Virtual Classroom Spots Islam's Role In Human Civilization
Abu-Alwafa
By Dilwar Hussain, Special For IOL
LONDON, November 5 (IslamOnline.net) - The Islamic Society of Britain (ISB)
has launched a new website aimed at helping British Muslim pupils learn
about Islam in a fun and exciting way, focusing on Muslim heritage, culture
and Islam's contributions to modern day life.
The Virtual Classroom website was launched Monday, November 3, as part of
this year's Islam Awareness Week (IAW) running from 3-9 November, an annual
event that seeks to brings together Muslims and non-Muslims.
This year's theme is 'Muslim Heritage,' which highlights the part played by
Islamic civilization in modern life.
Designed and maintained by British Muslim educators and academics, the
five-stage project is available for everybody and intended as an
interactive, collaborative venture between schools and the Muslim community
by providing a virtual reality interface.
When visiting the website one finds himself in a classroom. One can Navigate
around the classroom and click on various items to be guided to text boxes
telling how the objects link to the achievements of Muslim history and then
became part of the making of modern Britain and Europe.
It provides Muslim pupils with facts about their religion, which they cannot
find in British text books, and valuable Muslim contributions to many vital
fields, to mention but a few, science, mathematics, chemistry and botany.
"Actually, the very science that makes computers possible relies on advances
in mathematics first pioneered by Muslims. British children should know
this," Sher Khan, an IAW organizer, told IslamOnline.net.
"Many areas of modern science and technology were developed first by Muslims
then borrowed and incorporated into European society. It's a side of history
too often neglected.
"We want British children to learn of the positive relations, the
constructive contribution Islam and Muslims have made to British life. It's
the best antidote to all the negative associations they get from the news
and from the history books," he added.
Source Of Inspiration
Shayma Izzudin, a co-ordinator of the project, said the website inspires
them to make their own contributions to their society.
"Thus helping them to be more active citizens," she said. "It has also been
developed to encourage our youth to be proud of their background and
heritage."
"We want children to learn they can gain from each other's culture and
history. The Virtual Classroom doesn't claim that Muslims did everything!
While we have emphasised that the Muslim contribution to knowledge is often
forgotten, we are very conscious that we should acknowledge in turn what
Muslims learnt from others," she added.
She hoped the site would be seen as an "objective approach in affirming the
way the Chinese, Indians, Persians, Greeks and others have also helped
humanity."
Attending the project launching were Charles Clarke, Secretary of State for
Education and Skills, Trevor Phillips, head of the Commission for Racial
Equality, representatives of the Liberal Democrats and Conservative Party
and Iqbal Sacranie the Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain.
Count 1
Abu-Alwafa <almared...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:8wcqb.11152$f7.590663@localhost...
> Virtual Classroom Spots Islam's Role In Human Civilization
Cool. A 'Virtual Classroom' to learn virtually nothing.
jackkincaid
> has launched a new website aimed at helping British Muslim pupils learn
> about Islam
>
>
> It provides Muslim pupils with facts about their religion, which they cannot
> find in British text books, and valuable Muslim contributions to many vital
> fields, to mention but a few, science, mathematics, chemistry and botany.
>
> "Actually, the very science that makes computers possible relies on advances
> in mathematics first pioneered by Muslims. British children should know
>
> "Many areas of modern science and technology were developed first by Muslims
> then borrowed and incorporated into European society. It's a side of history
> too often neglected.
No they weren'tt, and no they shouldn't. They werre developed by
*Arabs*, not Muslims.
Imgaine the outcry if schoolchildren were taught that everything from
the steam engine to the personal computer were invented by
'Christians'. Religion is irrelevent.
If the teachers' unions have any balls they'll ban these religious
prosyletising websites from the classroom outright.
Solon
enlightened the denizens of uk.politics.misc by writing:
>> It provides Muslim pupils with facts about their religion, which they cannot
>> find in British text books, and valuable Muslim contributions to many vital
>> fields, to mention but a few, science, mathematics, chemistry and botany.
>> "Actually, the very science that makes computers possible relies on advances
>> in mathematics first pioneered by Muslims. British children should know
>> this.
>> "Many areas of modern science and technology were developed first by Muslims
>> then borrowed and incorporated into European society. It's a side of history
>> too often neglected.
