The Impact of the Islamic Culture on Western Culture - Report Example

The Impact of Islamic Culture on the Western Culture 5/8 The Impact of the Islamic Culture on the Western Culture The cultural evolution of human beings is an important subject since the culture of a being in the different parts of the world is singular and unique in its own way. But a very intriguing factor that needs to be understood is that these diverse cultures can have an impact on each other. The interesting factor regarding this is that a person himself is not aware of the impact that lies on his culture from another one. Islamic culture has been a subject of appeal and research in today’s world. This importance has particularly been elevated after the major attack on the soil of the United States of America on September 2001 for which the followers of Islam were held accountable. Ever since then the graph of terrorist activities has been raised and a stigma had been associated with the Islamic culture. Philosophers and writers have started looking into this culture in depth. A finding which not many people might be aware of is the impact that this culture has laid on the western development and culture. Western culture has basically evolved from Christianity and hence this cultural development has its roots in the Christian beliefs which are counted to be the foundation of western culture. It has been discovered that the Islamic culture and the western culture stand on the same roots with the same initial starting of both of their religions which are central to their cultures. And also the Islamic culture has laid its effects on the western culture in many ways. Islamic culture has been labeled as a shunned culture and hence people do not actually consider it important to be understood. This is very similar to the period when there was prevalence of communism and it was so highly condemned by the western thought that it was not studied and considered important. But the understanding of the Islamic culture actually presents with a similar picture that we see when we try to understand the western culture which is based on Christianity. Islam and Christianity have many things in common and this correspondence can actually be seen from the Holy Books of the two religions which discuss many similar figures in them. The prophecies of both the Sacred Texts also bear striking resemblances. Thus many of the principles of the two religions and hence the two cultures are based on similar grounds which can assist in assessing the impacts of one of the cultures on another. It can be seen from history that the Islamic culture was never held on very high levels by the western society. This was because the religious culture of Islam was perceived by the Christians to emerge from their lineage and hence they considered it to be inferior to their culture. But still the Islamic culture has played its role and influenced the western culture whether directly or indirectly. There was a period when the Islamic culture had advanced well ahead of the western one. This was the time when the Arabs had actually acquired a great deal of knowledge and progressed in the fields of science and philosophy by researching the works of the Greeks and the Latin. The Christians that is the westerners did want to adapt from this culture but they rather chose to research and study from the parent source. This was because to adapt from a culture that they considered to be inferior was against their principles. Thus though the Islamic culture did influence their culture but it did so in an indirect manner. This was the period of Renaissance and a perfect example to support this claim can be that of Petrarch who was an important figure of that time. though he was not medically fit but he did not turn towards the higher medical practices and cures offered by the Arabs but rather claimed that he should study for it himself from the source from where the Arabs acquired this knowledge. This can be seen from his lines ‘Why should Europeans get their medical knowledge from the Arabs? They got it from the Greeks and Romans, and we are the Greeks and Romans! We don’t need to study the Arabs. All we need to do is rediscover their sources!’ The averoeists were a group of people who followed in the works that had been accomplished successfully by the Arab philosopher Ibn Rushd. It is believed that this cultural conflict was the basis why Aristotle and Sir Thomas Aquinas accomplished their works in order to compete with the works of Ibn Rushd. Hence this progress is again attributable to the Islamic culture that though they did not derive their cultural thoughts directly from his work but his work actually provided an inspiration and push to go ahead and stabilize and advance their civilization. Another important factor that Ibn Rushd and his work laid upon the western culture was the thought of reasoning that the western world is still known for. This is because logic and reasoning has been considered to be an important aspect of the western world. They derived this from the fact that they actually questioned his work and his followers and since then they acquired this basis. The process of adaptation from the Islamic culture went on for a very long period until the time of the crusades. The western culture was influenced either directly through the Islamic ways and cultural methods or indirectly. The western world wanted to grasp new things and methods and these were all offered to them from this culture. They adapted many things ranging from philosophical works to things of everyday use which included spices, clothes and other essential items that are utilized in everyday life. The crusades were actually wars fought by Europe to move ahead and secure a place for them. Following this the rapidly progressing Islamic culture came to a halt. It was later when the Turks came into power that the Islamic culture again revived. This again provided for a second boost to the western culture to move ahead of them and this was the period of Reformation. The western culture hence learnt more and moved ahead. Up to the September 2001 Islamic culture was not a subject of interest and soon after that the studies regarding the culture revived. It was then understood that there has been a relationship between the western culture and the Islamic culture since many centuries. The Islamic culture and the western culture are mainly based upon the religions of the individual culture that is Islam and Christianity respectively. The two cultures have been parallel to each other and the Islamic culture has played a very important role in the western culture which might not be known by many. This influence initiated from a very early period of learning and went through the times of Renaissance and Reformation. The Islamic culture laid its impact on the western culture in an active and a passive manner. The active process was the time when the advancements in the Islamic culture were adapted directly. On the other hand the passive period was the time when the Islamic culture was questioned and the western learners wanted to learn from the direct methods that were adapted by the Arabs rather than rely on them. Hence whatever the way the cultural impact cannot be denied. References: Blackhirst, Rodney. “Islam, its origins and impact on western thought”. Australian Rationalist No.26 page 20-26 http://www.rationalist.com.au/archive/62/p20-26.pdf PAG RRR6 AUSTRALIAN RATIONALIST • Number 62 Read More