Medieval Middle East

Question 1

Middle East
and the
Golden Age of
Islam

Answer 1

• The Middle Eastern Countries are dominantly
  occupied by Muslims.
• The rise of Islamic Science had its highest point between the 8th and 16th century, a period known as the “Islamic Golden age.”
• Arabic scientific inquiry flourished into major discoveries in the fields of mathematics, physics, astronomy, chemistry, medicine and optics.
• the location was perfect for information exchange
• The Golden Age dated
  between the 8th century to the 14th century.
• “House of Wisdom” was built on Baghdad during the Golden Age of Islam, Baghdad was
  considered the center of learning on its glorious
  days.

Question 2

Birth of the
Modern Scientific
Method

Answer 2

• Muslim scientist placed greater value on science experiments rather than plain-thought experiments.
• Arab scientists of the 12th century conducted experiments in their pursuit of scientific inquiry.
• Using intuition, they made and tested hypotheses, and sought proof to verify their theories.
• These processes would eventually become known as the modern scientific method.
• Experiment is what differentiated Arabic science from Greek science (which used theory and speculation).

Question 3

Important Names in MME

Answer 3

Ibn al-Haytham
“Father of Modern Optics”

• Ibn al-Haytham was a polymath and
  engineer. (REFRACTION)

Muhammad ibn Musa
al-Khwarizmi
“The Father of Algebra”

Jabir ibn Hayyan
“Father of Arab Chemistry”
* An alchemist who, discovered strong acids such as sulfuric,
hydrochloric and nitric acids.

Al-Zharawi
* father of Modern surgery.
* surgical instruments,
like forceps .

Ibn Sina or Avicenna
“Father of Early Modern Medicine”

Nasir al-Din al-Tusi
* Authored the Treasury of Astronomy, an accurate
table of planetary movements.

Al-Razi
* Authored an influential multi-volume. (SMALL POX AND MEASLES)

Ibn al-Nafis
“Father of Circulatory Physiology”
* He identified “pulmonary transit”

Question 4

Other Important Technological Inventions of
Arab Scientist and Engineers

Answer 4

• Brass astrolabes were developed in Iran (Persia) for
  navigation and for finding the quibla (the direction of
  Mecca).
• Mercuric Chloride – used to disinfect wounds.
• Mental Institute – hospital that provided care for the
  insane.
• Bridge Mill - A mill that uses hydropower.
• Trebuchet - a type of catapult, a common and powerful
  type of siege engine.
• Coffee - It was in Yemen that coffee beans were first
  roasted and brewed as they are today.
• Hookah or waterpipe – used for smoking tobacco.
• Marching band – First seen marching with the Ottoman
  Army.
• Among some of the technologic inventions attributed to Arab scientists and engineers are the parachute,
  hang-glider, eye glasses, artificial wings, soft drinks, fine glass, modern soap, shampoo, kerosene, mechanical clocks.

Question 5

Decline of the Islamic Empire

Answer 5

• In 1206, The Mongolians led by Genghis Khan established a
  powerful dynasty in Asia.
• In 1258, Mongols sieged Baghdad and destroyed the House of Wisdom.
• The destruction of the “House of Wisdom” was seen by some as the as the end of the Islamic Golden Age
• The Caliphate was demolished.
• Due to the conquest of the Mongolians and the crusaders libraries, observatories,
  and other learning institutions were destroyed.

Question 6

“Father of Modern Optics”

• a polymath and engineer.
• He discovered the laws of refractio

Answer 6

Ibn al-Haytham

Question 7

“The Father of Algebra”

• He produced a
  comprehensive guide to the numbering system, from the Brahmi system in India, using
  only 10 digits (0-9, the so-called ‘Arabic numerals’).
• Also used the word algebra (‘al-jabr’) to describe the
  mathematical operations he introduced, such as balancing
  equations, which helped in several day-to-day problems.

Answer 7

Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarismi

Question 8

“Father of Arab Chemistry”

• An alchemist who, in his quest to make gold from other
  metals, discovered strong acids such as sulfuric, hydrochloric and nitric acids.
• He discovered the only substance that can dissolve gold – aqua regia (royal water) - a volatile mix of hydrochloric
  and nitric acid.

Answer 8

Jabir ibn Hayyan

Question 9

• Father of Modern surgery.
• Known for the invention of many surgical instruments,
  like forceps to assist in vaginal births.
• He wrote Al-Tasrif: An Encyclopedia of Medicine which became the standard reference for Islamic and
  European medicine for over 50 years.

Answer 9

Al-Zharawi

Question 10

“Father of Early Modern Medicine”

• Made important contributions to the disciplines of physics, optics, philosophy and medicine.
• His works The Books of Healing and The Canon of
  Medicine, a medical encyclopedia became standard
  medical textbook at many medieval universities.

Answer 10

Ibn Sina or Avicenna

Question 11

• Authored the Treasury of Astronomy, an accurate
  table of planetary movements that reformed the existing planetary model of Roman astronomer Ptolemy
  by describing a uniform circular motion of all planets in
  their orbits.
• Copernicus later drew heavily on the work of al-Din al-Tusi and his students but without acknowledgment.

Answer 11

Nasir al-Din al-Tusi

Question 12

• Authored an influential multi-volume encyclopedia of all
  known medical knowledge in the 9th century.
• His study on smallpox and measles were
  groundbreaking.
• had a great influence on Western medicine

Answer 12

Al-Razi

Question 13

“Father of Circulatory Physiology”

• He identified “pulmonary transit” – that is, that blood enters the heart at the right atrium, exits via the right ventricle, arrives at the
  lungs where it is re-oxygenated, then passes back through the heart’s left atrium and is redirected back to the body.

Answer 13

Ibn al-Nafis