>No they weren'tt, and no they shouldn't. They werre developed by
>*Arabs*, not Muslims.
You appear to be assuming that these unspecified "advances in
mathematics" and "areas of modern science and technology" actually
exist outside the imagination of the author of that article.
--
Solon
Dirk Bruere at Neopax
"Solon" <nob...@nowt.com> wrote in message
news:s31jqv04h3ef85goc...@4ax.com...
For explanations:
http://www.sfusd.k12.ca.us/schwww/sch618/ScienceMath/Science_and_Math.html
--
Dirk
The Consensus:-
The political party for the new millennium
http://www.theconsensus.org
Solon
<di...@neopax.com> enlightened the denizens of uk.politics.misc by
writing:
>> >> "Actually, the very science that makes computers possible relies on
>advances
>> >> in mathematics first pioneered by Muslims. British children should know
>> >> this.
>> >> "Many areas of modern science and technology were developed first by
>Muslims
>> >> then borrowed and incorporated into European society. It's a side of
>history
>> >> too often neglected.
>> >No they weren'tt, and no they shouldn't. They werre developed by
>> >*Arabs*, not Muslims.
>> You appear to be assuming that these unspecified "advances in
>> mathematics" and "areas of modern science and technology" actually
>> exist outside the imagination of the author of that article.
>For explanations:
>http://www.sfusd.k12.ca.us/schwww/sch618/ScienceMath/Science_and_Math.html
I thought it would be something like that. Whilst it is indeed true
that computers could not function without the use of a zero, it really
is reaching to claim that Arabic mathematical developments made
hundreds of years ago can now be said to represent an "advance in
mathematics" which "makes computers possible".
You might as well say that the development of the English language was
an "advance in linguistics" which "made Shakespeare possible".
Similarly Europeans did indeed learn from, and build upon, Arabic
science, which had itself learned from, and built upon Greek, Roman
and Egyptian science. But again, thousand year old developments are
hardly properly described as "areas of modern science and technology".
Yes they may still be useful - but so are wheels: and one wouldn't
describe the wheel as a modern science or technology.
As regards their being "guardians of the classical tradition", this is
true to an extent (although some local Muslim bigwigs were as keen as
burning "heretical" books as their catholic counterparts). However the
main influx by far of that corpus of knowledge (back) into western
Europe - during the Renaissance - came not from the Islamic world, but
accompanied Christians fleeing Byzantium (bringing the libraries with
them), Jews fleeing Spain, and the reopening of private libraries
which had been hidden from the church.
--
Solon
The Holy Kafir
No puns intended, I'm sure.
Jeff Laventure
stagnation and/or decline since the so-called golden age?
I have to conclude that had it not been for the Chinese invention of paper
then there would not have been a golden age. This leads to, based upon the
reasoning of the poster, that all Arabic advances should be credited to the
Chinese.
Also advances are always piggy backed on someone else's discoveries.
"Solon" <nob...@nowt.com> wrote in message
news:af2jqv0dsuoaqpgtp...@4ax.com...
Dirk Bruere at Neopax
"Jeff Laventure" <Jef...@pacbell.net> wrote in message
news:9Ggqb.2971$Mf6....@newssvr29.news.prodigy.com...
> I believe this discussion leads to the inevitable question of, why the
> stagnation and/or decline since the so-called golden age?
>
> I have to conclude that had it not been for the Chinese invention of paper
> then there would not have been a golden age. This leads to, based upon
the
> reasoning of the poster, that all Arabic advances should be credited to
the
> Chinese.
>
> Also advances are always piggy backed on someone else's discoveries.
http://www.sfusd.k12.ca.us/schwww/sch618/ScienceMath/Science4.html
Why did this "Golden Age" of science and learning end? [This is an adaption
and simplification of The Golden Age of Islam (Stormwind.com).]
The Abbassid Empire became weaker in the 12th century. But from its golden
beginnings in the mid-8th century until the destruction of Baghdad by the
Mongols in 1256, Arabic culture was unequalled in its splendor and learning.
It was a period of almost 500 years!
A. Why did Islam's Golden Age come to an end? What forces shifted both
political power and learning from the Islamic Empire to Christian Europe?
