Influence of Islam in the Medieval Period

Revival of Learning

Adopted Greek medical concepts like the humors: Earth, Air, Fire, Water; Blood, Phlegm, Black Bile, Yellow Bile.
Created "The Canon of Medicine" covering:
- Humors, diseases, diagnosis, surgery, therapy, ophthalmology, drugs, pharmacology, obstetrics, pediatrics.
Discovered the pulmonary circulation system.

Mosques are centers of learning and literacy, like churches in Christianity or temples in Hinduism.
Example: Oldest mosque in Medina.

Prayer (Salah)
- 5 times a day.
- Times set by official timekeepers called Muezzins.
- Required knowledge of geometry for exact prayer times.
- Digital apps now facilitate prayer times.
Direction of Prayer (Qibla)
- Pray facing Mecca.
- Requires geographic knowledge.
- Mosques built to orient in the direction of Mecca, e.g., towards the Kaaba (Black Stone).
Fasting (Sawm)
- Observed during the month of Ramadan.
- Lunar calendar determines dates.
- Fasting from sunrise to sunset.
Islamic Schools (Madrasahs)
- Institutions for advanced learning in Islamic law and other subjects.
- No standardized curriculum; vary from liberal to conservative.
- Influential in Spain post-711.
Libraries and Access to Knowledge
- Libraries often attached to madrasahs and mosques.
- Open to the public, with vast collections.
- Pre-modern access to a wealth of knowledge, precursor to digital information today.

Geometry and Timekeeping: Essential for precise prayer times.
Geography: Crucial for correct prayer direction.
Lunar Calendar: Shorter than the solar calendar by 11-12 days; no intercalation.
Madrasahs: Focus on Greek logic, e.g., Socratic philosophy.
Islamic Influence in Spain: Key center of learning until the Reconquista.