Impressive Islamic Civilization
Exhibit and Festival
By Nimra A. Syed
A two-day Islamic Civilization
Exhibit and Festival was held at the Al-Arqam Islamic School
(AIS) in Sacramento on December 23-24, 2006. The exhibit highlighted
the contribution of Muslims to the many disciplines of science
- engineering, mathematics, physics, chemistry, and medicine.
The school management’s keenness to portray the Golden
Age of Islam was all too evident through the exhibits.
The effort bore fruit. The electronic media covered the exhibit
so well that on Saturday, the last day, people from Sacramento
and its neighboring areas thronged Masjid Annur’s multi-purpose
room.
The room was converted into a living history village display:
there were fruit and animal bazaars, where merchants were
seen luring the customers. The walls were decorated with portraits
of great Muslim scholars and their achievements. . In the
midst of the room, a large gold, red and blue tent set the
stage where a group of great Muslim scholars such as Al-Khuarzami
(father of Algebra), Ibn-e-Battuta (great traveler), Ibn-e-Sina
(father of medicine), Imam Malik (great narrator of Hadith)
and others were having discussions on matters of importance
of that time. A corner of the room was devoted to audio/visual
presentations where the audience could sit and enjoy the documentaries
and learn about Islam.
Recalling the glorious past
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Achievements of Muslim scholars
were demonstrated by some students. Nimra Syed, a seventh
grader, displayed the works of Al-Jazari, who is the first
known mechanical engineer and inventor. His work includes
the invention of water clocks, double suction pumps, combination
lock and first geared, animal powered pump to pump ground
water. He also wrote an amazing book “The Book of Knowledge
of Ingenious Mechanical Devices”, which is still referred
today. His invention of the water clock was recreated and
is exhibited at the British Museum of Science.
The festival marks the fulfillment of an important task: to
educate Muslim kids and others about great Muslim researchers,
whose work eventually made it possible for man to set foot
on the moon and succeed in heart transplant. According to
AIS vice principal, Sr. Dalia Vardani, these kids are the
torch-bearers of modern Islam and if they follow the example
of the great Muslim scholars of the past they too could contribute
to modern sciences and the progress and prosperity of the
future generations of this country and the world at large.
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