Like all historical trends, the explanations are complex. Yet some broad
outlines may be identified, both within and without Muslim lands.
1. Internal Pressures (From Inside the Empire): the End to Scientific
Progress
With the end of the Abbasid Caliphate and the beginning of the Turkish
Seljuk Caliphate in 1057 CE, the centralized power of the empire began to
shatter. Religious differences resulted in splinter groups, charges of
heresy, and assassinations. Aristotelian logic, adopted early on as a
framework upon which to build science and philosophy, appeared to be
undermining the beliefs of educated Muslims. Orthodox faith was in decline
and skepticism on the rise.
The appeal made by theologian (a person who studies religion and about the
nature of God) al-Ghazali turned the religious tide back to orthodox
(traditional) belief. In a masterful philosophical argument, most clearly
stated in his book, The Destruction of Philosophy, al-Ghazali declared
reason and all its works to be bankrupt. Experience and the reason that grew
out of it were not to be trusted; they could say nothing meaningful about
the reality of Allah. Only direct intuition of God led to worthwhile
knowledge. Philosophy was a snare, leading the unwary to the pits of Hell.
By the time of his death in 1111, free scientific investigation and
philosophical and religious toleration were phenomena of the past. Schools
limited their teaching to theology (religion and the nature of God).
Scientific progress came to a halt.
2. External Pressures (From Without)
During this same period, the European Crusades (1097-1291) weakened the
Islamic Empires' powers from without. Cordoba fell to Spanish Christians in
1236. When the Mongols sacked Baghdad in 1256 the Islamic Empire never
recovered. Trade routes became unsafe. Urban life broke down.
Individual communities drew in upon themselves in feudal isolation.
Science and philosophy survived for a while in scattered pockets, but the
golden age of Islamic culture was at an end.
Diversity Isn't A Codeword For Anti-White
news:boc16f$1bu46c$1...@ID-120108.news.uni-berlin.de...
perhaps they should tack a final sentence to that page "...but us Islamics
prefer stoneage surroundings, that's why we lag hundreds of years behind the
western world today."
Diversity Isn't A Codeword For Anti-White
news:boc561$1clsum$1...@ID-120108.news.uni-berlin.de...
>
>
> "Jeff Laventure" <Jef...@pacbell.net> wrote in message
> news:9Ggqb.2971$Mf6....@newssvr29.news.prodigy.com...
> > I believe this discussion leads to the inevitable question of, why the
> > stagnation and/or decline since the so-called golden age?
> >
> > I have to conclude that had it not been for the Chinese invention of
paper
> > then there would not have been a golden age. This leads to, based upon
> the
> > reasoning of the poster, that all Arabic advances should be credited to
> the
> > Chinese.
> >
> > Also advances are always piggy backed on someone else's discoveries.
>
> http://www.sfusd.k12.ca.us/schwww/sch618/ScienceMath/Science4.html
>
> Why did this "Golden Age" of science and learning end? [This is an
adaption
> political power and learning from the Islamic Empire to Christian Europe?
>
> Islamic Empires' powers from without. Cordoba fell to Spanish Christians
in
> 1236. When the Mongols sacked Baghdad in 1256 the Islamic Empire never
> recovered. Trade routes became unsafe. Urban life broke down.
oh! what a surprise, like everything else it was the fault of those evil
English white people!! I bet Tony Bliar will be apologising in parliament
tomorrow for this one!
Dirk Bruere at Neopax
"Diversity Isn't A Codeword For Anti-White"
<allbla...@political.correctness> wrote in message
news:zphqb.1684$ha4.14...@news-text.cableinet.net...
That explanation (minus the bit about the theologian) has been 'standard
history' in England for several centuries.
bob young
written by early man - they should be concentrating on 2003, nothing more, if
they want to keep ahead.
Bob
Hong Kong
Solon
enlightened the denizens of uk.politics.misc by writing:
>Kids 'shouldn't' have to spend hours in classroon memorising a book of fables
>written by early man - they should be concentrating on 2003, nothing more, if
>they want to keep ahead.
You are Pol Pot aicmfp.
:-)
--
Solon
Heretic
>
> By Dilwar Hussain, Special For IOL
>
> LONDON, November 5 (IslamOnline.net) - The Islamic Society of Britain
(ISB)
> has launched a new website aimed at helping British Muslim pupils learn
> about Islam in a fun and exciting way, focusing on Muslim heritage,
culture
> and Islam's contributions to modern day life.
