This book is nothing but mere misrepresentation of history. The knowledge and sciences that the authors claims to be somehow associated with Islam, were produced by Persian, Egyptian and Indian scientists who were either Muslims or pretended to be Muslims. These three civilizations have been prosperous and flourishing for thousands of years before the existence of Islam and have contributed to the advancement of human knowledge long before anything like Islam come to existence. These civilizations and others that, were present in the vicinity of Arabic peninsula were affluent and successful even right before rapid spread of Islam by means of military endeavors. The indigenous cultures of these people were destroyed and the progress was halted in these regions for a couple of centuries after advent of Islam and forceful conversion of the inhabitants to Islamic faith. Many books and libraries and knowledge produced by them were burnt in the fire of Arabo-Muslim ignorance.

Much of knowledge claimed in this book to be of Islamic origin was simply the translation of Greek, Pahlavi (Persian), Indian and Egyptian books by Egyptians, Persians, Indians and some Arabs to Arabic. And the later progresses were based on them.
If you look at the biography of these famous so-called Muslim scientists like Khayyam, Avecina, Averos, Arrazi, Khawrizmi etc. most of them one way or another had been accused of apostasy or infidelity during their lifetime. I don't know how somebody for instance could associate Khayyam with Islam or any other religion in that matter!!
The contents of this book even the title of it is as absurd and as preposterous as trying to associate the scientific advancements made in today's US research and educational institutes to Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwel and Church of Jesus Christ, simply because all of the scientists there, are born Christians.

I came across this book purely by chance in a charity shop, and as I had a passing intrest in the history of mathematics decided to buy it, mainly for the pictures. To be honest at first I just flicked through it, put it on my bookshelf, and forgot about it. It was only about a year later, when I started to do some more serious research into the history of the number system that I took a second look at the book. The author, I have since discovered is a well known authority on the subject, and coined the term Islamic Science. The book's presentation is excellent. The pictures are both attractive and well chosen, and add to the content of the book rather than just decorating it. I was primarilly interested in the sections concerning Islamic mathematics, and it was a pleasure to be able to see the manuscripts and instruments I had been reading so much about. The book covers a lot of ground, from maths to medicine, although it is not as detailed as some on the subject. It's interest lies however in the fact that it covers different ground to most similar books. The author mentions lots of facts which I otherwise found only in old or obscure texts. It should also be noted that the author is Muslim, which means that he is able to offer more of an insight into the religious and philosophical aspects of the history of Islamic Science and Maths than most western writers do. This is the most pleasing aspect of the book, and the one which makes it a valuable addition to the bookshelf of any mathematician, islamicist, or maths teacher. This book is worth buying if you want an attractive introduction to Islamic Science, or if you want to read the perspective of somone who doesn't simple see the Arab contribution to Mathematics and Science as a diversion to fill the pages between the greeks and the renaisance.

A very informative and well written book by some one who is obviously an authority on the subject. A good aspect of this book is to intorduce the reader to the notion of "Islamic science" rather than "Arab science" which is used by some semi schoalrs. The term "Islamic scinece"is significant since it indicates the input and contribution of many cultures, Arab and non Arab into the body of sicentific knowledge created in Islamic civilization. It also is an indication of how, contrary to common misconceptions, Islamic religion brought together a vast number of people from different cultures and background and created an environment of harmony and spiritual awareness which led to many great philosophical and scientific works. As a moslem philosopher once said " The dark ages for moslem nations started when moslems lost connection with the essence of their religion and spirituality".

Honestly speaking, if producing such materials helps to alleviate the obsessive inferiority complex of Muslim writers like this author and other readers and sympathizers, before the advancements and magnificence of Western culture; well let it be.
The Islamic world is drowned in ignorance and misery. Not a single contribution is being made to the progress of science, technology, art, humanity, etc. by these people, the only gift is terrorism.
The author maliciously downplays the role of modernity in today's people's lives. I guess he wants to have an Islamic government run over all today's civilized world, may be something like Taliban to implement all the Islamic codes and culture.
Well sorry pal that's not possible. But the important point is that the author himself is an immigrant or a refugee who fled the Islamic culture of his own birthplace, that's the irony.

It is a favorite conceit of Muslims to claim that the West lacks a religious or moral component to its culture. Islam rewards outward conduct, such as repetitive and mindless prayers and the wearing of particular costumes as an act of holiness. When Muslims don't see Westerners following their outward habits of holiness they conclude no spirituality exists.
Islam is in danger because of the clearly false tenets that it can no longer defend in the light of day. Case in point, the Bukhari Hadith in which Mohammed expressly and unambiguously states that "women are dificient in intellect." This is what is known in science as a testable hypothesis, it can be tested and proven true or false. Everywhere this assertion is proven false, over and over and over again. Given this, Mohammed's credibility is shattered. This is the culture that sanctifies domestice violence, polygamy and the suppression of the female intellect. The uprising of Islamic fervor is just a protest against the end of an era, an unsustainable ideology coming to an end, all for the world's good.

As a teenage Muslim I find this book great Spruatily and Mentally. I recomend this book for Muslims and Non-Muslim Teens.

If you don't know much about Islam, this isn't the place to start. The authors and perspectives are overwhelmingly Sufi, and strain to present mystical Islam in Christian terms. They generally also represent modernist Islam, assimilated to Western ideas. So this isn't mainstream Islam. But if that's what you're interested in, this is a great book. Of course some essays are better than others, but overall it's a good read. I learned a lot.

Nasr's basic thesis is that the deteriorating condition of nature is an indication of man's waning spirituality. Unfortunately, the book works more as a 'history of philosophy and science' without discussion on his thesis.

The title held great promise, but as a practitioner with over 18 years experience in power projects and project finance deals both at home and in some pretty difficult countries, this book was a let down. It approaches the subject from a theoretical point of view and it is clear that the author has little first hand experience in negotiating and closing deals.

Please provide me with books that are really helpful in the area of Energy, Power finance in emerging markets. contact me at fininfo@mail.com thanks.

I was looking for an explanation of financial instruments in the petroleum market - APO's, calendar swaps, etc. At best I was hoping for some quantitative background, at worst I was expecting a listing of instruments. This book provides neither.

This book is a short history of petroleum spot and futures markets. Fine if you need it, but terrible if you don't.