What were the differences between the Islamic empire and European civilations in the middle ages?

Answer 1

The term Islamic Renaissance is probably not the best to use, because it carries an implication of a time in Islam before it analogous to the Dark Ages or Middle Ages. I think it is better termed the Islamic Golden Age, as it is often called.

The Islamic Golden Age was a time of great scientific flowering, which happened almost as soon as Islam began to be spread. It started in about 750 AD, and its ending is reckoned as 1258, when Baghdad was sacked. During this time, Muslim scientists made remarkable scientific progress, and much of their thinking spread to Europe, much to the benefit of the Europeans.

An example of their work can be seen in their scientific investigation of medicine. In the article cited below in Islamic Medicine, the following extraordinary quote appears in a context clearly referring to practices of the Islamic Golden Age: Like in other fields of Islamic science, Muslim physicians and doctors developed the first scientific methods for the field of medicine. This included the introduction of mathematization, quantification, experimentation, experimental medicine, evidence-based medicine, clinical trials, dissection, animal testing, human experimentation and postmortem autopsy by Muslim physicians, whilst hospitals in the Islamic world featured the first drug tests, drug purity regulations, and competency tests for doctors.

The European Renaissance is a time that began in about 1350, give or take a few decades, and lasted to 1600 or 1650. It is a time in which people of Europe congratulated themselves for their recovery to the cultural levels of ancient Rome, after what they clearly viewed as a long and inferior time called the Middle Ages or Dark Ages.

My own view is that in terms of science and superstition, the Renaissance was hardly better than the Middle Ages, and in many ways was worse, as can is clearly exemplified by the introduction of witch hunts, which did not happen until just about the time the Renaissance began, when papal authority for inquisition of sorcerors was granted in 1320. By contrast, laws of the Early Middle Ages made the burning of supposed witches a capital crime and denounced the believe in witchcraft as superstitious. Please see the link on the history of witch hunts cited below.

Both the Renaissance and the Islamic Golden Age were times of great flowering of the arts, with great creativity in decoration, architecture, music, and literature.

I have no doubt whatever that others will disagree about my views of Renaissance science. I am leaving reference links below, and I hope that those who disagree will do the same.

Answer 2

the difference is that islamic empire had better stuff than European civilizations like irrigation channels