Kwa karne mbili zilizopita dunia imeshuhudia maendeleo makubwa yasiyo na kifani katika sayansi na teknolojia, kama vile ujenzi wa reli, ndege, teknolojia ya nyuklia, Intaneti, utungishaji wa mimba nje ya mwili (IVF) na vyakula vilivyobadilishwa vinasaba. Maendeleo kama haya yamefanyika sambamba na maendeleo ya Magharibi, yakifikia viwango ambavyo havijawahi kufikiwa katika historia. Ukiritimba huu wa uvumbuzi wa kiteknolojia na kisayansi umesababisha imani kwamba maadili ya kiliberali ni sharti la maendeleo.

For the last two centuries the world has witnessed unprecedented leaps in science and technology, the development of railways, aeroplanes, nuclear technology, the Internet, IVF and genetically modified food. Such developments have taken place in parallel to the development of the West, reaching levels unparalleled in history. This monopolisation of technological and scientific inventions has led to the belief that liberal values are a pre-requisite for development.

Wanasayansi, wanafikra na wanafalsafa wengi wanadai kwamba Uislamu hauna nafasi duniani leo. Mtazamo huu umejengwa juu ya dhana kwamba hakuna nchi yoyote ya Kiislamu iliyozalisha chochote katika utafiti wa kisayansi au uvumbuzi wa kiteknolojia. Magharibi inadai kwamba maendeleo katika sayansi na teknolojia yalitokea pale Magharibi ilipojiondoa katika mamlaka ya Kanisa na kutenganisha dini na maisha. Kwao, Kanisa lilizuia maendeleo ya sayansi na akili kwa kuwa dini kimsingi imejengwa juu ya imani na ushirikina. Ni baada ya dini kuondolewa katika nyanja ya umma ndipo Magharibi ilifanikiwa kuanzisha mapinduzi ya viwanda na kisha kustawi. Leo, kwa wanaoitwa wanaliberali, ni wao waliovumbua sayansi kama tunavyoijua. Wanadai kwamba ndio waliweka misingi yake na kuunda matawi yake mengi.

Most thinkers, scientists and philosophers claim Islam has no place in the world today. This view is built upon the premise that none of the Muslim countries have produced anything in terms of scientific research or technological invention. The West claims that progress in science and technology occurred when the West rid itself of the authority of the Church and separated religion from life. For them the church stifled the development of science and reason as religion is inherently built upon faith and superstition. Only with its removal from the public sphere did the West manage to launch an industrial revolution and then flourish. Today for liberals it is they who invented science as we know it. They claim they laid its foundations and have created its numerous branches.

Simulizi kama hilo linaacha nje matukio kadhaa ya kihistoria yasiyo ya Magharibi, na linaonyesha jinsi Magharibi inavyoendelea kuiona historia yake kama historia ya dunia nzima. Simulizi kama hilo pia kwa makusudi linaacha nje yale ambayo Magharibi iliyachukua kutoka kwa ustaarabu uliotangulia, hasa ustaarabu wa Kiislamu.

Such a narrative omits a number of historical developments that are not Western and shows how the West continues to view its history as the history of the world. Such a narrative also conveniently omits what the West took from previous civilisations and especially the Islamic civilisation.

Kihistoria, ustaarabu wote umekuwa na aina fulani ya maendeleo ya kiteknolojia na kisayansi. Ulimwengu wa Magharibi umeandika michango ambayo Warumi walitoa katika fani hiyo, wakati ulimwengu wa Kiislamu katika karne ya 8 hadi ya 10 ulitafsiri kazi za Wagiriki katika eneo hilo.

Historically all civilisations have been characterised with some form of technological and scientific development. The West has documented the contributions the Romans made to the discipline whilst the Islamic world in the 8th – 10th century translated the works of the Greeks in the area.

Sayansi kwa asili yake ni utafiti, uchunguzi, na majaribio kuhusu sehemu za ulimwengu zinazoweza kuonekana na kupimwa.

Science in essence is the study, research, and experimentation into the observable parts of the universe.

Maendeleo ya magari yalitokana hasa na maendeleo ya injini ya mwako.

The development of automobiles was due primarily to the development of the combustion engine.

Hapa ndipo uchomaji wa mafuta ndani ya injini unapofanya kazi kwenye pistoni na kusababisha mwendo wa sehemu ngumu, hatimaye kusukuma gari. Hili liliwezekana kutokana na Dola ya Uingereza, ambayo awali ilitumia mvuke na baadaye makaa ya mawe kuendesha pistoni, na hatimaye kutengeneza mwendo wa mzunguko (motion).

