Muslim Contributions to Western Civilization: A Brief Overview

Civilizations don’t emerge out of nowhere. They evolve, borrowing and learning from those that came before. A prime example of this is the significant contribution of the Islamic world to Western civilization. However, history often overlooks the role played by Muslim scholars and innovators.

The Golden Age of Islam: During the medieval era, while Europe experienced dark times, the Islamic world was thriving. They assimilated knowledge from Greeks, Persians, Indians, and Chinese and then melded it into a unique synthesis that further advanced philosophical, cultural, and scientific frontiers. Mighty Muslim empires encircled Europe, making it nearly inevitable for Europe to be influenced by Islamic thought, culture, and governance.

Europe’s Selective Memory: Historically, the story told in Europe paints a picture where Europe is the benefactor, offering knowledge and culture to others, while the East, particularly the Islamic world, is portrayed as the perpetual borrower. Such historical narratives might stem from a mix of European insecurities, rooted in the rapid spread of Islam, defeats in the Crusades, and loss of territories like Byzantium.

The Italian poet Dante, for example, placed the Prophet Muhammad in the eighth circle of hell in his “Divine Comedy”. Jack Goody, a renowned sociologist, pointed out that this kind of ethnocentrism helps establish one’s identity, but it’s an unreliable lens through which to view world history. This form of ‘history theft’, where Europe downplays or outright omits contributions from the East, is a problematic approach to recording global progress.

The Implications of History Theft: By placing Europe on a pedestal, a sense of superiority emerges, which further influences colonial mentalities, discriminatory practices, and agendas for dominance. The aftermath of such practices resonates even today. Many non-Europeans, especially in the Islamic world, feel their rich history and contributions have been overshadowed, if not stolen, just as their lands and resources were during colonial times. This generates mistrust and resentment, impacting modern relations and diplomacy.

The Forgotten Islamic Civilization: Opponents of Islam often overlook the period between 636 to 1800 AD,   during which Islam was a dominant global force. For almost a millennium, from the 8th to the 18th century, Islamic civilization was at the peak of human accomplishment. Muslims had in place systems and institutions that promoted limited monarchy, capitalism, freedom of conscience, religious tolerance, and scientific and cultural innovations.

Europe’s Dark Ages: While Islam was flourishing, Europe was grappling with the so-called Dark Ages, characterized by internal conflicts and stagnation. The continent was deeply entrenched in irrational beliefs, overshadowed by Church dogmas and the idea of monarchs ruling by divine right. Both Catholic and Protestant segments of Europe practiced absolutism, leading to civilizational and economic stagnation. Individualism was stifled, and freedom was curtailed. There was no democracy or even a hint of limited monarchy until the 18th century.

The narrative of human progress is intricate and interwoven. To truly appreciate it, recognizing the contributions of all civilizations is crucial. It’s essential to challenge ethnocentric views and foster a more inclusive understanding of history. Only then can societies create a foundation of mutual respect and cooperation for the future.

The Medieval Church and its Hierarchical View of the World

Civilizations have undergone various phases of growth and stagnation throughout history. One of these phases in Europe was during the medieval period when the Church had a profound influence on every facet of life.

Rejecting Pagan Knowledge:

In the medieval period, Christian authorities distanced themselves from the scientific and philosophical ideas of the Greco-Roman world. Thinkers like Aristotle and Plato were branded enemies due to their views which seemed to contradict divine teachings. The Church leaders chose to embrace only those aspects of Greco-Roman philosophy that supported the Church’s doctrines. Such a selective approach hindered the growth of knowledge, ushering Europe into the so-called Dark Ages.

Church’s Dominance Over Knowledge:

The medieval Church prioritized theology over all other fields of study. This perspective made the Church apprehensive of any knowledge that didn’t align with their interpretation of the Bible. As a result, many Greek scientific and philosophical texts were destroyed, and individuals who disagreed with Church teachings faced excommunication or exile. This suppression stifled intellectual growth in Europe for centuries.

Hierarchy in All Aspects:

The Church’s doctrines revolved around a hierarchical view, which extended from spiritual matters to the natural world. They believed in the existence of seven heavens, each one superior to the one below. Such a view was inspired by the concept that the universe comprised a graded chain of beings. This chain began with God in the highest heaven and stretched down through various angelic realms to humans, animals, and plants on Earth.

The notion of the Holy Trinity – God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – was central to the Church’s theology. This concept too was hierarchical. For instance, while God the Father begot the Son, the Son did not beget the Father. This hierarchical outlook didn’t just shape spiritual beliefs but also influenced the social and political order of the time.

Earth Reflecting Heavenly Hierarchy:

The Church believed that the earthly realm mirrored the heavenly one. The earthly king mirrored God the Father. The nobility represented God the Son while the clergy echoed God the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the Church, representing both Christ and the Holy Spirit on Earth, held dominion over all earthly matters. This perspective meant that every individual and institution had a designated place in the social order, from monarchs and clergy down to commoners.

