Why Did Muslims Fall Behind in Science… Or Had They Ever Truly Advanced in the First Place?

     One must answer these two questions, the second heavier than the first... yes, "Had it ever advanced at all?" For the second question, we can place a bold, solid, weighty "YES" at the beginning of the answer, but without the rest, it would hang in the air!

     Yes, hard as it is to believe, there was a time when people in turbans, beards, and robes were advanced in knowledge, science, technology, morality, and every value considered a sign of development. Islamic states had observatories, workshops, universities, academics, researchers, R&D specialists, laboratories, and space scientists. The people of these states lived prosperous lives with amenities such as hospitals, aqueducts, schools, and caravanserais. While the European Middle Ages was an era of superstitions, every kind of filth, epidemics, church dictatorship, feudal tyranny, primitiveness, prejudice, endless enmity and wars, where people lived in ramshackle huts, wore undressed hides, had lice-infested hair and beards, and an average lifespan of 30–35 years — the Islamic Middle Ages, by contrast, was an era of those who continuously advanced knowledge and science, made new discoveries and inventions, carefully evaluated the works of the ancient Greeks and philosophers, used the useful parts for scientific progress, lived in large, clean homes with sunlight, baths, and proper sanitation, wore cotton and linen clothes, lived comfortably with non-Muslims under their rule, and fully understood Islam and their world without complexes. For unbiased scientists who research the subject in depth, the following truth is undeniable: Western civilization took the foundations of its scientific and technological advancements from Islamic civilization.

     Leaving aside regression in every field, Muslims, who did not even tolerate stagnation, following the principle "Those who procrastinate perish," adopted the motto "Civilization means rebuilding lands and ensuring the welfare of the people." From the earliest times, they established cities and settlements, striving to develop the lands under their rule so that people could live in safety and prosperity. After the Umayyad army under Tariq ibn Ziyad conquered Andalusia, civilization centers emerged at both ends of the Mediterranean, fed from the same source, illuminating humanity like lighthouses amid the darkness of the Middle Ages. Muslim scholars learned the languages of ancient Greek, Roman, Indian, Persian, and Chinese civilizations to study their works, without discrimination between Christian, pagan, or atheist. Following scrupulously the ahadith "Wisdom is the lost property of the believer; wherever he finds it, he takes it" and "Seek knowledge even as far as China," they bequeathed this legacy to the whole world with great care. They wrote books in hundreds of main and ancillary fields, primarily astronomy, mathematics, geometry, literature, physics, biology, medicine, and geography, filling libraries. Specifically, Baghdad (where the House of Wisdom was located), Cairo, Córdoba, Granada — and in general, all lands under Muslim rule — flourished in every respect. If we were to compare Western Europe of that time with Islamic lands, saying the difference is as great as between today's developed world and the savages living in the Amazon forests would likely not be an exaggeration.

     However, words without concrete examples remain in the air; therefore, it is essential to go into specifics and give names:

Nur al-Din al-Bitruji was a professor of astronomy at the University of Andalusia. His writings and findings illuminated the path for those who came centuries later, such as Galileo and Copernicus.

Ibn Sina (Avicenna) wrote that the cause of some diseases was "worms" in the human body — i.e., what we know as microbes.

Abu Bakr al-Razi (Rhazes) is a physician whose name transcends ages. He performed the first eye surgery, established that measles and smallpox were different diseases, and was the first to use painkillers.

Al-Battani of Harran is the founder of trigonometry and perhaps the father of astronomy as we know it. He established an observatory in the 900s, observed the movements of the moon, earth, and sun, and performed various calculations.

Abu Rayhan al-Biruni is one of the greatest scholars of all time. There is hardly any field he did not study or produce works in. If modern science exists, Biruni must be one of its cornerstones. Indeed, without the adjective "Islamic" in his biography, it would probably not be an exaggeration to call him the world's greatest scholar. He discovered gravity and the rotation of the earth centuries before others and recorded them in his books.

Jabir ibn Hayyan (Geber) is the father of modern chemistry. His works were taught for years in Europe. Like Biruni, he was a polymath. He went so "far" as to mention the immense power within the atom!

Abu al-Wafa' al-Buzjani is the mathematician who discovered tangent, cotangent, secant, and cosecant in trigonometry.

Al-Farabi (Alpharabius) was the first to define sound in physics.

Ghiyath al-Din Jamshid was the first to use the decimal fraction system.

Ibn al-Jazzar treated leprosy patients.

Abbas ibn Firnas built the first flying vehicle and succeeded in flying.

