This document provides an overview of the contributions of Islam to civilization. It discusses how Islam promoted the exchange of knowledge between different peoples. It then outlines several areas where Islamic cultures made significant contributions, including mathematics, astronomy, navigation, medicine, social sciences, physics, education, agriculture, cuisine, crafts, art, architecture, law, and religious tolerance. Several notable Islamic scholars and their works are mentioned for each topic. Quotations from Western thinkers acknowledge the major role of Islamic civilization in advancing and preserving knowledge during the Middle Ages.

1. Contributions of
islam to
Civilization
Bashar A. Shala
March 14, 2004

2. Human Civilization
• Collective sum of different
contributions throughout the ages.
• Usually led by dominant leading
cultures at any certain point in
history

3. Human Civilization
Exchange and development of knowledge,
an Islamic principle:
O mankind! We created you from a single pair of a
male and a female, and made you into nations and
tribes, that you may know each other (exchange
knowledge). Verily the most honored of you in the
sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. And Allah
has full Knowledge and is well-acquainted with all
things.
َ ‫ل َ ل َ هُّ ل َ اَّ بوُ لِ اَّ ل َ ل َ ش ْ ل َ بوُ ش ْ لِ ش ْ ل َ ل َ و ٍ ل َبوُ ش ْ ل َ ل َ ل َ ل َ ش ْ ل َ بوُ ش ْ بوُ بوُ اً ل َ ل َ ل َ لِ ل‬
‫• يئا أيهئا النئاس إنئا خلقنئاكم من ذكر وأنث ى وجعلنئاكم شعبوبئا وقبئائل‬
)13 ‫لتعئارفبوا إن أكرمكم عند الل أتقئاكم إن الل علميم خبمير ) الحجرات‬
ٌ ِ‫لِ ل َ ل َ ل َ بوُ لِ اَّ ل َ ش ْ ل َ ل َ بوُ ش ْ لِ ش ْ ل َ اَّ ل َ ش ْ ل َ بوُ ش ْ لِ اَّ اَّ ل َ ل‬
َ ‫ل‬
ِ‫ل‬

4. Human Civilization
• No one culture has a
“monopoly” on civilization.
140 ‫آل عمران‬
ِ‫ل َ لِ ش ْ ل َ اَّ بوُ بوُ ل َ لِبوُ ل َ ل َ ش ْ ل َ اَّ ل‬
‫وتلك اليئام نداولهئا بمين النئاس‬
“..Such days (of varying fortunes) we give to
people by turns..”

5. Human Civilization
Western
Chinese
Greek
Islamic
Persian
Roman
Byzantine
Indian

6. Culture
•
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•
•
•
•
•
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Language
Religions
Social Customs
Architecture
Science and Innovations
Cuisine
Transportation
Industry and Agriculture

7. Islamic Influence on Western and
Modern Civilization
• Undeniable Contribution of Islamic Culture
on today’s daily living
• Great contributions to Science.
• Transfer and preservations of Civilization in
the “Dark Ages” of Europe.

8. Arabic Words
(Words introduced to English by Muslims)
• Coffee:
Etymology: Italian &
Turkish; Italian caffè,
from Turkish kahve,
from Arabic qahwa
• From Yemen
• Best Coffee “Arabica”

9. Arabic Words
Words introduced to English by Muslims
• Orange:
Etymology: Middle
English, from Middle
French, from Old
Provençal auranja, from
Arabic nAranj, from
Persian nArang, from
Sanskrit nAranga orange
tree
• From Persia to Spain

10. Arabic Words
Words introduced to English by Muslims
• Soda:
•
Etymology: Italian, from
Arabic suwwAd, any of
several saltworts from the
ashes of which sodium
carbonate is obtained
• Carbonated drinks started in
the Arab world and Cola was
brought by West African
slaves to the South, the birth
place of Coca-Cola

11. Arabic Words
Words introduced to English by Muslims
• Candy:
Etymology: Middle English
sugre candy, part translation
of Middle French sucre candi,
part translation of Old Italian
zucchero candi, from
zucchero sugar + Arabic
qandI candied, from qand
cane sugar
• First Sugar Factory in Muslim
Cypress Al-Quandi

12. Arabic Words
Words introduced to English by Muslims
• Cotton:
Etymology: Middle English
coton, from Middle French,
from Arabic qutun
Spanish: Algodon

