Michigan Islamic Academy

Atmeh Michigan Islamic Academy The Golden Age of Islam: Inventions, Innovations, Dar al Hikmah and Revitalizing Knowledge Sumayya Atmeh Senior Project Sr. Kim Malzone

Atmeh 1 When most people hear the terms technological advancement or scientific developments, they do not often think of Muslim scholars or the Islamic Golden Age. What comes to mind more often are thoughts about things like atomic bombs, penicillin, smart phones and surgery, and their non-muslim inventors. Actually, one of the above was developed by a Muslim scientist during the Islamic Golden Age. That s right, surgery was revolutionized by a Muslim around the year 1000 C.E. During the era called the Golden Age of Islam, in the midst of the European Dark Ages, the search for knowledge flourished in innovations and inventions at an unparalleled magnitude to any other era. Inventions that revolutionized the scientific world were created, and Dar al Hikmah, a massive translation center, was established. Although the Golden Age ended, it can be revived Muslims seek knowledge and follow Islam properly. The Golden Age of Islamic Civilization is considered to be the period between the seventh to the fifteenth centuries, (Faruqi 391). The Islamic empire stretched from Muslim Spain through China, reaching Northern Africa and of course, the origin, the Arabian Peninsula. During this time, the Muslims were at the top of the world in terms of knowledge and education, while Europe was in a time of ignorance. The world outside of the Islamic Empire was rather primitive and there was constant fighting between neighboring lands. While the progress of scientific knowledge in Europe languished during the Dark Ages, science flourished in the Golden Age of Islam. The renaissance that subsequently occurred in Europe might not have taken place without the contribution of Muslim science in the preceding period, (Faruqi 391). No time of technological development before, during or after the Golden Age compares to the scientific advances that Muslims made during that time except the modern era. Developments of things used in everyday life such as Algebra were invented by Muslim scholars of the Golden Age.

Atmeh 2 One of the famous Muslim mathematicians of the Golden Age was Muhammad ibn Mūsā al- Khwārizmī, also known as the Father of Algebra. He was so influential to the mathematical world that a crater on the moon has been named after him and the word algorithm comes from a Latinized version of his name. Khawarizmi was born in 780 AD and died in 850 AD. He lived in Baghdad, Iraq, and worked with Dar al Hikmah, the House of Wisdom which had its headquarters located in Baghdad (Lotha, and Tikkanen). The most famous work of Khawarizmi is his book al-kitab al-mukhtasar fi Hisab al-jabr wa l-muqabala (The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing). It is from this book that Algebra gets its name. Khawarizmi wrote this book in Arabic between 800 and 825 AD. His goal was to provide a theory for linear and quadratic equations by using radicals. Khawarizmi introduced new mathematical concepts such as the quadratic equation, a basic algebraic equation that Algebra students are still taught, and the world had seen nothing like his work before. After his death, the Greeks translated the book from Arabic to Greek and Greek mathematician Diophantus had seven volumes based off of Khawarizmi s work (Dallal, 183-190). squares equal roots (ax 2 = bx) squares equal number (ax 2 = c) Figure 1 roots equal number (bx = c) squares and roots equal number (ax 2 + bx = c) squares and number equal roots (ax 2 + c = bx) roots and number equal squares (bx + c = ax 2 ) Khawarizmi s method to solving linear and quadratic equations was to separate each component of the equation into squares, roots, and numbers (see figure 1). He then came up with six possible combinations of the three and was able to solve for x, the unknown value, by, as the title of his book suggests, completing and balancing both sides of the equation. For example, if 3x= 4+8x, one would move 8x to the opposite side by subtracting it from both sides. The

