Evan Millinger - Islam Achievements Quiz

What were the ways the Umayyad strengthened and unified the Islamic Empire?

- The Umayyads made Arabic the National Language so it allowed all Muslims to be able to talk with one another and unify the different people of the Empire. - The Umayyads had many successful conquests. They were able to capture Spain, Central Asia, and even northwest India. - The Umayyads created a standard currency that made trade much easier. This was known as the Arab Coin. The economy was greatly boosted from this. - The Umayyads made many centers of learning which made great advances in a variety of subjects. - The Umayyads made great infrastructural advances like more roads and canals to increase movement and they built mosques to make houses of worship to unify practicing Muslims - The Ummayads moved the capital of the Islamic Empire from Mecca to Damascus so they could be more centrally located and manage the empire better. They also built military posts and garrison towers to protect Damascus from invasion. The capital remained in Damascus for around 100 years.

How did Islam spread to places outside the Islamic Empire?

-The reason that the religion of Islam spread outside the borders of the Islamic empire, was due to traders and sailors spreading their ideas about Islam. When they ventured to faraway places such as Malacca, they told others about the religion. Those people liked Islam's ideals so they joined it and sometimes spread it even further. Also, some Muslims settled in areas that allowed for the religion to spread. -When rulers of kingdoms found out about Islam, such as Mansa Musa, they would make their empire join the Islamic religion. Some of these kingdoms were not part of the Islamic Empire, but they still made it the most prominent religion. -Besides this, the Arabian Peninsula was centrally located between the three main continents. This allowed for a large number of travelers to come through a heavily Muslim populated area bring back the religion to their own lands. The geography greatly benefited the spread of Islam -There were also Islamic missionaries who would go to other places to speak and inform others about joining Islam.

Explain Bookmaking/Literature

After the Islamic Empire expanded to Central Asia, they discovered paper and paper-making. Paper allowed for copies of both literature and the Qu'ran to be produced easily and quickly. Paper was light and could be transferred with ease. Medical knowledge was able to spread throughout the empire so people were able to survive for a long. Because of paper, street sellers could have 100+ books or writings or be sold and copying/writing of texts was being done in 100+ cities. Books were able to be bound which was easier for transport. Paper allowed for both a better spread of knowledge(better literacy rate), but it also unified the country by allowing everyone to be on the same "page" in medical and other discoveries.

Explain Scholarship/Learning

Arabic became the language of scholarship and science through all Muslim lands. The common language allowed for ideas to be shared easily in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Many libraries and learning centers were established that attracted many scholars and great thinkers. The Muslim centers of learning include the House of Wisdom in Baghdad, the Hall of Wisdom in Cairo, and The Huge library in Cordoba, Spain. In these centers, amazing advancements and truths were thought and expanded on. They researched and translated many Greek, Mesopotamian, and other ancient texts. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT MUSLIM CONTRIBUTION WAS THE SCIENTIFIC PROCESS. This created a spirit of question that made developed Muslim scholars challenge ancient civilizations' thoughts.

Why were the Muslim centers of learning important and what was done there?

Baghdad - There was an abundance of scholars and professionals from a wide variety of subjects(artists, scientists, doctors, philosophers, engineers, etc.) Baghdad was a center of learning and became known as the "center of scholarship" and the "jewel of the world" in the middle ages. Besides that, Baghdad was immense in culture, it took four years and 100,000 workers, craftspeople, and architects to design and build the city. People called it the "round city" because of its shape. The center housed the Grand Mosque and Caliph's palace. Later on, Baghdad was sacked by the Mongols, and centuries of text and history were set ablaze. Cordoba - This city was considered the center of Islamic Scholarship in Europe. It was years ahead in advancements compared to the cities in other parts of Europe. Cordoba had the Great Library which attracted many scholars and educators. Cordoba also had many advancements like big homes compared to Paris where people lived in shacks by the river, running water, big roads, lots of light compared to the dark cities of Northern Europe, and advanced hospitals that used the common treatments created by doctors in Baghdad. Cordoba was lavish and powerful while most European cities were dark and impoverished.

What is the importance of Timbuktu?

Before Timbuktu was an educational city, it was regarded as a great place for trade. Timbuktu was located about halfway from a gold mine(WANGARA) and a salt mine(TAGHAZA). Sub-Saharan Africans needed salt in order to survive because working in the hot climate made them sweat a lot. The sweating deprived them of vital salt which is needed for the body to function. The salt trade was a vital part of Timbuktu's economy. The gold trade was less important, yet it was still substantial. No one needed gold to survive, yet many kings and wealthy people would buy it for high prices. The King of Mali, Mansa Musa, has been regarded as the most wealthy individual ever. He had a suspected net worth of around $400 million. The king owned territory that included both Wangara and Timbuktu, so he had control of the gold. Mansa Musa taxed the trade-in Timbuktu and claimed much of the gold. Later, when Mansa Musa found out about Islam, he spread it to his people as the religion to follow. Many people became Muslims and the need for education was born. Education is extremely important for Muslims so great libraries, doctors, judges, and teachers were taught and built here. There were world-renowned schools that people from all over the world came to study. Timbuktu became an economically wealthy city and a culturally wealthy city too. The city began to grow with many people settling in and around Timbuktu. Many books and writings were written and stored for hundreds of years here. However, many people fought and conquered Timbuktu, so many books were destroyed. Some people hid the ancient texts in caves and holes to protect them. There are still many books underground that are being found today. Timbuktu was vital for discoveries and survival, so that is why it is important.

What was the impact education had on the Islamic Empire?

