The Islamic Golden Age – An Enthusiast’s Dive

One of the main reasons this era flourished was because, during the reign of Harun al-Rashid, the Abbasids controlled lands along the Nile and Euphrates. They also dominated the Silk Road, allowing ideas and goods to flow freely into Baghdad, fostering an environment ripe for curiosity and intellectual growth. The Abbasids had more wealth than they knew how to manage, and combined with the religious encouragement to pursue knowledge, Harun al-Rashid funded numerous scholarly endeavours. In this piece, we will explore the outcomes of these investments, uncovering discoveries that many of us may not know about.

Al-Ma’mun, the seventh Abbasid caliph and son of al-Rashid, shared his father’s interest in knowledge and played a key role in promoting scientific research. He funded the Translation Movement, along with many other scholarly endeavours.

Al-Khwarizmi, a polymath born in Khwarazm, was personally encouraged by Al-Ma’mun. He became the Father of Algebra, which is now the foundation of modern mathematics, engineering, and science. The word “Algebra” itself comes from the title of his treatise, Al-Jabr. The term “Algorithm” is derived from “Algorism,” the method of performing arithmetic with Hindu-Arabic numerals developed by Al-Khwarizmi. He also made significant contributions to trigonometry, creating accurate sine and cosine tables and the first table of tangents.

Moving on, we have Al-Kindi, the “Philosopher of the Arabs,” a 9th-century Muslim polymath who made significant contributions across multiple fields. He pioneered the integration of Greek philosophy with Islamic thought and introduced Indian numerals to the Islamic world. Al-Kindi advanced cryptography through frequency analysis and made important contributions to medicine, particularly in pharmacology and ophthalmology. His work in physics included studies on Optics. His emphasis on Empiricism (a philosophical approach that emphasises the role of sensory experience and observation as the primary source of knowledge) and rational thought in studying natural phenomena helped lay the groundwork for the scientific method in the Islamic world. His prolific writings, later translated into Latin, influenced both Islamic and European scholarship for centuries, bridging ancient Greek knowledge with medieval scientific thought.

We also find thinkers like Ibn Khaldun, widely regarded as the father of historiography, sociology, and economics. Like Adam Smith, Khaldun believed that labour, not gold or silver, was the true source of wealth. He also advocated for the division of labour nearly 400 years before Smith did, sparking debates over who should hold the title of the “Father of Economics.” His best-known book, The Muqaddimah or “Introduction,” is one of the most important works on universal history wherein we are introduced to a new lens to view world history, among other novel ideas. Some consider it the first commentary on the social sciences, covering sociology, demography, cultural history, Islamic theology, historiography, the philosophy of history, economics, political theory, and ecology. His insights have been compared to those of European thinkers like David Hume, Karl Marx, and Auguste Comte, suggesting that his work laid the foundation for multiple fields of knowledge long before the European Enlightenment.

Another well-known name from this period is Ibn Rushd, an Andalusian polymath, known in the West as Averroes. He was one of the most influential Islamic philosophers and a towering figure in multiple disciplines, earning him the title “The Commentator” and sometimes the “Father of Rationalism.” His extensive commentary on Aristotle shaped Western thought for centuries. Unlike many theologians of his time, Ibn Rushd passionately defended the idea that philosophy and religion could coexist, arguing that allegorical interpretations of scripture were necessary when they seemed to conflict with reason. His influence extended beyond philosophy; he was also a pioneering physician. He was the first to describe the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and may have identified the retina’s role in sensing light. His medical text Al-Kulliyat fi al-Tibb (known as Collige in Latin) became a staple in European universities, solidifying his legacy as a thinker whose impact transcended geography and disciplines.

You might be surprised to learn that the foundations of modern robotics can be traced back to the 12th century, with a Muslim polymath named Al-Jazari, often hailed as the “father of robotics.” His groundbreaking work in automata, or self-operating machines, set the stage for advancements in mechanical engineering. One of his most famous inventions, the elephant clock, is a testament to his innovative genius, with a full-size modern replica featured as the centrepiece of the Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Al-Jazari’s book, ‘The Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices’, documented 100 mechanical devices and provided instructions for constructing them, marking a significant contribution to early mechanical engineering. His creations, from water-raising machines to musical automata and intricate clocks, introduced principles that would later play a crucial role in robotics and cybernetics. Al-Jazari’s work bridged the knowledge of ancient mechanics with modern engineering, leaving a lasting influence on Islamic and European technological development.

One might not expect that one of the most influential figures in the history of astronomy was a Syrian named Al-Battani, known in the West as Albategnius. Often called “the Ptolemy of the Arabs,”. Al-Battani’s groundbreaking observations shaped our understanding of annular solar eclipses. This led to highly accurate calculations of Earth’s obliquity, the solar year, and equinoxes (a phenomenon when the Sun crosses directly above Earth’s equator, appearing neither north nor south). His data would go on to be used by renowned astronomers like Kepler, Galileo, and Halley. Al-Battani also revolutionised geometrical calculations by introducing sines and tangents, replacing older Greek methods. His work in trigonometry even helped devise an equation to determine the qibla (direction of prayer for Muslims), a method that remained in use until refined by al-Biruni a century later. Al-Battani’s contributions were pivotal in advancing the fields of science and astronomy, influencing both the Islamic world and Western scholars alike.

In such a short introduction one can gather that the work of these scholars laid the foundation for countless modern advancements, yet much of their legacy remains overlooked or forgotten. As we revisit these remarkable contributions, it’s inspiring to recognize their profound and lasting impact on the global stage and Muslims’ pivotal role in advancing human knowledge. These names and achievements are just a glimpse of the many others that have shaped our civilization. In the next article, we will continue exploring this fascinating era, uncovering more remarkable figures and innovations, particularly in the field of science.

Inaaya Haque is a student pursuing Psychology Hons. from Jamia Millia Islamia.

Edited By: Sana Faiz

This is part two of a three-part series detailing the Islamic Golden Age. Stay tuned for the final and third part of this series.

Read the first and third part.