Valuing Arabic science

In an era of cultural intolerance, the west needs to appreciate the scholarship that?lowered when most of europe was still in the dark ages

By Jim Al-khalili / THE GUARDIAN , LONDON

Why should this matter today? I would argue that, at time of increased cultural and religious tensions, misunderstandings and intolerance, the West needs to see the Islamic world through new eyes. And, possibly more important, the Islamic world needs to see itself through new eyes and take pride in its rich and impressive heritage.

Jim Al-Khalili is a professor of physics at the University of Surrey and last year's recipient of the Royal Society's Michael Faraday Prize.