Philosophy, Science, and History
•
The Arab world was aware of Greek thought and
had been in the process of translating and preserving these works for
years. This becomes very important later
on when this knowledge is rediscovered by Europe during The Renaissance.
•
The knowledge of the Muslim world was preserved
in Baghdad in a library known as the House of Wisdom.
Preservation of Knowledge
•
Muslim scholars helped to preserve the
knowledge of Greece and Rome by translating works and making them available to
other scholars.
– It
is because of this that European scholars were able to rediscover the works of
Aristotle and other Greek philosophers.
– In
the twelfth century these works were translated into Latin .
– The
discovery of paper-making technology from China made this much easier.
Islamic Advancements
•
Muslims scholars not only preserved works of
Greek philosophy, they also interpreted the works and wrote extensive
commentary on them.
– The
Muslim philosopher Ibn-Rushd wrote on
nearly all of Aristotle’s works.
Math and Science
•
Muslim scholars adopted and passed on the
numerical system of India, and the use of zero.
These numbers came to be known in the west as Arabic numbers.
•
A ninth-century Arab mathematician also
developed algebra.
Astrolabe
•
Muslims also studied astronomy which led to the
development of the Astrolabe. This
instrument was used for naval navigation by observing the positions of the
stars and other heavenly bodies.
•
This invention made it possible for European
sailors to sail to the Americas.
Medicine
•
The Muslims philosopher and scientist Ibn
Sina wrote a medical encyclopedia which explained contagious diseases.
•
This became the foundation for later European
medical advancements.
History
•
The Muslims historian Ibn-Khaldun lived in the
14th century.
•
This book, Introduction to History proposed a
cyclical view of history with the rise and fall of civilizations.
Literature
•
Many Muslims consider the Quran to be
the greatest work of Muslim literature, but there was a strong oral tradition
prior to the Quran which continued to have influence.
•
The poet Omar Khayyam. He was a twelfth century Persian poet,
mathematician, and astronomer.
– The
wrote about many different themes and his poems were recorded by his friends
after his death.
The 1001 Nights/Arabian Nights
•
Probably the most famous piece of Muslim
literature is the 1001 Nights or Arabian Nights.
•
This is a collection of stories based around
a central theme.
– The
Sultan king of Baghdad wishes to kill his wife on their wedding night. The princess Scheherazade tells him stories
each night to prevent her death, eventually winning him over.
– The
tales include the familiar stories of Aladdin and Ali Baba and the
forty thieves.
Art and Architecture
•
Islamic art is a blend of Arab, Turkish, and
Persian traditions.
•
Islamic art and architecture is guided by the
Quran which forbids of representation of living beings. So mosques and palaces are decorated with
floral motifs and geometric patterns (known as arabesque) and Arabic script.
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