Testimonies of impartial Orientalists about Islamic civilization on science
Written by Dr. Ragheb Elsergany
Introduction
Many Westerners try to belittle the importance of Islamic civilization and its role in the progress and advancement of human civilization. Some of them claim that Muslims were only copying from the ancients. Some others claim that this civilization does not deserve all this attention, attributing the credit to the Greeks and Romans only, saying they are the only masters of Westerners. Those people, therefore, disregarded the role of Muslims, claiming that they made no contributions to anything. Other people try to detract from the impact of Muslim civilization, claiming that Muslims excelled in some branches of science that need no thinking or use of mind, such as history and geography, and in any other branches they only copied from and quoted others without much criticism, correction or addition!
In fact, this is the case of the ungrateful opponents of Muslims who are ignorant of the status of Muslims and their role in the march of humanity. This fact is reinforced by another group of people, namely the Orientalists and historians who highlighted the great contributions by Muslims to human civilization. They said the word of truth, acknowledged it, and gave the credit to the right people and wrote many impartial books and studies that praised the undeniable contributions of Muslims. One of those said: “It is time to talk about people who had a strong impact on the course of the world events, to whom the West and the entire humanity are indebted.” [1]
The field of science
Perhaps the field of science attracted the greatest attention from impartial Westerners. This is related to two main factors; the first is the greatness of the contributions of Muslims and Islamic civilization in this area. The second is responding to the fanatics and populists who deny any creativity and innovation in the Muslim mind, something which is reflected in the experimental sciences, such as mechanics, engineering, astronomy, and others.
Following are some testimonies of impartial Westerners:
American historian Briffault says that Muslims are definitely to be credited for every single aspect of European civilization. [2]
Sigrid Hunke said: "Arabs developed with their experience and scientific research the material they took from the Greeks and then they reshaped it. In fact, Arabs created the right scientific research based on experience... The Arabs not only saved Hellenism from transience, organized it and then granted it to the West, but also founded the experimental methods in chemistry, physics, arithmetic, algebra, geology, trigonometry, and sociology. In addition to countless individual discoveries and inventions in various branches of science – most of which were plagiarized and attributed to others – Arabs presented the most precious gift, namely the correct way of scientific research, which paved the way for the West to learn the secrets of nature."[3] Hunke added: "In fact, Roger Bacon, Bacon Von Verulam, Leonardo Da Vinci and Galilei are not the founders of scientific research, but it was the Arabs who founded it first. The achievement of Ibn Al-Haytham – known for the Europeans as Alhazen – was nothing but the modern physics, thanks to theoretical meditation and precise experiment." [4]
Hunke also said: "Ibn Al-Haytham was one of the most influential Arab teachers in Western countries... The impact of this Arab genius in the West was great and significant. His theories in physics and optics have left their impact on European science until now. On the basis of Ibn Al-Haytham’s book ‘Opticae Thesaurus’ everything related to optics was established, starting from the English (Roger Bacon) to the German (Vitello). The Italian Leonardo Da Vinci, the inventor of the (Camera obsecura), the pump, the turning machine and allegedly the first plane was directly influenced by Arabs. Ibn Al-Haytham’s achievements inspired him with many ideas. When Johannes Kepler in Germany examined during the 16th century the laws which Galileo used to see unknown stars through a great telescope, Ibn Al-Haytham’s marks were there. Until now, there is still the difficult mathematical and physical problem which Ibn al-Haytham solved by a fourth-degree equation, proving his excellence in algebra. This problem, which is based on the point of contact between the image reflected by a convex mirror and the circles at a certain distance, is still called the Ibn Al-Haytham problem (Alhazen's Problem).” [5]
