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| CHESS | The game of Chess was introduced to Muslims by the Persians, who imported it from India. The game became popular because of its difficulty and intellectual challenge. Muslims continued to adapt and improve the game. Eventually they introduced it to Europeans, who played it widely from the 13th century on. |
| BANKING SYSTEM | The Muslims had a central bank with branch offices and an elaborate system of checks and credit. It became possible for a check written on a bank in one part of the empire to be cashed in a distant city. This helped international trade and the sale of goods through out the empire and internationally. |
| ZOOLOGY | Muslim scholars made great advances in the study of animals. This was important to them because their lifestyle and economy were so dependent on animals. Al-Jahiz wrote a famous book entitled, the Book of Animals. It contained stories as well as important scientific theories and information. Scientist later used his theories to help understand medicines that could be extracted from animals to be used on humans. |
| HOSPITALS | An interest in medicine for Muslims traces back to Muhammad himself who said that Allah had provided a cure for every illness. Hospitals were designed to promote health, cure diseases, and teach and and expand medical knowledge. |
| ALGEBRA | The science of Algebra as we know it today was introduced by the Muslims. Al Khwarazmi introduced algebra to civilization. Algebra comes from the word “al jabr” which means “the bringing together of separate parts”. In algebra a mathematician substitutes symbols such as x, y, or z for numbers in order to solve mathematical problems. |
| ASTRONOMY | The study of the skies was an area in which Muslim scientists made great achievements. For centuries astronomers believed that the earth was the center of the universe. Muslim astronomers made their own observations and gradually found and corrected many mistakes made by others. By using their observations and the astrolabe, adapted from the Greeks, they began to believe that the earth rotated on its own axis. These ideas were discovered in Europe centuries later. |
| NUMBERING SYSTEM | The system of numbering used throughout the western world today has its roots in either the Arab world or India. It id difficult to tell whether the numbers we know as Arabic numberals was from an India numbering system that was spread by Arabs or if the numbering system was Arab in origin. Either way the system we use today is called Arabic Numerals. This numbering system is also the first use of the zero. Again it is unclear if the origin is Indian or Arab. |
| NAME 7 ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF MUSLIM SCHOLARS | Chess, banking systems, zoology, hospitals, algebra, astronomy, and numbering systems |
