On the threshold of the ruins - Al Andalus -

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• published: 23 Aug 2012
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Read this article here: http://en.islamstory.com/andalusia-route-of-islamic-civilization-to-europe.html Andalusia mapThe eternity of civilizations is measured by the amount of the everlasting contributions they offer to the history of humanity in various aspects of thought, sciences, and morals. As we learned about the great role Islamic civilization played in the history of human development, we can identify these contributions through what Europe or the European renaissance and civilization has achieved. This is because the accomplishments of European civilization have been influenced by Islamic civilization which preceded it. Without exaggeration, the modern European history is the natural extension of the history of Islamic civilization when it was flourishing. There was no separation between them. Historians are almost unanimous that Islamic civilization came in contact with the Christian European West during the medieval times, when Europe was going through total darkness, through three main routes. These routes, which varied in the level of activity and cultural impact, were Andalusia, Sicily, and the crusades. Andalusia is the main route of Islamic civilization and the most important bridge through which Islamic civilization moved to Europe and had an impact on various scientific, intellectual, social, and economic fields. Andalusia, part of Europe, remained for eight centuries (92 - 897 A.H/ 711-1492 A.D) a radiating beacon of civilization during the time when Muslims were there, even when it was politically weak, and when the party kingdoms appeared. That was owing to the universities, schools, libraries, factories, palaces, gardens, scientists and men of letters in Andalusia which attracted the attention of Europeans with whose countries Andalusia had close and continuous contacts[1]. Soon after the Muslims settled in Spain they devoted themselves to gaining knowledge and focused their attention on sciences, literature, and arts. In this, they excelled their brothers in the Mashreq. The Muslims invented new and great things in all sciences which provided Europe with fresh resources which it continued to use from the late 11th century until the Italian renaissance in the 15th century. Gustav Le Bon says: "No sooner had the Arabs completed the conquest of Spain than they started to carry out the message of civilization there. In less than a century, they managed to give life to dead lands, reconstruct ruined cities, set up magnificent buildings, and strengthen close trade relations with other nations. They then started to dedicate themselves to studying sciences and arts and to translate Greek and Latin books and set up universities which continued to be a place for culture in Europe for a long time.[2]" The policy of Islamic tolerance had a great impact on Ahl al-Zimmah (non-Muslims living under protection), including Jews and Christians as the Arabized Spanish people took interest in studying the Arabic language and using it in their everyday lives. They even preferred it to the Latin language. Many Jews studied at the hands of Arab teachers. Translation from Arabic in Andalusia flourished greatly, particularly in Toledo during the 12th and 13th centuries. Translation used to be from Arabic into Spanish and then into Latin or from Arabic into Latin directly. Translation was not restricted to books written by Arab scientists about all branches of knowledge only but covered great Greek books which were translated in the Mashreq two centuries earlier. Some books by Greek writers, such as Galen, Hippocrates, Plato, Aristotle, Euclid, and others were translated. One of the most famous translators of Toledo was Gerard of Cremona. Called the Toledan, he came to Toledo from Italy in (1150 A.D). Gerard of Cremona is said to have translated about a hundred books, including 21 about medicine, including Al-Mansuri by Al-Razi, Al-Qanun (The law) by Ibn Sina. Some of the books seem to have been translated by his students under his supervision and some in collaboration with others, particularly (Galipus). He was Arabized. During the 12th century, translation was also practiced by Spanish people and others who came to Spain. Alfonso X, the king of Castilla (1252-1284 A.D), set up a number of higher education institutions and encouraged translation from Arabic into Latin and sometimes into the Castilian language.[3] ------------ islam muslims andalus "Al-Andalus (Location)" andalus morocco spain convert beauty torism Muhammad kor Koran Prophet "Quran (Book)" Metal Cordova Ahmed Sheikh Nasheed Imam Ramadan Lecture Holy madrid fcb barcelona valencia granada ceuta tanger terrorism killing syria burma European Christians Genoa Venice Nuremberg Islamic centers Damascus Baghdad Cairo Cordova fes tourists Balkan states