A Critical Appreciation of Arab Human

Development Report (2002) UNDP (Strategy for Renaissance of Science and technology in

Islamic Countries)

Introduction The Arab Human Development Report (2002) published by the United

Nations Development Program (UNDP) is a well-documented study in which facts

have been meticulously marshaled, systematically analyzed, and some very valid and

logical conclusions have been drawn regarding the backwardness of the Arab region.

However, the data on the number and proportion of students, by gender, in medical,

engineering, technology and other professional courses, a highly sensitive index of

human development, is conspicuous by its absence. The authors of the Report have

also overlooked the historical background, which might have been helpful in

explaining, partly, the present backwardness of the Arab region. Nonetheless it is a

landmark document, which identifies the key factors, which have impeded markedly

the socio-economic development of the Arab world. It also suggests a pragmatic

strategy to accelerate their socio-economic development. This is indeed shocking as

the Arab countries are endowed bountifully with natural resources and there is no

dearth of monetary resources because of their oil and mineral wealth. This poverty of

human development amidst plenty of natural resources sound anachronistic and points

to some serious shortcomings in the development strategies adopted by the Arab

countries.

Three Critical Areas of Deficit in the Arab Region

The UNDP Report 2002 pointedly refers to three critical areas of deficit in the

Arab region. They are: (a) the knowledge deficit, (b) the freedom deficit, and (c) the

woman’s empowerment deficit. It is assumed in this paper that what is valid for the

Arab region is equally valid for the other Islamic countries and is well substantiated

by the data in Table 1, on Human Development Indicators. Of the three areas of

deficit, the deficit of knowledge is by far the most important and of the greatest

concern since the absence of knowledge accounts for shortcomings in the other socio-

economic segments including freedom deficit and absence of empowerment of

women in most of the Muslim societies. In view of this the knowledge deficit will be

examined in greater depth and detail in the following paragraphs.

Knowledge Deficit in the Arab Region and other Islamic countries The people constitute the real wealth of any society and knowledge is their

most powerful weapon and significant asset. Acquisition of knowledge opens up

wide avenues of developmental opportunities. It is the responsibility of the

governments of the respective countries to make knowledge accessible to all the

citizens of the country through the latest tools available for its acquisition. The

governments of these countries have signally failed to raise the capabilities of their

human resource to their full potential. This negligence has adversely affected the

political, social and economic development of the Arab and other Muslim countries .it

is really shocking that it should happen in Islamic countries .The Holy Qur’an exhorts

the Muslim to advance the frontiers of knowledge and the Prophet (SAW) encouraged

them to go even to china to seek knowledge. In one of his Traditions the Prophet

(SAW) stated that “no gift among all gifts of a father to his child is better than

education ’’and that “seeking knowledge is a duty on every Muslim man and women

’’(Bukhari).Further it is obligatory on the Muslim to read and understand the meaning

and significance of the Holy Qur’an. In the light of this Divine command and saying

of the Prophet (SAW) no Muslim should ever remain illiterate and uneducated .it is

obvious that the government of the Arab and other Muslim countries are not

following the Qur’anic injunctions and Tradition of the Prophet (SAW) in their letter

and spirit. Because of this flagrant violation of the Qur’anic directions, 65 million

adult Arabs are illiterate, no Muslim country has 100 percent literacy ; Bangladesh

and Pakistan are among the countries with the high rates of illiteracy,61and 56per cent

respectively . Thus one of the basic tasks of the Arab and other Muslim countries

ought to be, as the Report stresses , “to over come the under supply of knowledge to

people and the under supply of knowledgeable people”.

Table 1 (Corresponding to 36 AHDI pp: 166-167 of the Report)

Ranking of Arab and Some other Islamic Countries on Some Human Development Indicators

Countries HDI AHDI Education Internet Life Freedom Gender

1998 Index Host Expectancy Scores Empower- Ranking Among the 1998 Per 1000 people ment Countries of the World 1998 1998 1998 1995

Malaysia 42 59 0.79 2.16 72.2 0.33 0.38 I

Maldives 58 63 0.89 0.38 65 0.18 0.29

Turkey 56 67 0.76 0.73 69.3 0.48 0.23 Jordan 60 68 0.82 0.06 70.4 0.48 0.23 Indonesia 69 69 0.79 0.07 65.6 0.2 0.36

Kuwait 29 70 0.73 3.44 76.1 0.35 0.24 Lebanon 54 73 0.82 0.74 70.1 0.18 0.21

United Arab Emirate 34 74 0.73 7.61 75 0.18 0.24

Morocco 79 79 0.48 0.07 67 0.35 0.27

India 81 80 . 0.55 0.01 62.9 0.82 0.23 Bangladesh 93 83 0.39 0 . 58.6 0.8 0.29 Comoros 88 85 0.52 0.01 59.2 0.35 0.16 Mali 105 86 0.34 0 53.7 0.67 0.26 Senegal 100 89 0.36 0.02 52.7 0.5 0.27

Pakistan 87 90 0.44 0.02 64.4 0.48 0.15 Tunisia 65 93 0.7 0 69.8 0.18 0.25

Egypt 75 92 0.6 0.04 66.7 0.17 0.24 Cameroon 86 95 0.64 0 54.5 0.03 0.34

Algeria 68 97 0.67 0 69.2 0.1 0.21

Djibouti 95 99 0.49 0.01 50.8 0.33 0.13 Iran 63 101 0.73 0 69.5 0.17 0.24

Syria 70 103 0.68 0 69.2 0 0.29

Sudan 90 105 0.48 0 55.4 0 0.22

Nigeria 97 107 0.55 0 . 50.1 0.2 0.2

Mauritania 94 108 0.41 0.01 53.9 0.18 0.16

Iraq 80 110 0.52 0 63.8 0 0.39

Source: Arab Human Development Report (2002)-UNDP

Data on Saudi Arabia, Libya, Yemen, Oman, Bahrain, and Qatar are not given in the Report. *India has been included because it has the second largest Muslim Population after Indonesia.

