Translation Movement in the Early Abbasid Era

Abstract

During the early Islamic period, Arabs focused primarily on religious sciences to establish the rulings of Sharia law. They also possessed some basic knowledge in the field of medicine, which was limited to a few individuals within a narrow scope. The Arabs' emphasis on religious sciences during that period can be attributed to their apprehension of deviating from the correct path before Islam had firmly established itself in their hearts. Since Islam was still in its formative stage, it was necessary to avoid any knowledge outside of religious sciences to prevent confusion among Muslims. As time passed and Muslims came into contact with other nations that had embraced Islam or submitted to its authority, which had rich civilizations, there was a blending of intellectual, spiritual, and social aspects between the civilizations of those nations and Islamic Arab civilization. This blending enriched Islamic civilization scientifically.