In his book “History of physics”, Florian Cajori said: "The Arab and Muslim scientists were the first to launch and defend strongly the experimental method. This method is one of their prides. They were the first to recognize its usefulness and its importance to natural sciences. On top of them comes Ibn Al-Haytham." [6]
Max Vintejoux said: "All facts confirm that the Western science owes its existence to the Arab Islamic civilization. The modern scientific method based on research, observation and experiment, which was adopted by European scientists, was nothing but a result of the contact between Europeans and the Islamic world through the Islamic state Andalusia.” [7]
Robert Briffault said: "Since 700 A.D, the splendor of the Arab Islamic civilization has extended from the eastern Mediterranean to Persia in the east and Spain in the west. So, a large part of the old science was re-discovered, and new discoveries in mathematics, chemistry, physics and other sciences were recorded... In this respect, as in others, the Arabs were teachers for Europe. They contributed to the renaissance of science in that continent." [8]
German researcher Dr Peter Pormann said: "The achievements of Muslims in the world are evident in every aspect of science and culture. Moreover, their achievements in the field of medicine are undeniable. This is what prompted me to write a book entitled: (Islamic medicine in the Middle Ages)." He also said: "What prompted me to write this book is the fact that I – as a Christian German – am indebted in part of my culture to Islamic culture, and this is what I am trying to clarify and confirm, despite attempts by some to blur the important role played by Muslims in Europe and the world. I have been searching along with my colleague Emilie Savage–Smith[9] to spot the achievements of Muslims in the field of medicine in the Middle Ages." He added: "Islamic hospitals were endowment and provided medical service for all people regardless of their religion, as there were Jews, Christians, Sabians, Zoroastrians, and others. Islamic hospitals treated all people. This means great Islamic tolerance with non-Muslims." On the main diseases which Muslims helped people get to know new things about, he said: "A lot of diseases, but the most serious one was Melancholia." [10]
Will Durant said: “Chemistry as a science was almost created by Muslims. In this field, where the Greeks (as far as we know) had only industrial experience and vague hypothesis, the Saracens introduced precise observation, controlled experiment, and careful records.” [11]
Donald R. Hill said: "Al-Razi was truly considered to be one of the main founders of modern chemistry, thanks to his methodological comparison and his insistence on the need for experimental work." [12]
In another statement, he said: "Muslims knew the scheduling of specific weights before the Europeans. Due attention was given to this issue in Europe during the 17th century, and it reached its climax in the work of Robert Boyle (died 1691) who defined the specific weight of mercury - for example - in two different ways, giving the two amounts of 13.76 and 13,357. Both weights are less accurate than the weight recorded by Al-Khazini, most of whose results were fully accurate." [13]
Gustav Lebon said: "Jabir’s books consist a scientific encyclopedia that contains the digest of what Arabs achieved in chemistry at his time. These books include a description of many chemical compounds that were not mentioned before, such as the silver water (nitrous acid), without which we can not imagine chemistry."[14]
Famous historian of science Florian Cajori said: "One is astonished when he thinks of the work of Arabs and Muslims in algebra. Al-Khwarizmi's book on algebra was a reference for Muslim and European scientists alike. They relied on it in their research and adopted a lot of theories from it. Therefore, it can be said that Al-Khwarizmi founded algebra on right bases." [15]
Juan Vernet, said: "If we want to be accurate, we will find that the scientific development of mathematics by Muslims started with the Qur’an, which included complex provisions on inheritance. Al-Khwarizmi is the first Muslim mathematician, and we are beholden to him for the attempt to set up an Arabic system for all branches of knowledge. We are also beholden to him for the Spanish term (algorithm), which means the numbering (i.e. numbers, their cases and the zero). Algebra was the second field in which Al-Khwarizmi worked. It is a branch of mathematics, which did not have a plan at the time for any serious systematic study." [16]
