"...our finest hours as Muslims were not when we were a state, our finest hours as Muslims were when we were a civilization. Because the state has limited dimensions, it needs a military to protect itself, it needs a government to govern itself, it needs a civil service to manage itself, but a civilization needs the arts, needs the sciences, needs technology, needs literature, needs astronomy, needs all of those things. And when we were a civilization, that is what we are remembered for. No one will remember exactly how many states Muslims governed; no one remembers to many generals that won battles besides, someone as brilliant as Salah-addin. But many people remember that algebra is originally an Arabic word, many people remember Ibn Sina even if they call them other names. Many people remember Ibn Rushd even if they call him Averroes . And so we can go on. Those are the things which are perpetuated through history, the civilization aspects of who we are, what we are and what we have contributed."

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