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The Culture of Islam. Chapter 6-4. Preservation of Knowledge. During the first few centuries of the Arab Empire translations of Greek philosophy were being converted into Arabic & stored in the “House of Wisdom” in Baghdad Here they were studied by Muslim scholars
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The Culture of Islam Chapter 6-4
Preservation of Knowledge • During the first few centuries of the Arab Empire translations of Greek philosophy were being converted into Arabic & stored in the “House of Wisdom” in Baghdad • Here they were studied by Muslim scholars • It was through Muslim scholars that the works of Aristotle & Plato were recovered by the Europeans • It was this recovery & translation into Latin that allowed the western world to know the works of the great Greek philosophers
Islamic Advancements • When the translations of the great Greek philosophers arrived in the West they were also accompanied by the commentaries of the great Arabic philosophers as well • One such philosopher was Ibn-Rushd who wrote commentary on virtually all of Aristotle’s surviving works
Islamic Advancements • They also perfected an instrument called the astrolabe which was used by sailors to determine position based on the stars • This made European discovery of the Americas possible • In the area of medicine Ibn Sina wrote a medical encyclopedia stressing the contagious nature of certain diseases & how they could be spread by contaminated water supplies • After its translation Sina’s book became the text for university students in medieval Europe
Literature • In the area of literature the Muslims regard the Quran as their greatest literary work • Other great works include The 1001Nights, also called The Arabian Nights • This is a collection of anonymous folktales, fables, & romances that blend the natural with the supernatural • Aladdin and the Magic Lamp was one such story
Art & Architecture • Because Muslim religion unites spiritual & political power, palaces also reflect the glory of Islam • The finest example of this is the Alhambra located in Spain • Most decorations on Islamic art consist of natural plants & abstract figures which are repeated over & over called Arabesques • The Hadith, an early collection of Muhammad’s sayings, warns against imitating God by creating pictures of living beings • As a result, no representations of figures, including the prophet Muhammad, appear in Islamic religious art
