With about 1.6 billion adherents, Islam is the second largest religion on Earth. Yet, its followers represent less than one percent of the world’s scientists. Only a handful of people from Muslim-majority countries have won Nobel Prizes in science.
However, up until the Mongol siege of Baghdad in 1258, Islamic science was the most advanced in the world. In comparison with the past, the modern disparity is staggering. Thus, to understand the present-day lack of scientific accomplishments, we must explore the past.
In this first installment of a new series, we will go over the rise and decline of Islamic attitudes towards science.
A joint Urdu dubbing project of Mashal Books and the Eqbal Ahmad Centre for Public Education with generous support from Nasser Ahmad / The i-Care Foundation.
Special thanks to Caspian Report.