Astronomy
Many Muslim cities had observatories where people could study astronomy. Scientists studied astronomy to understand time and clock making. They also used it to
improve the astrolabe, which the Greeks had invented to chart the position of
the stars. Scholars used the astrolabe to figure out their location on earth.
This helped all Muslims know what direction to face Mecca when they are praying.
improve the astrolabe, which the Greeks had invented to chart the position of
the stars. Scholars used the astrolabe to figure out their location on earth.
This helped all Muslims know what direction to face Mecca when they are praying.
Geography
Studying geography also helped many Muslims explore the world. Muslims
made maps more accurate to travelers and they also made many other ways to
calculate distances. A man named Ibn Battutah traveled to Africa, India, China, and
Spain in the 1320s.
In the mid 1100's, a man named al-Idrisi, who was a Muslim geographers, collected information from travelers. At this he time he was making a geography book and accurate. Whenever he had a question about where something was, he would send geographers to
figure out it's exact location. The information the geographers would bring back after their journey, would make al-Idrisi discover many important discoveries.
made maps more accurate to travelers and they also made many other ways to
calculate distances. A man named Ibn Battutah traveled to Africa, India, China, and
Spain in the 1320s.
In the mid 1100's, a man named al-Idrisi, who was a Muslim geographers, collected information from travelers. At this he time he was making a geography book and accurate. Whenever he had a question about where something was, he would send geographers to
figure out it's exact location. The information the geographers would bring back after their journey, would make al-Idrisi discover many important discoveries.
Math
Muslim scholars also improved math. They combined the Indian and Greek mathematics together. This would increase mathematics dramatically for people all around the world. Mathematician al-Khwarizmi used these ideas and wrote them in a math text book. He called it al-jabr, or "Algebra". The book was brought to Europe around the 1500's, and Europeans called these new numbers "Arabic" numerals.
Medicine
Muslims may have made other advances in science, but their greatest advance was probably medicine. They studied the Greek and Indian medicines. Somewhere in the early 800's, doctors in Baghdad were starting to advance medicine. As they studied to improve medicine, Muslims doctors did many things. They created tests. A doctor named Ar- Razi discovered how to diagnose and treat the deadly disease smallpox. Another doctor, named Ibn-Sina was known in the West as Avicenna, wrote a medical encyclopedia. This book was one of the most famous books in history of medicine.
Philosophy
Many Muslims doctors and scientists also studied the ancient Greek philosophy of reason and rational thought. Other Muslims developed a new philosophy. Since they worried about the growing interest in worldly things, they focused on spiritual issues. The focus on spiritual issues led to a movement called Sufism. Sufism teaches that people can find God's love by having a personal relationship with God and it also had a strong impact on Islam.
Literature
There were two forms of literature that were popular in the Muslim world-poetry and short stories. Poetry was influenced by Sufism. Some Sufis wrote poems about their loyalty to God. One of the most famous Sufi poet was Omar Khayyam. In a book of poems known as The Rubaiyat, Khayyam wrote about faith, hope and other emotions and some of his poems express deep sadness or despair.
Muslims also enjoy reading short stories. One famous collection of short stories is The Thousand and One Nights. It includes stories about legendary heroes and characters.
Muslims also enjoy reading short stories. One famous collection of short stories is The Thousand and One Nights. It includes stories about legendary heroes and characters.
Architecture
Architecture was one of the most important Muslim art forms. Most people would say that the greatest architectural achievements of the Muslim empires were mosques. Mosques honored God and inspired religious followers. The first mosques were simple. They were built to look like the courtyard of Muhammad's house in Medina. As the Muslim world grew richer, rulers became great patrons.
The main part of a mosque is a huge hall where people gather to pray. Many mosques have a dome and a minaret. Some mosques, such as the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, have many domes and minarets. Great mosques were built in major cities such as Mecca, Cairo, Baghdad, and Cordoba.
The main part of a mosque is a huge hall where people gather to pray. Many mosques have a dome and a minaret. Some mosques, such as the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, have many domes and minarets. Great mosques were built in major cities such as Mecca, Cairo, Baghdad, and Cordoba.
Arts
Although Muslim buildings are decorated with art, most of this art does not show any humans or animals. Muslims think that only Allah can create humans and animals or their images. Since they couldn't represent people or animals, Muslim artists turned calligraphy in an art form. They used calligraphy to make sayings from the Qur'an into great works of art that they could use to decorate mosques and other buildings.