Atmeh 3 equation will now read -5x=4. One will now isolate the unknown value, x, by moving -5 to the other side of the equation and this is done by dividing both sides by -5. The equation will now read x=-4/5 and the unknown value is now known. This technique of finding the unknown value, one that seems so elementary, came about during the Golden Age. In addition to developing Algebra, the concept of using zero as a placeholder is also from Khawarizmi. Before, zero was seen as worthless, for it represents nothing and using it seemed radical and ridiculous. Khawarizmi used a number system with ten numbers, zero through nine, based off an Indian system. It is hard now to imagine what math would be like without the number zero. Khawarizmi is not the only genius who authored a book used by scholars for generations to come. Al-Jami Bain al- Ilm wa al- Amal al-nafi fi Sina at al-hiyal (The Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices) was written by Badi'al-Zaman Abu al-'izz Isma'il ibn al-razaz al-jazari, an engineer of the Golden Age. He invented the crank and connecting rod in the early 1200s. The crank is said to be the most important single mechanical device after the wheel, (The Crank- Connecting Rod). In the desert environment where he lived, Al Jazari s crank was first used to move water from one height to another using much less work than it would take to lug buckets up hills by hand, a great help to farmers irrigating their crops. The crank and connecting rod concept is still used today, for example, powering modern day cars and nearly all modes of transportation. ("What the Islamic World Did For Us").

Atmeh 4 Al Jazari is also famous for his Elephant Clock, one of the many automations he engineered and built. The Elephant Clock uses Greek water technology, Chinese serpents, an Indian elephant, Egyptian birds, Persian carpets, and Arabian architecture to illustrate the diversity of the Islamic world. The water powered time-telling mechanism is hidden in the body of the elephant. A small bucket with a hole floats on the water and slowly sinks. After precisely half an hour, the bucket sinks and pulls a string which triggers a series of movements outside the elephant including turning a dial marked in half hour increments. The bucket is then automatically reset and the process repeats its self over and over, accurately telling the time (1001 Inventions). Abu al-qasim Khalaf ibn al-abbas al Zahrawi, a Muslim doctor of the Golden Age who lived around the year 1000 C.E., revolutionized surgery. He was the first to use catgut to stitch up wounds due to its dissolving properties. He also created the first pair of forceps, and many of the surgical tools he engineered are recognizable today by modern surgeons (Sterns). Al Zahrawi had a lot of experience in surgery, treating the wounded casualties of war and accident victims. His book, At-Tasrif liman 'Ajiza 'an at-ta'lif (The Method of Medicine) contains nearly 50 years worth of his research, including sketches of medical instruments he developed, explanations on how to use them in surgery, and detailed accounts of surgeries he performed. In addition to being a surgeon, al Zahrawi was also skilled in dentistry. In his book, he would discuss teeth that were not aligned or deformed and how to fix them. He suggested

Atmeh 5 removing the bad teeth and replacing them with artificial. He spoke of how to properly extract the deformed tooth, create a new one, and set the new artificial tooth (Al Zahrawi). Al Zahrawi s tools (left) compared to tools of today (right). Photos from Google Images. Al Khawarizmi, al Jazari, and al Zahrawi were men, but let it not be thought that Muslim women did not contribute to the Golden Age. The astrolabe, one of the most popular symbols of the Islamic Golden Age and a navigational device with countless uses, was revolutionized by a female, Mariam al Astrolabiya al Ijiliya. Mariam's father was the apprentice of a famous astrolabe maker in Baghdad. As she got older, she in turn became a student of her father. Her designs of astrolabes (see picture to right of page) were intricate, innovative, and accurate to such a degree that she was employed by the ruler of the city for 23 years (Mosaic of Muslim Women). Before the Golden Age, Muslims used sundials or water clocks to tell the prayer times. By using the light of the sun and the date, one can tell the exact time as well as when the sun will rise and set. This was obviously very useful, as prayer times could be calculated to the exact minute. Another use of the astrolabe was in finding the direction of the qiblah (Mecca)