HDI (Human Development Indicator): Contains four variables. 1. Life Expectancy at birth. 2. Adult Literacy Rate. 3. Combined enrolment rate at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. 4. Real GDP per capita.

AHDI (Alternate Human Development Indicator) contains the following variables: 1. Life Expectancy at birth (LE). 2. Educational Attainment (EA). 3. Freedom Score (Fs) - (Civil and Political Liberties).

4. Women's access to power in society in General (GEM). Structurally the AHDI consists of two fundamental capabilities - Living long and healthy life and knowledge acquisition through education Internet Host per capita (IH): to reflect access to Information Communication Technology (ICT).

This knowledge gap between the Developed countries and the Islamic

countries has been widening progressively because of the differentiated investment

pattern in education as is highlighted in the Report. During the period 1980 to 1995

the Developed countries nearly doubled their per capita expenditure on education

from $500 to $900, whereas in the Arab countries it has been static at $ 100 per capita

and in the developing countries, which include the other Muslim countries investment

in education has increased only marginally during 1990-1995 and is only

approximately US dollar 50 per capita. (Fig. 1 corresponding to Fig. 4.7, p. 54 of

Report) On account of this ever-increasing gap in expenditure on education between

the developed and the Arab countries the former are progressing at a phenomenal

pace in acquisition and application of advanced scientific and technological

knowledge, leaving the Arab and other Islamic countries way behind. The Arab

Human Development Report has correctly identified (a) the language barrier, (b) the

digital divide and (c) the difference in quality of education as the basic factors

accounting for this ever-increasing knowledge gap between the developed countries

and the Arab and other Islamic countries. A strategy must soon be evolved to bridge

this knowledge gap as speedily as possible.

Language Barrier The language barrier has been a most determining factor in preventing the

emergence of knowledgeable society particularly, in the Arab countries. The relevant

books and research works in sciences, technology and social sciences are

predominantly in the English language. They are inaccessible to most of the Arab

scholars who have not cared to learn this language. Further the number of books

translated annually from foreign languages has been a mere 300. Compared to this, in

a small country like Greece it was five times the number of books translate in the

entire Arab region and in Spain alone approximately 100,000 books are translated

annually (Al-Hassan-DonaldHill, 1988, Islamic Technology ). The Arab scholars

living in the Arab countries overlook the fact that during the peak period of the rise of

sciences in the Islamic world from 9th to 14th centuries A.D>, the Arab scholars never

hesitated to learn the Greek and Sanskrit languages – the two distinguished names in

this respect are those of Hunayn Ibn Ishaq who learnt Sanskrit in the Taxila Academy

in India (?)* and even translated Sanskrit works on astronomy and mathematics into

Arabic.

Digital Divide The Internet facility is a cutting edge technology and the most powerful and

effective instrument in accelerating acquisition of knowledge. It is not accessible to

Arab scholars partly due to language barrier and partly because of the regressive

policies of the authorities in the Arab and other Islamic countries. This digital divide

is highlighted in (Fig. 2, corresponding to Fig. 2.9,p.29 of the report) displaying the

number of Internet hosts per 100 population in the world regions. The differences in

number of Internet connections between the developed industrialized economies and

the Arab and other Islamic countries are marked. In the developed economies even

the school going children in the age group 9 years and above do their homework and

search for information on the Internet. It should not be difficult to bridge this gap

because the number of personal computers (PCs) per 1000 is fairly high, particularly

in the Arab countries (Fig 3 corresponding to 5.2 – Indicators of Digital Dived, p. 75,

of the Report). These PCs have only to be provided with Internet connections. The

Internet facility is a great equalizer of knowledge for it is a facility is a great equalizer

of knowledge for it is a veritable library and makes accessible, cost free, vast vista of

development in all branches of knowledge. Most of the latest research articles in the

fields of sciences, technology. etc., are put on the websites of the respective

institutions i/individuals and can be easily accessed.

Quality of Education The quality and standards of education in the Arab countries and other Islamic

countries is extremely poor because their syllabi are out dated. They are not taught

the recent advances in they various branches of learning. They are taught obsolete

theories and the prescribed textbooks are out of date editions. The teaching is not

research oriented and is largely based on borrowed knowledge. The teachers thus

lack competence and ability. Moreover in most cases they are not appointed on merit.

The poor quality and low standard of education can be inferred from the following

figure. (Fig. 4 corresponding to Fig. 1, p. 41; Islam and Science, Pervez Hoodbhoy,

p. 28). Further none of the 120 scholars holding M. Sc., M. Phil., and Ph. D. degrees

in Physics could pass a multiple choice test in Physics, designed by Samuel Ting a

Noble Laureate and conducted by the Center for Basic Sciences in Pakistan in January

1986. ( Pervez Hoodbhoy, op. cit., p. 42 ). The situation is not very different in most

of the other Islamic countries and is a matter of deep concern.

In this age of globalization and rapid changes in the tools and technology of

socio-economic development the Arab world and the entire Islamic society from

Indonesia to Morocco is passing through a vicious circle of challenges and divides. If

this is not broken with vision, promptness and courage of conviction it may push the

Islamic world into the backwater of development, perpetuating its socio-economic

backwardness. Thus the basic challenge to the Arab Society and the Islamic world is

to initiate immediate steps to transform the vicious circle into a “virtuous circle” of

progress and development on all fronts with particular emphasis on quality education.

