Western Society Owes a Great Debt to the Medieval Islamic Scholars - Essay Example

Western Society Owes a Great Debt to the Medieval Islamic Scholars Name Institution Date Introduction The western society owes the medieval Muslim scholars to their contemporary development. The medieval Muslims invented several developments which were later copied by the European scholars in entire Europe society. The several contributions include; medicine, art, agriculture, architecture music law languages and technology. All these developments were absorbed by the Europeans in the 11th-13th centuries. The contributions of the Islamic civilization had a significant impact on the growth of the western civilization. Muslims and the westerners came to contact more intensely during the medieval period when main points of interaction were Sicily and the Islamic Spain. It is because of these intense interactions that the westerners borrowed so much knowledge in education systems, technology, sciences and trade. Muslims transmitted classical knowledge to the western society. After the collapse of the Roman Empire many classical were not available to the Europeans but the classical of the Aristotle were available in the Middle East which was later translated by Nestorian who was by then residing in the Islamic universities. Some of the texts were kept translated and improved by the Islamic scholars in which were further translated to the languages of the west. These texts have been the main classical from which many theories of development in economics and education have been developed (Makdisi, 1999). Sciences Muslims also developed their own sciences, for example; spherical trigonometry, algebra, geology and chemistry which were then absorbed by the west. A scholar known as Stefan translated Arab manual of medical theory into Latin. “Arithmetic works previously in Indian -Arabic numerals were translated to Latin and were referred to as algorithm and also algebraic calculations,” (Donald 1992). Optical sciences were also developed and were later used by Descartes and Newton for references in their discovery works. They wanted the texts written in ancient Greek philosophical and scientific manuals which were not available in the western but had been kept and translated into Arabic language in the Muslim nations. They also had interest in the commentaries and improvements made on the works by the Arabs. They were interested in the advanced manuals because it contained better information that they could use in their scholarly work. The multi-lingual scholars in Sicily and Muslim Spain were so productive in translating many philosophical and scientific manuals from Arabic to Latin. The most significant translator was Gerard of Cremona who translated 88 books into Latin language. Alchemy and chemistry Works of Geber in chemical and alchemical were translated into Latin from Arabic and were major standard texts for the western alchemists. For instance, “Kitab al –kimya” known in English as composition of alchemy, which was translated by Robert Chester in 1144.Some of the valuable chemicals used by the medieval Muslims was transmitted to the modern world. Therefore we can attribute the discovery of earth chemicals, a vital branch of science to the medieval Muslims. Astronomy and mathematics Mathematics originated from the Muslims. Algebra was a Muslim creation though an Arabic word. Majority of algebra work in the west was known to originate from the Muslim world which was translations of the scholar known as al Khwarizmi and other scholars of the Muslim world. In addition, most of the plane and spherical trigonometry was also initiated by the Muslim authors. “Unknown arcs of a sphere” was a book that had a great impact on the European mathematics as it gave so much information on spherical trigonometry. “More knowledge on triangles was also developed from the Muslim scholars and much of its materials were from the scholar called Geber”, (O’ Connor & Robertson 2006) Technology Experimental physics came to recognition in the Europeans, introducing concepts such as optics. (Paul 1985),wrote that a book in optics brought the foundations to the current optics, experimental physics, and experimental psychology which had a great impact on influencing other scientists from Europe such as roger Bacon, Isaac Newton and Galileo. These also opened a way for new technologies such as introduction of eye glasses, telescope, camera, retinal surgery, microscopy and robotic vision. The principles of motion in the Muslim physics introduced by Avicenna and Avempuse influenced European scientists’ theory of impetus and classical mechanics on statistics and dynamics (Ryerson, 2000). These are vital technological discoveries which have seen the world change so much for the goodness of human existence. Indeed, the Muslim world impacted so much to the westerners. The Greek scientist, only developing theories, did not make any practical pattern of their thoughts, with so much, vigor the Islam took on the classical knowledge and built on it for several years. They constructed practical applications to the theories designed by Greek scientists to the needs of the period they lived in. Institutions It has been known that Europe initiated several educational legal and scientific institutions from the Muslim world. The Muslims had institutions set aside for hospitals and libraries. At the time of crusade, Western nations started construct more schools and hospitals most of which were as a result of Muslim inspiration. Music Some of the music instruments being used I the classical music have their roots in Arabic world. The violin, guitar, the flute and the base drum all had ancestral roots in Islam world. Music is highly valued in the western countries and one