ISLAMIC CIVILIZATION: ITS BIRTH, DEVELOPMENT AND ROLE IN HUMAN CIVILIZATION By Ergin Ergül 1. ISLAMIC CIVILIZATION Islamic civilization encompasses the totality of the values added by the adherents of Islam to the inventory of humanity's material and spiritual achievements throughout their history. Today, the term 'Islamic civilization' refers to a living universal civilization spanning fourteen centuries and stretches from Senegal in Africa to Sumatra in Indonesia and Yemen to Europe's heart. It embodies a unique philosophy of life, showcasing great success in imparting this philosophy on the world stage, and despite facing numerous challenges over the last two centuries, it remains standing today. The two primary sources of Islam, the Quran and the Sunnah, form the most significant foundations of this civilization. The cultural heritage that emerges from interpreting and applying the Quran and Sunnah to all aspects of human life is referred to as Islamic civilization. Arabs, Turks, and Iranians are the most prominent political and cultural elements in this civilization's historical and contemporary manifestations, which is built on Islam's monotheistic (tawhid) belief and worldview. Islam encompasses a variety of cultures and sub-civilizations, including Arab, Turkish, Persian, and Malay cultures. Subcategories under the inclusive term Islamic civilization can be conceptualized as Turk-Islam civilization represented by the Seljuks, Mamluks, Timurids, and Ottoman Turkey. Additionally, expressions such as Arab, Central Asian, Andalusian, Seljuk, and Ottoman civilizations are used within this concept. This usage is preferred when examining a geography or an empire—a multi-national and multi-cultural state—from a civilization perspective. It is a sociological necessity for societies and social processes to communicate with their own history, traditions, culture, and civilization alongside the developments of their era. Disruptions and deviations in this area lead societies away from contemporary civilization. Hence, it is crucial to view societal and global developments and the history of civilization comparatively, driven by the idea that 'knowing is comparing.' Bernard Lewis (1916-2018) emphasizes the importance of understanding other cultures and civilizations for Western readers: 'The first reason that makes the study of other cultures valuable and important today is to understand them in their own conditions of life. The second reason is that the way to understand our culture more deeply and realistically is through the study of other cultures.' Besides being a religion, Islam is one of the most significant living links in the history of human civilization. Islamic civilization is the collective name for all the material and spiritual achievements created by Muslims. The first five hundred years following the emergence of Islam is one of the most critical periods in world history. Between the 7th and 17th centuries, world civilization was essentially Islamic civilization, as the most civilized regions of the world during these centuries were in the Islamic geography. A belief society formed under the Islamic prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) leadership in Medina's city-state is at the core of Islamic civilization, with a new normative system (the Quran and the Sunnah).