This is where the burning of fuel in an engine acts on the pistons causing the movement of the solid parts, eventually moving the automobile. This was possible due to the British Empire who originally used steam and then coal to drive pistons and then eventually to generate rotary (motion)

kuweza kusogeza mashine. Maendeleo kama hayo yalitegemea kazi ya Al-Jazari katika karne ya 12, ambaye alivumbua crankshaft (mhimili wa mkono wa kusukuma), na kuunda mwendo wa mzunguko kwa kutumia vijiti na silinda.

to move machines. Such developments where based upon Al-Jazari’s work in the 12th century where he invented the crankshaft, and created rotary motion through the use of rods and cylinders.

Alikuwa wa kwanza kuliingiza katika mashine.

He was the first to incorporate it into a machine.

Parachuti ni kifaa kinachotumika kupunguza mwendo wa kitu kinachopita katika angahewa kwa kutengeneza msuguano wa hewa (drag). Parachuti za leo zilitokana na michoro na majaribio ya zamani. Katika karne ya 9, Ibn Firnas alibuni toleo la awali la parachuti. Aliruka kutoka kwenye mnara wa msikiti wa Mezquita huko Córdoba akitumia vazi kubwa lenye umbo la bawa ili kupunguza kasi ya kuanguka kwake, na alitua akiwa na majeraha madogo. Parachuti zilizofuata zilitengenezwa kuwa ndogo zaidi na kutoka kwenye kitambaa cha kitani kilichonyoshwa juu ya fremu ya mbao. Baadaye, hariri iliyokunjwa ilibuniwa kuwa nyenzo ya parachuti kwa kuchukua faida ya nguvu ya hariri na wepesi wake. Mifano kama hii, pamoja na nyingine, inaonyesha kwamba hakuna ustaarabu unaoweza kudai kuwa sayansi ni mali yake peke yake; badala yake, kila mmoja ulitoa mchango katika eneo hili la ulimwengu wote. Ukweli kwamba atomi na molekuli zinatii sheria za ulimwengu, ambazo zinaweza kudhibitiwa, hautabadilika kwa sababu mtu ni Mwislamu, Mkristo au mwenye mawazo huru. Hili ni jambo la ulimwengu wote, lisiloathiriwa na imani ya mtu. Mjadala halisi, basi, ni ustaarabu upi ulitoa michango mikubwa katika sayansi, na hasa ni nini kilichowasukuma kufanya vizuri katika fani hiyo.

A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag. Current day parachutes were developed from the designs and experiments of the past. In the 9th century, Ibn Firnas invented a primitive version of the parachute. He jumped from the minaret of the Mezquita mosque in Córdoba using a huge wing-like cloak to break his fall and landed with minor injuries. Subsequent Parachutes were made more compact and from stretched linen over a wooden frame. Then folded silk, was developed as the material for parachutes taking advantage of silk’s strength and light weight. Such examples amongst others show that no civilisation can lay claim to science belonging inherently to them but rather they made a contribution to this universal area. The fact atoms and molecules are subjected to the rules of the universe which can be manipulated will not change if one is a Muslim, Christian or a liberal. This is something that is universal and not affected by one’s belief. The real debate is therefore which civilisation made significant contributions to science and what exactly drove them to excel in the field.

Zama ya dhahabu ya Kiislamu inachukuliwa kuwa ni kipindi kuanzia karne ya 8 hadi karne ya 13.

The Islamic golden age is considered to be the period from the 8th century to the 13th century.

Wakati huu, wahandisi, wanazuoni na wafanyabiashara katika ulimwengu wa Kiislamu walichangia katika sanaa, kilimo, uchumi, viwanda, sheria, fasihi, urambazaji, falsafa, sayansi na teknolojia, kwa kuhifadhi mila za awali na kuzijenga juu yake, na pia kwa kuongeza mchango wao wenyewe. Howard Turner, mtaalamu wa historia ya zama za kati aliyetajwa katika kitabu chake ‘Science in Medieval Islam,’ anasema: ‘Wasanii na wanasayansi Waislamu, wakuu na wafanyakazi wa kawaida pamoja waliunda utamaduni wa kipekee ambao umeathiri moja kwa moja na kwa njia isiyo ya moja kwa moja jamii katika kila bara.’ Kulikuwa na vipengele kadhaa mahususi ndani ya Uislamu vilivyokuwa nguvu iliyoendesha ari ya Waislamu kufanya vizuri katika uwanja huu.