Incorporating Natural Philosophy:

Despite the Church’s rigid views, there were attempts to reconcile Christian theology with natural philosophy. St. Thomas Aquinas, a medieval Christian philosopher, tried to merge Aristotle’s ideas with Christian beliefs. He proposed that God infused nature with divine powers, making nature a cooperative force with God. However, to ensure that God remained supreme, it was emphasized that nature and man existed to fulfill divine purposes.

Aquinas argued that nature mirrored the divine, much like how humans reflected God’s intentions when they adhered to Church sacraments. He believed everything in the universe, from minerals to angelic beings, could be categorized into three general classes. This system was triadic, meaning every group was further divided into three subgroups. This triadic division extended from earthly beings to the supreme Holy Trinity.

In short, the medieval period in Europe was dominated by the Church’s Trinitarian hierarchical worldview. This view permeated every aspect of life, from philosophy and science to social order. While there were some partial efforts to bridge the gap between ancient Greco-Roman knowledge and Church teachings, the dominant paradigm remained one of theological domination and intellectual stifling. This medieval mindset shaped European society for centuries and left a lasting impact on the subsequent evolution of Western thought.

The Medieval Church, European Stagnation, and Islamic Influence

The medieval period in Europe was marked by dominance and dogma, primarily due to the Catholic Church’s overwhelming influence on every aspect of life. This control had significant ramifications for the intellectual, religious, and socio-political landscape of Europe.

Suppressing Non-Conformist Beliefs:

During these times, any belief that deviated from established Church doctrines, especially Unitarianism, faced severe opposition. Unitarianism, broadly speaking, emphasizes the oneness of God and unity of humanity as opposed to the Trinitarian concept of the Holy Trinity and hierarchical social order prevalent in the Church. The Church’s worldview saw hierarchy everywhere – in nature, the human body, social order, and even in the cosmos. For instance, they perceived the human body in a triadic manner, consisting of natural, vital, and animal spirits and believed in the presence of three physiological fluids originating from the liver, heart, and brain. Discussions promoting ideas like divine simplicity, natural philosophy, or human equality were strictly prohibited, and those engaging in such discussions faced severe consequences.

Church’s Power and Internal Strife:

For centuries, the Catholic Church was the singular powerful religious entity in Europe. It amassed immense wealth and influence, becoming the continent’s largest landowner and employer. However, the Church’s internal power dynamics often led to disputes among the clergy. Popes and bishops vied for dominance, both within and outside the Church’s confines. Their worldly pursuits and extravagant lifestyles created distrust among believers, leading to internal dissent and skepticism. As various European factions, such as the Italians, Germans, and French, aimed for control of papal offices, the papacy itself became a pawn, shifting its base between Rome and France depending on its backers. To counter the internal conflicts and to foster a semblance of unity, the Church initiated the eleventh-century Crusades, positioning the European Christians against the Muslim East.

Contrasting the Islamic World:

In stark contrast to Europe’s Dark Age, cities like Baghdad and Cordoba in the Islamic world flourished. They were hubs of intellectual pursuits, scientific discoveries, and religious tolerance. Islamic beliefs emphasized a simple Unitarian theology, rationality, and human equality. Their ethos and values emphasized God’s direct sovereignty, human dignity, and rights, natural inquiry, and economic prosperity.

Europe’s proximity and interactions with the Muslim world played a crucial role in shaping its destiny. For instance, Muslim Spain and Sicily in the thirteenth century acted as Europe’s bridge to advanced science, technology, and trade. This influence helped Europe progress from its stifled intellectual and cultural state.

Breaking Free and the Dawn of Renaissance:

 The transition from the Dark Ages in Europe to the Renaissance in the twelfth century was significantly influenced by the translation of a myriad of philosophical and scientific manuscripts from Arabic to Latin. Before this transformation, European libraries were scarce, mostly limited to religious texts and a few Latin classics. However, by the twelfth century, a massive effort to translate and reintroduce lost knowledge began, marking the onset of the “Twelfth Century Renaissance”.

According to historian Charles Homer Haskins, while the later Italian Renaissance focused primarily on literature, the twelfth-century Renaissance was more about philosophy and science. This earlier Renaissance’s unique aspect was its diverse sources of knowledge, drawing not only from Greek but also from Arabic, spanning regions like Spain, Sicily, Syria, and Africa.

In sum, the medieval period in Europe was a mix of religious dominance, internal strife, and stagnation. However, interactions with the thriving Islamic world, marked by its scientific and philosophical advancements, played a pivotal role in propelling Europe out of its dark ages. The reintroduction and translation of lost Greco-Roman knowledge into Latin marked the beginning of a new era of enlightenment, setting the stage for Europe’s intellectual and cultural resurgence.