Now, the fanatical sects dominating Islam have an inherent need to maintain their worshippers ignorant, and uneducated.
They need troops.
Yes, the elite were filled with wisdom and understanding. Meanwhile, the other 99% of the population remained in the Dark Age where they were thrown when the Arabs conquered the Roman Empire.
Most people today don't know it but in the Roman Empire literacy was the norm, at least for citizens and inside the major metro areas. Museums have litterally tons of letters written by common soldiers to the folks back home. The folks back home wrote back, as well.
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Right. People studying at the feet of a creep who married a seven year old girl is an advancement.