Civilization #37: The Golden Age of Islam

Professor admitted he has limited knowledge of Islamic faith, so no need to be so offended. I hope he spends more time studying Islam. Great lectures

I’m a former Christian, US army veteran and convert to Islam in the Middle-East. I studied and speak fluent Arabic. I have studied Islam for many years. The misinformation and speculation in this video is outrageous 😂. Comical in fact. What sources of history did the respected professor use? Maybe he should have a conversation with Professor Roy Casagranda. Does he even know about the Birmingham manuscript that dates from less than two decades after the Prophet Muhammad’s death? He says there are no records of what happened to the companions of the Prophet which is ridiculous because there are very detailed accounts of exactly what happened to them, when they died, and where they were buried, including in far off lands. This professor is clearly a brilliant man. I think he should take his knowledge to the next level by sitting with Muslim scholars and referencing Muslim texts firsthand rather than Orientalist works. Note: people are accusing me of disrespecting the professor. I have nothing but respect for him. He is a remarkable breath of fresh air, saying things out loud that academics in the West would NEVER dream of saying and I support him 100% in doing this. He is a remarkable intellectual with a grasp of so many different fields of study that is rare to find. Please take my few trifling criticisms of him in the appropriate context. I feel he does his reputation an injustice by being somewhat sloppy with historical facts, at least when it comes to the history of Islam. Anyway, he has conceded that he does not know the granular details of Islamic history so don’t get bent out of shape.

Dear Professor, Thank you for your engaging lecture. You raised three “mysteries” about early Islamic history — but I’d like to offer a different perspective. These aren’t unsolvable puzzles; they simply require viewing history through lenses more familiar with Islamic culture, oral tradition, and principles like Shura. --- 1. “Why no early Muslim records?” Early Islam was rooted in an oral tradition. The Qur’an was memorized collectively and then compiled under the first caliphs. Written biographical and historical records (e.g., Ibn Ishaq, al-Tabari) emerged soon after, with rigorous chains of transmission (isnad) — arguably more methodical than many Greco-Roman sources. As for the wars with Byzantines and Sassanians — these were strategic and reactive, not mysterious. Border clashes, assassinations of Muslim envoys, and regional power vacuums created a volatile context where military campaigns became both defensive and preemptive. --- 2. “Why didn’t Muhammad ﷺ name a successor?” This is where you may appreciate the Islamic concept of شورى (Shura) — a system of consultation. Instead of appointing an heir, the Prophet ﷺ trusted his community to elect their leader by merit and consensus. Abu Bakr’s (رضي الله عنه) selection through consultation wasn’t indecisiveness — it was intentional de-centralization of power. Islam rejected hereditary succession and emphasized community leadership. --- 3. “Why build Al-Aqsa on the Jewish Temple Mount?” This question reflects a modern misunderstanding. The Prophet’s Night Journey (Isra and Mi‘raj) sanctified Jerusalem for Muslims. The Temple Mount was already revered in Islam as part of the Abrahamic tradition. Rather than erasing history, the Umayyads cleaned and revitalized a sacred site long neglected by others. Al-Aqsa reflects Islam’s belief in continuity of revelation — not a rivalry with Judaism, but reverence for shared prophetic heritage. --- Sometimes what appears mysterious is just unfamiliar. These “gaps” aren’t due to historical silence — they come from applying one civilization’s framework to another’s story. By exploring Islamic thought from within its own worldview — especially through concepts like Shura, oral transmission, and Abrahamic continuity — these “mysteries” become comprehensible, even elegant.

I am a Muslim. Despite of my few disagreements with him, I found respected professor as an HONEST learner. He is a gem for humanity.

As a muslim, even with some of the intellectual inaccuracies that are present i've truly enjoyed this lecture and i appreciate the passion u put into ur research, u definitely got me as a subscriber.

At 57:50 approx, when he mentions Islam perfected Judaism and Christianity, this is actually mentioned in the Quran "Today I have perfected your faith for you, completed My favour upon you, and chosen Islam as your way" Quran 5:3

Quran did not get redacted over time. The modern copies are exactly same as the one of 7th century copies. Word by word

The Muslim lantern has responded to your question n his channel

if this guy did a zoom lecture you'd have thousands of people around the world willing to stay up all night for it

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” Rumi