Ibn Khaldun is one of the founders of history and sociology.

Abbas Vesim discovered the tuberculosis microbe one and a half centuries before Europe.

Ibn al-Nafis is the physician who discovered pulmonary circulation.

Piri Reis and his map need no further explanation.

Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi is the scholar who discovered the number zero (0) and founded the science of algebra. The word "algorithm" comes from his name.

Al-Damiri compiled a multi-volume encyclopedia of zoology.

Ibn al-Haytham (Alhazen) is the founder of optics. He was the guide for those who sought to make eyeglasses, microscopes, and telescopes.

     The answer to the second question is actually easier than the first. The first question is much more complex, relative, and vexing: The early centuries of Islamic civilization were the address of advancement, development, and enlightenment in every field. But when this advancement and wealth brought with it excess and transgression, first the eastern Mediterranean took a heavy blow (seemingly at the hands of Genghis's armies), leaving most of its legacy to the waters of the Tigris, and was thrown off its center. The same happened two centuries later in Andalusia. After that, almost the only power left was the Ottoman Empire. However, after the first Hijri millennium (i.e., after the 1600s), the Islamic world first stagnated, then underwent a rapid decline. Europe, having broken free from the yoke of a corrupted Christianity and the church that lived off religious peddling, began to study Islamic works and take them as a foundation, witnessing an irresistible pace of development. By the 1800s, having gained an unstoppable momentum (the contribution of its underhanded activities, such as fully exploiting Africa, cannot be denied), Europe widened the gap and established the Western civilization we now look at with envy. Agents and puppets that began to roam freely in Islamic lands first removed the sciences from the madrasas, claiming "a religious scholar has no need for knowledge of the physical sciences," ensuring the training of ignorant clergy, and then raised the clamor that "Islam is an obstacle to progress." To formulate the matter simply and give credit where it is due: Muslims progressed as long as they adhered strictly to their religion and obeyed its commands faithfully, while Christians progressed when they turned their backs on their religion and managed to free themselves from that burden.

Is It Necessary to Be Left-Wing and Atheist to Be an Environmentalist?

 

     We've all witnessed, at one point or another, a protest staged by one or more members of that environmental outfit known as "Greenpeace." Chaining themselves to some bridge as part of a campaign, crashing high-profile gatherings and turning them into a circus, even getting verbally and physically confrontational with whoever or whatever they've decided to protest — these are just a few examples of what can only be described as pretty aggressive behavior. So what's the point? The point is perfectly innocent and pure: protect the environment!

     "Environmentalism," in its modern sense, is one of the products — natural or manufactured, you decide — of the Industrial Revolution and the age of industrialization that followed. In the Western world of the 1970s, reeling from what was then the worst economic slump since the Great Depression, environmentalism was one of several rising currents that surfaced through various channels: anti-Vietnam War sentiment, the wave of dissident youth movements sweeping the globe, and so on. The movement took on many different forms and grew increasingly political over time. The issues environmentalists made their bread and butter were: the rapid pollution of nature, the steady depletion of resources, the brutal slaughter of certain animals — particularly endangered ones — for their fur or body parts, population growth, nuclear proliferation fueled by the Cold War, and ostensibly, raising public awareness about all of the above. Also in the '70s, a group of volunteers who would come to be known as Greenpeace started making a name for themselves and setting the agenda through their protest activities. Then in the '80s, the phrases "Global Warming" and "Climate Change" began sprouting up — phrases we now can't seem to escape no matter where we turn.

     The environmentalist wave kept growing, and the capitalist West wasted no time exporting it to the rest of the world. Sentences dripping with doom-and-gloom prophecy and cranked-up agitation — "after the year 2000 we're toast," "there'll be water wars by such-and-such year," "we need to get the pandas to mate," "hurry up I can't breathe" — seeped into everyday life. Everyone was being called to step up, everyone had to do their part! Sure, fine — but who exactly stripped nature bare and left it in this state in the first place? The Africans hacking away at each other with machetes and dying of starvation? The Middle East, effectively writing a dissertation on how not to develop under the thumb of Western puppet regimes? The rest of the world just barely beginning to see the light of day? No! The culprit is none other than the Postmodern West — which holds a professorship in ruthless exploitation of human labor, plundering anyone outside its club, consuming at a breakneck pace, and generally knocking the world off its axis. Could it be any other way? But credit where credit is due: these people have a slick operation that keeps the whole world watching, slack-jawed, like a crowd gaping at a tightrope walker. Trash the planet, drain the water, turn the earth inside out — then stir up the left-wing and atheist groups who are so strung out they can barely see straight, market them to the world with a fresh coat of paint that says "look, these are our critics, they're not working for our interests, they're cursing us out — you should stand behind them," launder your sins by setting up massive research institutions studying global warming and climate change, deploy Greenpeace across the developing world, keep those countries' public opinion tied up with these and similar "not-in-my-backyard" type organizations, have them protest nonstop, make sure those countries regret even thinking about building a nuclear plant, work the idealistic youth as unpaid volunteers who think they're fighting for a noble cause.