13. Arabic Words
• Sofa:
Etymology: Arabic suffah
long bench

14. Arabic Words
• Alcohol: Etymology: New Latin, from Medieval Latin,
powdered antimony, from Old Spanish, from Arabic alkuhul
• Algebra: Etymology: Medieval Latin, from Arabic al-jabr,
literally, the reduction
• Algorithm: Etymology: alteration of Middle English
algorisme, from Old French & Medieval Latin; Old
French, from Medieval Latin algorismus, from Arabic alkhuwArizmi, from al-Khwarizmi fl A.D. 825 Arabian
mathematician

15. Mathematics
• Arabic Numerals: 1,2,3,4,5...
• Use of “Zero” (from Arabic sifr)
• Algebra:
– Al-Khwarizmi (c.780-c.850)
– Al-Karaji of Baghdad (953-c.1029)
• Algorithm

16. ASTRONOMY
• The Astrolabe: It was used to chart
the precise time of sunrises and
sunsets, and to determine the period
for fasting during the month of
Ramadan
• Navigational tools: Compass and
Astrolabe. Enabled long journey
navigation. Eventually discovery of
the new world.
• Al-Biruni, discussed the possibility of
the earth’s rotation on its own axis –
a theory proven by Galileo six
centuries later.

17. NAVIGATION AND GEOGRAPHY
Al-Idrisi, a
twelfth century
scientist living in
Sicily.
Idrisi’s work was
considered the
best
geographical
guide of its time.

18. NAVIGATION AND GEOGRAPHY
Ibn Battuta (1304-1369 CE), an Arab,
covered over seventy five thousand
miles.
His wanderings, over a period of
decades at a time, took him to
Turkey, Bulgaria, Russia, Persia,
and central Asia.
He spent several years in India, and
from there was appointed
ambassador to the emperor of
China.
Ibn Battuta’s book, Rihla (journey),
is filled with information on the
politics, social conditions, and
economics of the places he visited.

19. MEDICINE
Muslims had many achievements in this
field including:
1) The use of anesthesia in surgery.
2) The cauterizing of wounds.
3) The discovery that epidemics arise from
contagion through touch and air.

20. MEDICINE
• Al-Razi “Rhazes” (c. 865-c. 930), : was the first
to diagnose smallpox and measles, to associate
these diseases and others with human
contamination.
• His extensive medical treatise in nine volumes,
"Hawi" was used as a textbook in the Sorbonne
as late as 1395.
• Promoted psychotherapy and warned patient of
changing doctors.
• Stressed importance of a balanced diet for good
health. Built a hospital in Baghdad.

21. MEDICINE
Ibn Sina (Avicenna) 980-1037
- Wrote a famous medical encyclopedia
in Arabic (Kanun) described every
known disease: Al-Kanun became the
basic medical text in the west for five
centuries
- Mastered the natural sciences,
mathematics, philosophy and law.
- His major work includes both philosophy
and medicine, and were fundamental
contributions to the renaissance in
Europe.

22. MEDICINE
• Az-Zahrawi “Albucasis”
(died 1013)
• - Born in Spain
• - Known in Europe as Chief
of all surgeons.
• - His books on medicine was
used in Europe till 16th
century.
• - His writings illustrate the
use of surgical instruments.

23. Social Sciences
Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406)
- Father of modem sociology
- Did his work in Economy,
Anthropology and Political Science.
- Al-Muqaddamah or Introduction: His
book on the "Science of Civilization"
was the greatest in studying the
nature of society,
and he proved the cause and effect
pattern of events.

24. PHYSICS
Ibn al Haytham (d 1039)
“Alhazen”
- Suggest the damming of
Nile River.
- Explain the rainbow
scientifically.
- Founder of optics.
- Excellent studies on the
reflection & refraction of
light.

25. EDUCATION
• Bayt al Hikmah (House of Wisdom) was
the intellectual center and university
that translated hundreds of books from
all languages.
• First known Universities in Damascus,
Cordoba, Tunisia and Morocco.

26. HORTICULTURE
• Peach, apricot, lemon and
orange trees were transplanted
in southern Europe by Muslim
soldiers.
• Olive was encouraged to grow
in the sandy soil of Greece,
Spain, and Sicily.
• Coffee
• Cotton

27. CUISINE
Crusaders carried spices
with them home from
Palestine to western
Europe. Rice, Sesame,
pepper, ginger, cloves,
melons and shallots, as
well as dates, figs,
oranges, lemons, and
other citrus fruits, were
introduced into
European cuisine via the
Crusaders and the trade
caravans of Eastern
merchants.

