The Influence and Importance of the Golden Age of Islam

As one of the first cultures to stress the importance of knowledge over bloodshed, the people of Islam were able to unite warring tribes in the Middle East to form a dominant empire. Following the ascension of the Abbasid family, the Islamic capital was moved from Damascus to Baghdad – beginning the period commonly referred to as the Islamic Golden Age. Throughout their reign, a number of important inventions and developments were made. Due to their advances in papermaking that helped spread religion, their development of trigonometry to simplify mathematical equations, as well as their unprecedented standards in the world of medicine, the Golden Age of Islam was influential in changing the world with innovations that are still in use today. 

The Abbasid family took control of the region after the previous ruling Umayyads were overthrown from power. Despite the fact that they overthrew the ruling family, many scholars have downplayed the “revolutionary” character of the conflict due to the fact that it largely involved the entire Iranian world at the time demanding change. [ ] No matter the view, the family took charge and was the ruling Caliph until the Mongols conquered them during the middle of the 13th century. 

One of the first innovations the family made after taking power was the widespread use of paper throughout the Middle East. The technique was transferred from Eastern Asia to the Middle East in the 8th century. Centuries later, it is still unclear how the Muslims were able to acquire the knowledge necessary to produce paper; however, the legends assert that Muslim soldiers learned the technique after capturing Chinese papermakers at the Battle of Talas in 751, although there is little concrete proof this was the exact moment Muslims learned how to produce the product. [ ] One fact that cannot be contended, however, is the importance papermaking would have on the Middle East, and the rest of the world for that matter. 

By the middle of the ninth or tenth century, paper was widely available in much of the Islamic world, democratizing education and allowing for professional writers. They produced a lightweight paper, known as waraq al-tayr, which was used for airmail dispatches. Carrier pigeons delivered messages in Syria during the crusades. [ ] As one might imagine, this revolutionized wartime strategy and made communication across large distances possible. 

However, the most important aspect of the spread in paper use is undoubtedly the impact it had on organized religion. Prior to the use of paper, religion was largely spread via word-of-mouth. Therefore, it was hard to attract followers in sparsely populated areas where it was impossible to read the sacred texts. 

Following the Islamic use of paper, it was then possible to spread the word via books and pamphlets. The culture still prided themselves on memorization and oral recitation, but the use of paper allowed for the Koran to be disseminated to parts of the world that would have previously seemed unimaginable. [ ] Not only did the use of paper help spread the word of Islam, but other religions quickly followed suit as well, including Christianity. 

Due to the fact that they could now produce legible scripts as a result of their development of carbon black ink, the Islamic world quickly became an epicenter for cultures that valued books and writing. This not only helped spread the Islamic religion, but it also revolutionized the world in a number of other ways, including the advent of court documents and recipes for cookbooks. [ ] Prior to their use of papers, these documents were largely nonexistent, with the knowledge having to be passed via word-of-mouth. 

The people of Islam also provided the world with its first glimpse of the teachings of Aristotle as a result of their widespread use of paper. They revisited the Greek texts and were widely influenced by the teachings of Aristotle. [ ] It goes without saying that Aristotle’s teachings would have an enormous influence on the development of philosophy and would play a great role during the Enlightenment. All of this may not have been possible had the Islamic people not made his work available as a result of paper. 

Lastly, paper helped establish a uniform numerical system. They felt the use of paper and ink presented a viable option for graphical representation of their culture. Manuscript art was highly prized and the spread of Arabic numerals changed the world in a number of ways. There was now the possibility of issuing credit and checks, creating a register for taxes, and also helped spread the practice of cartography. [ ] Needless to say, had the Islamic people not obtained the technique from the Chinese and made it available to the world, it could have considerably stunted the development of the western world and the use of paper is still prevalent today. 

The second influential advance made during the Islamic Golden Age was the development of complex mathematics and sciences. Perhaps most importantly, they developed a way to simplify trigonometry to be used for practical applications. It was now possible to develop algorithms to process large sets of numbers, as opposed to manually calculating the numbers individually. [ ] Eventually, they used the algorithms to compute basic mathematical equations, as well as more complex problems that could be used in a number of scientific fields. 

An important mathematician during the Islamic Golden Age was a man known as Alhazen. He made a number of significant contributions to the world of mathematics during the 11th century. Most notably, he developed solutions involving the intersections of hyperbola within a circle to help further the geometrical field of mathematics. He later developed analytical solutions to the problem, and lastly, simplified it even further with trigonometrical solutions. [ ] His teachings are still prevalent centuries later and helped others solve problems ranging from the circumference of the Earth to the distance to the Moon. 

