World’s 500 Most Influential Muslims: Mufti Akhtar Raza Khan, Mahmood Madani, Badruddin Ajmal included

Jews were always smarter then muslims, and always will be. You never had a golden age

The reasons for this have absolutely nothing to do with the Islamic religion (other than its mandate for military expansion). In fact, the religion actively discourages knowledge outside of itself, which is why the most prolific Muslim scholars throughout history tend to be students of religion rather than science.

There are four basic reasons why Islam has little true claim to scientific achievement:

First, the Muslim world benefited greatly from the Greek sciences, which were translated for them by Christians and Jews. To their credit, Muslims did a better job of preserving Greek text than did the Europeans of the time and this became the foundation for their own knowledge. (One large reason for this, however, was that access by Christians to this part of their world was cut off by Muslim slave ships and coastal raids that dominated the Mediterranean during this period).

Secondly, many of the scientific advances credited to Islam were actually “borrowed” from other cultures conquered by the Muslims. The algebraic concept of “zero”, for example, is erroneously attributed to Islam, but it was, in fact, a Hindu discovery that was merely introduced to the West by Muslims.

In fact, conquered populations contributed greatly to the history of “Muslim science” until gradually being decimated by conversion to Islam (under the pressures of dhimmitude). The Muslim concentration within a population is directly proportional to the decline of scientific achievement. It is no accident that the Muslim world has had little to show for itself in the last 800 years or so, since running out of new civilizations to cannibalize.

Third, even the great Muslim scientists and icons were often considered heretics in their time, sometimes for good reason. One of the greatest achievers to come out of the Muslim world was the Persian scientist and philosopher, al-Razi. His impressive works are often held up today as “proof” of Muslim accomplishment. But what the apologists often leave out is that al-Razi was denounced as a blasphemer, since he followed his own religious beliefs – which were in obvious contradiction to traditional Islam.

Fourth, even the contributions that are attributed to Islam (often inaccurately) are not terribly dramatic. There is the invention of certain words, such as alchemy and elixir, but not much else that survives in modern technology that is of any practical significance. Neither is there any reason to believe that such discoveries would not have easily been made by the West following the cultural awakening triggered by the Reformation.

As an example of this, consider that Muslims claim credit for coffee, since the beans were discovered in Africa (at the time, an important venue for Islamic slave trading) and first processed in the Middle East. While this is true, it is also true that the red dye used in many food products, from cranberry juice to candy, comes from the abdomen of a particular female beetle found in South America. It is extremely unlikely that the West would not have stumbled across coffee by now (although, to be fair, coffee probably expedited subsequent discoveries).

In fact, the litany of “Muslim” achievement often takes the form of rhapsody, in which the true origins of these discoveries are omitted - along with their comparative significance to Western achievement. One often doesn't hear about the dismal fate of original accomplishments either. Those who brag about the great observatory of Taqi al-Din in [freshly conquered] Istanbul, for example, often neglect to mention that it was quickly destroyed by the caliphate.

At the end of the day, scientific, medical and technological accomplishment is not something over which Muslim apologists want to get into a pissing contest with the Christian world. Today’s Islamic innovators are primarily known for turning Western technology, such as cell phones and airplanes, into instruments of mass murder.

To sum up, although the Islamic religion is not entirely hostile to science, neither should it be confused as a facilitator. The great achievements that are said to have come out of the Islamic world were made either by non-Muslims who happened to be under Islamic rule, or by heretics who usually had little interest in Islam. Scientific discovery tapers off dramatically as Islam asserts dominance, until it eventually peters out altogether.

and lastly Islam is the fastest growing religion is because you mass reproduce like rats and you kill people who want to leave your religion

Hi,

Is the numerical progress is the progress or the spiritual. Growth is more increase family and multiple spouses, however there is no quality of cooperation among the believers.

Hi,

I am glad that you have the open mind to explore the current situation and work out a swot. However your remedies might require some re-look in terms of the movement in history and focus towards spiritual rather than ritual. Following are the great spiritual guidance of islam :

No interest
Universal brotherhood
zakat

However invariably on my experience of interaction, it is more ritualistic and backward looking on rituals rather than spirit of the rituals. However it does not matter to me as it is the deeds every person sow and he shall reap is the eternal law across belief

It is a highhanded statement that jews are cursed. If they are cursed why are they successful and intelligent. If the muslims are blessed why are they suffering across the globe inspite of the black gold.

Islam's contribution to science is like me telling my grand father was a zamindar where as i am a pauper to day.

Certainly i am brahmin by birth and a shudra by vocation. I can say very proudly that the forefather of indian independence could stitch one country inspite of thousand of difference and however that is not the case in gcc in spite of one religion and one language.

Many of the freedom fighters were brahmins and they paved way for the many of the changes in hinduism :

1. sati
2. widow remarriage
3. girls education
4. equal right in inheritance
5. alimony
6. untouchability ban
7. reservation for sc /st

If i am not well, i have to take medicine and there is no use in blaming the disease or my neigbour