Atmeh 6 for prayer. The astrolabe was a great tool of travelers, as it could use the stars and sun in navigating such varied spaces as desserts and oceans. One could also predict celestial events like lunar and solar eclipses. The Muslims came up with amazing inventions and innovations, like the astrolabe, during the Golden Age that literally shaped society. But is it possible that the Muslims discovered all that they did by themselves? Did the ancients before the Muslims leave nothing at all for posterity? That is where Dar al Hikmah comes in. The Muslims preserved the information of civilizations before by translating their works into Arabic. They studied these ancient texts, refined them and built off of them, adding new discoveries and information procured. Dar al Hikmah, or, the House of Wisdom, was a Muslim translation and research center located in Baghdad. It was started during the time of the Abassid caliphs, under Harun al Rashid and then his son, al Mamun. Scholars and students would translate texts from other languages, such as Greek and Sanskrit into Arabic, preserving the knowledge and then adding to it from what the Muslims discovered. There was some controversy in the Muslim society of the time about the translation of these texts, especially the Greek philosophical volumes of Plato, Socrates, and the like, because some of what they said went against the Islamic monotheistic beliefs. The mathematical and scientific works were less controversial and faced less criticism when translated into Arabic. Mohammed Abderrazzaq, professor of Islamic Studies at Boston University and Northeastern University says, It [Dar al Hikmah] was an essential component to the Golden Age. It carried the spirit of the Prophetic hadith [t]he word of wisdom is the lost property of the believer, so wherever he finds it he has a better right to it. If you fine beneficial knowledge, use it, (Abderrazzaq). That was the essence of Dar al Hikmah take the best research, no matter

Atmeh 7 who from, translate it so it can be read by the people, and update that research with new discoveries. Why, then, don t more people know things about Muslims like some of the inventions, innovations and learning centers of the Golden Age of Islam? Why are Muslims rarely portrayed in a positive light? Part of the problem is the media. Ninety percent of the media (radio, television, films, etc.) is controlled by six corporations (Lutz). With a near-monopoly on the news people hear, it is no surprise that they also control what people hear. If they label a terrorist or criminal as Muslim, sadly, that is the first thing that will come to mind for many when they think of Muslims. And, even worse, people are willing to believe everything they hear without doing any research on their own. They, therefore, are not able to gauge how credible a story might be, or see where stereotypes or racism might be affecting the objectivity of the report. The other part of the problem is that people simply are not educated with accurate information about Islam, if they have any information at all. High school World History teacher Fatima Fuhr-Alsadah says, The majority of people are not taught about the Golden Age in school textbooks focus on America and the West, their contributions to society, (Fuhr- Alsadah). The Golden Age of Islam happened at the same time as the Dark Ages of Europe. Which is more well-known? The European Dark Ages, of course. The Islamic Golden Age might be mentioned in passing, but for some reason, that time of knowledge and light is not delved into as deeply as the time of ignorance and darkness. There are things used every day, like Algebra, that came from Muslims during the Golden Age, and students are not even aware of that.

Atmeh 8 Perhaps yet another reason people don t know much about the Golden Age is because it has ended. What happened to the Islamic Golden Age civilization? The Muslims were shaping the world, making unheard of discoveries and advancements. Why did that all stop? Where is the passion for seeking knowledge that the Muslims once possessed and cherished? The cause of the demise of the Golden Age Islamic Empire can be said in one word: corruption. Those three syllables explain the downfall of many once-mighty nations. The leaders of the Golden Age had grown away from their religion. Islam preaches seeking knowledge, and straying from Islam led to the leaders not caring for the accumulation of information. They committed acts forbidden in Islam such as drinking and practicing astrology. The leaders were blinded by greed for power and wealth, materialistic things of no benefit in the Hereafter. They were consumed by corruption. Perhaps most depressing was that some developments, like the astrolabe, meant to be of use to people for navigation and telling the times and direction of prayer, were used for things that take people out of the fold of Islam, such as astrology, which is based upon the superstitious belief that the celestial bodies have powers over human affairs, a power that only All-Powerful Allah has. Although the Golden Age of Islam may be over, its spirit of light and knowledge can shine brightly. To achieve this, Muslims must do two things. The first is to follow Islam properly, as originally prescribed by Allah. Abderrazzaq says, [In] Islam is the moral and ethical anchor that will guide our efforts to a beneficial progress, (Abderrazzaq). It is the corruption and deviation from Islam that led to the end of the Golden Age. That must be reversed if the Muslim Ummah (the worldwide community of Muslims) is to move forward. The second thing that must be done is illustrated in this quote of Imam Shafii : After the obligatory deeds, nothing is more beloved to Allah than studying knowledge. The Muslims