of the highly earning ventures of the practicing artists. A theory puts out that, the western “solfege” had its origin in Islam world. The syllables; do, re, mi, fah, so, la and ti were initiated from Arabic solemnization system-“durr-imufassal” separated as-“dal ra mim fa sad lam”, suggested by George (1998). And then by Laborde in “Essai Sur la Musique Ancienne et Mordene” Education Early colleges and universities in Europe were adopted from Islam learning centers known as madras though they are differed in various ways. Cardini (1980) says that The rise of doctorates began with the Muslims In the legal education Islamic system after the “madh’hab legal schools were formed. There was authorization of the certifying body for the institution to fully operate as a university a phenomenon practiced by the Muslims so as to get a license of teaching and provide legal opinions. A student was to study in a guild law school for four years as an undergraduate and ten years for post graduate course. After an oral exam was administered to the student, he or she could be determined whether he will defend his thesis with original ideas or not after which they were given a new status of being a law master or professor of legal opinions in Islam, known as “mufti” and “mudarris” which were translated to Latin later on. This implies that European colleges and universities stemmed from the Muslim education system and borrowed much of the education systems and structures of the Islam education; from legalization of these universities to awarding of various educational statuses of the qualifying students, providing inaugural lectures, wearing academic robes and the idea of scholarly freedom was modeled on Islamic systems. Cardini (2001) pointed out that Islamic impact was obviously discernible in the base of the first deliberately deliberate university in Europe “University of Naples Federico 2nd”.The Muslims advocated for universal education devoid of racial segregation, gender and social class. Hence the name “university”, education was believed by the Muslims to be availed to both the boys and girls of all walks of life. This notion lacked in the Europe where education was only meant for the top class of the society and mostly women and girls were trained only in domestic education. This was an eye opener to the western civilization to start championing the concept of education for everyone, a philosophy which was closely embraced by the Muslims (Gorini, 2003). Economic development The Arab- Muslim traders travelled to the west to trade their commodities and as a result, a class of merchants emerged creating the concept of capitalism, an economic model that lets capital accumulate for the few wealthy for creation of jobs and hence facilitating growth and development of the economy. Ryerson (2000) points out that, there is a link between medieval economic development and the proto capitalism of the caliphate when there was a monetary economy mostly introduced by the medieval Muslim by the concept of coins. There were business partnerships-“mufawad” in Arabic and other business concepts such as profits, credits and capital accumulation which was advanced upon and saw the economies booming after trade was adopted by the Europeans. The western nations could be lagging behind if they had not opened education opportunities for everyone. Medieval Muslims advanced and applied science experimental techniques. They studied chemistry, mathematics, physics, alchemy, medicine and astronomy. Their technique of information gathering in a way that is systematic was so much workable, and has opened a foundation for the currently used systems. The Europeans adopted trade leading to growth of towns and rich merchants; this was an inspiration from the Muslims which saw the European economy flourish. The Muslim scholars keenly developed, gathered, translated, conserved and advanced knowledge from a number of sources a period when the West was largely intolerant of pagan traditions. This abundance of inspirations was creatively incorporated to come up with more civilized systems to improve life for the goodness of humanity (Cardini, 1980). In conclusion the western society owe the medieval Muslims for the knowledge they brought in without which it would take longer time for the west trying to learn the concepts and ideas hence a late civilization which would have hampered the growth and development of the western society. Education is the most vital investment for any economic development and sustenance was solely adopted from the Islamic education system of madras. The Western civilization picked up from the concepts borrowed from the Muslims. Education was available for all, the poor, rich, boys and girls. References Cardini, F. B. (1980). The Mind of the Middle Ages. Chicago: University of Chicago press. Donald, M.E. (1992).The Norman Kingdom of Sicily. London: Cambridge University Press George. H. F. (1998). Historical Facts for the Arabian Musical Influence .Bristol: Ayer Publishing Gorini, R. A. (2003). Al-Haytham the man of experience: Journal of the international society for the history of Islamic medicine.23 (4) 23-27 Makdisi, J. A. (1999). The Islamic Origin of the Common Law: North Carolina Law Review.77 (5), 1635-163 Moursi, B. G. (1978). Islamic Law: It’s Relation to Other Legal Systems: The American Journal of Comparative Law. 26 (2) 24-26. Paul, R. J. (1985). The Explorations of the Middle Ages. Paris: Hachette Ryerson, P. S. (2000). Medieval European Coinage. New York: University Press. O’Connor, J. J. & Robertson, E. F. (2006). Mac Tutor History of Mathematics Archive, University of St Andrews, Victor, G. J. (2007). The Mathematics of India, Egypt and Islam: Princeton University Press. Accessed 5th May 5, 2011 Read More

