Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Sajad Dadfar ¹
• Omid Mardukhi ²
• Mehdi Ezati ³

¹ Faculty Member, Department of Historical Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

² Master's student in Islamic History, Department of Historical Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

³ Faculty Member, History Department, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

Abstract

This research, which was conducted using a historical method and a descriptive-analytical approach, examines the history of the shipbuilding industry in Islamic civilization in the first century AH and in the Mediterranean Sea basin. In fact, the main question of the present research is how the development and evolution of the shipbuilding industry in Islamic civilization in the first century AH and in the Mediterranean Sea basin was? The research findings show that the idea of expanding the Islamic territory, along with protecting the conquered countries, interested Muslims in entering the shipbuilding industry and creating a naval fleet. In the meantime, the Mediterranean Sea had a special place for them due to its economic and strategic importance. Muslims set foot on this sea in the first century AH. After their initial encounters with the powerful Byzantine fleet, the Muslim conquerors tried to establish their dominance over this sea by hiring local craftsmen and using their knowledge, while creating and developing the shipbuilding industry. The result of this was the establishment of numerous shipyards in regions such as the Levant, Egypt, and North Africa, which Muslims called "Dar al-Sina'ah." The shipbuilding industry, in addition to facilitating maritime conquests, later played an important role in expanding Muslim economic, social, and cultural relations with other parts of the world.

Keywords

• Shipbuilding
• Seafaring
• Muslims
• Islamic Civilization
• Mediterranean
• Byzantium

Main Subjects

• History