Most academics have accepted a generally static view of Islamic astronomy's significance to the field. This 'classical' narrative, relying on 'contact' and 'pocket' theories, fails to consider generational advances made by previous Islamic thinkers.
Despite the Arab world's illustrious astronomical past, capitalism and colonialism's concentration of knowledge has left the region languishing behind. Saving a few spurts of innovation, much still needs to be done to reclaim its rightful status.