The article is rather biased towards Muslims but is correct in its premise. The accomplishments of say the Ottomans had more to do with the Turks than with Islam itself. Islam was a common belief system for them, but the Ottomans were JUST as likely to go to war with other Muslims at the time for the betterment of their empire. Hence , to say that their empire was a Muslim accomplishment is just the same as trying to take credit for their accomplishment today by people in Indonesia.
Well said.
Ottomans were at war with other Muslims pretty much all the time,
Just like they were waging wars against European Christians. They like any other empire were "equal opportunity attackers".
However Islam did play a major role in Ottoman daily life.
And the more you read about Islam's role, the more you realize it was anti-science.
Ottomans refused to use printing press even when it was around since 1500s (Guttenburg's refinements).
Why?
Calligraphy was holy. Only Mullahs did it, and they were afraid of losing jobs. Answer! Ban the damn press.
A scientist named Taffakur set up an astronomical observatory by copying Europeans. It was destroyed down to bricks.
Why?
ottoman court Mullahs hated that damn thing. They conspired against Tafukkur and roped him into a scheme of astrology for predicting something using stars.
Poor guy Tafukkur had no chance against scheming Mullahs.
Just like today in Pakistan we too can be labeled heretic and blasphemous and then burned at the cross.
So yes Islam/Muslim Mullahs did have a role in Ottoman's demise
peace