Atmeh 9 must once again kindle the passion of seeking knowledge inside themselves and then teach what they learn and discover to others. The Islamic Golden Age was, in the opinion of Abderrazzaq, a culture of knowledge unlike any other culture [there was] a rigorous pursuit of knowledge. Allah says in the Holy Quran, Say, Oh my Lord! Increase me in knowledge, (20:114). Muslims are supposed to seek knowledge; it is an order from Allah, so Muslims who are truly adhering to the religion will be seeking knowledge. Imagine what the world would be like without algebra, the astrolabe, surgery, or the crank and connecting rod. Society would be completely different and not nearly as advanced as today. After all, there is no era in the history of mankind when the search for knowledge and scientific development was as profound as in the Golden Age of Islam. Muslims had contributed greatly to humanity, and it is time to do so again by following the path of Allah, and seeking knowledge.

Atmeh 10 Works Cited: 1001 Inventions. "Al-Jazari's 800 Year Old Automatic Elephant Clock 1001 Inventions." Al- Jazari's 800 Year Old Automatic Elephant Clock. 1001 Inventions, n.d. Web. 07 Jan. 2013. Abderrazzaq, Mohammad. Islamic studies professor, personal interview. "Al Zahrawi." Al Zahrawi. N.p., 2010. Web. 06 Jan. 2013. Dallal, Ahmad. The Oxford History of Islam. Ed. John L. Esposito. New York, NY: Oxford UP, 1999. Print. Faruqi, Yasmeen. "Contributions of Islamic Scholars to the Scientific Enterprise."International Education Journal. 7.4 (2006): 391-399. Web. 20 Oct. 2012. Fuhr-Alsadah, Fatima. High school World History Teacher, personal interview. Hadith of the Prophet Mohammad (S), recorded in Tirmithi 39:19, narrated by Abu Hurairah Holy Quran, chapter 20, verse 114, translation by Yusuf Ali http://images.google.com/ astrolabe 15 Jan 13 http://images.google.com/ modern surgical tools 15 Jan 13 http://images.google.com/ zahrawi surgical tools 15 Jan 13 http://images.google.com/ elephant clock 15 Jan 13 http://images.google.com/ jazari crank diagram 15 Jan 13 Lotha, Gloria, and Amy Tikkanen. "al-khwarizmi."encyclopedia Britannica. 2007. http://www.britannica.com/ebchecked/topic/317171/al-khwarizmi Lutz, Ashley. These 6 Corporations Control 90% Of The Media In America. Business Insider. Business Insider, 14 June 2012. Web. 13 Jan. 2013.

Atmeh 11 Mosaic of Muslim Women. "Mariam Al-Astrolabiya Al-Ijliya." Mosaicofmuslimwomen. Mosaic of Muslim Women, 30 Jan. 2012. Web. 05 Jan. 2013. Sterns, Olivia. "Muslim Inventions That Shaped the Modern World." CNN. Cable News Network, 29 Jan. 2010. Web. 09 Dec. 2012. "The Crank-Connecting Rod System in a Continuously Rotating Machine." History of Science and Technology in Islam. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2013. Vallely, Paul. "How Islamic Inventors Changed the World." The Independent 11 (2006). "What the Islamic World Did For Us." Perf. Amani Zain. What the Ancients Did For Us. British Brodcasting Corporation: 2012. Web. 26 Nov 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1btmsgezfa>.