How Did the Islamic Golden Age Shape Knowledge and Discovery?

The Islamic Golden Age is said to have contributed greatly to the Scientific Revolution in Europe, giving rise to numerous renowned scholars.

Dec 26, 2024By Mike Cohen, BA History

how islamic golden age shaped knowledge

 

The Islamic Golden Age spanned the mid-7th to the 13th century; during this fruitful period of history, Islamic leaders established one of the largest empires in the world. Islamic forces conquered vast regions that included North Africa, parts of the Middle East, and Western Europe, and significant breakthroughs in science and the arts were made.

 

Which Factors Contributed to the Rise of the Islamic Golden Age?

coins early abbasid era
Coins from the Early Abbasid Era. Source: numisbids.com

 

The scientific revolution in the Islamic Empire began after the establishment of the Abbasid dynasty in the 8th century. The emergence of the dynasty allowed the empire to settle down politically. The socio-economic and political stability that prevailed following its establishment created an environment that supported scholarly pursuits and an intellectual renaissance. As a result, the Islamic world produced brilliant minds during the Islamic Golden Age era including renowned engineers, artists, scholars, traders, and philosophers. Many of them were celebrated for their grand contributions to fields such as agriculture, law, and technology. 

 

Baghdad became the capital of the empire in 762 CE. Situated on the Tigris River, it lay at the crossroads of the East and West, and was a major inter-cultural center due to its strategic position. 

 

What Factors Contributed to the Search for Knowledge in The Islamic Golden Age?

famous women history death hypatia
The death of Hypatia. Source: Medium

 

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The Islamic Golden Age is a period marked by significant interest in science and discovery. Some historians attribute the growing interest in science in the Muslim world to influences from Greek culture. This is because after Greek science reached its apex in the 2nd century CE, a spate of anti-intellectual persecutions forced Greek scientists and philosophers to flee en masse to the East. A sizable number of the remaining philosophers including Hypatia of Alexandria lost their lives to Christian fanatics during this period.

 

Fortunately for scientists who sought refuge in Islamic territories, they were embraced and encouraged to share their knowledge on scientific subjects. This is because the Abbasid caliphs who ruled the Islamic dynasty valued knowledge. The caliphs are credited for setting up the House of Wisdom in Baghdad. The institution became the intellectual powerhouse of the Muslim world. The facility was set up to enable scholars to put together and translate important texts from conquered regions such as Ancient Rome, ancient Mesopotamia, India, China, Ancient Egypt, North Africa, Persia, Ancient Greece, and the Byzantine into Arabic. It also housed scientific manuscripts in the Sanskrit and Greek languages.

 

Important publications that were translated into Arabic at the House of Wisdom included Aristotle’s books related to poetry and metaphysics, Plato’s The Republic, and Euclid’s Elements. Classic works of antiquity were also translated at the academy into the Arabic language. As the Islamic Golden Age progressed, other intellectual hubs emerged in cities such as Cordoba and Cairo. 

 

What Are Some of the Notable Inventions of the Islamic Golden Age?

paper old pulp
Traditional paper-making tools and products. Source: Mary Milelzcik/Hawaii Tribune Herald

 

Paper emerged as one of the more notable inventions of the Islamic Golden Age. Originally a secret kept by the Chinese, its production methods were obtained from prisoners captured during the Battle of Talas that occurred in 751 CE. The art of paper-making soon spread to the Islamic cities of Baghdad and Samarkand. With time, the Arabs improved on their paper-making technology, and by 900 CE, shops in Baghdad were employing scribes to write books. Other notable inventions of the Islamic Golden Age include distilled alcohol, soap, shampoo, and toothpaste.

 

Who Are Some of the Celebrated Scholars in the Islamic Golden Age?

statue al khwarizmi at khiva uzbekistan
Modern statue of al-Khwarizmi at Khiva, in Uzbekistan. Source: muslimheritage.com

 

A sizable number of distinguished Arab scholars emerged during the Islamic Golden Age period. One of the more notable luminaries was Abu Ja’far Mohammed ibn Musa Al-Khwarizmi. The 9th century scholar became one of the most celebrated mathematicians and astronomers of the era due to his outstanding breakthroughs.

 

Al-Khwarizmi wrote numerous books including one that outlined how to compute numbers using the place-value decimal system. The system is widely used today. Another of Al- Khwarizmi’s creations was the Kitab al jabr w’al-muqabala. The book was an algebraic text that contributed immensely to Arabic mathematics.

 

Other notable figures that emerged during the Islamic Golden Age include Avicenna, often referred to as the father of modern medicine, Jabir ibn Hayyan, who is hailed as the father of modern chemistry, and Ibn al-Nafis, a scholar who is celebrated for being the first to describe the pulmonary blood circulation system. 

 

How Did the Islamic Golden Age Influence Intellectual Progress in the West?

arabic translation de materia medica of dioscorides
“Preparing Medicine from Honey,” an Arabic Translation of De Materia Medica of Dioscorides, 1224. Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

 

Some historians argue that the translation of Arabic texts into Western languages contributed in bringing the Western world out of the Dark Ages, by adding to the knowledge upon which the European Scientific Revolution was built. Concepts such as experimentation, mathematical formulas, and medical procedures were shared widely between the Islamic world and Europe just before Europe’s Scientific Revolution. This phenomenon occurred in regions such as Spain where there was continuous interaction between the Western and Muslim cultures.

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By Mike CohenBA HistoryMike is Bachelor of Arts History graduate from the University of Leeds. As a historian, he loves to write about historical figures and events, especially those that continue to influence the modern world.