[SunkenCiv]

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[Kenny Bunk]

Yes, the Muslims had a couple of great centuries pillaging the libraries of the Byzantine Empire and the Christian lands of North Africa and the Middle East.

And yes, their translations of the great works helped western Scholars immensely. However, their greatest contribution was to frighten Greek scholars west into Italy.

While it would be churlish to deny their influence on Western Civilization or even their negative role in "jump starting" the Renaissance, it is also fair to recognize that the intellectual contributions of Islam to the world have gone precipitately downhill ever since then.

Their share of the fallen Byzantine Empire, that is the Eastern Empire, became a filthy dysfunctional backwater with 200 years of their ascendancy and has remained a foul stain on the planet since. It was true when the Muslims were in abject poverty, and true when they achieved great wealth.

Jihad, they hope, will get them back the Fountains of Córdoba, and allow them to conquer Europe. But the record is clear. They ruin wherever they stay for long.