Science & Technology in the Muslim world

[The SC]

OK. Forget the "golden age". That is soooooooooooo over. Muslim science has been overwhelmed by western science. Why? It's not the human beings. Muslim scientists who work in the "west" win Nobel prizes, make technical discoveries every bit as important as non-Muslims, found prosperous tech companies. So, there must be something in the culture of Muslim societies, today, that is inhospitable to advanced scientific work. Muslim societies need to identify what those impediments are and change them, if they are ever to compete with non-Muslim societies. And, by "non-Muslim" societies I also mean non-western, non-Christian societies such as China, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan.

Some of the impediments are: lack of true faith, superficiality, incompetence in politics, in management, in education, in social sciences, in ethics and almost everything that Islam is about, they are the remnants of colonialism mostly, than human behaviour of egoism, self inflated egos, misunderstanding and abuse of power at all levels, disdain and fear for/from competence...
All this from the top down.
As you can see it is all about negative and low emotions(A low level of psychological education found even in some of the most advanced western countries), some times lack of material resources too(a.k.a;poverty), but mostly due to unfaithfulness to Islam and Islamic values and also due to the westernisation by monkeying not by reasoning and avoiding the western negative values.
So to say the least it is a psychological and mind related poverty that sickens many "Islamic" nations in particular and all third world countries in general, but not even the most advanced societies of the west can escape it -albeit abundant natural resources, their own or stolen-.

 

[Malik Alashter]

True science and technology period in the Islamic empire came with the rise of Ummayad and Abbasid Dynasty, i think...

Unfortunately, wrong it's the Muslims them selves who worked hard those days to descover and to know the world around them since doing all of that was within there reach not like today where they a big budget to research.

I don't think back in those days people gave a damn about ethnic backgrounds; everyone was simply "Muslim". And most Persians wrote in Arabic because it became the lingua franca of the region and the language of science at the time

Human is human whether in the past or in future, but there where care about race more than country.

OK. Forget the "golden age". That is soooooooooooo over. Muslim science has been overwhelmed by western science. Why? It's not the human beings. Muslim scientists who work in the "west" win Nobel prizes, make technical discoveries every bit as important as non-Muslims, found prosperous tech companies. So, there must be something in the culture of Muslim societies, today, that is inhospitable to advanced scientific work. Muslim societies need to identify what those impediments are and change them, if they are ever to compete with non-Muslim societies. And, by "non-Muslim" societies I also mean non-western, non-Christian societies such as China, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan.

True, but the biggest drawback today is the regimes who don't want any kind of R&D or industry in there countries, I believe in conspiracy theory.

True that. The 'Islamic societies' of 'golden age' were very,very liberal societies by the standards of that time. Muslims were writing books on different positions to enjoy sex (within marriage) at that time when even the word "sex" was a taboo in European societies. Europeans criticized Islam as it gave too many "liberties" to the women and slaves. Today , however , the situation is exactly opposite. Muslim societies have gone ultra-conservative , narrow-minded while the West is liberal , progressing and secular. Muslim societies needs to "open-up" a bit and give space to science in their societies. Muslims lost their "superiority" in science and technology in 14th-16th century and lost their overall dominance in 18th century... Now the time has come to start working ...again!Just get rid off the Wahhabis and we have no problem mastering science and develop our countries, Wahhabis still think that Earth is flat.

Muslims , specially young Muslims , are more interested in science than probably Westerners.. Muslims are 'hungry' for scientific demand and if given right education and environment , science can flourish in Muslim world once again...

In England alone there are more than a quarter million Iraqi many of them has high degree in science and Medical fields that's not including the other Muslims.

Some of the impediments are: lack of true faith, superficiality, incompetence in politics, in management, in education, in social sciences, in ethics and almost everything that Islam is about, they are the remnants of colonialism mostly, than human behaviour of egoism, self inflated egos, misunderstanding and abuse of power at all levels, disdain and fear for/from competence...
All this from the top down.
As you can see it is all about negative and low emotions(A low level of psychological education found even in some of the most advanced western countries), some times lack of material resources too(a.k.a;poverty), but mostly due to unfaithfulness to Islam and Islamic values and also due to the westernisation by monkeying not by reasoning and avoiding the the western negative values.
So to say the least it is a psychological and mind related poverty that sickens many "Islamic" nations in particular and all third world countries in general, but not even the most advanced societies of the west can escape it -albeit abundant natural resources, their own or stolen-.

