That is your answer? That as long as it is Muslims who are doing the colonization and the killing it is ok. I see. Again, you refer to other people's opinions about the Muslim invasion and occupation of Spain. You quote people and make it sound like the Spanish were happy to be invaded and joyous at the prospect of being slaves in their own country. Anyway you sugar coat it, they were the aggressors. They invaded a sovereign country, attacked its people, raped their women, took over its government, subdued those who fought back with a blood curdling lack of mercy and enforced their laws and culture on them. They ruled over the Spanish people by force and force alone. If the Spanish were so happy to be ruled by the Muslims for 700 years, pray tell why did they fight and repell them back into North Africa? Why didn't they accept the Muslim invaders? Wasn't 700 years enough time to convince them that the Muslims were good and fair? To not acknowledge such a glaringly obvious fact is to expose to all your extreme bias.
What's your point???? You want to find any excuse to justify an attack on Iraq??? Most historian will say that islam was the most peaceful religion on planet earth. this is what I have been taught at university... Here we go again. Hopefully there are people in this world that are much more intelligent than you... because after all the texts and explanation even my daughter (that is not born yet) would have understand it. But I am sorry to lose my time with you...
http://www.mastep.sjsu.edu/history_of_tech/islam.htm Muslim Contributions to Science and Technology While most of Europe was living in the intellectually dormant times of the Middle Ages, a different situation existed in Spain. And, this difference can be traced directly to Muslim influences. Spain, even before the Moslem conquests, was the scene of much fighting and territorial disputes. In the early Middle Ages, after the "Fall" of the Roman Empire, Spain was conquered by a confederation of German tribes (around 411 AD). Shortly after, Spain was again conquered by the Visigoths (416 to 418 AD). Kings from Visigoth families ruled Spain for the next two hundred years until the Muslim conquest of Spain that began in 711 AD (Collins, 1995). Over the next 19 years, the Muslims conquered most of Spain and were threatening to conquer France until stopped by Charles Martel (the grandfather of Charlemagne) at Poiters in 732. Click on this link to read three different accounts on the Battle of Tours, Scientific knowledge, architecture, mathematics, and philosophy flourished in Spain during the rule of the Umayyad. Much of this intellectual climate can be traced to the precepts of the Qur'an (in English, we sometimes refer to this as the Koran). Throughout the Qur'an, there is a strong emphasis on the value of knowledge. As noted in the tutorial, "because Muslims believe that Allah is all-knowing, they also believe that the human world's quest for knowledge leads to further knowing of Allah. Muslims must thus pursue knowledge not only of God's laws, but of the natural world as well, extending the frontiers of human knowledge. Unlike the revealed knowledge of the Qur'an, Muslims believe that human knowledge is not perfect, and requires constant exploration and advancement through research and experimentation. According to the Qur'an, learning and gaining knowledge is the highest form of religious activity for Muslims, and the one which is most pleasing to God."
Avicenna (Abu Ali Sina), or Ibn Sina (980-1037). He was a Persian physician and philosopher. He was born near Bukhara then capital of the Samanid dynasty. By the time he was 10 years old he had learned the Koran as well as Arabic grammar and literature. By the age of 16 he had mastered not only natural science and rudimentary metaphysics but also medical theory. He was not satisfied with merely a theoretical understanding of medicine so he began to treat the sick. He knew enough about medicine to treat the ailing Samanid ruler Nuh Ibn Mansur. The successful treatment gained Avicenna access to the rich library of that prince. Abu Ali Sina was one of the main interpreters of Aristotle and was the author of almost 200 books on science, religion and philosophy. Avicenna's two most important works are: Shifa (The Book of Healing) and Al Qanun fi Tibb (The Canon of Medicine). The first is a philosophical encyclopedia based on Aristotelian tradition and the second is the most famous single book in the history of medicine. His medical system was long the standard in Europe and the Middle East. Avicenna died in 1037 in Hamadan, Iran. Abu Ali al-Husayn Ibn Abdullah Ibn Sina (sometimes known in the West as Avicenna) was born in Bukhara in 980. He is arguably the most famous and influential of all the Islamic philosopher-scientists. His famous book, Al-Qanun fi al-Tibb ("The Canon of Medicine") was used throughout Europe for over 600 years. In his writings, he spelled out the procedures for testing the effectiveness of a new drug (http://users.erols.com/gmqm/euromed2.html). Beyond his work in medicine, he also made significant contributions in philosophy, mathematics, chemistry, and astronomy and waa the author of over 200 books. You can read more about this scientist at http://users.erols.com/zenithco/sina.html.
