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Correct. Here is why -- according to the Koran it itself is the only and final container of truth as provided directly by their god. Hence, why read other books
by mkempe 9y ago
Correct. Here is why -- according to the Koran it itself is the only and final container of truth as provided directly by their god. Hence, why read other books, or bother translating them from other languages?
In the 11th and 12th century Moslem leaders were confronted with a choice -- tolerate and encourage scholars of reason, such as Averroes, who were inspired by their reading of Ancient Greek texts; or enforce adherence to faith in the one, holy book and god as the single explanation of all phenomena. They chose faith (and force) over reason. Averroes lived, and suffered opposition, through that period.
- mkempe 9y agoIn 642, Alexandria was captured by the Muslim army of Amr ibn al-As, a contemporary of Mohamet. Amr destroyed the library by order of Caliph Omar, who reportedly stated: "If those books are in agreement with the Quran, we have no need of them; and if these are opposed to the Quran, destroy them." According to the annual "UN Arab Human Development Report": 65 million Arab adults are illiterate; only about 300 books are translated from English to Arabic annually; even Greece translates 5x more books into Greek each year than are translated into Arabic (5x with a population ratio of 1/30). Here is another, detailed report: Illiteracy in the Arab World. [1] Aside: I just noticed some countries have incredibly low literacy rates. The worst is Niger with 19% [2]. [1] https://www.dvv-international.de/adult-education-and-development/editions/aed-662006/education-for-all-and-literacy/illiteracy-in-the-arab-world/ https://www.dvv-international.de/adult-education-and-develop... [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_literacy_rate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_literacy_...
- Nomentatus 9y agoThe destruction of the library of Alexandria is much more uncertain than you suggest. Most sources I've read suggest that Christians were most likely responsible. http://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-africa-history-important-events/destruction-great-library-alexandria-001644 http://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-africa-history...
- mkempe 9y agoThe final destruction was chronicled by multiple Moslem sources.
- cholantesh 9y agoMostly dating centuries after the fact.
- Nomentatus 9y agoThe destruction of a library in Alexandria was chronicled - but when was the original pile of texts destroyed? We are guessing, and there are other good bets.
- mkempe 9y agoYou're missing the point. Moslem chronicles attribute this to Caliph Omar: "If those books are in agreement with the Quran, we have no need of them; and if these are opposed to the Quran, destroy them." Whether the Library was destroyed in stages, and by a variety of earlier parties, is completely irrelevant.
- Nomentatus 9y agoThe library of Alexandria was a uniquely expansive collection of ancient books, a vast literature vanished with it. No subsequent library, to my knowledge, held so many unique volumes. Which is the point you're missing. The loss not of a copy, but the last copy, of so many books of such age.
- mkempe 9y agoYou're still missing the point, in the context of the severe deficit of book translations in the modern Arab world: The Caliph's order --as chronicled-- reveals a certain attitude towards books other than the Koran.
- cholantesh 9y agoThis is bad history on the order of "the tritone was banned in Medieval Europe."
- woodandsteel 9y agoHow about some specifics on the true history.