This is true about the regimes not the nations.

 

[The SC]

True, but it affects the nations, since in "democratic" regimes, the elected ones are from the nation.
Even worst , they are the elites of the nations.

 

[The SC]

One can not hep but notice the staggering numbers of Muslim Professors and researchers in most western Universities.

 

[Karl]

Turkey and Malaysia are currently making great strides, Indonesia, Pakistan Iran and Algeria are probably next. Everyone else is lagging behind.

 

[somebozo]

One can not hep but notice the staggering numbers of Muslim Professors and researchers in most western Universities.

Those disgruntled professors are irritated by their own countries and making a career in the west benefitting their societies. The though of return to home is a big no no for them. Except in cases like Saudi Arabia where king has offered 5 - 10 times the pay scale for Saudi professors willing to return from abroad and working in Saudi universities but then the motive here is short term money all of these professors will return once they have met their target.

 

[somebozo]

The reason why science and technology is not thriving in the muslim world is due to power struggle with mullah brigades.

 

[The SC]

Those disgruntled professors are irritated by their own countries and making a career in the west benefitting their societies. The though of return to home is a big no no for them. Except in cases like Saudi Arabia where king has offered 5 - 10 times the pay scale for Saudi professors willing to return from abroad and working in Saudi universities but then the motive here is short term money all of these professors will return once they have met their target.

Do not forget the main thing, which is the scientific environment and R&D infrastructure.
I am pretty sure that many of these scientists are more motivated by research itself than mere salary, otherwise they would have chosen a different career to make more money.

 

[Stardust]

That is the why i love Pakistani people..you are perfect muslims who always think about ummeti Muhammed.I am proud all of you,brothers..i wish all muslims could think just like you..you are on the right way..and science..science must be muslims's basic reason for life..science is the strongest way of the deep contemplation (tefekkür).As we know the first order of the Kur'an-ı Kerim is "Read".It says: Read the universe and think about "Allah"..so "read" means search the earth,search the universe and make science to understand the rules and power of the Allah.As we know scholar's faith (iman) is the best faith for Allah.We must be the most scientific nation(i mean Müslim nation) all around the world.It is our responsibility.Praying 5 times in a day is not enough for being a Müslim.

 

[Sinnerman108]

That is the why i love Pakistani people..you are perfect muslims who always think about ummeti Muhammed.I am proud all of you,brothers..i wish all muslims could think just like you..you are on the right way..and science..science must be muslims's basic reason for life..science is the strongest way of the deep contemplation (tefekkür).As we know the first order of the Kur'an-ı Kerim is "Read".It says: Read the universe and think about "Allah"..so "read" means search the earth,search the universe and make science to understand the rules and power of the Allah.As we know scholar's faith (iman) is the best faith for Allah.We must be the most scientific nation(i mean Müslim nation) all around the world.It is our responsibility.Praying 5 times in a day is not enough for being a Müslim.

Be careful when you talk about muslims.

NO ONE is more unfortunate than those who know the Quran by heart, yet not representative of science.

How damned will be the person, who reads the book of knowledge and never ever tries to research what it says.

That unfortunately is a Muslim.

maybe some one could translate this for you.

 

[The SC]

Be careful when you talk about muslims.

NO ONE is more unfortunate than those who know the Quran by heart, yet not representative of science.

How damned will be the person, who reads the book of knowledge and never ever tries to research what it says.

That unfortunately is a Muslim.

maybe some one could translate this for you.

Quran says : Wa la yakhcha Allaho illa al oulama'; meaning: no one surpasses the scientists in true faith and respect of the creator.