Thats about 5 mins covered,what are the kids going to do for the rest of the
school year ?
jackkincaid
> mathematics" and "areas of modern science and technology" actually
> exist outside the imagination of the author of that article.
Well, that's a seperate issue isn't it?
I think it's pretty much accepted that during the period between the
8th and 12th centuries, Europe's so-called 'dark ages', the Arab world
produced a number of mathematicians, architects and philosophers who
had an impact on the world to come. Most of the reputed (by some)
'discoveries' of the period are usually a revival of Greek knowledge,
or Indian imports etc. but there certainly were some great thinkers
during that period, in that part of the world.
And when you read about them you find as many of them were Jewish or
Christian as Muslim, and that the growth of Islamic fundamentalism
during the period meant that it was Europe, not the middle east, that
profitted by these discoveries. But even if we didn't knpow that we'd
know that Islam itself doesn't have a damn thing to do with science,
and whenever any religious fundamentalist of any kind discovered or
invented anything, he or she did so *in spite* of their religion, not
because of it.
It's on those grounds that these prosyletising websites should carry a
stupidity warning.
I've noticed, BTW, a growing tendency for 'anti-authoritarian' types
on these newsgroups to find common cause with Islam on the apparant
grounds that their authority figures dislike it. That's how stupid
we're becoming.
Solon
enlightened the denizens of uk.politics.misc by writing:
>Solon <nob...@nowt.com> wrote in message news:<s31jqv04h3ef85goc...@4ax.com>...
>>
>> You appear to be assuming that these unspecified "advances in
>> mathematics" and "areas of modern science and technology" actually
>> exist outside the imagination of the author of that article.
>
>Well, that's a seperate issue isn't it?
>
>I think it's pretty much accepted that during the period between the
>8th and 12th centuries, Europe's so-called 'dark ages', the Arab world
>produced a number of mathematicians, architects and philosophers who
>had an impact on the world to come. Most of the reputed (by some)
>'discoveries' of the period are usually a revival of Greek knowledge,
>or Indian imports etc. but there certainly were some great thinkers
>during that period, in that part of the world.
Indeed there were. But my point was that those discoveries are a tad
remote from modern technology.
>And when you read about them you find as many of them were Jewish or
>Christian as Muslim, and that the growth of Islamic fundamentalism
>during the period meant that it was Europe, not the middle east, that
>profitted by these discoveries. But even if we didn't knpow that we'd
>know that Islam itself doesn't have a damn thing to do with science,
>and whenever any religious fundamentalist of any kind discovered or
>invented anything, he or she did so *in spite* of their religion, not
>because of it.
Not sure about this. Until quite recently, research and learning was
mostly in the hands of the clergy, and the attitude of the respective
religions to learning was, therefore, quite crucial in shaping their
respective scientific environments.
(Some have said that this was why Protestant Europe advanced so much
more quickly than Catholic Europe.)
>It's on those grounds that these prosyletising websites should carry a
>stupidity warning.
>I've noticed, BTW, a growing tendency for 'anti-authoritarian' types
>on these newsgroups to find common cause with Islam on the apparant
>grounds that their authority figures dislike it. That's how stupid
>we're becoming.
It's actually quite an old tendency. JM Keynes also noted the capacity
of the British (and American) "intelligensia" to love any and all
countries/systems except their own. Islamaphilia is merely the latest
manifestation of that hackneyed old prejudice.
--
Solon
jackkincaid
> >
> >I think it's pretty much accepted that during the period between the
> >8th and 12th centuries, Europe's so-called 'dark ages', the Arab world
> >produced a number of mathematicians, architects and philosophers who
> >had an impact on the world to come. Most of the reputed (by some)
> >'discoveries' of the period are usually a revival of Greek knowledge,
> >or Indian imports etc. but there certainly were some great thinkers
> >during that period, in that part of the world.
>
> Indeed there were. But my point was that those discoveries are a tad
> remote from modern technology.
That's mostly true, yes, but that isn't *their* fault. To my knowledge
two Nobel prizes have been won by Egyptians in the last few years: one
in chemistry (by an Egyptian scientist who did all his work in Boston)
and the literature prize for someone who made his name in English
translation.