In the Medieval Age, the Muslims led the world in their pursuit of knowledge. Much of this knowledge was discovered by Muslim scientists while other knowledge was derived from other cultures including the Greeks, Persians, Indian, and Chinese. The Muslims synthesized, elaborated, and transmitted this knowledge to Spain; and eventually, to the entire Western world. In Western Europe at this time, most of the knowledge of the Greeks was lost. It was only through the transfer of Greek knowledge (including Aristotle's philosophy, Ptolemy's geography, Hippocrates' medicine) by Islam Spain that this information ever got to Western Europe. Historians have discovered that there were two major periods of intense scholarly work in the Muslim world during the Medieval Age. The first period was in the 9th and 10th centuries in Baghdad and the second period was the 12th and 13th century in Europe (primarily Spain). In both of these periods, Muslim translators first translated the Greek knowledge into Arabic and then into other languages. Of course, as was discussed previously, Greek knowledge was enhanced and expanded by Muslim scholars. Remember the primary language of Europe at this time was Latin--all the Romance languages (French, Italian, etc) were just beginning to be used and were generally considered to be vulgar (According to the Encyclopedia Britannica (2000), Vulgar Latin "was primarily the speech of the middle classes in Rome and the Roman provinces." After the Roman Empire fell, regional differences in vulgar Latin increased and eventually became the Romance languages.) "Take Aristotle, for instance. Only a fraction of his work was known in Europe during the post-classical era, when barbarian invasions caused the loss of so much earlier culture. But most of his books were translated into Arabic, and were studied and commented on over and over again in Baghdad and other centers. European philosophers rediscovered them via these commentaries. Ibn Sina (Avicenna) and Ibn Rushd (Averroes) were famous names in medieval philosophy and their predecessor al-Farabi (Alfarabius) is said to have lectured on Aristotle's Physics 40 times and his Rhetoric 80 times" (Zahoor, 1997b). A discussion of this role as translators of scientific knowledge is found at this web site, http://www.muslimsonline.com/~azahoor/Introl3.html. Why was this knowledge lost to Western Europe? An answer can be found by looking at the time and events that occurred before the start of the European Medieval Age. During the ending centuries of the Roman Empire, Christianity became more powerful and influential, especially after become lawful under the Roman Emperor Constantine (Emperor AD 324 - 337). A consequence of the ascendancy of Christianity was that less authority was given to the pagan, "classical teachings" of the Greeks. The main preserve of Greek writing was in Egypt. However, the Library of Alexandria, one of the largest libraries in Egypt (and the Western world) was destroyed by fire in 389 AD. In this one event, many writings were lost. Also lost and burned was the Museum of Alexandria, a real university, in 415 when riots incited by Christians caused its destruction.
