Golden Age of Muslim Civilization

Trade and geography played big roles in the development of the Muslim Empire and the spread of the Islam religion. First of all, the empire's location was close to trade routs, and trade meant that the empire would prosper. Many goods could be brought in, and traded out, from all over the world. This gave the empire both fortune and power, but also connected the empire with other empires, sharing ideas. The geography of the empire was a harsh desert climate, which forced the people to become Bedouins, people that moved from place to place. Many of them helped merchants travel across the deserts in caravans, from oasis to oasis. This constant contact meant that ideas and beliefs were being shared, and that is how the Islam belief was spread as well, further strengthening the empire by gaining more followers. Islam also spread because there were no major empires to prevent it from spreading, and because the Arab people were all under one religion, motivated together.

Geography and trade helped create many achievements in the fields of mathematics, science, and literature. Trade brought in lots of money, which allowed Arab scholars to create new works, especially in the field of art. Geography, on the other hand, allowed Arab scholars to focus on and study older works. This is because the Muslim Empire was located near other empires, or on trade routs connecting them. This meant that they studied works not only from their own past, but from the past of other cultures as well. This lead to great achievements in fields of mathematics such as the Arabian numerals that we use today, and advances in algebra. They also made advances in organizing medical knowledge, and wrote many works of literature.

Bedouin Life

As we begin our long trek,

There is no turning back,

With the sun in our eyes,

And bothered by flies,

We follow the familiar path,

And suffer the desert’s wrath,

Riding the camel, I can hear its every breath,

Everything else is as silent as death.

My mouth feels dry,

As I look up to the clear, blue sky.

Without a drop of water in sight,

We must go on, even through the night.

The only thing that I scent, 

Are the spices’ and perfumes’ familiar fragrance.

We continue our expedition,

To deliver the goods, which is our mission.