Draper said: "Arabs used to observe and examine. They rendered geometry and mathematics as media for measurement. Notably enough, they did not rely on looking in what they wrote on mechanics and optics, but they also relied on observation and examination using available tools. This helped them create chemistry, and led them to invent tools of filtration, evaporation, and weight lifting... Therefore, they opened a great door to developing geometry and trigonometry." [17]
In the second volume of his book "History of mathematics", David Eugene Smith said: "They claim that the pendulum law was set by Galileo; however, Ibn Yunus observed it before him. The Arab astronomers use the pendulum to calculate the time periods during monitoring". In his book "Introduction to the history of science", George Sarton said: "Ibn Yunus is undoubtedly one of the giants of the 11th century, the greatest astronomer in Egypt, and the discoverer of pendulum."[18]
Jotie said: "The Arabs taught us how to make books, gunpowder and the needle of the ship (the compass). So, we have to think how our renaissance would be without these things which we received from the Arab civilization." [19]
Seignobos said: "The Arabs brought together all inventions and knowledge of the ancient world in the East (such as Greece, Persia, India and China), and then they passed them on to us. The many words that came into use in our language are a testimony to what we borrowed from them. Through Arabs, the Western world, which was barbaric, entered the middle of civilization. If our thoughts and industry have connection with the old, the combination of inventions that make life easy and nice came to us from the Arabs. Europeans learned from Arabs how to make broadcloth. The people of Pisa city in Italy used to stay in Bijayah city in Algeria, where they learned the making of wax and then transferred it to their homes and Europe." [20]
Rison said: "The spread of Arabs' construction and power in the world made us know the status of the Arab civilization. This brilliant civilization in the Middle Ages was a mix of Byzantine and Persian civilizations. This civil mix was made through two things; Arabs' love for trade and their adoration of construction. Thanks to their intelligence and their instilled desire to know and understand anything, Arabs excelled in physics and mathematics. They have done a favour to all nations with their Arabic numerals and their excellence in algebra and geometry."[21]
The British Encyclopedia said: "Many names of drugs, many compounds known now and the general structure of modern pharmacology – with the exception of modern chemical modifications of course – were initiated by Arabs." [22]
[1] - Sigrid Hunke: "Allahs Sonne über dem Abendland"(Allah's Sun Over the Occident), p11.
[2] - Robert Briffault: Making of Humanity, quoting Anwar Al-Jindi: Muqaddimat Al-Ulum wa Al-Manahij (Introductions of sciences and methods) 4/710.
[3] - Sigrid Hunke: op cit, p401, 402.
[4] - Ibid: p148, 149.
[5] - Ibid: p150.
[6] - See: Ali Abdullah Al-Daffa: Al-Ulum Al-Bahtah fi Al-Hadarah Al-Arabiyah Al-Islamiyah (Exact sciences in Arab and Islamic civilization), p303.
[7] - Max Vintejoux: In his speech to the Arab and Islamic civilization conference in Princeton University in Washington in 1953. See: Shawqi Abu-Khalil, Hani Al-Mubarak: Dawr Al-Hadarah Al-Arabiyah wa Al-Islamiyah fi Al-Nahdah Al-Urubiyah (The role of Arab and Islamic civilization in European renaissance), p125.
[8] - Robert Briffault: Making of humanity, p84.
[9] - Emilie Savage–Smith: British historian and expert at St Cross College at Oxford University.
[10] - Interview with Egyptian daily Al-Akhbar on 13/4/2007.
[11] - See: Abu-Zayd Shalabi: Tarikh Al-Hadarah Al-Islamiyah wa Al-Fikr Al-Islami (History of Islamic civilization and thought), p356.
[12] - See: Donald R. Hill: Islamic science and engineering, translated by Ahmad Fu'ad Pasha, p102.
[13] - Ibid, p98.
[14] - Gustave Le Bon: Civilization of Arabs, p475.
[15] - See: Ali Abdullah Al-Daffa: Rawa'i Al-Hadarah Al-Arabiyah Al-Islamiyah fi Al-Ulum (Wonders of Arab and Islamic civilization in science), p64.
[16] - Juan Vernet: Mathematics, astronomy and optics; a study published in the book "Turath Al-Islam" (Heritage of Islam), p168.
[17] - Muhammad Kurd Ali: Al-Islam wa Al-Hadarah Al-Arabiyah (Islam and Arab civilization), 1/227, 228.
[18] - See: Ali Abdullah Al-Daffa: Al-Ulum Al-Bahtah fi Al-Hadarah Al-Arabiyah Al-Islamiyah (Exact sciences in Arab and Islamic civilization), p302.
[19] - Muhammad Kurd Ali: Al-Islam wa Al-Hadarah Al-Arabiyah (Islam and Arab civilization), 1/226.
[20] - Ibid: 1/233, 234.
[21] - Ibid: p231.
[22] - The British Encyclopedia 18/46, eleventh edition.
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