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Each episode of the Traditional World of Islam takes viewers to the Middle East and Northern Africa, the lands of the classical Islamic empires. Islam is presented as the sole unifying force throughout these empty, arid lands, and Islam itself is presented not as a philosophy in evolution, but one in a state of entropy, neither slipping, nor progressing. The narration of every episode includes quotes from religious texts as well as from Islamic poets. This episode explores the contributions of Islamic scholars to the world of reason and the quest for knowledge. Included is a visit to Cairo's Al Ahzal, probably the oldest university in the world and an in-depth discussion of Islam's contributions to the world of health and medicine.