieval Medicine.” History, 1 June 2017, www.historyonthenet.com/6-important-islamic-advances-in-medieval-medicine/.
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