28. COSMETICS
• Perfumes, from
Roses and
Jasmines
• Kohl: eye shadow,
eye liner, mascara.
• Henna: hair dyes
• Body Oils

29. MUSIC
• Guitar: Al-’Ud
• Kanun: Prelude to the
Piano, which is two
Kanuns put together.
• Percussion.

30. ARCHITECTURE

31. ARCHITECTURE

32. ARCHITECTURE

33. ARCHITECTURE
Damascus
Cordoba

34. ARCHITECTURE
Al-Hambra

35. ARCHITECTURE
Istanbul

36. Crafts
• Fabrics: Silk, Damask.
• Glass: influenced the famous
Venetian Glass industry.
Transferred to Europe during the
Crusades.
• Mosaic
• Rugs

37. ART
Calligraphy

38. Religious Tolerance
• Human Rights, equality guaranteed by
religion. No ethnic or racial discrimination.
• Freedom of Religion (The Muslim world
was the sanctuary for Jews during
centuries of persecution)

39. Islamic Law
• Napoleon did recognize the superiority of the
Islamic (Shari'ah) Law - and did attempt to
implement this in his Empire. Some aspects of
the Islamic (Shari'ah) Law do currently exist in
French constitution as the basis for some of their
laws from the “Code Napoleone”, which is taken
from the Shari'ah Law of Imam Malik." (David M.
Pidcock, 1998 C.E.)
•
Further detailed accounts of this can be found in the book 'Napoleon
And Islam' by C. Cherfils. ISBN: 967-61-0898-7

40. Quotations
• "I hope the time is not far off when I shall be
able to unite all the wise and educated men
of all the countries and establish a uniform
regime based on the principles of Qur'an
which alone are true and which alone can
lead men to happiness."
Napolean Bonaparte
(Napoleonic Code was based on Maliki School)
•
Napolean Bonaparte as Quoted in Christian Cherfils, ‘Bonaparte et Islam,’
Pedone Ed., Paris, France, 1914, pp. 105, 125.
Original References: "Correspondence de Napoléon Ier Tome V pièce n°
4287 du 17/07/1799..."

41. Quotations
"From India to Spain, the brilliant civilization of
Islam flourished. What was lost to Christendom
at this time was not lost to civilization, but quite
the contrary...
"To us it seems that West-European civilization is
civilization, but this is a narrow view.“
Bertrand Russel in ‘History of Western Philosophy,’
London, 1948, p. 419.

42. Quotations
"The Islamic teachings have left great traditions for
equitable and gentle dealings and behavior, and inspire
people with nobility and tolerance. These are human
teachings of the highest order and at the same time
practicable. These teachings brought into existence a
society in which hard-heartedness and collective
oppression and injustice were the least as compared
with all other societies preceding it....Islam is replete with
gentleness, courtesy, and fraternity.“
H.G. Wells

43. Quotations
"If any religion had the chance of ruling over England, nay Europe
within the next hundred years, it could be Islam."
"I have always held the religion of Muhammad in high estimation
because of its wonderful vitality. It is the only religion which appears
to me to possess that assimilating capacity to the changing phase of
existence which can make itself appeal to every age. I have studied
him - the wonderful man and in my opinion far from being an antiChrist, he must be called the Savior of Humanity."
"I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the
modern world he would succeed in solving its problems in a way
that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness: I have
prophesied about the faith of Muhammad that it would be
acceptable to the Europe of tomorrow as it is beginning to be
acceptable to the Europe of today.“
Sir George Bernard Shaw in 'The Genuine Islam,' Vol. 1, No. 8, 1936.

44. Islamic Principles that promoted
advancing Civilization
• Seeking knowledge continuously. “From
the cradle to the grave”
• Sincerity in performing work.
• Always aspiring to achieve the best in
whatever one does.
• Justice and Equality.

45. Summary
• Islamic culture played an important and
undeniable role in advancing world civilization.
• Muslim carried the civilization torch during the
“Dark Ages”; preserved and advanced the
treasure of culture and knowledge for humanity.
• In all aspects of our daily lives, then – in our
homes, offices and universities; in religion,
philosophy, science and the arts – we are
indebted to Muslim creativity, insight and
scientific perseverance.