There's no lack of ability in the Arab world, any more than there is
anywhere else, it's the *political* system there that holds them back,
and that's because the dominant religion has frozen political
development in the late medieval period.
I just think it's important to make that distinction.
>
> >And when you read about them you find as many of them were Jewish or
> >Christian as Muslim, and that the growth of Islamic fundamentalism
> >during the period meant that it was Europe, not the middle east, that
> >profitted by these discoveries. But even if we didn't knpow that we'd
> >know that Islam itself doesn't have a damn thing to do with science,
> >and whenever any religious fundamentalist of any kind discovered or
> >invented anything, he or she did so *in spite* of their religion, not
> >because of it.
>
> Not sure about this. Until quite recently, research and learning was
> mostly in the hands of the clergy, and the attitude of the respective
> religions to learning was, therefore, quite crucial in shaping their
> respective scientific environments.
>
> (Some have said that this was why Protestant Europe advanced so much
> more quickly than Catholic Europe.)
Protsetant Europe developed more quickly in science because it was
free of the Catholic church (the Catholic countries were more creative
in the arts, presumably because the church encouraged artictic
creativity).
Religion once was able to bind society together - by binding together
the different cultures of the middle east and north Africa, people of
those cultures, irrespective of their religions, contriuted to social
progress. The Catholic church and Christianity as a whole once did
something similar in Europe. But the religions *themselves* - the
religious *doctrines* - had relatively little to offer. Yes,
Michelangelo had a great subject to paint for the Cistine chapel
ceiling in the Old Testament, but his contemporarioes Leonardo, Titian
and Raphael didn't do so badly painting portraits or scenes from Greek
mythology.
And of course the guardians of the faith - of doctrinal purity -
eventually prevented proress. When Copernicus (or the other guy, I
keep forgetting) told the truth about the orbits of planets he was
excommunicated and murdered by the church. When the Caliphate started
to be too ecumenical in its treatment of Jews and Christians, there
was a fundamentalist backlash. In Afghanistan under the Taliban, other
faith groups were driven underground (remember the Buddhas of Bamyan?)
but also, science became a plaything of the religious elite (the chief
guard of Kabul zoo had to ask for guidance from the Taliban in order
to keep the animals alive; they ruled that any animal not specifically
mentioned in the Quran should be shot).
Religion only allows scientific discovery hat fits in with its
preconceived notions of how the world works. The chief imam of Saudi
Arabia still insists that the sun orbits the earth. Why? Because
Mohammed believed it did, and said as much in the Quran. To him, the
Quran is superior not only to other religions but to reality itself.
This is the logical endpoint of all religious belief. We know for
certain Christ was not the son of God, was not born of a virgin birth,
did not enact miracles, was not resurrected, because these things are
scientifically impossible. You don't need to believe these things to
accept Christian moral philsophy. But try telling a Christian
fundamentalist. Try asking them why they *need* to believe it all.
>
> >I've noticed, BTW, a growing tendency for 'anti-authoritarian' types
> >on these newsgroups to find common cause with Islam on the apparant
> >grounds that their authority figures dislike it. That's how stupid
> >we're becoming.
>
> It's actually quite an old tendency. JM Keynes also noted the capacity
> of the British (and American) "intelligensia" to love any and all
> countries/systems except their own. Islamaphilia is merely the latest
> manifestation of that hackneyed old prejudice.
True, true. It's not actually Islamaphilia I was commenting on though
- that's always been with us, and to some extent I can understand it.
I suppose you could say the old Valentino flick 'The Sheikh', or the
old Fry's Turkish Delight TV advert ('full of Eastern promise') or the
19th century French romantic paintings of souks and harems, or
Lawrence's Seven Pillars of Wisdom, are all offshoots of Islamaphilia
or Arabaphilia. Nothing wrong in all that - it's similar to modern
fascination with sitar music and Bollywood, and it helps to make
foreign cultures comprehensible (whatever Edward Said said).
What I was referring to was people who aren't interested in Islam per
se, but are attracted to the anti-western stance of al-Qaida or
al-Mahujiroun - people who want to see 'authority' frightened, or
forced to act in order to 'prove' their contention that western
authority is corrupt or violent. It's a form of self-hate, basically,
and such people would shit themselves if confronted by real violence
or fanaticism.
