The Historical Role of Muslims in the Discovery of America
Recent research highlights the significant contributions of Muslim navigators and scholars to the early exploration of the Americas, suggesting that they may have reached the continent long before Christopher Columbus. Scholars like Fuat Sezgin from Goethe University have argued that there is a consensus among academics regarding pre-Columbian voyages to the New World, with evidence pointing to Muslim sailors as key figures in these explorations. Columbus himself reportedly noted seeing a mosque upon his arrival, which has fueled ongoing debates about the true discoverers of America.
Evidence of Early Muslim Exploration
Various studies, including those by anthropologist Leo Weiner and historian Ivan Van Sertima, support the notion that Muslims were among the first to explore the Americas. Al-Biruni, a Persian scholar, is credited with calculating the Earth’s circumference and theorizing the existence of undiscovered lands, potentially including the Americas. His work, alongside advancements in cartography and navigation by Muslim scholars, laid the groundwork for later European explorations. Additionally, historical accounts suggest that Muslim sailors from Andalusia and the Mali Empire undertook voyages across the Atlantic, with some evidence indicating they may have reached parts of the Americas.
The impact of Islamic civilization on the development of navigation techniques and map-making is evident in the tools and knowledge that were later utilized by European explorers. The first world map commissioned by the Abbasid Caliph Al-Ma'mun in the 9th century is an example of the sophisticated understanding of geography that existed in the Islamic world long before Columbus's voyages.
Despite the evidence of Muslim presence in the Americas, historical narratives have often marginalized these contributions, with some scholars suggesting that the Spanish Inquisition played a role in erasing the Islamic legacy in the New World. The architectural influences seen in American landmarks, such as the Capitol Dome, further illustrate the cultural exchanges that occurred between Islamic and Western civilizations.
