[dianed]

It is difficult to understand science and technology when your culture is lacking in innovation itself.
Islamic countries are known for their scientific advances in the areas of desalination, falconry and camel reproduction. Unfortunately, that's about it....

As the Nobel prize winning physicist Steven Weinberg said, there has been virtually no development in the area of Islamic science since the death of scholar and mystic, al-Ghazali in 1111.

[dianed]

This article is in reference to Islam’s science deficit.

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v444/n7115/full/444028a.html

[Lightfinger]

The Islamic world was superior in technology in the age of the Crusades up until the Mamluks taking over Egypt. One of their leaders (I don’t recall the name) ordered the destruction of the rebuilt Library of Alexandria, saying that since the Koran was the word of God, and since all other books were either to reinforce that, or blasphemous, no other books were needed.

It was at that point Arab society lost its technological advantages and began to leech off the technological capabilities of the infidels, until this day.