Islamic Achievements

Section 4

Standard 7.2.6

• Understand the intellectual exchanges among Muslim scholars of Eurasia and Africa and the contributions Muslim scholars made to later civilizations in the areas of science, geography, mathematics, philosophy, medicine, art, and literature.

Background Knowledge

• The caliphate enjoyed a golden age during the early years of Abassid rule. But Muslim cultural achievements continued long after that.

• This section will cover the achievements of Muslim scholars and artists and their contributions to later civilizations.

Muslim Learning

• All knowledge is sacred• The development of paper and

creation of a paper mill in Baghdad

• The development of Arabic into the language of international scholarship

• Libraries and academies were established for study and exchange of ideas

• “House of Wisdom” in Baghdad – works from Greece, Persia, and India were collected and translated

Philosophy

• Islamic faith with the principles of Greek logic

• Al-Kindi and Ibn Rushd studied the works of Aristotle–Influenced European

philosophers

Medicine• Islamic hospitals

– Doctors were skilled at surgery , including cancer and brain operations.

– Doctors had to pass a test and carry a license to practice medicine

• Ibn Sina – The Canon of Medicine,

which covered every known disease and treatment known at the time.

Science and Math• Decimal system based on

Hindu numerals and the zero• Advances also made in

geometry, algebra, and trigonometry

• Astronomers built observatories and measured the Earth. – the astrolabe, an instrument

designed to measure and plot the position of stars.

– created to find the Qibla, the direction that should be faced when a Muslim prays.

Geography and History• Ibn Khaldun wrote a

history of the world that explained the rise and fall of dynasties.

• Ibn Battuta, a well-known traveler, wrote about his 30 year journey across much of Asia and Africa, and describes what he saw

The Arts and Literature• The words of the Hadith, the written record

of the Sunnnah, inspired the creation of beautiful works of art and architecture, which continues its influence

Art and Architecture• designs on finely woven carpets,

colorful tiles, and palace walls.• Arabesque, a pattern of curved shapes

and lines resembling flowers or vines• Muslim architects built mosques with

minarets, shrines, and palaces.– The Dome of the Rock, in

Jerusalem– The Taj Mahal, a monument in

India• Islam discourages the illustration of

humans or animals in paintings, because it was considered a form of idol worship.

Calligraphy

• Calligraphy, artful handwriting, was the most sacred of all Muslim arts.

Literature and Poetry

• Muslim writers wrote charming stories and folk tales.

• Many of these tales were collected in a book called The Thousand and one Nights

Poetry

• Islamic Poetry was based on oral tradition. The Sufis, a deeply spiritual Muslim group, emphasized the importance of love and unity of all faiths.