Exploring Islamic Scientific Heritage in Light of Artificial Intelligence

Abstract

The Islamic Golden Age (8th–14th centuries CE) was characterized by unprecedented scientific, mathematical, medical, astronomical, and philosophical advancements that laid the foundations for modern knowledge systems. Thinkers such as al-Khwarizmi, Ibn Sina, and al-Razi authored works that have enriched the global intellectual heritage, yet most of these works remain unanalyzed due to language barriers, the dispersal of manuscripts, and limited digital availability.

This article explores the intersection of Islamic scientific heritage and artificial intelligence (AI), proposing AI-based approaches to revitalize this heritage. Through natural language processing (NLP), optical character recognition (OCR) of historical Arabic manuscripts using machine learning, and the generation of cognitive graphs, we demonstrate how AI can read, translate, and analyze over 1,000 historical manuscripts housed in libraries such as the Süleymaniye Library in Istanbul and the British Library. Our case studies include the AI-assisted reconstruction of al-Kindi's cryptographic techniques and the predictive modeling of Ibn al-Haytham's theories in optics, with the aim of simulating contemporary applications in computer vision. The findings demonstrate that artificial intelligence (AI) not only preserves cultural heritage but also unlocks new knowledge, such as the interdisciplinary connections between Islamic algebra and neural network design. This multidisciplinary project bridges historical research with cutting-edge technology, sparking renewed interest in Islamic achievements and approaching values-based AI design from a multi-faceted cognitive perspective. Ultimately, the project calls for global collaboration to ensure equitable access to this shared human heritage in the digital age.