They ought to concentrate on building up of intellectual capital, which constitutes the

backbone of social, economic, technological and political progress of any region and

nation. In order to offer a reasonable and meaningful solution to the grave challenges

facing the Muslim societies, a synoptic view of the historical perspective into the

phenomenal achievements of the Islamic society in the fields of science and

technology seems appropriate. We may draw some meaningful lessons from our

historical past, which may furnish some distinct clues to meet the contemporary

challenges.

Development of Science and Technology in Early Islam – 9th to 14th centuries A.D. ` The expansion of the political domain of Islam, which started, with the

Caliphate of ‘Umar (R.A.) in 634 A.D. continued unabated until 750 A.D. when it

extended to Transoxiana bordering China in the north east and Sindh in India in the

east, and to the lberian Peninsula in the west. Thus the political territory of Islam by

756 A.D. extended far beyond the combined territory of the Byzantine (Roman) and

Sassanid (Persian) Empires. With this enormous expansion of the Islamic territory it

inherited the ancient scientific and technological legacy of the Mesopotamian,

Egyptian and the Hellenic civilizations and on its far eastern frontiers was again in

contact with the ancient civilizations of China and India. This territorial inheritance

of ancient intellectual, artistic and technological legacy and direct interaction with two

other ancient cultures and civilization produced a tremendous impact in shaping the

scientific and intellectual future of the Islamic world. This rich scientific legacy

together with Islamic dynamism inspired by the Qur’anic vision gave birth to a unique

Islamic culture and civilization, which not only politically but also culturally,

intellectually and technologically dominated the world until the 15th century. Islam

improved tremendously with innovation and ingenuity upon the intellectual and

technological legacy it inherited and left a highly enriched, innovative and improved

legacy of science and technology for Europe to borrow, innovate and improve upon it.

A proper appreciation of the tools and techniques employed by the Muslim rulers and

scientists to advance phenomenally the frontiers of knowledge may help the present

rulers in the Arab world and other Islamic countries to impart dynamism to their

efforts to plan the growth of science and technology at an accelerated pace in order to

overcome the short supply of knowledge and knowledgeable people, bridge the digital

divide, and face the challenges of digitization and globalization with confidence.

The Advancement of knowledge and technology from 9th to 14th Centuries A.D. –Patronage of the Ruling Elite One of the most significant factors in the phenomenal growth of knowledge

and advancement of scientific research in the Islamic realm was the patronage of the

ruling dynasties in both Baghdad and in Andalus. In Baghdad the ‘Abbasid rulers

established khizanat al-Hikmah (Treasure of Wisdom ) and Baytal-Hikmah (House of

wisdom) as research academies and translation bureaus. The rulers themselves

maintained large libraries, appointed paid esearch scholars to pursue their academic

pursuits and were themselves keen to acquire knowledge and participate in

intellectual discourses. Robert Biffault writes in his book: The making of humanity:

“The incorruptible treasures and delights of intellectual culture were accounted by the

princes of Baghdad, Shiraz and Cordova, the truest and proudest pomps of their

courts. But it was not a mere appendage of their princely vanity that the wonderful

growth of Islamic science and learning was fostered by their patronage… Learning

used to have become with them the chief business of life. Khalifah and Amirs hurried

from their Diwans to closet themselves in their libraries and observatories… caravans

laden with manuscripts and botanical specimens plied from Bukhara to Tigris, from

Egypt to Andalusia; embassies were sent to Constantinople and to India for the

purpose of obtaining books and teachers; collection of Greek authors or a

distinguished mathematician was eagerly demanded as the ransom of Empire”

(Quoted in :K.J. Ahmad, Hundred great Muslims, pp. 175-76, Library of Islam,

U.S.A. ) Caliph Al-Hakam ll of Andalusia founded a Library containing 500-000

books, mostly rare manuscripts (Ahmed, op. cit., p. 176).

Breaking the Language Barrier : Arabicising the Entire Corpus of Grek and Indian Scientific Literature

The language barrier was the major obstacle in the development of science and

technology in the early Islamic world. The political climate was, however, favourable

in overcoming this barrier. Arabic had become the Lingua Franca of the entire

Islamic territory from Bokhara in the east to Cordova in the west. Even the Jewish

and Christian scholars in Andalusia (Spain) and Syrian scholars in Egypt and Syria

had obtained a high degree of proficiency in the Arabic language. The Syrian

scholars were equally proficient in Greek. This facilitated the translation of Greek

scholarly works into Arabic on a massive scale. Eminent groups of multi-religious

translators were appointed, such as Musa Brothers and Qusta Ibn Luqa (Muslim),

Thabit bin Qurra’ (Sabian). Hunayn Ibn Ishaq ( Nestorian Christian ) who was also

the Director of the Bureau of Translation. These translators, together with a number

of others, translated the entire corpus of Greek scientific works written by such

distinguished scholars as Plato and Aristotle ( Philosophy ). Euclid, Archimedes,

Appolonios (Geometry), Galen, Hippocrates, Dioscorides (Medicine). Hipparchos,

Ptolemy (Astronomy) and many others into Arabic. This had the dramatic effect of

transforming Arabic into a language of science and technology and also made science

and technology accessible to the common man. This Arabicising of scientific

literature gave a tremendous impetus to the development of science and technology

within the Islamic domain. It helped the emergence of a unique scientific temper and

culture in the Islamic world, which led to unhindered growth of original and

innovative ideas in science and technology and its rapid dissemination across the

Islamic world from Samarqand in the east to Seville and Cordova in the west. The

scientific culture had the full support of the ruling elite and religion did not impede its

growth for it had the formidable backing of the Qur’anic injunctions and the ahadtih

(Traditions of the Prophet (SAW). The enthusiasm and keenness to acquire and

advance the frontiers of knowledge transcended the barriers of religion and language.

