Rise and Decline of Science in Islam
Islam is the second largest religion in the world, but its current representation in the scientific community is miniscule. Out of 1.6 billion Muslims, only two have ever been awarded Nobel Prizes in science. This was not always the case. Many centuries ago, the Islamic faith produced much of the world's most progressive advances in physics, astronomy, chemistry, biology, and a number of other scientific endeavors. Rise and Decline of Science in Islam explores this troubling disparity and outlines the historical shifts that likely contributed to it.
The Golden Age of Islam occurred during the time of the Abbasid Empire. During their most fruitful period, the Abbasids effectively globalized the quest for knowledge by working feverishly to translate every scientific text they could find into Arabic. The rise of cheap paper production, coupled with the enormous value the government placed on the acquisition of knowledge, played a major role in bringing about an intellectual renaissance. Their translations spread throughout the world, preserved the wisdom of previous generations of scholars, and inspired an avalanche of new discoveries in areas as diverse as mathematics and medicine. Eventually, this openness to new streams of knowledge inspired much of the Islamic world to embrace the concepts of free will, rational thought, and looser interpretations of the Quran.
That all began to disintegrate with the fall of the Abbasid Empire following the Mongol invasion of 1258. As anti-rationalist factions took power, independent thought became an endangered commodity. If the Quran was not interpreted on a strictly literal level, the punishment could be severe. Many scholars were banished or executed as Islam pushed farther away from modern intellectual pursuits. By shunning the need for innovation with violence and oppression, the Muslim world paved a path for Europe to assume the throne of scientific progress. This set a disturbing template for subsequent generations; in fact, the battles between pious traditions and commitments to modernity continue to rage in the Muslim world to this day.
Exhaustive and insightful, Rise and Decline of Science in Islam presents a sweeping examination of a long and fascinating history, and clarifies much of the repression and turmoil we witness today.
It really makes me very sad that educated and intelligent people can't acknowledge Astrology, firstly as a branch of Mathematics, and the VERY PURPOSE of ALL Astronomical observation.
Islam has closed its ability tp cope with modern realities as passing laws against music art and any dissent is severely dealt with !
No open science discoveries would be advised unless its approved or comes from Mullah as 21 virgins in heaven teachings show ?
Mullahs are not true spiritual teachers but teachers of hate and punishment and have closed Islam to a focused misguided violent culture ?
Islam is lost and controlled for power and rules by fear !
No inspiring message is followed or taught only fear if you do not abide by current Mullah laws , do not be caught dancing or singing or playing non approved music ?
Lost science is hidden but is in stasis until reason comes to the reality we live in !
Only the Holy creator can pass judgement but Mullahs assume this corrupted function and cruelly enforced it is !
Yet these Mullahs issue death warrants to those whom criticize the Mullahs and judged blasphemers ?
Great power greatly corrupts the soul and blinds the Mullahs with there egos and importance such as we see !
Rule by fear even keeps dissention of terrorism to be quiet even among the righteous Muslim peoples !
Muslims in the UK & USA fear speaking out against Muslim violence , the Nazi SS learned about this fear and learned it well in early 1933 !
I don’t know where do you come up with that information.
History often repeats itself in new and interesting ways, but the framework usually stays the same. Pay attention, this could happen with the current technological revolution. Arrogance, ignorance, and ideology are still factors in society.
This information is so correct but just as Hollywood portrays ancient Egypt as Arabic or European it needs to stop. Original inhabitants of those lands were black
All religions shut down or, at the least, divert and narrow scientific inquiry. Is there a documentary on the effects of fundamental Christianity on scientic investigation?
See Jordan Peterson.Thx
@scubahalo, let's prefer not a single one ;-)
Subjective documentary missing several real and important facts...
The real contributions of Muslims to science are completely missed...
There still high active scientists Muslims all over the world.
@The Erasmus Man. It's still an interesting watch. I can agree with your statement "witch religion is dominant doesn't really matter" (funny typo, BTW). But having seen the effects of Islamic rule first hand I prefer it not be that one.
@scubahalo, why watch history docu if your opinion is allready there. It is obvious that the decline in freedom of information is connected too the amount of religion in a nation. But witch religion is dominant doesn't really matter, especially judeo-christian religions. They are all the same...
Ow and too the guy who made this docu, great job but there's in my opinion too much Shia bashing. Claiming that they haven't attributed as much or even more top Islamic science wouldn't be fair.
Just one of many things that declined under Islam. The only thing on the rise these days is terrorism. Oh, and goat sex.
Can we agree that the West's centuries of attacks on Islam and the Middle East has generated terrorism? The majority of attacks occur where the US occupies Islamic countries (Iraq, Afganistan, Syria, Lybia, Palestine (through Israel). What would you do if your country was barraged by foreigners destroying everything your society built? That is why Palestinians fight back with stones and slings--it is all they have left.
Consider just one of the head-spinning subplots: We are allied with our declared enemy, Iran, against the bloody Islamic State, which was spawned from the chaos created by our own earlier decisions to invade Iraq and to overthrow the Assad regime in Syria, which has us fighting side-by-side with jihadist crazies financed by Saudi Arabia, whom we are supporting against the Houthis in Yemen, the bitter rivals of Al Qaeda -- the perpetrators of 9/11!
Since 1980, we have invaded, occupied and/or bombed at least 14 different Muslim countries. After the sacrifice of thousands of American lives and trillions of dollars, the region is now a cauldron of death and destruction. Yet, we persist, with no end in sight. As a former Air Force General Charles F. Wald remarked told the Washington Post, "We're not going to see an end to this in our lifetime."