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The Golden Age of
Arab-Islamic Sciences
The Impact of Arabic on the West
Khaled Alrushaidat
Secure Transaction
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Price: $150.00
Casebound | 281 pages
ISBN: 978-9953-0-1000-7 |
Summary
The Golden Age of Arab-islamic Sciences/The Impact of Arabic on the West, is a multi-theme book which takes readers on a journey through times when the West embraced the East. The author, a linguist with a passion for tracing the origin of words, was astonished to discover that a great number of Latin words, particularly in English and French,had Arabic roots. This spurred him to write a thesis on the subject and led him to tap the grandeur of the bygone era of medieval Arab-Islamic civilization. This book gives readers a glimpse of an epoch when Arabic was the language of ehe elite...when Moslem, Christian, and Jewish scholars collaborated harmoniously to advance mankind...and when tolerance held sway among people of different faiths and backgrounds. Each of the 12 chapters that constitute this book talks about a specific science, such as geography, astrology, chemistry, and botany, that flourished in the medieval period, and each chapter ends with a list of English and French words originated from Arabic. Aspects of islamic teachings and traditions are introduced. Holy verses of the Koran mentioned throughout the book are written in Arabic, with 3 English translations of renowned scholars such as Pickthall. Anecdotes from rare and valuable books combined with quotations by prominent scholars and historians, maps showing cities and places that existed in medieval times, and pictures of holy shrines important to Christians, Moslems, and Jews form a mosaic of the unforgettable Arab-Islamic legacy.
About the Author
The author is a pioneer linguist with a special interest in studying the relationship between languages and civilizations. His academic achievements began with a BA degree in linguistics, and followed by a doctorate with honors from the Faculte des Lettres at the Sorbonne-the University of Paris. His assignments as a diplomat in Chile and India enriched his knowledge of languages. After retiring he embarked on the study of Islamic civilization at the Azhar University in Cairo, the world's foremost authority on Islamic studies. He later joined academia and became a professor at Al-Ain university in the UAE, where he taught French for ten years.
Reviews
"This book is an absolute gem introducing Arab culture and science to Western reader. It is full of rich detail and fascinating insight. It is a must for anyone with any curiosity about Islam and the Arab world and its deep and lasting influence on Western society."
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Dr. Dawn Chatty, anthropologist at the University of Oxford and author of a number of important books on the Middle East.
