Arab Civilization

I. Introduction

The Arab Empire's Golden Age

II. The Arab Golden Age: Law, Economy, and Society

A. Islamic Law—The Shariah1. Nature and Origins

II. The Arab Golden Age: Law, Economy, and Society

2. Sourcesa. The Quran

b. The Sunnah

c. Analogy

d. Consensus

e. Judicial Opinion

II. The Arab Golden Age: Law, Economy, and Society

3. Schools

4. Qanun

5. Impact

II. The Arab Golden Age: Law, Economy, and Society

B. The Arab Economy1. Agriculture and Manufacturing

2. Trade and Commerce

II. The Arab Golden Age: Law, Economy, and Society

C. The Status of Women1. Legal Position

2. Veiling

III. The Arab Golden Age: Science, Philosophy, and Theology

A. Sources

B. Arab Science1. Math

2. Astronomy

III. The Arab Golden Age: Science, Philosophy, and Theology

3. Medicine

4. Optics

5. Chemistry

III. The Arab Golden Age: Science, Philosophy, and Theology

C. Philosophy1. Aristotle

2. Falsafah

III. The Arab Golden Age: Science, Philosophy, and Theology

D. Theology1. Issues

2. Mutazillah

E. Influence

IV. Intellectual and Cultural Decline

A. Legal Ossification

B. Theological Reaction1. Al-Ash'ari (873-935)

a. Occasionalism

IV. Intellectual and Cultural Decline

2. Sufism

3. Al-Ghazali (1058-1111)a. Averroes (1126-1198)

4. Results

IV. Intellectual and Cultural Decline

C. Scientific Revolution?1. Institutional Constraints

2. "Acceptable" Science

3. Impact

D. Gender Imbalance

IndianOceanTrade,1200

Trade Routes of West Africa

V. Conclusion

• Cultural Conservatism