Islam Creator of the Modern Age
3. Muslim Contribution to Science
~ 137 ~
very strange if a history of the freedom struggle of
India laid no stress on the role of Gandhiji, or if a
history of the erstwhile U.S.S.R. omitted Lenin
altogether. But a far strange history is one bereft of
all mention of those pious souls, who were the
messengers of God. The sole exception to this rule
of omission is the Final Prophet, Prophet
Muhammad, may peace be upon him. The reason
for his prominent inclusion in historical records is
that, by setting in motion the Islamic revolution, he
was able to change exactly those factors—the
undemocratic, polytheistic and superstitious nature
of society—which in the past had been responsible
for such astonishing lacunae in the writing of
human history. There can be no doubt that it was
the Islamic revolution which made it possible for
historiography to proceed on scientific lines.
In known human history, Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406)
is the only historian to have changed the pattern of
historiography. It was he who raised historiography
from the level of mere King-story to the level of
genuine man-story. “Kingology” was changed into
sociology. The truth is that the science known today
as sociology is the gift of Ibn Khaldun. He himself