Thus the political and religious climates were most conducive to usher in an

intellectual revolution in the world of Islam. We thus observe the emergence of a

galaxy of Muslim scientists who not only excelled the scientific achievements of their

Greek and Indian predecessors but also left a rich legacy,. Which laid the intellectual

foundation to usher in the Renaissance and development of modern science and

technology in Western Europe.

Achievements of Muslim Scientists from 9th to 14th Centuries A.D.

The Arab scholars initially assimilated the corpus of scientific knowledge

from Greece and India and built upon this legacy a majestic scientific edifice, which

in brilliance and originality outshone its Hellenistic predecessor and remained

unrivalled till the rise of modern science and technology in Western Europe in the 17th

century. George Sarton in his Introduction to the History of Science admits that during

the period 750 to 1100 A.D. there was an explosive growth of scientific knowledge

unmatched in its brilliance which dazzled the world with its original, pioneering and

path breaking contribution to the advancement of the frontiers of knowledge. It

includes encyclopaedic scholars of extraordinary brilliance such as Farabi, Ibn shatir,

Ibn Rushed and Ibn Khaldun who commanded the realm of knowledge for their

ingenious and innovative ideas. In the process they rectified the Aristotelian

misconception on human embryology that male sperm does not play any role in the

fertilization process leading to the formation of human embryo and many of the errors

in astronomical calculations by Ptolemy in al-Majest. They originated new scientific

disciplines and new scientific theories in almost every discipline. Al-Battani

introduced Indian numericals with zero and Sines, Conices into Greek mathematics

and transformed Astronomy into a rigorous mathematical and exact discipline.

Modern Algebra owes its origin to al-Khwarizmi. If Ibn-Sina (Avicenna) the famous

philosopher and physician provided a remarkable unified synthesis of medical

knowledge from the earliest till his time in his book; Canon (Al Qanun fi al-Tibb)

which superceded the works of all his distinguished predecessors like Galen,

Hippocrates and Dioscorides, and al-Razi ( Rhazes)laid the foundation of clinical or

case medicine based on observational and experimental methods in the treatment of

patients which is now even more rigorously practised. It was ‘Ala al-Din lbn al-Nafis

who for the first time discovered, based on his anatomical observations, that the blood

moves into the left ventricle of the heart via the lung and not through a hole in the

heart as suggested by Galen and even lbn Sina. The foundation of experimental

chemistry was laid by Jabir (Geber) lbn al-Hayyan in the late 8th century but was

given a definite shape and formalized with the establishment of a fully equipped

laboratory for experiments in chemistry by al-Razi (Rhazes ) in the late 9th century

Laboratories in chemistry until the end of the 19th century differed little from the

laboratory set up earlier by al-Razi in the 10th century A.D. Modern scientific studies

on optics owe their origin to lbn al-Haitham (Al-Hazen) and modern Botanical studies

owe their origin to the Andalusian (Spanish) botanist lbn al-Baitar (13th century A.D.)

who was the first botanist in the history of botanical sciences to have conducted field

studies specifically for the collection of plants along the Mediterranean coast from

east coast of Andalus (Spain) through North Africa to the Syrian coast. He conducted

his botanical research in the Royal Botanic Garden in Seville. The concept of Royal

Botanic Garden was unheard of in Europe until the 16th century (for details refer

Appendix A).

Establishment of teaching hospitals for the treatment of both in-and out-

patients and well organized astronomical observatories equipped with mathematical

tools to calculate planetary movement were distinct gifts of Islam to modern medical

system and astronomy respectively. Hospitals established by the Muslims offered

free treatment to in and out patients without any discrimination. They had separate

wards each for contagious diseases and psychiatric cases; they had their own

pharmacy and an excellent library for students and teachers. Tyco Brahe, the Danish

astronomer, modeled his observatory after the observatory established by Taqi al-Din

in Istanbul in the mid 16th century and used the mathematical models of Tusi and lbn

Shatir for astronomical observations and calculations.

Distinguished Islamic philosophers such as al-Kindi, Farabi, lbn Sina and lbn

Rushd who were considered as the fountainhead of knowledge were inspired by

philosophical thoughts of Aristotle and Plato. They turned out to be the greatest

exponents of Aristotelian rationalism. The exquisite commentaries of these brilliant

Muslim scholars on the works of Aristotle and their translation into Latin in the 13th

century A.D. reignited European interest in Aristotelian rationalism, which eventually

ushered in intellectual Renaissance Movement in Europe. It may, however, be

mentioned incidentally that at the time when the Islamic realm was experiencing

unparalleled intellectual and scientific revolution in the Middle Ages, Europe was

steeped in darkness owing to fanaticism and religious intolerance of scientific and

rational ideas by the Church.

Technological Advancement in Early Islam

The Muslim contribution to the advancement of technology was equally

remarkable. Charles Singer, a historian of Technology, writes in his book the History

of Technology. “Europe, however is but a small peninsula extending from the great

landmass of Afro-Asia. This is indeed its geographical status and this until the 13th

century was generally also its technological status-for nearly all products of

technology the best products available to the west were those of the Near East”. The

paper manufacture borrowed from the Chinese was first established in Samarqand in

751 A.D., later spread to Baghdad, Cairo, Fez and Jativa in Valencia region in Spain

from where it moved to Europe. The first paper industry in Europe was set up in Italy

in 1276 A.D. the glass making technology from Syria, which produced the finest

quality of glass products, was transferred to Venice in 1277 A.C. under a treaty

agreement. The weight driven mechanical clocks were first used by the Muslim in

Spain in the 11th century, nearly 250 years before it appeared in Northern Europe.

