Islam: The Decline of Intelectiual Inquiry--Non-religious Factors


Figure 1.-- .

The rise and fall of science in Islmic societies, as in the West, can not be assessed in purely religious terms. There were several other important factors which undermined the cultural vitality of the Islamic world, including science. There appear to have been at lest five major developments outside theological trends that adversely affected the Muslim world. Scholars may debate the list of these non-religious factors and the relative importance of each, but there is no doubt that there were some non-religious factors tht led to the decline of the Muslim world's cultural brilliance. First was the gradual end of a long perios of peace in the Muslim world, sometime reffered to as the Pax Islamica (11th century). The Christians appeared from the West (1095). The Banu-Hilal rose in Morocco. The principal challenge came from nomadic riders out of Central Asia. This included the Turkomans and Seljuks. By far, however, the most significant of these nomadic raiders were the Mongols (13th century). Important Muslim cities including Bangdad were sacked and destroyed. This included the famulous libaries, an enormous cultural loss. [Saunders] Second, the vitality of urban life declined. This development was related to the nomadic raiding. The foundation of Arab society was urban life and the vigorous economic life generated by trade. [Saunders] Third, with the Arab outburst from the Arabian Peninsula and spread of Islam, Arabic was also spread. And within a centuey two, Arabic could be spoken and undrstood through out the Muslim world. It was a lengua franca connecting diverse regions and peoples and creating an intelectual monopoly. The resurgence of first Persian cultures and then the Ottoman Turks affected this intelectual mononpoly and gradually reduced Arabic to only the Arab areas of the Muslim world. And outside thise areas it became seen as a language important primarily for religious purposes. [Saunders]. Fourth, imprtant commercial trends trends led to stagnation of Muslim economies at the same time that the economic life of Christian Europe began to quicken. Nomadic raiders began to affect trade,cespecially the Silk Road, Arab rulers were forced to find other sources of income. This led to the Ikta system, similar in many ways to European feudalism. [Saunders] Thus just as feudalism was beginning to decline in the West, it was founded in the Muslim world. The decline of feudalism in the west led to a quickening of commerce. And as banks began to appear in the West and the Church'sprohibition on interest charges (usury) began to weaken, the foundation for capitalism began to strengthen. The inflexibility of Islam toward interest poaymebts meant that capitalism which so strenthened the West never developed in the Muslim world. The decline of feddalism, the quickening of commerce, and the rise of capitalism was noot just an economic matter, it fed into intelectual inquiry clearly seen in the appearance of universities. In essence themodern world began to take shape in the West. In contrast the rise of Ikta (feudalim) in the Muslim wirld was related to the contraction of commerce and the continued rejection of interest prevenbting the rise of capitalism and with it intelectual minquiry and science. Important scientific achievements come from societies with vibrant economies, and the economies in the Muslim world began a long steady decline. Fifth, was the declining religious diversity in the Muslim world and with it rising religious intolerance. The early Arab conquerors did not impose Islam on the conquered people. The initial impulse was toward toleration and taxation. And the exciting mix of cultures and religion were an important factor in the brilliant Islmic culture. Over time the majority of the population became Islamicized abd as this occurred there were more forced conversions as well as rising intolerance toward non-believers. This is not the atmoshere in which culture including science thrives.

End of Pax Islamica

There was a gradual end of a long perios of peace in the Muslim world, sometime reffered to as the Pax Islamica (11th century). The Christians appeared from the West (1095). The Banu-Hilal rose in Morocco. The principal challenge came from nomadic riders out of Central Asia. This included the Turkomans and Seljuks. By far, however, the most significnt of these nomadic raiders were the Mongols (13th century). Important Muslim cities including Bangdad were sacked and destroyed. This included the famulous libaries, an enormous cultural loss. [Saunders]

Decline of Urban Life

The vitality of urban life in the Muslim worls declined. This development was related to the nomadic raiding. The foundation of Arab Caliphate society was urban life and the vigorous economic life generated by trade. [Saunders]

Language Isolation

With the Arab outburst from the Arabian Peninsula and spread of Islam, Arabic was also spread. And within a centuey two, Arabic could be spoken and undrstood through out the Muslim world. It was a lengua franca connecting diverse regions and peoples and creating an intelectual monopoly. The resurgence of first Persian cultures and then the Ottoman Turks affected this intelectual mononpoly and gradually reduced Arabic to only the Arab areas of the Muslim world. And outside thise areas it became seen as a language important primarily for religious purposes. [Saunders].

Economic Stagmation

Important commercial trends trends led to stagnation of Muslim economies at the same time that the economic life of Christian Europe began to quicken. Nomadic raiders began to affect trade,cespecially the Silk Road, Arab rulers were forced to find other sources of income. This led to the Ikta system, similar in many ways to European feudalism. [Saunders] Thus just as feudalism was beginning to decline in the West, it was founded in the Muslim world. The decline of feudalism in the west led to a quickening of commerce. And as banks began to appear in the West and the Church'sprohibition on interest charges (usury) began to weaken, the foundation for capitalism began to strengthen. The inflexibility of Islam toward interest poaymebts meant that capitalism which so strenthened the West never developed in the Muslim world. The decline of feddalism, the quickening of commerce, and the rise of capitalism was noot just an economic matter, it fed into intelectual inquiry clearly seen in the appearance of universities. In essence themodern world began to take shape in the West. In contrast the rise of Ikta (feudalim) in the Muslim world was related to the contraction of commerce and the continued rejection of interest prevenbting the rise of capitalism and with it intelectual minquiry and science. Important scientific achievements come from societies with vibrant economies, and the economies in the Muslim worls began a long steady decline.

Declining Religious Diversity

The declining religious diversity in the Muslim world led inexorably to rising religious intolerance. The early Arab conquerors did not usually impose Islam on the conquered people by the sword, although there were examples of this. The initial impulse was toward toleration and with it very profitable taxation. The exciting mix of cultures and religion were an impotant factor in the brilliant culture of Islam's Golden Age. Over time the majority of the population became Islamicized, in part because of the economic advantages, and as this occurred there were more forced conversions as well as rising intolerance toward non-believers. This is not the atmosphere in which culture including science thrives.

Sources

Saunders, J.J. A History of Medieval Islam (London: Routledge, 1978).






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Created: 7:25 AM 2/24/2014
Last updated: 7:25 AM 2/24/2014