They'll grow out of it, I guess, when they have kids. Which is more
than we can say for Osama bin Laden. In a civilised society OBL would
be arrested for child abuse.
Richard Dell
news:eb35fbed.03110...@posting.google.com...
> Religion once was able to bind society together - by binding together
> the different cultures of the middle east and north Africa, people of
> those cultures, irrespective of their religions, contriuted to social
> progress. The Catholic church and Christianity as a whole once did
> something similar in Europe. But the religions *themselves* - the
> religious *doctrines* - had relatively little to offer. Yes,
> Michelangelo had a great subject to paint for the Cistine chapel
> ceiling in the Old Testament, but his contemporarioes Leonardo, Titian
> and Raphael didn't do so badly painting portraits or scenes from Greek
> mythology.
Michelangelo hated painting the Cistine chapel, and he most certainly was not
driven by Faith. All he really wanted to do was carve marble. The "Art" was all
he could get to do that would pay him a living wage - and we know where the
Church got its money from, don't we? Apocryphally, Cecil B. de Mille exclaimed
on seeing St. Peter's basilica: "Jeez, what did this all cost?". His answer? The
Reformation.
_a_da_spam@nospam.com ฿ละลงง
news:<jksnqvsfo8ai0148e...@4ax.com>...
> > >
> > >I think it's pretty much accepted that during the period between the
> > >8th and 12th centuries, Europe's so-called 'dark ages', the Arab world
> > >produced a number of mathematicians, architects and philosophers who
> > >had an impact on the world to come. Most of the reputed (by some)
> > >'discoveries' of the period are usually a revival of Greek knowledge,
> > >or Indian imports etc. but there certainly were some great thinkers
> > >during that period, in that part of the world.
> >
> > Indeed there were. But my point was that those discoveries are a tad
> > remote from modern technology.
>
> That's mostly true, yes, but that isn't *their* fault. To my knowledge
> two Nobel prizes have been won by Egyptians in the last few years: one
> in chemistry (by an Egyptian scientist who did all his work in Boston)
> and the literature prize for someone who made his name in English
> translation.
>
> There's no lack of ability in the Arab world, any more than there is
> anywhere else, it's the *political* system there that holds them back,
> and that's because the dominant religion has frozen political
> development in the late medieval period.
Note that in order to accomplish these goals, these people have to live as
expatriates in the West.
Dan
The Muslim woman's in veil focus is her home, the "nest" where her
children are born and reared. She is the "home" maker, the taproot
that sustains the spiritual life of the family, nurturing and training
her children,providing refuge and support to her husband.
In contrast, the bikinied Western Christians/Jew sluts practically
naked in front of millions, she belongs to herself. In
practice,paradoxically,she is public property. She belongs to no one
and everyone. She shops her body to the highest bidder. She is
auctioning herself all of the time.In western Christian/Jew sluts culture,
the cultural measure of a woman's value is her sex appeal
Sunny
"Dan" <dan_4...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:461f6934.03111...@posting.google.com...
> Muslims women vs all other women ?
Personal experience, or reciting more Islamic bullshit ?
jackkincaid
> >
> > To my knowledge
> > two Nobel prizes have been won by Egyptians in the last few years: one
> > in chemistry (by an Egyptian scientist who did all his work in Boston)
> > and the literature prize for someone who made his name in English
> > translation.
> >
> > There's no lack of ability in the Arab world, any more than there is
> > anywhere else, it's the *political* system there that holds them back,
> > and that's because the dominant religion has frozen political
> > development in the late medieval period.
>
> Note that in order to accomplish these goals, these people have to live as
> expatriates in the West.
Well ... knd of, yeah. That was sort of my point - not so much that
anyone has to emmigrate to the west but that they need the freedom to
write or discover or whatever, and that freedom cannot be guaranteed
by any political system other than democracy, and democracy is
secular. Was my point.
Whassisname Mafouz, who I *think* won the Nobel for Lit, isn't an
emmigre, BTW. But his work needed to be translatable before it could
win, which means IMO it had to be *about* something other than the
glory of Allah, or whatever.