They also initiated the use of windmill. According to Needham “The history of wind

mills really begins with Islamic culture and Iran.” In Europe it appeared only in the

16th century. However, the most spectacular Islamic contribution in the transfer of

technology was in the field of irrigation and agronomy. They inherited the Noria and

the Saqiya water drawing machines from the Romans but effected significant

technological improvements. These improved madels reached Europe from Andalusia

(Spain). The most notable and original contribution in this area was the introduction

of the Qanat system of irrigation to exploit ground water or subternean water from an

aquier (precursor of modern artesian wells). According to AlHassan and R. Hill the

Arabs introduced intensive cropping, raised four crops instead of two from the same

field, used crop rotation to conserve the fertility of the soil and in the words of

Herbert Rowen “…they practiced farming in a scientific way. They knew the value

of the fertilizer. They fitted their crops to the quality of ground”. (History of Early

Modern Europe, 1960, p. 359). Al-Hassan and R. Hill sum up the situation in the

following words “Muslim operations in agriculture, irrigation, hydraulic engineering

and manufacture were an integral part of every day life in the southern half of the

Spanish Peninsula (Andalusia), and …Muslim ideas in these fields and others, passed

from Spain into Italy and northern Europe” (Al-Hassan Hill, op. cit., 34). (For details

refer Appendix B).

One of the most remarkable achievements of the Islamic civilization from the

9th to 14th century was to inculcate scientific temper and create a scientific

environment leading to incessant search for the truth, conducting coordinated

scientific research in different centers and conducting experiments to test the veracity

of scientific theories transmission of new scientific ideas and transfer technology.

These men of erudition from the Islamic world laid the foundation for the scientific

and industrial revolution in Europe. Biffault writes: “What we call science arose as a

result of new methods of experiments, observation and measurement which were

introduced into Europe by the Arabs” (Quoted in Abdussalam, Islam and Science,

p,8, 1986). This view is strongly reinforced by George Sarton who admits that “the

main and the least obvious achievement of the Middle Ages was the creation of the

experimental spirit and this was primarily due to Muslims down to the 12th century”.

(George Sarton, Introduction to the History of Science, vol. 2, chapter 29, 1947).

Decline in Political Power, Rise of Fanaticism and Decadence of Science and Technology in the Islamic Realm

The transfer of science and technology from the Islamic realm to Europe was

followed by a sharp decline of political power of Islam, and the rise of fanaticism in

Islam dealt a mortal blow to the development O’ science. It is symbolized by the

destruction of the Istanbul Astronomical Observatory in 1580 by the fanatics which

was established by Taqi al-Din in 1545. The rise of the clerics and fanaticism stifiled

the growth of science in the countries ruled by Islam such as Mughul Empire in India,

Ottoman Empire in Turkey and Arabia and smaller kingdoms in the Maghreb. The

language barrier re-emerged forcefully since most of the post 16th century scientific

researches were conducted in Spanish, German, Italian, French and English

languages. Hence the language of science and technology once again became

inaccessible to Muslims allover the world and consequently the Muslim countries

rapidly lapsed into decay. The process of decadence has further worsened with the

rise of satellite and information technology. This has been largely due to the language

barrier, economic constraints and indifferent attitude of the ruling elite. These factors

have led to the development of a vicious circle. A strategy has now to be evolved to

transform this vicious circle into “virtuous circle” so that not only the Arab World but

the entire Islamic belt from Indonesia and Brunei in the east to Morocco and

Mauritania in the west regains its status as a leading knowledgeable society in the

world and its deficit of knowledgeable people is converted into a surplus with the

rapid formation of human capital which plays a key role in building up a “virtuous

circle”.

In order to assess the situation correctly we should draw our lessons from

history, as outlined, and critically examine the strategy suggested by the Arab Human

Development Report (2002) to meet the challenges confronting the Arab and the

Islamic society in the contemporary scenario. Historically we observe that a generous

and enlightened support from the ruling elite was the prime mover in ushering in

scientific revolution in the Islamic realm from the 9th to 14th century A.D. Both the

rulers and the scholars received their inspiration from Islam, the Qur’an and the

Traditions of the Prophet ( ). It is interesting to observe that during the peak period

of scientific achievement of Islam, religion was instrumental in stimulating scientific

progress and not a hindrance. Further religious education was never separated from

scientific education. In fact, they harmoniously complemented each other. A

distinguished physician, astronomer, philosopher etc. could also perform with equal

competence the duties of qadi ( judge) in a court of law. A muezzin (mu’adhdhin)

one who calls people to salah or prayer) may also be serving as an astronomer in an

observatory. Admitting the fact that Islam was the main impulse for the glorious

scientific achievements of the Arab civilization Al-Hassan and R. Hill state: “For

Islam, as we have mentioned, was the driving force behind the Muslim scientific

revolution when the Muslim state had reached its peak” (p. 282, , op. cit.). During this

peak period Islam had a most liberal outlook. Religious tolerance was its hallmark as

is evident from the appointment of a multi religious group of translators during the ‘

Abbasid period. Even the Hindu scholars were invited from India to supervise the

translation of scientific works in Sanskrit, mainly astronomy and mathematics.

Differences in religion were never allowed to stand in the way of acquisition,

promotion and advancement of knowledge. There were occasional fits of fanaticism

by a group of scholars when it was perceived that a particular scholar had deviated

from the fundamentals of Islam exemplified by Ghazali’s scthing criticism of Ibn

Sina’s rationalism and materialistic outlook influenced by Aristotelian philosophy.