Muslims referred to Spain as Al-Andalus. This word has several meanings. "One of them is âto become green after a long summer or drought,â and the history of the Iberian Peninsula over the ages attests to this phase when Muslims ruled Spain" (Zahoor, 1997b). The role of Al-Andalus in the transmission of science and technology to Western Europe is discussed in this essay, Science in Al-Andalus, http://users.erols.com/gmqm/andalus1.html. The influence of the Muslim world on Western science can be seen in the vocabulary of science as many of the words used by Muslim scientists have been retained and have entered the English language. Arabic words in chemistry include alcohol, alkali, niter (from which word we get nitrate), alkahest (the universal solvent, sought by the alchemists), and alembic (a distilling flask). Astronomical Arabic terms include almanac, zenith, and nadir (Plambeck, 1995). Beginning in the Middle Ages, men seeking knowledge would travel to Spain to obtain Muslim science. This may be surprising since we tend to think of the Muslim world as being separated from Europe. But, there were many linkage between these two societies, one being trade and the other, more significantly education. Adelard of Bath, an Englishman in the 12th century, was the first major popularizer of Muslim science in the West. He spent a long time in Muslim Spain learning both about Greek mathematics and science as well as Muslim contributions to science. In particular he introduced Euclid and aspects of astronomy to Western Europe. "As well as more technical treatises, he wrote Natural Questions - the selections here are from its preface and part of the body - which expresses his fundamental belief that God should not be invoked to explain what human knowledge can." Adelard of Bath: The Impact of Muslim Science. Preface to His Very Difficult Natural Questions, [Dodi Ve-Nechdi] c. 1137 from Medieval Sourcebook, http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/adelardbath1.html The key event for Medieval Europe came in 1085 when the great Muslim city of Toledo fell to Christian military forces. Toledo housed one of the largest libraries in the world at this time. And, this library was filled with thousands of books including Muslim translations of classic Greek philosophers. After the fall of Toledo, this city became the focus of a massive translation effort where teams of translators translated the Arabic texts into Latin. Often, this was not a one-step process. Jewish intellectuals frequently served as the translators--translating Arabic into Hebrew for themselves and then into Spanish for the Christians. But, because most of Europe spoke Latin, the works were then translated into Latin (often by priests or monks). One translator, Gerard of Cremona (1114-87) worked for forty years in Spain translating, with a team, over 70 books from Arabic originals including the works of Archimedes, Galen, Hippocrates, and Aristotle (McClellan & Dorn, 1999). In addition to Toledo, Arab work was found and translated in southern Italy and Sicily (reconquered by Norman knights in the 11th century). By 1200, Europe had recovered most of ancient science as well as appropriating several centuries of scientific, medical, and philosophical work done by Muslim scholars. In the remainder of this section, we will look at specific scientific innovations and technologies that were transferred to Western Europe through Islamic Spain. The story of these technologies will show the wide range of scientific and technological innovation that occurred in the Middle Ages in Al-Andalus. I have divided this into three sections: mathematics, astronomy, and chemistry and medicine.
Mathematics In Europe during the Medieval Age, scholars used the Roman number system. For those of you who remember the Roman number system from school, you will remember that it is not particularly use to add and subtract. And, the Roman numeral system was great hindrance to the economic development of Europe. The Muslim world, instead, used a different number system--the Arabic number system that we use today. Although having the name "Arabic number system," Arabic numerals were actually invented in India by the Hindus around 600 AD. You can visit the website, An overview of Indian mathematics, to get more details about the role on Indians in the history of mathematics, http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/HistTopics/Indian_mathematics.html. A problem with the Hindu system is that it was written backwards. So, the number thirty-two would be written as 23. According to the web site IslamCity (http://www.islamicity.com/Mosque/ihame/Ref6.htm), "One of the great centers of learning was Baghdad, where Arab, Greek, Persian, Jewish, and other scholars pooled their cultural heritages and where in 771 an Indian scholar appeared, bringing with him a treatise on astronomy using the Indian numerical system." The Muslims adopted and changed the Hindu system which subsequently became known as the Arabic number system. As with most other Muslim developments, the knowledge of Arabic numbers spread to Europe through Spain where it was evident that the Arabic number system was superior to the Roman number system, particular in commerce, arithmetic, and algebra. The Codex Vigilanus, written in Spain in 976, is the oldest European manuscript containing Arabic numbers. And, in the 14th century, Arabic numerals became widely used by merchants in Italy. After merchants began using the new number system, their use then spread to the rest of Europe. To read more about the development of the Arabic Numerals system, please click on this link http://www.islamicity.org/Mosque/ihame/Ref6.htm
