Radical Islamists have contributed to this misunderstanding of Islam as inherently violent, intolerant, and fundamentalist religion and worldview. However, an average Westerner also partakes in this collection of prejudices, as they are not informed enough, nor do they wish to acquaint themselves better with the history of Islam. The Islamic Middle East was a cradle of mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, arts. Even later, while the Western Europe was grappling with medieval bigotry, intolerance, quackery and different forms of witch hunt, Islamic countries have been perhaps the most advanced societies of their time in the scientific, artistic and civilizational sense.