Mathematics and science usually go hand in hand with one another, and the Islamic Golden Age was also at the forefront of scientific research at the time. Although Alzahen is largely remembered for his innovations in the world of mathematics, he also developed the scientific method and made significant contributions to the world of physics. He developed the science in Iraq and Egypt and is considered by many to be the true founder of physics. Physics has been used in astronomy, was critical in confirming the Big Bang Theory, and also used in space exploration. [ ] The Islamic world’s contributions to mathematics and science are still standard teachings decades later and have helped discover phenomena that may have otherwise not been possible for quite some time. 

The other lasting contribution the Golden Age of Islam made to the world was their breakthroughs in medicine. Although they initially believed Allah would heal all illnesses, they soon realized this was untrue and quickly turned to scientific methods as a potential cure. One of the first steps taken was to establish a system of ethics all physicians should abide by. All physicians should be sensible, learned, pious, and willing to act without haste. [ ] These characteristics were based on the same ones Aristotle believed all governors should possess. 

Muslims were willing to trust their doctors, but it was imperative that the doctor in question was extremely knowledgeable regarding different remedies. As one of the first cultures to recognize the importance of drugs to achieve recovery from illness, they believed all physicians should be careful and know the drugs’ dangers. [ ] It was important to not only know the effects of certain drugs but also know how to store them as well so they did not become spoiled. 

Islamic doctors also felt it important to not have the patient suggest remedies during their visits. This is still evidenced today, as most doctors will simply ask for a list of symptoms and then suggest an appropriate course of treatment. They believed that if the patients suggested remedies, food, and other forms of treatment, there would essentially be no difference between doctor and patient. [ ] A clear divide between patient and doctor is still present today, although patients do have a bit more influence in their course of treatment now. 

As a result of their interest in the art of medicine, hospitals and surgeries became common, and doctors had a set of expectations placed upon them during the Islamic Golden Age. At a time when others were still skeptical of the power of medicine and drugs, the Islamic people were at the forefront of science and medicine during the Middle Ages, creating standards and procedures that are still conventional today.

Ultimately, the Crusades would be the downfall of the Golden Age of Islam. There was considerable conflict between the Catholic Church and other religions near the end of the Middle Ages, particularly with the Muslims. One of the primary sources of conflict involved which religion should control important holy sites, such as Palestine. The Muslims eventually lost control of the land and the Abbasid family was ousted. 

Based on the information available, one might speculate they were defeated due to the fact that they valued knowledge over warfare so much that it resulted in a weak military unable to fend off enemies. There are also reports the Abbasid family was at odds with Shia Muslims, creating a divide within the religion. Despite the various rumors as to why the Muslims were defeated, the likely reason is due to Genghis Kahn and his powerful Mongol army invading the empire. By the middle of the 13th century, Kahn had assembled one of the vastest and most powerful armies the world had ever seen. 

Instead of relying on traditional war tactics, the Mongols instead used mounted archers, as well as developing techniques to cover great distances in a short period of time. [ ] With each defeat, the army became stronger because they would use captured enemies to perform labor for the Mongols, a tactic that became known as siege warfare. They relied on these tactics when fighting the Muslims. 

With their enormous army and unprecedented fighting techniques, it was usually of little difficulty to defeat unorganized enemies. As a result, they were able to formulate complex strategies to capture areas that were densely populated. One such area was, of course, the Abbasid stronghold of Baghdad. [ ] In order, to capture Baghdad, the Mongols had to utilize tactics they had not previously relied upon, including the construction of towers so as to allow residents to escape the city. They also blocked the water tunnels leading into the city. [ ]

Despite their defeat at the siege of Baghdad, the influence of the Islamic Golden Age would not be forgotten. Many would rely upon their techniques for centuries to help better the world and stress the importance of knowledge. Features that were common during the Abbasid dynasty became staples around the world, including the use of mathematics and science to solve life’s greatest mysteries – a quality that would be championed and have an immense impact during the Enlightenment decades later and is still stressed today. 

The use of paper also helped spread religion around the world and allowed for writers to share their thoughts with people thousands of miles away, not to mention the impact paper had on communication during both war and peace. Paper would be very important during the Renaissance a few years later, as religion, art, and writing are basically synonymous with the period. Ideas could now be easily disseminated and writers like Niccolo Machiavelli were able to share their thoughts with the world. 

Lastly, their advances in the field of medicine would have a lasting impact on the world. As a society that stressed the importance of qualified doctors and effective medicine, they helped move society away from the dark ages where many believed disease was sent from God and that medicine was a sin. They were also one of the first societies to build hospitals and care for the mentally ill, both common features in today’s world of medicine. 

Coupled together, their innovations helped better the world in ways that were unprecedented at the time and are still standard years later. By disseminating their teachings via the use of paper, they were able to build a massive following that would rule the Middle East for decades. Although they are not always given the credit they likely deserve, it is almost impossible to deny that the Islamic Golden Age is one of the most historic and influential periods in the history of the world. 

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