Tapestry of Travel: The Contributions of Arab/Muslim Civilization to Geography and World Exploration

Describes the Arab and Muslim civilization's rich historical achievements in the sciences and humanities, advances that furthered geographical discoveries and the exchange of scholarship with Europe. With the spread of Islam and its support of research and learning, a number of hakeems, or scholars of religion, philosophy, and the sciences, made great strides in increased understanding of the person, society, and world. Scholars and travelers chronicled their journeys to foreign lands, composed sociological treatises on the peoples and cultures they encountered, enhanced and used astronomical knowledge for navigation, wrote about geological formations, created world maps, constructed schools and observatories, and established universities in cities such as Toledo, Cordoba, Seville, and Granada. Some of the notable personalities highlighted in this module are Ibn Battuta, al-Khawarizmi, al-Mas`udi, al-Maqdisi, al-Biruni, al-Tusi, Mansa Musa, and Hasan al-Wazzan (Leo Africanus). This module was produced with funds from the National Resource Center on the Middle East at Georgetown.

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Who are the Arabs?

What is the Arab world? Who are the Arabs? In an age where movie images and news from political flashpoints dominate American perceptions of the world, the Arabs are, at best, little understood. The stereotypical images of the wealthy shaykh, the exotic bellydancer, and the hooded terrorist do not reflect the diversity of contemporary Arab society and the richness of Arab history. This module provides an introduction to Arab history and a brief survey of contemporary Arab society, culture, and politics.

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The Arabic Language

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The Contributions of Arab Civilization to Mathematics and Science

This educational module, appropriate for middle and high school audiences, focuses on the contributions of Arabs in scientific advancements and intellectual achievements from the 7th to the 13th centuries C.E. It highlights the importance of Arabic as the international language of science and inquiry during this period, as well as the specific achievements of Arab scholars under the patronage of the Caliphs. In particular, it explains humankind's indebtedness to the Arabs for significant breakthroughs in the fields of medicine, physics, chemistry, astronomy, and mathematics. Specific examples and discussion of the role of Islam in intellectual endeavors in the Arab world are included.

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