Al-Khwarizmi is recognized as the founder of modern Algebra. The actual name of algebra comes from the title of his most famous book, Kitab Al-Jabr wa al-Muqabilah ("The Book of Integration and Equation"). This book on algebra, in its translated form, was the principal mathematics textbook in European universities until the 16th century. For more information on this scientist, go to the following site http://salam.muslimsonline.com/~azahoor/khawariz.html But the contributions of the Muslim world did not end with the Arabic number system. Because the Arabic number system, our decimal system, made mathematical calculations easier, it then became easier to use this number system to describe relationships. This process of using the decimal system to generalize arithmetical processes and relationships evolved into what we call algebra today. This type of mathematical reasoning was a departure from mathematical Greek thought (which is geometric). In mathematics, some of the Arabic terms are algorithm, algebra, and arithmetic. "The noted Arab mathematician al-Khwârizmî (Muhammad b. Musa al-Khwârizmî ca. 875) wrote a textbook on the subject which now exists only in a number of Latin versions. In these a point is used for zero. In ca. 952 Abu'l-Hasan-al-Uqlidisi wrote the Book of the parts of Indian Arithmetic which contains an explanation and application of decimal fractions...In 1202 Leonardo of Pisa (also known as Fibonacci) published his Liber Abaci, a book of arithmetic and algebraic information. Al-Khwârizmî's book was a major influence on Fibonacci" (Gans, 2000). To conclude our discussion of the contributions of Muslim scientists to mathematics, you should read the following essays. Arabic mathematics : forgotten brilliance? by J J O'Connor and E F Robertson, http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/HistTopics/Arabic_mathematics.html Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi's contributions to the creation of algebra, http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Al-Khwarizmi.html
What's your point???? My point is that you make claims which have no factual backing and are false. When this is pointed out to you you become agitated and upset. Rather than looking at the facts before you, you either lash out at the person calling them racist/facist or try distracting them by going on a tangent (for example, citing the scientific contributions of the Islamic civilization while ignoring that it was an aggressor and an invader). You want to find any excuse to justify an attack on Iraq??? Saddam Hussein has provided and will provide all the justification for his removal. He doesn't need my help. Most historian will say that islam was the most peaceful religion on planet earth. this is what I have been taught at university... I don't know what university you went to. But even a cursory look at the history of Islamic civilization will show that it was anything but peaceful. I have provided quotes directly from the Quran as well as facts from history (invasion and occupation of Spain for example). Here we go again. Hopefully there are people in this world that are much more intelligent than you... I have no doubt that there are. Actually there damn better be or we are all in a lot of trouble!! because after all the texts and explanation even my daughter (that is not born yet) would have understand it. But I am sorry to lose my time with you... God bless your unborn daughter. May she be born and brought up in a peaceful world.
I posted several aspect of raping in spain!!!! Oh sorry it was posts about science culture... If you find on the internet a link were it is said that muslim raped and killed spanish and that people were persecuted during the muslim presence in spain during 700 years then I will say you are right... All the most prominent historian said that it was one of the most beautiful period of humanity and all you find is baseless points saying that muslim raped and killed people... Christian did that in north africa... but muslims were more occupied to develop culture medecine and philosophy... please take the time to read all my posts. Or may be you don't want to read good things on Islam. frankly people like you that have no intelectual integrity are just disgusting "For there was nothing like it, at that epoch, in the rest of Europe. The best minds in that continent looked to Spain for everything which most clearly differentiates a human being from a tiger." - "Spain In The Modern World," James Cleuge explains the significance of Cordova in Medieval Europe. (Cleugh, 1953, p. 70)