Europe, which witnessed the glory and spectacle of the Greek and Roman civilizations since time immemorial, was drenched in barbaric atrocities, religious intolerance and a socio-politico and economic quagmire when an infant Islamic Empire by the name of Umayyad was spreading tentacles in the Arabian Peninsula during 8th century (Yahya) n.d.). The younger civilization had much of the fresh blood, springing from the divine Quranic teachings and the Prophet Muhammad’s traditions of justice and social equity, to invigorate the veins of once thriving but then stagnant vast lands of Europe (Farmer 1988). History provides the testimony of this infusion to take place and today the world in general and the Medieval Europe in particular owes much of the credit for its Renaissance movement and its ultimate transformation into modern Europe to the Moorish rule and its advancements in the fields of literature, philosophy and science and technology (The New Encyclopedia Britannica n.d.).
There were traces of minor interactions between traders from these two distinct parts of the world before the exchange of deadly conquests which fused the dominance of Muslim Arabia over the Christian Europe through Iberian Peninsula. Andalusia, the territory which circumscribes modern Spain, became a mark of splendor and majesty in Europe and its Capital, Cordoba became an icon of world class education, culture, architecture and social harmony. The major impact on Andalusia came from Islamic teachings which favored social equality regardless of religious, ethnic and cultural differences. Secondly, Greek philosophy and mainly the works of Aristotle were developed and retranslated into Latin in the Islamic universities, which expedited the process of rediscovery in Europe (Grant 2001). Translation of thousands of manuscripts at the House of Wisdom in Baghdad and Cordoba Library which brimmed with six hundred thousand books sparkled as the beacon of light and illuminated the fields of art, architecture, agriculture, astronomy, geography, music, medicine, mathematics and language (Burnett 2001).
A brief finding of the translations of different manuscripts is as under and it suggests how Muslim discoveries in different disciplines helped Europe to awaken from the drudgery of barbarianism, intolerance and ignorance (Nasr n.d.).
The translation of Algebra and algorism with Indian-Arabic numerals was developed by the Persian Mathematician al-Khwarizmi, and introduced in Europe by Robert Chester and Leonardo Fibonacci during 12th century (Katz n.d.).Ibn al-Haytham compiled thesis on optical sciences, which were used as references by Newton and Descartes in the later centuries. The alchemical works of Muhammad ibn Zakariya Razi were also translated into Latin around the same era. Medical sciences were also highly developed in Islam as testified by the Crusaders, who relied on Arab doctors on numerous occasions (National Library of Medicine digital archives n.d.).One of the most important medical works to be translated was Avicenna's The Canon of Medicine during 11th century, which was translated into Latin and then disseminated in manuscript and printed form throughout Europe. It remained a standard medical textbook in Europe until the early modern period (National Library of Medicine digital archives n.d.).
In the field of agriculture, Arabs brought an Agricultural Revolution in Europe where farming was restricted to wheat grains; scientific discoveries led the cultivation of numerous other crops including sorghum from Africa, citrus fruits from China, and crops from India such as mangos, rice, cotton and sugar cane (Decker (2009)). These changes in agricultural production coupled with increased mechanization of agriculture, led to major changes in economy, population distribution, and income levels. Also transmitted via Muslim influence, a silk industry flourished, flax was cultivated and linen exported, and esparto grass, which grew wild in the more arid parts, was collected and turned into various articles("The Sugar Cane Industry: An Historical Geography from Its Origins to 1914 " (1989)).
The marks left on architecture by the Muslims are more vivid and portrayed the zenith of aesthetics and purity of art (Lockard n.d.), and (Qantara 2008). Where the mansions of Andalusia were sprawled by fragrant gardens, fresh flowing ponds, finely crafted arched-doorways and generously open yards, construction in Paris was restricted to conservative form of architecture focusing narrow entrances, empty spaces and small structures(Cardin 2001).
The smooth transition of merger of two distinct societal groupings and the consequent transmission of knowledge is rooted well within the Islamic teachings of equality and fair play without any prejudice to caste, religion or ethnicity (Chittick 1998). But the confluence of Arab and Europe was mediated and facilitated by the Sufi Saints, the role of whom is often undermined by the scientific discoveries and headways in arts and architecture of that time (Ahmad 1997). Nevertheless, their stature stands tall for the noble and selfless efforts of striking a balance between societies which at one end were engaged in crusades and on the other hand mutually depended on each other in cultural advances through learning and development (Fierro 1992). The role of Sufi scholars such as Ibn Massarah, Ibn Rushd and Ghazali primarily focused on adorning Greek philosophy (Influence of Arabic and Islamic Philosophy on the Latin West 2008) with Islamic concept of spirituality which fascinated the men of learning in Europe and rejuvenated their senses towards the outlook of life and romanticized their understanding on religion and self-discovery based on purified form of love which branched from meditation and intuition(Austin 1971) and , (Mackeen 1971).
Unfortunately, due to the bloody conquests of power struggles and the crusades aimed at suzerainty of the holy lands, the pristine and powerful impact of fusion of two mammoth civilizations is generally not appreciated, even so that efforts of Muslims for the regeneration of European society is almost discarded (O'Neill 2009). Rather, ulterior agendas are fulfilled by distorting facts and fuelling disharmony. But if rightly understood, the annals of history of medieval Europe are there to provide a lesson which can pave a way to inter-faith dialogue emulating a peaceful co-existence of distinct religious and cultural groups (Effect of Crusades n.d.).
