Salaam to all...

More on the "significance" of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the Vessel through whom the following was made possible...and this is just the tip of the iceberg...

ISLAMIC Influence on America

"In the United States and Canada, members have formed a large number of groups to enable them to expand their social and charitable activities. The best known of these groups is the Shriners (official name: "Ancient Arabic Order Nobles Mystic Shrine")"
"...this would not be surprising considering many of America's so-called founding fathers were themselves Masons -- George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Ethan Allen, John Hancock, John Paul Jones, Paul Revere, Robert Livingston, and 35 other lesser known men who were signers of the Declaration of Independence and/or the Constitution."



The ISLAMIC Foundation of the RENAISSANCE


ISLAM's Contribution to Europe's Renassaince


Islamic Impact on the Renaissance
The impact of Islamic philosophy on the Renaissance was enormous. First and foremost, Islamic philosophy originates from a time when Islam and its strict doctrines had a great influence on everyday life. The mere fact that Islamic philosophy was able to operate in such a fundamentalist environment greatly effected the Renaissance for it served as an example forthe thinkers of that time - how to present new, radical ideas without angering religious fundamentalists, who were the church at that time. Without Islam's example, the Renaissance thinkers may have presented their ideas in a much more provocative form, setting them back hundreds of years due to widespread hate, distrust and non-acceptance of what people would perceive to be overly radical ideas.

Secondly, Islamic philosophy always lead to one main conclusion, that the power of the One was supreme and that his words were the absolute truth. This concept is similar, in one way or another, to the religious beliefs held by Christians and Jews. One would expect that such a form of philosophy would change negative opinions that people, and specifically religious organizations, might have against philosophy, for it promoted what they firmly believed in, the absolute power of God. For this same reason, it might even gain favor with religious organizations. With these negative opinions lessened, the Renaissance philosophers had more freedom to operate in, for what they were doing was not considered "wrong". Had the Muslim philosophy not existed, the Church might not have been very receptive of the idea of philosophy. As a result, this art of human thought may have been discouraged or banned outright during the Renaissance, leading to little or no advancements in that field during that period of time. Hence, thanks to the Muslims, Renaissance philosophy was allowed to develop and grow.

Thirdly, many of the ideas of Renaissance philosophy are based on ancient Greek, Persian and Indian texts, which the Muslims translated, as well as the philosophy of the Muslims themselves. The Muslims were responsible for creating the foundation for the "building" of philosophy that the Renaissance thinkers would later "construct."

Finally, Islamic philosophy greatly encouraged science, particularly mathematics, which was thought to be the most abstract of Islamic sciences and therefore most similar to Islamic philosophy. Without philosophy's constant encouraging of scientific development, the large number of discoveries made by the Muslims may never have taken place. As we have seen in the science section, these discoveries had a paramount effect on the Renaissance. Hence, one could say that it was philosophy that actually allowed these advancements to take place, for philosophy and the need to explain the manifold in terms of the One was the Muslims' main impetus behind scientific advancement and enlightenment.