     There are a few things about environmentalist groups that really stand out. For instance: solutions that are anything but rational — utopian, theoretical, detached from reality. Endless disaster scenarios. An organizational style that leans hard left and seems less concerned with getting to the root of the problem than with chasing surface-level fixes. And a membership that looks less like a cross-section of working, functional adults and more like a crew stacked with girls — though apparently well-equipped to squeeze a few dollars out of the next naive young man who wanders by. That said, there are also the genuine environmentalists — the ones who've retreated to a mountain or a village, who do organic farming and ride bikes, who get by on a single pair of clothes and shoes, who've sworn off money, who never set foot in a city or a crowded settlement again. In short, the ones who've actually minimized their carbon footprint. But they're the exception, not the rule. The environmentalist friends out there burning gas to "raise awareness" and attend rallies, blasting the AC in the summer heat, rocking their Nikes and clutching their iPhones while calling themselves humanists — or better yet, "animalists" — don't exactly come across as the most sincere.

     So, does being an environmentalist — that is, being someone who genuinely cares about nature more than most — require fitting the profile described above? Of course not. Being a conscious Muslim is more than enough to qualify as an "environmentalist" (granted, the examples we see in practice aren't particularly inspiring — but that's a separate conversation). A Muslim, first and foremost, does not waste. And without wasting, they and everything around them stays clean. Not wasting — being frugal, economical, and using only what one needs — is a cornerstone for anyone who claims to care about nature and the future. Study after study, year after year, confirms this. Waste and extravagance in the Western world (and unfortunately, among those of us with an eager habit of imitation) are at staggering levels. If we tackled just this one issue alone, the fight would come cheap and the gains would be enormous. Greening spaces, planting and tending trees, using resources wisely and fairly, showing compassion to animals both used and untouched, protecting the ecosystem around us — these are principles that count squarely as "environmentalism" and "protecting the environment," and they are praised across countless hadith and narrations. A Muslim who takes their faith seriously does not disrupt the delicate balances of nature, takes only what they need, and does their best to repair whatever damage has been done.

So — no need for doom-mongering, no need to join some foreign-backed organization or funnel money into it. Being a frugal, faith-conscious Muslim with a low carbon footprint is quite enough!

The Difficulties Muslims Face in the West: Clothing and Loudspeakers

 

     The 20th and 21st-century wave of Islam penetrating Europe—perhaps the third major wave—differs in many respects from the Andalusian and Ottoman waves. The most significant difference is that during the first two waves, Islamic civilization was far superior to the West in science, morality, prosperity, and every indicator of development. The third wave, however, is far removed from its predecessors; it is self-conscious, needy, and bowed, for it is no longer dominant, superior, or a guide. While the first two waves were, so to speak, the "giving hand," the last wave is the "receiving hand"—the one that stoops. There are, of course, many reasons for this.

     Firstly, the Industrial Revolution and the preceding Enlightenment in the West caused almost all of science, technology, and their subsequent discoveries to shift from the East (or more accurately, from Islamic Civilization) to Europe (or rather, to the Secular West, which cast the "burden of Christianity" off its back and confined religion to specific days and rituals, thereby allowing itself to breathe and progress). While Europe industrialized rapidly, it simultaneously pushed back the once-legendary Islamic Civilization—both materially and spiritually—turning it into a "bird with broken wings." As a long-term result, the hope of escaping the suffocating and soul-crushing tyranny of oppressive dictatorial regimes, finding better job opportunities, or living in a country that respects human rights pushed millions of people from the Middle East, Anatolia, and North Africa toward Europe and North America.

The Evolution of Appearance and the "Sunnah al-Zawaid"

     The developing industry and the resulting working and managerial classes in Europe and North America brought about serious changes in attire, as they did in everything else. From the early 20th century, men took on a brand-new look, combining jackets, trousers, shirts, and ties with the practice of shaving—or at least shortening and neatening—the mustache and beard. Over time, the mustache-beard duo became even shorter, and today, it has predominantly shifted toward a clean-shaven look.

