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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