Medieval Europe

The Myth of Dark Ages and the Impact of Islam

Abstract

The West as it stands today, has a long illustrious history of many feats, yet it makes a gruesome mistake of de-linking its past from a period of almost a thousand years by calling it the “Dark Ages”. In recent times this trend has undergone some change and efforts have been made to restore that period to a more respectable status. However, still the best that could be achieved in terms of nomenclature is “Middle Ages.” The present article is an endeavour to highlight the grandeur of the period that became the cause and source for later European developments on the one hand, and finding the reasons and factors responsible for the attempt to relegate the entire era as unworthy of notice and credit. Among one of those outstanding reasons was the rise, spread and influence of Islam, which for a very long period was the envy of the world, particularly in comparison to the so called “Dark Ages” of Europe. It came up with its own learning and culture, science and philosophy, medicine and statecraft, architecture and commerce that were unique in every way but were reluctantly accepted and hardly appreciated. Yet the impact could not be denied and remains a fact of history even if western authorship has continued to overlook the significance of it.