     In contrast, the attire of Muslims coming to the West from the Middle East and North Africa was very different. Besides the influence of climate and living conditions, the fundamental criterion for Muslims was, of course, the dress style of our beloved Prophet. The elements used to describe clothing during the Asr al-Saadah (The Age of Bliss) for men were generally: the turban, the cloak (jubbah), the long robe (antari), and the beard. However, this style of dress was not unique to Muslims; it was part of the ongoing customs of the Arabs. Based on these principles, the vast majority of Sunni sources categorize objects related to clothing not as Sunnah al-Huda (essential practices that characterize Islam as a religion), but as Sunnat-i Zevaid—practices that take shape according to the customs and location one lives in. In other words, while emphasizing that following the Prophet’s habits regarding his time and place is highly rewarding and beneficial, it is stated that not performing them due to legitimate excuses permitted by Islam does not result in sin or even a "makruh" (disliked) status.

The Rise of Salafism and the "Clash of Forms"

     There have, of course, been different views on this. Specifically, Ibn Taymiyyah’s fatwa on the prohibition of shaving the beard separated his Wahhabi and Salafi followers from the general Sunni consensus regarding attire. For Salafis, the beard (even if only a millimeter long) is indispensable. If the opportunity arises, the turban (or at least a skullcap) and, if possible, the cloak (or long robe) follow.

     Regrettably, the "third wave" flocking to the West grew in parallel with the invasion of the Islamic world by Salafism. Muslim youths attempting to "land a spot" in Europe and North America were enamored with Salafism due to many factors (especially the ailment of accusing Sufi-infused Sunni Islam of "passivity"). More interestingly, Western youths who connected with Islam—particularly through contact with these groups —adopted these zawaid sunnahs (which are not even hallmarks of the faith) as "must-haves." They began practicing Islam in this way, driven by both the sharpness of new-found zeal and the influence of the Salafi-leaning Muslims they encountered. Consequently, a mass of bearded, turbaned, and cloaked individuals suddenly stood before the shaven, shirted, and tied Westerners.

     It did not take long for Westerners to notice the resemblance between this bearded, turbaned community and those on the other side of the world who spread terror, killed innocents without blinking, and became suicide bombers without hesitation. When these individuals entered their own lands on a sunny September morning, things spiraled out of control. This group, which Westerners initially met with some hesitation and prejudice, became synonymous in their eyes with those who disregard human rights, or more painfully, with the concept of "terrorist."

Modern Tensions and the Issue of Sound

     The tension, which has increased daily since the early 2000s, has led both sides to sharpen their stances and grow more rigid. Nowadays, Muslims must live together under great difficulties, sanctions, and a simmering, internal anger.

     Turkey, too, is essentially considered "Western" in this regard. During the final years of the Ottoman Empire and especially the early years of the Republic, the concept of "Westernization" was imposed on society from the top down as a "formality" rather than content. Over time, especially with rapid urbanization and industrialization, these impositions turned into "neighborhood pressure" (social policing), reaching levels almost identical to the West today.

     Another issue in the West is the sound and loudspeaker systems in the increasingly numerous mosques. With the advancement of technology after the second half of the 20th century, the Adhan (call to prayer) began to be announced via loudspeakers—devices that turn the voice metallic and amplify it—whether in Islamic lands or elsewhere. It has reached a point where, if a muezzin were to recite the Adhan with a natural voice (true to its original form) or an imam were to lead prayer without a loudspeaker, they would face everything from complaints to exile. While no one (at least outwardly) objects to this in Islamic lands, attempting it on Western soil ignites a fuse of anger and hatred similar to the aforementioned issues. For instance, the tragic events in Sofia were rooted in the sound projected outside from mosques via loudspeakers.

Conclusion

     Look at the issues caused by so much tension, hatred, anger, and loss of energy (though it would be wrong to attribute everything to these factors alone)? It stems from an obsession with performing zawaid sunnahs—which carry no accountability if omitted—and the "mukabbir al-sawt" (loudspeakers), which are not part of worship but were integrated into it later. If young people gave up the fitna (which literally means "putting Muslims in a difficult position") of shoving turbans, beards, and cloaks in people's faces, and if the Adhan were recited with a natural voice in mosques, a large portion of the friction and tension tied to "formalism" would vanish—or at least diminish until another reason is found.

     Of course, at this stage, hoping for the implementation of these changes and a turn for the better would be more of a utopian naivety than realism!