Advances. Algebra (Al-Gebra), early theory of medicine and sanitation, dissemination of the use of suturing (don't recall if it was original to them or not), changes in arch style that led to the flying buttress, improved steels, preservation of the works of the early philosophers, dissemination of "Arabic" numbering, advances in geometry and number theory, advances in stellar navigation, advances in ship and sail design...
One of the things about Islam is that it calls for a pilgrimage to Mecca to be made at least once in each person's life. And the Koran calls for learning as an absolute positive. The combination, up until the 14th-16th century or so, meant that Islam was a _major_ positive force for learning and change. Scholars were treated the way that we treat rock stars and travelled throughout the Dar Al Islam with impugnity. Groups would be gathered by Kaliphs and think and expound and develop and invent. In its heyday, Islam was a center of learning and culture. However, right at its peak there was a philosophical split between the followers of Averroes, who believed that the Koran could only be truly understood by the literate, and for all others it had to be interpreted, and the Fundamentalists who believed that each statement had to be obeyed in a Fundamental way.
Guess who won?
What's this we stuff? ....
Here at FR most are treated with derision. Does anyone care what any "rock star" has to say about anything?
Scholars are routinely quoted here to support one point or another.
And as for the way Muslims regarded scholars, I asked sometime back if anyone knew the Mulsim equivalent to Maimonades or Aquinas. I don't think I got an answer. I think the bottom line is that the Muslim World has little use for anyone whose learning extends beyond the boundaries of the Koran and the Hadiths. That is not "respect for scholars" in my book.
ML/NJ