Islamic sciences and the rise of the European Renaissance

Issued by the #King_Faisal_Center for Research and Islamic Studies: the book: "Islamic Sciences and the Rise of the European Renaissance" by the author: Dr. George Saliba. Translation: Dr. Hakam Dabbas (within the series of translated books). The book is considered one of the important objective studies supporting the Arab narration. This book is primarily an attempt to study the history of Islamic and Arab sciences. It critically examines the common theories about the status of these sciences and seeks to benefit from the latest research results in history to formulate a new narrative that can provide a better explanation for scientific developments in particular and the major trends in the intellectual history of Islamic civilization more broadly. The book discusses the phased division of sciences, their connection to their broad intellectual environment, the social and political dimensions of scientific production, and the relationship between technical scientific details in a particular science and the social appreciation and support that sciences received. Since its establishment in 1403 AH / 1983 AD, the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies has been dedicated to the heritage of Arab and Islamic civilization. Based on its scientific mission aimed at spreading knowledge, caring for heritage, and strengthening Arab identity, the center launched the (Arab Narration) initiative as a new project representing a wave of universal cultural exchange that reveals the objective narrative of what Arab and Muslim civilization was throughout history — of excellence and creativity, and its effects on the development of human sciences and other fields. An objective review of the history of Arab Islamic sciences in particular reveals the profound impacts and mechanisms of their influence on the rise of the European Renaissance, which benefited from the sciences of Islamic civilization in its early ages. The center has carefully selected the highest academic studies and scientific research that serve the achievement of the objective vision of the (Arab Narration) and published them to be in the hands of readers in a clear statement and high accuracy, as a contribution to developing self-awareness, pride in identity, reviving Arab Islamic leadership, and strengthening the civilizational concept of Arab culture among our current generations. Among these carefully prepared important studies is the book "Islamic Sciences and the Rise of the European Renaissance," by the renowned historian and researcher Professor George Saliba. It was translated into Arabic by the capable translator Dr. Hakam Dabbas. The publishing team at the center reviewed and cared for its production to ensure a satisfactory presentation. This book falls within serious scientific works that address the (history of sciences), focusing on those sciences produced by Arab Islamic civilization. (Islamic) in the deep civilizational sense that includes all who are under that civilization’s umbrella, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. And (Arab) in the cultural sense of Arab identity, which was the language of science throughout those prosperous centuries. The book revolves around astronomy from different perspectives: from questions about beginnings, through development, influence, to analyzing what was described as the age of decline and the retreat of scientific thought, and the subsequent Islamic scientific achievements that raised many questions about the term decline, its dimensions, and perhaps rethinking its concept with an objective and new scientific vision. All of this is based on historical monitoring, philosophical analysis, and objective discussion to place this civilizational achievement in its proper position and contribute to establishing an epistemological vision to achieve the goals of (Arab Narration) in a context that links the past and the present simultaneously. At the King Faisal Center, we hope that publishing this important book will be a qualitative addition to the Arab library and an invitation to reflect on the history of sciences produced by Arab and Islamic civilization across various fields.