Barring these aberrations Islam was always a source of strength and inspiration to

scientific achievements. However during the political and economic decadence in the

Arab countries “The movement of religious fanaticism against science was no other

than an outstanding symptom of political and economic disintegration” (Al-Hassan

and R. Hill, op. cit., p. 282 ). Religious fanaticism and obscurantism combined with

anti-intellect role played by the despots and dictators in the Muslim countries have

deprived Muslims of their vital source of intellectual and scientific inspiration and

consequently from the Scientific spirit and allowed science to wither away in the

Islamic society including the Arab world. It is removal of the deficit in the Qur’anic

revelation, along with the elimination of other deficits, hold the key to the

renaissance of science and technology in the Islam world as identified in the Report.

Strategy Adope in early ism for the growth of science and Technology In the light of the above the strategy adopted in early Islam to inculcate

scientific spirit and ensure accelerate progress of science and technology may be

identified as follows:

• Adequate understanding of the meaning and significance of the

multidimensional character of Qur’anic Revelations.

• Generous and enlightened patronage by the Ruling Elite to ensure total

freedom of research liberal funding of scientific research and of scientists in

order to ensure their economic stability.

• Arabicising the entire corpus of Greek scientific works, and Indian

astronomical and mathematical works.

• Coordination of research and rapid dissemination of knowledge within the

Islamic realm from Samarqand in the east to Cordova in west.

• Emergence of centers of excellence in astronomy, medicine, pharmacology,

optics, agronomy etc.

• Religious tolerance and full support and encouragement to Non-Muslims on

par with Muslims in their academic pursuits.

Strategy Suggested by Arab Human Development Report 2002 to Create Knowledge Society The strategy suggested by the Arab Human Development Report 2002 (UNDP) is multifold and may be summarized as follows:

• Substantial increase in Research and Development fund from current

0.5 percent of GDP to 2 percent within a decade.

• Prompt application of modern tools for the acquisition of knowledge to

minimize the knowledge gap and eliminate the digital divide. The

Internet connectivity should be maximized in the Arab world in the

educational, administrative, economic, commercial, banking services

etc.

• Establishment of specialized centers/centers of excellence in education

and research for the optimum utilization of natural/intellectual

resources in the Arab world.

• Significant improvement in the quality of education from the school to

the University level.

• Women constitute a significant component of human capital. They

should be provided with the best of education, on par with men, in

every field to enable them to play an active and constructive role in the

development of the Arab society.

• Elimination of Language Barrier;

Although the Report stresses the importance of the removal of language

barrier its recommendations in this regard are not clear and categorical. It states:

“Linguistically, the world of Information Communication (ICT) is at a watershed. It

can maintain linguistic diversity, a choice that entails difficult communication and

hinders the flow of information and knowledge, or it can turn to a standard unified

language, mostly English – Arabic meanwhile has its own watershed. It can ( become

a means for the Arab countries to catch up with the information train, or it can lead to

a wider linguistic divide between the Arabs and the rest of the world at various

levels.”

• Reduce dependency on external sources for Research and Development

and expert consultancy.

• Knowledge should be made accessible to all sections of the community

rich and poor and establish a culture of excellence and merit.

• Pooling of financial and intellectual resources from the Arab world.

• Information communication technology is by far the most important

enabler and equalizer of technology (ICT) assess available today. Priority

should be given to ICT education.

• Arab Cooperation and Institutional Arrangement – Arab League to

function like the European Union and the Creation of an Arab Common

Market,

The Report emphasizes the point that individually Arab countries offer very

limited possibilities because of the size of their market and resources but “by coming

together, Arab countries can reap the benefits of size and scale, diversify their

combined economies, and open up opportunities for investment that would be

unavailable in the absence of coordinated efforts and cooperation” (p. 122). In order

to achieve this goal, the Arab League must be made an effective organization like the

European Union. The first step in this direction would be to constitute the Arab

Common Market and create the requisite institutions and instruments in order to

implement the program vigorously.

It may be noted that barring the modern developmental tools such as

Information Communication Technology (ICT), and conceptual jargons such as

‘investment strategy’, and Research and Development (R&D), the similarities

between the strategies of early Islam and the Arab Human Development Repot (2002)

UNDP are striking. The recommendations of the Report are highly pragmatic and if

implemented with sincerity and conviction they will indeed accelerate the socio-

economic development of the Arab world and benefit it immensely. There are,

however, two significant omissions in the Report. Firstly the Report failed to identify

the key deficit of the Arab world as well as the rest of the Islamic realm, i.e. absence

of Qur’anic education and appreciation of the significance of the Qur’anic

Revelations, the élan vital, or the main inspiring force of Islamic Civilization.

Secondly, the extension of the concept of an Arab Common Market to the entire

Islamic realm. These omissions are, however, understandable because the terms of

reference of the Report were restricted to the Arab World. Being a United Nations

official document it had to adhere to its secular credentials hence the mention of the

Holy Qur’an has been avoided. As against this a study on Islamic Technology

conducted by Ahmed Y. al-Hassan and Donald R. Hill and sponsored by the United

Nations Educational, Scientific and cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1986 stated

in its Epilogue that “Islamic religion was the main impulse behind the renaissance of

science at the zenith of Muslim Arab Civilization, it was partly the post 16th century

rise of a clerical faction which froze this same science and withered its progress” ( p.

282). While supporting the idea of an Arab common market because of its “cultural

unity of language, religion and history” it pleads for wider regional, educational and

scientific cooperation among the Islamic countries because that would enrich and

diversify natural resources immensely and will also add significantly to the richness

and size of human resources. It states as follows: “The Islamic world is rich in

natural and human resources, which is fortunate because the future of its science and

technology depends upon the successful utilization of a combination of these two

ingredients. Though most individual Islamic states now realize the importance of

science and technology for their future development, and though some have achieved

considerable success along this road, future progress in all Muslim countries, rich and

poor, depends on the extent of economic cooperation and integration among them on

a regional basis… To achieve this the countries of Islam require perception,

determination and cooperative leadership.” (pp. 285-286).

