The Role of Shia Scholars in the Advancement of Geography in Islamic Civilization

The study of the process of scientific development in Islamic civilization indicates that the tendency of Muslims to give particular importance to different branches of science was based on the needs of the Islamic society of the day. Geography is one of the sciences that had received special attention by the Muslims since the beginning, and Shīʿa scholars played an important role in its evolution and development through the creation of
valuable works. The emphasis of the Qurʾān and the repeated recommendations of religious leaders on the necessity of gaining knowledge, as well as encouraging Muslims to travel and think about the fate of bygone nations, may be considered the most important factors for the Shīʿa interest in the science of geography. Additionally, the needs of the Muslim community as far as growing enterprise, as well as political and religious requirements, were among the motivations that led Shīʿa scholars to work
towards acquiring knowledge of geography and developing it further. This research seeks to highlight the outstanding role of Shīʿa scholars in the advancement of the science of geography in Islamic civilization until the sixth century A.H.