“Those who know and those who do not are not equal”*
For example in Muhammad's era, if a captured enemy taught 10 Muslims to read, he would be freed. “One hour of teaching is better then a night of praying”- a saying attributed to the prophet himself.
God’s activity was to be seen in the material universe, therefore by studying the world of nature and deciphering the codes therein, they could begin to understand him at levels not necessarily available to the masses. This, they felt, brought them closer to their God, and in this sense, scientific enquiry was fuelled by spiritual motivation. “The knowledge of the world acquired by man and the sacred knowledge revealed by God were seen as a single unity…therefore the traditional scientist did not have to sacrifice his religious beliefs for science or vice versa”2. These were very significant points to express when preparing the Muslims for the discovery and exposure to certain “truths” associated with scientific knowledge and enquiry. Particular verses within the Qur’an which are believed to have contributed to the quest for knowledge include:
“Do not the unbeliever see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder?”*
“He who pursues the road of knowledge God will direct to the road of Paradise…The brightness of a learned man compared to a mere worshipper is like that of the full moon compared to all the stars…Obtain knowledge; its possessor can distinguish right from wrong; it shows the way to heaven; it befriends us in the desert and in solitude, and when we are friendless it is our guide to happiness; it gives strength in misery; it is an ornament to friends, protection against enemies…The scholars ink is holier than the martyrs blood…Seeking knowledge is required of every Muslim”*
, and phrases such as “Do they not think…” in parts of the Qur’an helped illuminate certain phenomena previously unconsidered by man. In fact, the Qur’an itself offers a rich explanation for the creation of the universe, and the correspondence between its verses with scientific findings generated huge interest in the natural sciences among its believers.
The rediscovery of ancient knowledge and the spread of the Islamic Revelation therefore could not have been better timed or matched; the two seemed to go hand in hand, complimenting the desire for extended knowledge. The resources adopted by the Islamic civilisation were derived from the Greeks, Indians, Persians and Babylonians. “The varied legacies produced a far more international, intercultural, and abundant inheritance of intellectual riches then had ever been received by any single civilisation”1. Once texts had been translated into Arabic, they underwent “a process of commentary, which included the addition of new elements in the form of criticism, theoretical innovations, and incorporation of new observations”3. Consider pharmacological theory in Islam, it followed and extended the commentary received through texts by Galen, which had been annexed from Greek territory. Galen proposed that illness was attributed to humoral imbalance, and to be treated, a patient must be administered a drug “equal in strength (on a scale of 4 degrees), but opposite in quality to the imbalanced complexion it was supposed to cure”3. However, the intensive effect of a drug could not be measured quantitatively, and each individual differed in their complexion. They attacked the Galenic theory which unified pharmacology in this way, and produced a new method for treatment resting on a “mathematical relationship between a medicines weight and its therapeutic value”3.
Islam was able to absorb scientific ideas from these many sources “because most of the ancient cosmological sciences from Greek, Chaldean, Persian, Indian and Chinese perspectives had sought to express the unity of nature, and were therefore in conformity with the spirit of Islam”4.
However, the importance of the Islamic royals in sustaining and even accelerating the deliverance of science and philosophy to the Islamic empire should not be overlooked. Kings needed scientists and engineers as physicians, astrologers, architects, and designers of war engines. Prestige was associated with having scientists attached to the courts. The royals ensured books were imported, and much of the translations were prompted by royal decree. They offered inducements to attract scholars for recruitment and as a result, scholars, poets, philosophers, historians and musicians began to migrate to and accumulate in the areas surrounding the King. This allowed the development of an infrastructure of libraries, hospitals and research institutions, and a society of educated and intellectual individuals. The advanced education in science was also carried out within the confines of royal courts and in the royally sponsored establishments such as observatories and hospitals.
Again, the idea of the Qur’ans exclusive role in shaping the scientific culture can be undermined when it comes to reason that the Islamic scientific community included many Christians and Jews as well as Muslims, and embraced Indians and Persians as well as Arabs. Theological attacks on the scientific endeavours therefore, would have had a greater stance for resistance due to this mixture of ethnic origins and religions; and it would have been markedly less resilient had the community consisted solely of Muslims. It is almost a “scientific brotherhood”1. And indeed, science did appear to challenge Islamic faith at times. Religious authorities and pious philosophers even warned of the ‘dangers’ of certain forms of knowledge. Plato’s ideas emphasised the geometric structure of the material world, and how the divine principles had ultimate authority other the natural laws; Aristotle held strong beliefs in causality, in design and purpose, and presented a comprehensive system of logic. The Muslims blended these concepts, forming a mixture of wisdom with disbelief- and this philosophy was very attractive while it seemed to ‘detach’ them from the everyday ‘real’ world. Gradually, this rational speculation began to dilute the Islamic faith. Hence, scientific and philosophical investigations became noted for their potentially destructive ability.
What about science before the Qur’an? While Greek schools were established in Asia Minor in 325AD, and research into medicine, astronomy and mathematics was underway by 489AD, pre-Islamic civilisations did not show any significant advances in science.
“For such passionate dedication to the Divine Will, and the need to affirm rather then to deny the Divine Principles which were symbolised in the cosmos, Islam was able to rekindle the flame of science that had been extinguished at Athens and Alexandria.”4.
Certainly, if the Qur’an is not solely responsible for the extent to which science was adopted into its Islamic community, it undoubtedly played a key part. Within the scientific disciplines at work throughout the expanses of the Islamic empire, vast intellectual legacies were unwrapped. They analysed relentlessly the knowledge which was available to them, tested and retested hypotheses and answers, evolved new ones, and then further revised many of these. The ideas contained in the original translations were assimilated and ordered to abide by their own inner formation and beliefs, both of these were provided and could be found within their holy book, the Qur’an. Here then it seems, is testimony of the influence exercised by the Qur’an in shaping the scientific culture within the classical Islamic world. Yet not without consideration of pre-Islamic traditions such as the royals; the fortunate potential to capitalise on their central geographic location; and the role of individuals who helped accomplish this integration of science but where derived from different ethnic and religious backgrounds, can we really appreciate the entire scope of the scientific community that existed.
Word count: 1, 582 (including quotes)
References:
(1) Science in Medieval Islam, an illustrated introduction. Howard R.Turner. 1998.
(2) Islam, Qu’ran and the presence of science. I.Kalin.
(3) Islamic and Christian Spain in the early middle ages. Thomas F.Glick.
, How Islam won, and lost, the lead in science. Dennis Overbye.
(4) Science and Civilisation in Islam. Seyyed Hossein Nasr.
5. Science in the medieval world. Said al-Andalusi
6. Islamic Contributions to Science.
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