Finding the Native Americas by Muslims

by Ammaar ibn Walid
The Star Trail Lines Writer

The 26th of November 2009, Thursday
The 9th of Dhulhijja 1430 (Day of Arafa)

I had asked a question about Muslims finding both American Continents on Yahoo! Answers some time ago, and the question and best answer I chose are below.

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"What would have happened if the Muslims found both American Continents?
How would have history changed if it was the Muslims who sailed and found both North and South America? How would they have treated the natives of both continents? Would they wipe them out, or something else?

Be aware, I mentioned 'found' not 'discovered'...

... Best Answer - Chosen by Asker
When Muslims conquered Persia & 2/3 of Byzantium, & Iberia (Spain & Portugal) the did number of things including the following:

- They give people the choice to embrace Islam or to keep their religion. Remember the Golden age of Jewish culture was the time when the Jews lived in Muslim Spain.

Therefore, Muslim would never wipe out the Native Americans as the white man did. Remember when Granada had fallen to the Spaniards, they launched the inquisition & burned many Muslims & Jews to the stake. Later the Spanish & Portugese had brought the inquisition to the new world


- Muslims would use the knowledge of the native Americans & try to advance it, Just as they preserved the knowledge of the Greek & incorporate with the knowledge of the Persians, Greek, Indians, & others

- Muslims would develop the economy of both Americas & link them to the rest of the world. They would build new cities & make them centers of learning & bring them prosperity, just as they built Cairo & Baghdad during the golden age of Islamic civilization.

But of course Muslims are no angels. If the corruption that had spread in the Muslim world today (especially among rulers, scholars, & intellects) reached the new world the Americas would be as bad as the rest of the Muslim world today.

... Thank you. You are the only one who took the question seriously and put up possible stuff that might have happened. Congrats on your best answer..."

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There were some other answers to the question. For more information about the other answers: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Aj7p6_a8pJJA6l.UZYdk6Zfty6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20080618090630AAy3Mrg.