Additional strategy recommended in this paper

In view of the ideas expressed in the foregoing paragraphs it is proposed to

add the following to the recommendations made in the Arab Human Development

Report (2002), UNDP. Further these recommendations will cover the entire Islamic

realm.

Eliminating the Acute Deficit it in Qur’anic Education and Appreciation of the Multifaceted Dimensions of the Holy Qur’an In order to accomplish this the meaning and significance of the Holy Qur’an,

both in their letter and spirit, should be thoroughly internalized by all the Muslims,

rich and poor, male and female within the Islamic realm. The Qur’anic values and

precepts and practices of the Prophet ( ) should be thoroughly enshrined in the

hearts and minds of all the Muslim. This will correct the distortions, which have crept

into the Islamic values. It will act against dogmatism, fanaticism, and obscurantism,

will inculcate tolerant and liberal outlook while adhering firmly to the fundamentals

of Islam, and will ensure removal of deficits relating to women empowerment,

freedom of speech and democracy (Fig. 5. Dimensions of Qur’anic Revelations).

A Twin Track Strategy to Overcome Language Barrier may be Adopted

Track 1: Arabicising the Scientific Literature: The corpus of scientific

literature in non-Arabic language is enormous. Hence only selected and important

scientific works in diverse disciplines in English, French, Spanish, German and

Russian languages will be picked up for translation into Arabic. In order to implement

it Translation Bureaus may be established and bilingual scholars: French-Arabic,

English-Arabic, German-Arabic, Spanish-Arabic and Russian-Arabic may be

appointed to carry out this onerous task.

Track 2: Introduction of English as a second language in the schools and

colleges of all the Arab and other Islamic countries where English is not the medium

of instruction. The scholars must develop enough proficiency in English language to

access on the internet available literature in different branches of science and to

adequately understand them and other scientific works. This will substantially

accelerate the pace of acquisition and advancement of knowledge in the entire Islamic

realm including the Arab world.

Acquaintance and Awareness of the Scientific Legacy of Islam

According to al-Hassan and Donald Hill there are more than 100,000 Arabic

manuscripts on science and technology in different museums of the world. It is

therefore important and will be extremely useful:

That an annotated bibliography in Arabic and English is prepared of all

the ancient manuscripts on Science and Technology in Arabic and printed for

international circulation, and that,

A selected number of these manuscripts representing different

branches of knowledge may be printed both in Arabic and English.

These steps will help us to appreciate correctly the scientific legacy of

Islam and its contribution to the advancement of the frontiers of knowledge as

a whole.

Establishment of the Islamic Economic Union and Common Market of the Arab

and Other Islamic Countries

The establishment of Arab cum Islamic Countries Economic Union is

absolutely essential if the Arab and other Islamic countries want to lift their economic

status in the comity of nations. Presently they claim a growing share of the world’s

population but a shrinking share of its economy. The situation is rather extremely

gloomy when we realize the fact that “last year, the entire Muslim world received

barely more foreign investment than Sweden” (Charene Barshefsky –New York

Times, 22nd February, 2003). The situation cannot be saved by the Arab Common

Market alone for the Middle East is passing through a phase of economic decadence

which is evident from the fact that “In 1980 Muslim countries in the Middle East

controlled 13 percent of world exports and received almost 5 percent of direct

investment, today the figures are barely 3 percent of world exports and 1.5 percent of

investment” (Barshefsky, op. cit.). Hence the creation of a Common Market and

formation of an economic Union of the Muslim countries of the world seems

imperative to promote inter-regional economic cooperation and to accelerate the pace

of their economic growth. These Islamic countries together will constitute a colossal

market of the size of 1.3 billion population whereas the Arab union will provide a

market of only 266 million. The resources of the Muslim countries in their Common

Market will be vastly diversified, will command an internal market of enormous size

and the therefore can benefit from the economy of scale and market it more

competitive in the international market. The Muslim countries are almost located

contiguously from Indonesia in the east to Morocco and Mauritania in the west,

Kazakhstan in the north to Somalia in the south. The contiguity is broken by the

intervening India, which incidentally has the second largest Muslim population after

Indonesia (Fig. 6 Pan Islamic map showing Member Countries of the Organization of

Islamic Countries, p. 30 ). The Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) should draw

its inspiration from the European Union (EU) and model the Common Market on the

lines established by the EU with modifications wherever necessary. The Organization

of Islamic Countries (OIC) and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) should play a

pivotal role in aggressively promoting a well-coordinated economic development

strategy for the Muslim countries in order to maximize the benefit of their resource

endowment. The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) should attract skilled manpower

from across the world including India and China, which have sufficiently skilled

manpower, and from the European Union, U.S.A. and Canada, which can provide

highly skilled Muslim manpower in different fields of science and technology and

social sciences. Similarly the Islamic Educational Scientific and Cultural

Organization (ISESCO) may be assigned a more constructive role in building human

capital in the Islamic countries. It should coordinate educational, Research and

Development (R&D) activities among the Muslim countries, search for Muslim and

non-Muslim talent in sciences and social science across the globe and attract them

through incentives to work in their respective areas of specialization in the centers of

excellence, which will be established by ISESCO. It should establish Islamic Council

for Scientific and Industrial Research, Islamic Council for Historical Research,

Islamic Council for Social Science Research. These Research Councils will be

liberally funded to promote both theoretical and applied research in their respective

areas and in different centers spread across the Muslim Countries. The ISESCO will

also ensure that the quality of education and of research in the Islamic countries is of

the highest order comparable to the best in the world. There should be no

compromise on standards and merit ought to be always encouraged and fully

rewarded in the true spirit of Islam.