Education was very valued in the Islamic Empire because education was needed in order to survive. Education was needed in not only the harsh climate of the Arabian Peninsula but of the world. In the Islamic Empire, the population was growing. Society needed to create more technologically advanced devices in order to meet the growing needs of the population. Hospitals, irrigation systems, canals, roads, among many other things needed to be advanced. Sciences needed to advance in order to manage the vast Islamic Empire successfully. Muslims were not afraid to use and share ideas with other civilizations. Muslims used the advances of the Christians, Jews, Indians, Egyptians, Greeks, and others to drastically make society better. The government was not against but for learning. They funded and established learning centers all over the world, as well as efforts like the first international scientific venture in history to find and translate lost writings and books. Scholars were dispatched all over the empire to find these lost texts. Education allowed for a smarter empire that made life easier and more survivable. Finally, many ideas were shared with the world that is still in use today. Arabic numerals and cataract surgery were created and first used in the Islamic Empire.

Explain Irrigation

Most areas under Muslim rule were hot and dry, so engineers restored old irrigation systems and redesigned new ones. They built dams and aqueducts to provide water for people, they improved systems of canals and underground wells, and they used water wheels to bring water up from canals and reservoirs.

Explain Geography/Navigation

Muslim geographers divide the world into climate zones, they figured out the circumference to only ~2% off, they figured out the Earth was a sphere, and they created many detailed maps. These maps told people of lands in Afro-Eurasia, where resources were in areas under Muslim rule, and descriptions of main Muslim trade routes.

Explain Medicine

Muslims learned their basic knowledge from Greeks, Mesopotamians, and Egyptians. However, they greatly improved upon these discoveries. Muslims created hospitals and separate wards for patients who were men, women, surgical patients, and those with different diseases that others could catch. They treated illnesses with exercise, diet, and drugs. Pharmacists created hundreds of drugs like antiseptics. In surgery, surgeons performed amputations, they removed tumors, removed cataracts from the eye, and they knew how to properly stitch off wounds. They realized infections were caused by airborne microorganisms called bacteria. The government in the Islamic Empire paid for all the treatments so anyone could receive treatment. Hospitals even created caravans to go to remote villages to provide help. These amazing medical discoveries were translated into Latin and spread to Europe and other places.

Explain Mathematics

Muslims obtained many ideas from India and Greece and then adapted upon them. Muslims created Arabic Numerals and Algebra which they spread to the world and specifically European Universities. The concept of zero(0) was originally from India and that was spread to the world.

Explain Astronomy

Muslims used the astrolabe to measure the position of the sun which was originally from Greece. This helped sailors to navigate This helped to create the qibla compass so Muslims could identify which direction Mecca is in. As well as creating the compass. Muslim astronomers realized the Earth rotated and they questioned if the Earth was the center of the Universe.

What were the areas in which the Islamic Empire made advancements in?

The Islamic Empire made many advances due to the importance of education in Islam. They made advances in Astronomy, Geography/Navigation, Irrigation, Bookmaking/Literature, Mathematics, Scholarship/Learning, Textiles, and probably most importantly, medicine.

Identify the Muslim centers of learning.

The Muslim centers of learning include the House of Wisdom in Baghdad, the Hall of Wisdom in Cairo, and The Huge library in Cordoba, Spain.

Why was education so important to Muslims?

The Qu'ran states that education is an obligation that every Muslim should practice, even in these times, that meant both Men and Women. Education specifically meant being able to read the Qu'ran. The Islamic Empire greatly believed that education was important because knowledge allowed you to become a better version of yourself. Learning is a practice of Greater Jihad, knowledge helps you get to paradise, and knowledge is an obligation, you must search for it.

How did the location of Timbuktu contribute to it's importance?

The location of Timbuktu was located halfway between a salt mine and a gold mine. It was also on the bend of the Niger River so it had access to water. This allowed for trade between the two items as well as trade for other goods. Timbuktu became a trading center in the Sahara where sources are both scarce and limited. Timbuktu served as a haven for lost traders and travelers, as well as a big city. After Timbuktu became an educational center, its' whereabouts were unknown to many. Timbuktutians were afraid of European conquerors conquering the city. However, Europeans eventually found Timbuktu and they burned many important texts. The French turned Timbuktu into a colony, and French is now a main language in Mali.

What was the Umayyad Tax System?

The tax system was considered a bureaucracy. At the top was the Caliph or religious/political leader of the Islamic Empire. Then there were provincial governors or Emirs who paid all the taxes he collected to the Caliph. Then there were Shaykhs and Ra'is. The shaykh did not pay taxes because he was a religious leader, the Ra'is did. The Ra'is collected taxes from both Ahls and non-Muslim religious leaders. All low-class civilians had to pay money, but it varied on their status. Arab Muslims paid the least at 17% of their total income. Then convert Muslim families, which paid 33% of their total income. A converted family meant you were not Arab but still a Muslim. Even if your family had been Muslim for 7 generations, if you were not Arab, you were a convert. Then non-Muslims paid the most at 40%. The Umayyad tax system was well used for quite some time. They built grand construction projects like Mosques and they used taxes for engineering projects like canals and irrigation systems. However, the taxation system ended up being the Umayyad's downfall. Many Muslims believed that the Umayyads were using the taxes for too many worldly pleasures which was selfish, this violated the rules of the Qu'ran and Hadith. Also, the Persians were wanted to take over control because they were treated as second-class citizens. They were Muslims and because the Qu'ran said all people are equal, they thought they should pay the same amount of taxes as non-convert Muslims. Because they were not Arab, they had to pay 16% more than the Arab Muslims.

Explain Textiles

These items were manufactured cloth. Weavers wove linen, silk, cotton, and wool into cloth and then they dyed them with a variety of colors. Fabrics were embroidered, the rich embroidered thier materials with gold thread.