Words such as algebra, algorithm, alchemy, alcohol, coffee, and more, derive from Arabic, and reflect on Islam’s contribution to the West. Yet, in modern times, science and education in
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Words such as algebra, algorithm, alchemy, alcohol, coffee, and more, derive from Arabic, and reflect on Islam’s contribution to the West. Yet, in modern times, science and education in Muslim-majority countries are at an all-time low. This is especially true for Arabic nations. Between 1980 and 2000, nine Arab countries, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia, granted a total of 370 patents compared to at least 16,320 by South Korea. To explain this anomaly, we must explore the past. In the previous episodes, we went over the Silk Road, the rationalist Mu’tazila, the inquisition of Ibn Hanbal, the decline of the Abbasids and the formation of the Ash’ari, who adhered to predestination. We also went over the conquests of the Seljuk Turks, which, in the 11th century, set the Muslim rulers on a collision course with the Crusaders from Europe.