Conclusion

Islam and Muslim countries are passing through a critical phase of their

contemporary history. The survival of both Islam and Muslim countries is at stake.

The Muslim are facing a twin challenge that challenge that while adhering to the

fundaments of their faith, their religion, Islam, can also be instrumental in

accelerating the development of science, technology and economy. It is indeed

shocking that all the Muslim countries without exception are among the most

backward countries socially, economically, politically and educationally. This raises a

question mark on contemporary Islam itself. Does it breed only fanaticism and

backwardness and has it lost its relevance in the contemporary world? The answer to

both the questions is an emphatic No! Nonetheless the fact is that fanaticism in any

religion has prevented the progress of science. While Tyco Brahea Danish astronomer

was establishing his astronomical observatory modeled on the lines of Taqi al-Din’s

Observatory in Istanbul, the Istanbul Observatory was being destroyed by the fanatics

in 1580. It was just like Galileo being threatened with inquisition by the fanatic

catholic clergy for his heliocentric theory of planetary movement as against the

geocentric theory taught by the clergy in their institutions. The basic cause behind the

over all backwardness is that the ruling elite among the Muslims have markedly

deviated from their inspirational force i.e. the Qur’anic injunctions and Traditions of

the Prophet (SAW). It was this inspirational force, which motivated the Muslims to

attain the peaks of scientific achievements from the 9th to the 14th century A.D. The

Islamic scientific achievements laid a solid visionary foundation to serve as a

launching pad for the phenomenal progress of modern science and technology. We

must return to our basic source of inspiration to regain our spiritual, emotional and

intellectual vitality in order to usher in a new dynamic phase of renaissance of science

and technology and regain new heights of scientific achievements, ensuring peace and

prosperity for all the peoples of world.

In conclusion it may be reiterated that Organization of Islamic Countries

(OIC) should transform itself to function as the Organization of the Union of Islamic

Countries. It should run on the lines of the European Union and focus sharply to

mobilize the natural and intellectual resources of the Union of Islamic countries in a

coordinated way making full use of the economies and building up human capital in

diversified trades and technologies in order to optimize the development of their

diversified resources. Such a development will call for a distinct change of heart,

mind and values of the ruling elite in the respective countries. Firstly they ought to

see that the multi dimensional injunctions of the Qur’an are thoroughly internalized

by the people of their respective countries. Secondly they must bear in mind the

principles which governed the foundation of the ideals Islamic State established by

the Prophet (SAW) in Madinah, and the unique message on the Geovernance of the

state which Abu Bakar (R.A.), the First Khalifah (Caliph) of the Islamic State

delivered on assuming charge of the caliphate after the death of the Prophet (SAW):

“Gentlemen, now that I am elected as your Amir, although I am no better than you.

Help me if I am in the right. Set me right if I am in the wrong. Truth is a trust,

falsehood is treason. The weak among you shall be strong with me till, God willing,

his rights have been vindicated, and strong among you shall be weak with me till, the

Lord will, I have taken what is due from him” ( Sirah, Ibn Hisham), vol, 3, p. 102. It

is the denial of this right to the people “to correct” the wrong policies of their rulers

by the ruling elite of all the Muslim countries, without exception, that has brought

disaster to contemporary Islamic polity. This “right’ must be restored to the people in

conformity with the Islamic idealism as enjoined in the Qur’an, determined by the

Prophet ( ) and scrupulously followed by the first four rightly guided Caliphs of

Islam. In view of this the Muslim rulers should act as the “first servants of the state”

and not as dictators and despots.

If the rulers and the people are inspired by the Qur’an injunctions and

Traditions of the Prophet ( ) they will inculcate compassionate and tolerant, attitude of

mind, will ceaselessly search for the truth and will be open to ingenious and

innovative ideas in order to advance the frontiers of knowledge for the benefit of

mankind. Such an Islamic State will be religiously tolerant, emotionally cohesive,

intellectually progressive, socially, benevolent, economically prosperous,

educationally, scientifically and technologically advanced. Islamic has strength and

resilience to face the twin challenge of retaining and harmonizing the fundamentals of

faith with the secular development of science and technology. It has proved it once in

the annals of history with glory and distinction and will prove it again with even

greater glory and distinction. Scientific and technological advancement inspired by

the Qur’anic vision will ensure tranquility, peace and prosperity of the mankind and

will shun the preparation of sophisticated weapons of mass destruction to bully the

weaker nations into political and economic subjugation and for the death and

destruction of mankind which appears to be the primary goal of scientifically,

technologically and economically advanced nations. This is total perversion of the

ethical norms and values of science and technology and repugnant to Islam.

Acknowledgements

The author expresses his profound thanks to:

1 Dr. Syed Fareeduddin, former Director International Atomic Energy Agency (

IAEA ) for his valuable help in compiling the information given in Appendix

A on Muslim scientists and their achievements.

2 Mr. Shahab Alam and Mr. Jang Bahadur for kindly arranging for the

reproduction of diagrams and map included in this paper.

3 Ms. Arshi Siddiqi for her valuable comments and innovative ideas, which

have been incorporated in the text.

4 Ms. Shaheda for kindly typing the text and the table most carefully and

patiently.

5 Administrator UNDP for kindly permitting me to reproduce a Table and Figs.

2,3, and 4 from the Arab Human Development Report (2002) UNDP.

6 Dr. Pervez Hoodbohy for kindly permitting me to reproduce the Figs. 1.1 and

1.2 from his book Islam and Science.

7 D.K.Publishing for reproducing the Map: Pan Islamic, on page 7 of the book,

Islam by Lunde Paul.

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