Why was learning important during the early Islamic civilisation?
During the Golden Age of Islam, many new ideas, discoveries and learning took place.
Muslim scholars (professors) learned about maths, science, medicine and astronomy (stars).
Cities like Baghdad had big libraries and schools.
People came from many places to study and share ideas.
Learning helped people run cities, discover new things and make life better.
Important words
Important words on early Islamic invention.
| Keyword | Definition |
|---|---|
| Astrolabe | A tool used to find the position of the sun and stars. |
| Inventions | New things people create. |
| Mathematicians | People who study numbers and mathsPeople who study numbers and maths. |
| Observatory | A building where people look at stars, planets and the sky. |
| Translate | Change words from one language into another. |
Watch: What did early Islamic scholars achieve?
Learn about the amazing achievements of scholars in the early Islamic civilisation.
The Islamic civilisation began in the Middle East over a thousand years ago.
In these lands, scholars – people who study in search for knowledge – gathered ideas from many places. They asked meaningful questions and made discoveries that still make a difference to our lives today.
In maths, scholars built on a number system from India and helped share it with the world. They also worked on new ways of using numbers like algebra – ideas that were developed, and still play a role in things like computer games and apps today.
In astronomy, the study of the stars and planets, people like Mariam al-Astrulabi designed astrolabes to show star positions and help guide people on their journeys.
Ibn Sina wrote the Canon of Medicine – a collection of books that doctors used for hundreds of years.
In the city of Baghdad, the House of Wisdom was like a giant library and academy. It was a place where ideas from many ancient peoples, including the Greeks and Romans, were built upon and shared.
With the support of their rulers, scholars built on old knowledge to make new discoveries that help people count, heal, and understand the world in different ways.
What was the Golden Age of Islam?
The Golden Age of Islam was a special time in History.
Lots of new ideas, inventions and learning was taking place.
Baghdad became an important place for science, maths and more.
Why were there so many inventions?
The Abbasid caliphs (leaders) wanted people to learn and share knowledge.
Baghdad had many libraries, universities, hospitals, schools and the famous House of Wisdom.
What was the House of Wisdom?
The House of Wisdom was a huge academy (school) where people studied.
It had a big library and even an observatory, a building where people could look at the night sky and study the stars.
Lots of important books in different languages were kept in the House of Wisdom.
People translated (changed from one language to another) ancient Roman and Greek texts into Arabic so more people could read them.
Watching the stars
Islamic astronomers (people who study space) improved the astrolabe.
An astrolabe was a device that showed where the sun and stars were in the sky.
It allowed travellers to find their way, a bit like a compass.
Muslims could also use it to find the direction of Mecca for prayer.
Maths and science
We count using the Hindu-Arabic number system, which was founded in India. It gave us the ten digits we use today: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.
Mathematicians (people who study numbers) in the early Islamic world like Al-Khwarizmi introduced the system to Europe. It was much simpler to use than Roman numbers.
Ibn al-Haytham was a scientist who carried out experiments. He studied how the human eye worked and learned that we see things because light enters our eyes. He invented an early type of camera that helped explain how the eye sees.
Medicine
Hospitals in the early Islamic civilisation were some of the first in the world and treated rich and poor people.
They also had special hospitals for teaching. Just like we do today!
Doctors studied the body and how to treat it for different diseases.
They wanted to find out more about organs like the heart and how they worked.
Look at the table below to find out more about important figures in early Islamic medicine.
| Name | What did they study and write about? |
|---|---|
| Al-Razi | Studied diseases like measles and smallpox and learned how to treat them. |
| Al-Zahrawi | Wrote a textbook that helped doctors learn about operations to fix parts inside the body and how to use medical tools. |
| Ibn Nafis | Studied how the heart worked and how blood moved from the heart to the lungs. |
| Ibn Sina | Wrote a book about the body, what makes people sick, and how to help them get better. It was used in universities. |
Think like a historian
Have a look at the thinking points below and think about your answer to each question. You could even write them down on a piece of paper or discuss them with somebody else if you want to.
Why did so many people come to Baghdad to learn and what happened because of it?
How did learning cause new discoveries and change life during the Golden Age of Islam?
What are the similarities and differences between the Hindu-Arabic number system and Roman numerals and why was one easier to use?
Perhaps you thought about how Baghdad was full of places for learning. There were libraries, schools, hospitals and the House of Wisdom, where people could read, study and share ideas. The caliphs encouraged learning and invited people to come and learn. because of this, new inventions and discoveries were made and spread to other parts of the world.
Did you think about the House of Wisdom? People translated (changed from one language to another) books so that others could read and understand them. People also learned by testing their ideas and asking questions – just like scientists do today! This led to improvements in medicine, maths and science. Life changed because hospitals got better and new inventions were created.
Perhaps you thought how using numbers like 1, 2, 3 are simpler to use than Roman numerals like X or V. Roman numerals use letters which are harder to add and subtract. Using the Hindu-Arabic number system would have made counting and doing sums much easier!
Activity: Quiz – Early Islamic inventions
Grown-ups corner
Are you a parent, carer or teacher?
Take a look at some of the links below on KS2 History which are packed full of knowledge, videos, quizzes and activities.
KS2 History: Non-European Societies
BBC Bitesize for Teachers
Baghdad in AD900
BBC Bitesize for Teachers
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KS2 History
Horrible Histories: Raid and Trade game! game
Play Horrible Histories: Raid and Trade KS2 History
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