Study of the Earth and Its Inhabitants. Geography is the study of the earth as the home of humankind. The discipline encompasses the realms of nature and culture and the relationship between the two. Consequently, the understanding of ecological, biophysical, socioeconomic, and political processes may all be considered components of geographical analysis. The Muslim geographical tradition, which spans fourteen centuries, embraces these same concerns and views the study of geography as an integral part of human life and activity on earth.

Impetus for Learning. Following the Muslim conquests in the Near East during the late seventh and early eighth centuries, the scientific knowledge of the ancient world passed into the nascent Islamic civilization. Muslim and non-Muslim scientists living in the lands of Islam inherited a significant body of scientific literature from the Greeks, Persians, Indians, and Chinese. Taking seriously the encouragement in the Qur'an that they practice inquiry...