Histories and Stories

The objectives of this book are:

1- To examine the argument that there is a contradiction between science and Islam.

2- To highlight some of the great contributionsmade by Muslims to science and technology over a period of 1000 years.

Science has never been separate from Islam. Objective study of this subject will reveal that Islamic texts – Qur’an and the Sunnah, provided a tremendous boost for study of the physical world and the laws that govern it. As a result, discoveries and inventions became the hallmarks of the Islamic civilization. Recently there has been a surge in the number of publications dealing with science and its relationship with Islam.

These books have focused on the various verses on the Qur’an that point to the physical world to prove that science is compatible with Islam. However, areas that are not covered enough for the English reader are the historical development of science and technology in the Muslim world, and the factors that led to its rise and decline. The decline has been so severe, that today’s Muslims are not even aware that their ancestors were the founding fathers of modern sciences. Just consider the common Arabic words used in the English language today like cotton, algebra, aorta, alcohol, chemistry, earth and alkaline. They are a living testimony to the pioneering work of the Muslims.

I am proud to introduce this inspiring book to our readers. It focuses on the strides made by the Muslims in various disciplines of science and technology from the early period of the Islamic State to its last days in the 20t’ century CE. The unique aspect of this book is that it sheds light on the key factors that led to the rapid advances in science and technology. Furthermore, it also analyses the reasons why Muslim World declined in this field, and last but not least, how the Muslim World can achieve the same kind of success as we already have in the past. Abdul Malik Mujahid About the Author Shabeer Ahmad, born in 1966, is a respected technologist by profession. He studied Avionics Engineering at University of London and he is currently an IT Consultant, having worked in Asia, Europe, Middle East and North America. The author has written widely on various subjects in Islam, including science, economics, politics and history.

The author is also a well respected speaker. The current book started as a lecture for a radio station in London. Given the massive interest it generated, and the little information available, the author began to research more into historical developments of science in the Muslim world. The author felt that the contributions of Muslims in this area have not been widely acknowledged, and that there is a need to counter the view that Islam is incompatible with science. The current book is a culmination of his research over the years.

This should be educational for Muslims & non-Muslims & create a better East-West appreciation for mutual role. This book will enforce the fact that the civilization which produced this phenomenal output also has potential in the future.Dr. Mohammad Ilyas & Dr. Bushra Saeed Ilyas

In this book, mention has been made about the different aspects of Al-Madinah, and the most important historical events are recorded that have a direct effect on the establishment and sacredness of Al-Madinah as well as its religious weight. This book has highlighted the sites that are highly important whenever Al-Madinah is mentioned like the Prophet’s Mosque, Quba Mosque, and others. A great part of the book is designated to speak about the Prophet’s Mosque updating the expansions and the improvements that have taken place from the time of Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) till the Saudi era. It contains more than fifty, pictures taken from original documented resources. The pictures vary from old to new dealing with many aspects. The book is a genuine addition to the Islamic library in, its subject both for the researcher and the regular reader. This book sought scientific trustworthiness, by presenting only the correct Ahadith and authentic reports.