During this period, engineers, scholars and traders in the Islamic world contributed to the arts, agriculture, economics, industry, law, literature, navigation, philosophy, sciences, and technology, both by preserving and building upon earlier traditions and by adding to them. Howard Turner, an expert on medieval history mentioned in his book ‘Science in Medieval Islam,’: ‘Muslim artists and scientists, princes and labourers together created a unique culture that has directly and indirectly influenced societies on every continent.’ There were a number of specific elements within Islam that were the driving engine which motivated Muslims to excel in this field.

Kumwabudu Allah وتعالى سبحانه ilikuwa ni moja ya sababu zilizopelekea kuvumbuliwa kwa mambo kadhaa. Nyakati za Sala tano za kila siku, mwelekeo wa Qibla, na mwanzo na mwisho wa Ramadhani vilihitaji usomaji sahihi wa nafasi za nyota na mwezi. Kutokana na hilo, Waislamu walianza kuvumbua vyombo vya kuangalia na vya kuongoza safari za baharini na nchi kavu. Ndiyo maana nyota nyingi za kuongoza safari leo zina majina ya Kiarabu kama Acamar, Baham, Baten Kaitos, Caph, Dabih, Furud, Izar, Lesath, Mirak, Nashira, Tarf na Vega.

The worship of Allah وتعالى سبحانه was one such factor that led to a number of inventions. The times of the five daily prayers, the direction for Qibla and the beginning and ending of Ramadan required accurate readings of the positions of the stars and the moon. It was due to this that Muslims began to invent observational and navigational instruments. This is why most navigational stars today have Arabic names such as Acamar, Baham, Baten Kaitos, Caph, Dabih, Furud, Izar, Lesath, Mirak, Nashira, Tarf and Vega.

Waislamu walitoa michango kadhaa katika Unajimu na hatimaye katika maendeleo ya saa ya kiastronomia. Kalenda ya mwezi-jua ya kimitambo, yenye mfumo wa magurudumu ya meno na magurudumu ya gia, ilibuniwa na Abū Rayhān al-Bīrūnī katika karne ya 10. Kwa kutumia michoro ya aina hiyo, Taqi al-din alibuni saa ya kimitambo katika karne ya 15. Haja ya kuamua Qibla ilipelekea kuendelezwa kwa dira, ambayo yenyewe ilitegemea matokeo ambayo wanaastronomia Waislamu walikuwa wamekusanya. Waislamu walitengeneza dira ya upepo (compass rose) iliyoonyesha mwelekeo wa pointi kuu za dunia, kaskazini, kusini, mashariki na magharibi, katika ramani na chati ya baharini.

Muslims made a number of contributions to Astronomy and eventually to the development of the astronomical clock. A Mechanical lunisolar calendar with a gear train and gear-wheels was invented by Abū Rayhān al-Bīrūnī in the 10th century. Based on such designs Taqi al-din invented the mechanical clock in the 15th century. The need to ascertain the Qibla led to the development of the compass, which itself was based upon the findings Muslims astronomers had collated. Muslims developed the compass rose which displayed the orientation of the cardinal directions, north, south, east and west on a map and nautical chart.

Allah ﷻ anasema katika Qur'ani Tukufu: Hmm, I should check the rules: "Allah وتعالى سبحانه" — the honorific here is Arabic "سبحانه وتعالى" which is (SWT) in the rules, so keep "(SWT)" form. The original text "Allah وتعالى سبحانه" appears to be garbled; the faithful translation would be "Allah (SWT) says in the Holy Qur'an:". Also "ﷻ" isn't a listed symbol; the rules say keep (SWT) too. Correct reply: Allah (SWT) anasema katika Qur'ani Tukufu:

Allah وتعالى سبحانه says in the Holy Qur’an:

وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ النُّجُومَ لِتَهْتَدُواْ بِهَا فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ “.

وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ النُّجُومَ لِتَهْتَدُواْ بِهَا فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ “.

Na Yeye ndiye aliyewawekea nyota ili mpate kuongozwa kupitia hizo katika giza la nchi kavu na bahari.” [TMQ 6:97] Hili liliwahamasisha Waislamu kuanza kutafuta vyombo bora zaidi vya uangalizi na urambazaji. Vyombo hivyo vilitumika kuchunguza dunia, na wanajiografia wengi Waislamu walivikusanya katika miongozo. Walichochewa na aya katika Qur’an ambapo Allah وتعالى سبحانه anasema: وَجَعَلْنَا فِي الْأَرْضِ رَوَاسِيَ أَن تَمِيدَ بِهِمْ وَجَعَلْنَا فِيهَا فِجَاجًا سُبُلًا لَعَلَّهُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ .

And it is He who ordained the stars for you that you may be guided thereby in the darkness of the land and the sea.” [TMQ 6:97] This motivated Muslims to begin to find better observational and navigational instruments. Such instruments were used to explore the world, which many Muslim geographers collated into manuals. They were driven by the ayah in the Qur’an where Allah وتعالى سبحانه says: وَجَعَلْنَا فِي الْأَرْضِ رَوَاسِيَ أَن تَمِيدَ بِهِمْ وَجَعَلْنَا فِيهَا فِجَاجًا سُبُلًا لَعَلَّهُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ .

“Na tumeweka katika ardhi milima thabiti isije ikatikisika pamoja nao, na tumeweka humo njia pana kati yake ili wapate kuongoka.” [TMQ 21:31] Waislamu wa mwanzo walielewa kwamba Uislamu unaona mambo yote ya kimaada, yakiwemo elimu, teknolojia na viwanda, kuwa ni kujifunza hakika ya mambo tu na kujifunza jinsi maada inavyoweza kutumiwa ili kuboresha hali na viwango vya maisha ya binadamu. Maeneo mengi yalipoingia chini ya ustaarabu wa Kiislamu, ukuaji wa miji ulileta maendeleo mengi. Jangwa la Arabia lilikuwa na chemchemi chache za maji, jambo lililofanya sehemu kubwa ya eneo hilo kutokaliwa na watu. Tatizo hili lilitatuliwa na wahandisi Waislamu waliotengeneza mifereji kutoka mito ya Furati na Tigris. Maeneo yenye vinamasi karibu na Baghdad yalikaushwa, na mji ukaondolewa kwenye hatari ya malaria. Wahandisi Waislamu walikamilisha gurudumu la maji na kujenga mifereji ya chini ya ardhi ya kina iitwayo qanats. Hili lilisababisha kuendelezwa kwa mifumo ya hali ya juu ya maji majumbani, yenye mifereji ya maji taka, mabafu ya umma, vyanzo vya kunywea maji, usambazaji wa maji ya kunywa kwa mabomba, na vyoo na sehemu za kuogea zilizoenea za binafsi na za umma.

“And we have placed in the earth firm hills lest it quake with them and we have placed therein ravines as roads that happily they may find their way.” [TMQ 21:31] Early Muslims understood that Islam views all the material matters which include the sciences, technology and industry, as merely the study of the reality and a study of how matter can be manipulated to improve the condition and living standards of humanity. As many lands came under the fold of the Islamic civilisation, urbanisation led to a number of developments. The Arabian Desert had scant water springs making most of the region uninhabitable. This was overcome by Muslim engineers developing canals from the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. The swamps around Baghdad were drained, freeing the city of Malaria. Muslim engineers perfected the waterwheel and constructed elaborate underground water channels called qanats. This led to the development of advanced domestic water systems with sewers, public baths, drinking fountains, piped drinking water supplies and widespread private and public toilet and bathing facilities.

Wanafikra, wanasayansi, wahandisi na wataalamu wa Kiislamu walitoa mchango mkubwa katika sayansi pamoja na taaluma nyingine nyingi. Mengi ya michango hii baadaye ilitumiwa na Magharibi, ambao nao walitoa michango zaidi katika fani hiyo. Kwa kuwa sayansi ni somo la ulimwengu wote, hakuna ustaarabu mmoja unaoweza kudai kuwa ndio uliovumbua sayansi; badala yake, ustaarabu mwingi umeandika michango yake katika historia yote, na taarifa hizo zilitumika kama msingi wa majaribio yaliyofanywa na ustaarabu uliofuata. Kabla ya kuibuka kwa Uislamu katika Mashariki ya Kati, wakazi wa eneo hilo hawakuchangia chochote katika sayansi. Lakini watu hao hao walipokubali Uislamu, walitoa michango ambayo vizazi vilivyofuata vilitumia kuvumbua vitu vipya ambavyo hadi leo vinabaki nasi.

Muslims thinkers, scientists, engineers and experts made significant contributions to science as well as many other disciplines. Many of these contributions were later used by the West who made further contributions to the field. The nature of science as a universal subject means no single civilisation can lay claim to inventing it but rather most civilisations have documented their contributions throughout history which acted as previous information when experimentation was carried out by latter civilisations. Prior to the emergence of Islam in the Middle East the host population made no contribution to science. When the very same people accepted Islam they made contributions which later generations utilised to invent new items which today still remain with us.

Uislamu, badala ya kuwa kikwazo kwa sayansi, ulikuwa ndio kichocheo kilichoendesha mchango wa Waislamu katika sayansi.

Islam rather than being an obstacle to science, was the catalyst that drove Muslim’s contribution to science.