Witch means that someone who knows Qoran by heart is no match for a scientist who knows Qoran and understands it vis-à-vis the applied and experimental sciences, but the first one plays a vital rôle in the preservation of the original Qoran, So, Soubhana allah, everyone has a task very specific, like all the creatures of the universe.
The main objective of the Muslim nations is to have more of the latter while respecting the role of the first, that is how it has advanced beyond any ones imagination in the past and it is the path for a glorious future, maybe for 2000 years this time.

 

[FaujHistorian]

Be careful when you talk about muslims.

NO ONE is more unfortunate than those who know the Quran by heart, yet not representative of science.

How damned will be the person, who reads the book of knowledge and never ever tries to research what it says.

That unfortunately is a Muslim.

maybe some one could translate this for you.

http://www.allamaiqbal.com/works/poetry/urdu/zarb/scanned/part01/27.gif[img][/QUOTE]



Science like everything else is "non-religious".

the more we emphasize, Muslimness in science, the dumber we'll get.

It is that simple.

Quran is a holy book of morals and lessons based on stories of the ancient times. It is not a book on biology, or mathematics, or chemistry.

Muslims educated elite are so ignorant they keep on bringing Quran in discussion on science.


Science is when you make your mind free of everything.

You forget about everything else even God, and focus on just a small point in science that you want to work on.

That's it.

That's when God comes and helps you.

That's when

"Khuda Bunday say khud poochay"
" Bata teri Raza Kiya hai"


peace

 

[FaujHistorian]

The reason why science and technology is not thriving in the muslim world is due to power struggle with mullah brigades.

Scientific work is like growing new flowers, and plants.

In order to grow new flowers and plants you need greenhouse, water, and soil, and lots of love.

Islamic countries in general are desert and the predominant culture these days is of nomads and beduins.

USA and EU has just few areas where people live freely and think freely. Their culture and their soil is fertile, and green, and civilized (non-tribal) and open. And people are cool and unemotional.

Obviously then, they will be blessed with new flowers and new plants.

Even a Muslim "gardener" has to go to these specific places in USA/EU to grow new flowers and plants.

Because for him, the air and soil is "too hot" and "to dry" to allow new ideas to develop.


peace

 

[Sinnerman108]

Science like everything else is "non-religious".

the more we emphasize, Muslimness in science, the dumber we'll get.

It is that simple.

Quran is a holy book of morals and lessons based on stories of the ancient times. It is not a book on biology, or mathematics, or chemistry.

Muslims educated elite are so ignorant they keep on bringing Quran in discussion on science.

Science is when you make your mind free of everything.

You forget about everything else even God, and focus on just a small point in science that you want to work on.

That's it.

That's when God comes and helps you.

That's when

"Khuda Bunday say khud poochay"
" Bata teri Raza Kiya hai"


peace

Respectfully, I can not agree and I find some assumptions plain contradictory to my understanding.

Science like everything else is "non-religious".

the more we emphasize, Muslimness in science, the dumber we'll get.

It is that simple



Again and Again, God takes pride in knowledge. He calls his knowledge ever encompassing. It was knowledge (angels Vs Adam) that created the first rebellion.

It is wrong to expect Hadith or Quran to teach you mathematics or Physics. They will only start you off. It is upto you to do the hard work and go as far as china to seek knowledge.

How can some one ready about stars, planets, gravity, sky, mountains, seasons etc in Quran and yet he is not compelled to study more and understand their working ?

Only a very ill educated person, a very unfortunate person, a shameful excuse of a human.

Let me close my argument by quoting the most abused Hadith of all time.
" Seek knowledge even if you have to China"

Do you think Chinese were going to teach Hadith and religion ?

Maybe I have spent too much time with books, Maybe I could never be eloquent enough. Physics is the ever encompassing the explanatory of every thing. No one can escape or break the laws of physics. And it is in the beauty of Physics that one can really appreciate the handy work of God himself.

Muslims educated elite are so ignorant they keep on bringing Quran in discussion on science.
See now.
Muslim educated elite is not ignorant; they are uneducated and exactly what I am contesting.
Knowing Quran by heart, or 10,000 Hadith means nothing at all.

 

[Wright]

There is no reason why Muslims can't outdo the supposedly high IQ Chinese and Japanese. All they need is to become more like they were in the 7th century in term of religiousity. what worked once can always work again.