1. ISLAM: CREATOR OF THE MODERN AGE

~ 32 ~ freedom of thought. Without this kind of absolute imperialism being brought to an end, freedom of thought could not have been achieved. When the human mind is shackled and cannot work in a free atmosphere, not even a beginning can be made to human progress. The writer also includes Persia as being guilty of such imperial absolutism. And we must remember that these two empires held sway over a significantly large part of the inhabited world of the time. Under imperial rule, no one had the right to think independently if this ran counter to the official tenets of imperialism. This is why, after such a long period of intellectual suppression, no real beginning could be made on scientific enquiry. Scientific thought was simply not to be countenanced throughout the empires of Persia and Rome. It was only when the Prophet and his companions broke these imperial powers—with as little bloodshed as possible—that free-thinking was legitimised, and the vast gates of progress were thrown open to humanity.