Product Description

‘1001 Inventions: Muslim Heritage in Our World’ is an easily accessible history book which presents the innovative science and technology of Muslims from the 7th to the 17th century, illustrating how their inventions and developments have contributed to our civilization today, with a forward by Sir Roland Jackson, Chief Executive of The British Association for the Advancement of Science.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #107954 in Books
• Published on: 2007-11-16
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover

Adam Hart-Davis; Photographer, Writer and TV Science Presenter of BBC Series ‘What the Ancients Did for Us’.
Glorious…overflows with…great ideas of the Muslim middle ages…every page…a mine of joyous information…beautifully illustrated.I wish I’d had…it…50 years ago

From the Publisher
The publisher, FSTC Ltd, is a UK-based educational entity which was formed in 1999 to popularise, spread and promote an accurate account of Muslim Heritage and its contribution to present day science, technology and civilization. It is a non-profit organisation that boasts an international board of trustees, advisors and more than thirty learned scholars and dignitaries from all over the world.

From the Inside Flap
‘1001 Inventions: Muslim Heritage in Our World’ is split into seven chapters, we can all relate to. You'll discover the Muslim Heritage, science, technology and culture in our homes, schools, hospitals, markets, towns, world and universe.

Learn who used deodorants a thousand-years-ago, who built seven-metre-high clocks, and the origins of three course meals.

Unearth the intellectual powerhouse of Baghdad, and marvel at how all nationalities and religions worked together to benefit everyone.

Open your eyes to sophisticated surgical practices like cataract operations using cutting-edge surgical instruments a millennium ago.

Follow the booming international trade based on renewable energy sources and advanced agricultural and farming techniques of Medieval Muslims.

Walk through thousand-year-old Muslim towns on their lit, paved streets, and read what Sir Christopher Wren thought about Muslim architecture.

Discover who explained rainbows and tides, travelled vast distances with groundbreaking maps and navigational devices, and proved the earth was round.

Experience a twelve-hundred-year-old successful manned flight, and marvel at sophisticated astronomical instruments in state-of-the-art observatories a thousand-years-ago.

Customer Reviews

Shockingly Brilliant and Absorbing!!
A brilliantly compiled and gripping encyclopedia of knowledge, which will have the reader wanting to know more. This book is essential reading for students and for those seeking to understand Islam and the Muslim peoples. A must read in my humble opinion for anyone who is interested in history, science and culture. I just could not put it down! Informative would be an understatement.. It's got quality written all over it. Made from quality glossy paper, it's definitely worth the price I paid for it, and I intend to buy more copies for my family and friends. It's beautifully illustrated, full of wonderful photographs, maps and diagrams. It's main theme and core is highlighting Muslim Scientists, Thinkers and Artists, and their contributions in our world. Its simple layout makes it a most enjoyable read. What really intrigued me was that `The Foundation for Science, Technology and Civilisation (FSTC)' has authenticated, and published this book.

It contains an ocean of facts, especially things we take for granted in our daily lives:

Who would have thought that it was through early Muslim advancements in science and culture that went on to lay the foundations/cornerstones of the European Renaissance, the Enlightenment, and modern Western society.

Who would have thought it was in translation from Arabic, not the original Greek, that knowledge of Greek philosophy became prominent in Christian thought.

Who would have thought that Western mathematics are based on Arabic numerals and calculations. Never!! I hear you all shout? Sadly I thought the same.. Truth can be stranger than fiction, and very hard to stomach.

Who would have thought that `Coffee' is actually a Muslim discovery, and the word is derived from the Arabic word Al-Qawah (Café).

Who would have thought that the word `Checkmate' is actually Persian in origin and a corruption of Shah Mat (The king is dead).

Who would have thought that paper and gun powder was brought to Europe by Muslims via the Muslim lands.

Who would have thought that the first Libraries, Hospitals and Universities were created by the Muslims.

Who would have thought that it was the Muslims who first brought and cultivated in Europe many crops and fruits from far lands as China and India, ranging from oranges, bananas, rice, cotton, sugar cane, silk and spices.

Unbelievably, the list goes on!

This book I am not ashamed to admit has managed to remove many prejudices that I held previously against Islam and its contribution to human life and the world. It has given me a whole new outlook to Islam, and has brought about a sense of respect, admiration and gratitude to all those great Muslim contributions that have brought about the quality of life that most of us take for granted. After reading this book, I'm sure most people like me will be convinced that Western civilization owes a huge dept to the Islamic culture. Without their contribution, sacrifices and efforts, we in the West would probably still be living in the dark ages.

A must read
This is one of my favourite books. It gives ample information about Muslim contributions to the world from Iraq, Iran, India, China, Turkey, Spain, etc. and has information in seven sections regarding inventions relating to the home, school, hospital, city, world and universe. In addition to this, there is a section at the end with biographies of Muslim scientists and explorers, a timeline and a map of Muslim contributions. All of this is easy to read and well laid out with many picture illustrations.

Furthermore, although the main author of the book is Muslim, he frequently references and quotes non Muslims who have acknowledged the Muslim contributions, including TV presenter and author Adam Hart-Davies, presenter of "What the Ancients Did for Us", who even wrote a positive review for the book.

I would definately recommend this book to anyone, Muslim or not, not only to inspire them but also to bring an awareness of this broad heritage that is often neglected. I am grateful that such efforts have been made to revive this heritage.

thw wow factor
i am a muslim and little did i know about the achievements of the muslims during the height of muslim civilizations. i did not know that in the muslim empires knowledge from philosophy, mathematics, sciences, medicine and ever other field of knowledge flourished and prospered. people of different tribes, religions and cultures lived in peace,harmony and justice under muslim rule. a wonderful book which is required reading for all muslims and non-muslims alike