Falsifying history and stealing others' rights

Arab Times

23-04-2025

A few days ago, I addressed a topic that some individuals have seemingly become specialists in, which is producing and sharing videos that appear scientific, yet include statements and achievements falsely attributed to international scientists and celebrities, often in exaggerated praise of religious figures.
These claims are frequently far from the truth. The German orientalist Sigrid Hunke has been quoted as saying: 'The achievements of Arab scientists, including physicians, chemists, mathematicians, and astronomers, fell upon Europe like rain, reviving its barren land. However, it was difficult for Europeans to acknowledge the Arabs' right to science, authorship, and innovation. As a result, many inventions and discoveries in medicine, pharmacy, chemistry, physics, mathematics, astronomy, and other fields were attributed to individuals other than their original creators.' The quote goes on to cite several examples, such as:
* The submarine, allegedly invented by a Muslim sailor, but credited to John Holland.
* Eyeglasses, attributed to Roger Bacon instead of Ibn al-Haytham.
* Printing, ascribed to Johannes Gutenberg rather than al-Zahrawi.
* The discovery of America, claimed to have been made by a Muslim sailor, but credited to Christopher Columbus.
* The camera, attributed to Postman, instead of Ibn al-Haytham.
* The automatic robot, said to have been invented by an Algerian scientist, but credited to Karel Čapek.
* The compass, attributed to Flavio Gioja, instead of Ibn Majid.
* Germ theory, credited to Louis Pasteur, rather than Shams al-Din.
* The circulatory system, widely attributed to William Harvey, despite being described earlier by Ibn al-Nafis.
While the intention may be to shed light on the often-overlooked contributions of Arab and Muslim scholars, spreading inaccurate or exaggerated claims undermines the credibility of these efforts. Recognition of historical achievements should be grounded in verified scholarship and documented evidence, not revisionist narratives. Sigrid Hunke, born in Germany (1919–1999), was a scholar who specialized in Islamic studies. Her most notable work, 'The Arab Sun Shines on the West' (1960), explores the influence of Arab- Islamic civilization on Europe. Hunke contributed to shifting some Western perspectives on Islamic culture and history.
However, her credibility has been the subject of significant controversy, largely due to her past affiliation with the Nazi Party. Some serious researchers view her work as highly exaggerated and question both the value and the extent of the influence she attributes to Islamic civilization. It is important to note that there is no such thing as 'Islamic civilization', like 'Christian,' 'Jewish,' or 'Buddhist' civilization.
The problem with the spread of such exaggerations lies not with Hunke herself, but with us. Regardless of the accuracy of her claims, many of which are, of course, incorrect, it is religious institutions, and subsequently official institutions, that continue to promote her views uncritically. This is not due to scholarly conviction, but rather because they refuse to recognize the contributions of these Muslim scholars. Before the rise of religious and political extremism led by the Muslim Brotherhood, it was common to name educational and medical institutions after scientists like Ibn Sina and Al-Razi. However, this practice came to a halt once the Muslim Brotherhood gained influence over many government institutions.
They went so far as to block even minor public recognitions such as naming a side street after these scholars, simply because they did not conform to their ideological beliefs. Scientist Pierre Curie (1859–1906) is credited with the quote: 'We were able to split the atom using the remaining 30 books we had access to from the Andalusian civilization. Had we been able to read the thousands of Muslim books that were burned, we would be traveling between galaxies today'. However, this is a complete fabrication. Pierre Curie died in 1906, decades before the discovery of atomic fission in the late 1930s. It is simply not possible for him to have made such a statement, especially given that nuclear fission was the result of modern scientific research, not ancient texts. Unfortunately, fake quotes like this are commonly circulated in an attempt to glorify those who are not in need of such glorification. It reflects the mindset of those who feel powerless or uncertain about the strength of their own doctrine, and seek validation through exaggeration rather than truth.