International Relations - Essay Example

After the death of Muhammad the Muslims named their leaders Caliphs. Caliph means the deputy messenger of Allah. Between 632 to 750 A. D, the Muslims had conquered of the known world. They controlled North Africa to India and western China. They reached into Europe to Spain and France. During the dark ages in Europe, Islam claimed many first in medicine. For example, they first time uses anesthesia in surgery. (Vertovec, and Peach, 1997, 44) In the same way, the Muslims introduced cauterization of wounds for the first time.

Besides this, the Muslims discovered first among others that epidemics are caused by contagion through touch and air. As far as health services are concerned, there are also traces that prove that first ambulatory hospitals were introduced by the Muslims. These hospitals were carried on camel's backs. First time, the Muslims introduced prescription, and thus the separation of pharmacology from medicine. Islam is growing very fast in all five continents. There are over 1.2 billion Muslims today.

They represent 22% of the world's population. And Christianity is 33% of the population in the world, at the rate that Islam is growing is expected to become the most popular religion in the globe in 2023. Islam is growing at the rate of 2.9% per year. (Al Sayyad, et. al. 2002, 56) Islam has multidimensional effects on Europe which changed Europe in all respects. The gigantic change was introduced in Spain while the Muslims were ruling this part of Europe. (Rath, and Buijs, 2003, 66) It remained the pioneer for all types of changes in Europe.

Socially, Muslims have had a profound affect on Europe. The Muslims brought with them much of their lifestyle, such as their art. They resurrected mosques and unique types of architecture two these two continents. The most noticeable architectural influence was the introduction of the dome, pillar, and minaret. Furthermore, Muslims influenced African and European art through their geometric designs. Islam believes that depicting human figures in art is idolatrous, so they only used geometric designs.

(Haddad, 2002, 13) Thus, they changed the traditional art forms to their new modern ones. Additionally, Islam also changed the daily life of Europeans. Men could now have four wives at any given time instead of just one. New laws were also created about marriage and several other issues. For example, divorces had several set regulations on the ability to remarry. Women would have to wait several months after the divorce in order to relax and determine the paternity of the child if a pregnancy were involved.

Finally, the social scale was destroyed as a result of the incorporation of Islam into one's daily life, for the Koran preaches that everyone is of the same value and status level. The Koran also improved the economy and way of thought, for everyone gave to the poor and thus prevented a depression. Muslims has also influenced European scientific thought and knowledge. First of all, the Muslims made great strides in astronomy. They created the astrolabe, which measured distances and determined the circumference of the earth.

They also invented the sextant, which allowed one to navigate and determine their precise location just by looking at the stars. (Hiro, 1989, 209) Furthermore, mathematically, Muslims introduced geometry and algebra. This tremendously increased mathematical thought, for problems were now easy to solve using the newfound knowledge. Intriguingly, they also