Muslim Contribution

to the World

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Islamic Golden Age

By the mid 8th century, Muslim
culture enjoyed a golden age
under the Abbasids.
A golden age is a period in
which a country or culture is at
its peak.
The Abbasids established the
House of Wisdom where all
scholars gathered knowledge
from ancient Greeks, the
Chinese, and the Hindus and
translated into Arabic.
Scholars exchanged ideas
and spread knowledge and
ideas from their travels in the
House of Wisdom.

House of Wisdom
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Science and Technology

Water-raising machine

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Irrigation methods was an

important invention in this hot
and dry area where water is
scarce.
Dams and aqueducts were
built to provide water for
people and agriculture.
Used water wheels to bring
water up from canals.
Digging new canals opened up
new routes to India and
Persian Gulf.
Qanat system was used to
provide fresh water to the city.

Geography and Navigation

Muslims studied geography
and created accurate maps
of Asia, Africa, and Europe.
Maps and descriptions of
trade routes from the
Iberian Peninsula to
Central Asia were available
for travelers.
Muslims perfected the
compass from the Chinese
to help people to navigate.
The astrolabe is an
instrument to help Muslims
find the direction of Mecca
when it is time to pray.

Al-Idrisis World Map

Astrolabe
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Mathematics

3x + 6 = 18
X= ?

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Al-Khwarizmi learned the

numerical system, fractions,
decimals and the concept of zero
from Indian scholars.
Arabic numerals became a useful
tool in business and trade.
Al-Khwarizmi is known as the
father of algebra where he
solved problems involving
unknown numbers.
Mathematics also became useful
in creating:
accurate calendars when
applying math to astronomy
geometric designs in art
fascinating architectural
buildings

Banking
During the Golden Age of the
Muslim world a new banking
system was established during the
leadership of the Abbasids of
Baghdad.
This new system provided the same
currency in the empire and beyond which
helped contribute to more cultural diffusion
because of this international trading.
It established central banks
A system of checks which we still use
today to make it easier to pay for goods in
the past and present.
Checks were used to avoid the dangerous task of
carrying money while traveling through a
dangerous area.

The use of credit was used in buying and

selling goods. Due to the use of credit,
more people purchased goods and sellers
earned more through charged interest.
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Medicine

Herbal medicine guidebook

Preparation of Medicine
From Honey
Operation

The Eye

Persian digestive system

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Muslim doctors made interesting

discoveries that spread medical
knowledge throughout the empire.
A Persian doctor claimed that
infections were caused by bacteria,
and that sick people should be
quarantine and then be treated.
The worlds first hospitals were
established in Baghdad and served
as centers to cure the sick and
trained doctors.
Patients were given remedies from
plants and herbs.
Operations were only performed as
a last resort such as:
amputation
removing cataracts from the eye

Bookmaking and Literature

Manuscript of One Thousand

and One Nights

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Omar Khayyam was a master of writing

a poetic form called the quatrain. It is a
four-line poem where the 1st, 2nd, and 4th
line rhyme.

Papermaking spread to the

Islamic world in the 8th
century from the Chinese.
The invention of bookmaking
in the 9th century encouraged
growth in literature.
Baghdad had more than 100
bookshops with copies of the
Quran, collection of stories,
and poetry.
Stories and poetry often
focuses on love, rulers, and
wit.
Epic poems (long poems),
history, events and traditions
can also be found in Muslim
literature.

Art and Design

In early history of Islam, Muslims did

not want to include animal or human
form in art because they believed
that it will take away peoples
attention from their faith.
Muslim art emphasized more on
plant life and geometric patterns.
The arabesque, a type of design,
that intertwined different parts of
plants and making it into elegant
patterns can be found on tile, walls,
carpets and ceramic bowls.
Calligraphy, the art of fine
handwriting, was the highest form of
decorative art in the Muslim world.
Muslims believed that only
calligraphy was worthy enough to be
written in the Quran.
Calligraphy are also found on coins,
poetry, pottery and swords.

Calligraphy

Quran

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