They were interested in the advanced manuals because it contained better information that they could use in their scholarly work. The multi-lingual scholars in Sicily and Muslim Spain were so productive in translating many philosophical and scientific manuals from Arabic to Latin. The most significant translator was Gerard of Cremona who translated 88 books into Latin language. Alchemy and chemistry Works of Geber in chemical and alchemical were translated into Latin from Arabic and were major standard texts for the western alchemists.

For instance, “Kitab al –kimya” known in English as composition of alchemy, which was translated by Robert Chester in 1144.Some of the valuable chemicals used by the medieval Muslims was transmitted to the modern world. Therefore we can attribute the discovery of earth chemicals, a vital branch of science to the medieval Muslims. Astronomy and mathematics Mathematics originated from the Muslims. Algebra was a Muslim creation though an Arabic word. Majority of algebra work in the west was known to originate from the Muslim world which was translations of the scholar known as al Khwarizmi and other scholars of the Muslim world.

In addition, most of the plane and spherical trigonometry was also initiated by the Muslim authors. “Unknown arcs of a sphere” was a book that had a great impact on the European mathematics as it gave so much information on spherical trigonometry. “More knowledge on triangles was also developed from the Muslim scholars and much of its materials were from the scholar called Geber”, (O’ Connor & Robertson 2006) Technology Experimental physics came to recognition in the Europeans, introducing concepts such as optics.

(Paul 1985),wrote that a book in optics brought the foundations to the current optics, experimental physics, and experimental psychology which had a great impact on influencing other scientists from Europe such as roger Bacon, Isaac Newton and Galileo. These also opened a way for new technologies such as introduction of eye glasses, telescope, camera, retinal surgery, microscopy and robotic vision. The principles of motion in the Muslim physics introduced by Avicenna and Avempuse influenced European scientists’ theory of impetus and classical mechanics on statistics and dynamics (Ryerson, 2000).

These are vital technological discoveries which have seen the world change so much for the goodness of human existence. Indeed, the Muslim world impacted so much to the westerners. The Greek scientist, only developing theories, did not make any practical pattern of their thoughts, with so much, vigor the Islam took on the classical knowledge and built on it for several years. They constructed practical applications to the theories designed by Greek scientists to the needs of the period they lived in.

Institutions It has been known that Europe initiated several educational legal and scientific institutions from the Muslim world. The Muslims had institutions set aside for hospitals and libraries. At the time of crusade, Western nations started construct more schools and hospitals most of which were as a result of Muslim inspiration. Music Some of the music instruments being used I the classical music have their roots in Arabic world. The violin, guitar, the flute and the base drum all had ancestral roots in Islam world.

Music is highly valued in the western countries and one of the highly earning ventures of the practicing artists. A theory puts out that, the western “solfege” had its origin in Islam world. The syllables; do, re, mi, fah, so, la and ti were initiated from Arabic solemnization system-“durr-imufassal” separated as-“dal ra mim fa sad lam”, suggested by George (1998). And then by Laborde in “Essai Sur la Musique Ancienne et Mordene” Education Early colleges and universities in Europe were adopted from Islam learning centers known as madras though they are differed in various ways.

Cardini (1980) says that The rise of doctorates began with the Muslims In the legal education Islamic system after the “madh’hab legal schools were formed.

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