So many vast overgeneralizations. Where to start:
Let me guess-- You took the Spanish Inquisition and stretched it back over centuries before, after over-exaggerating what actually happened.
Of course, never mind the fact that the Spanish Inquisition was after the Renaissance.
But guess what the territories Islam ruled over had? Yep, something approximating a middle-class.
When Europe started to get the equivalent of a middle class, guess what happened: Science and technology began to rapidly grow

Nobles in Feudal Europe didn't really have time to teach their children, as they had other pursuits. That's what monks, some who were the sons of noblemen themselves, were largely responsible for.
Of course, the above is also overgeneralized. Many parts of Europe remained wealthy enough that literacy was relatively widespread, although for the most part the Byzantine empire and Islamic states held the edge in that regard.
Also, I found it funny you mentioned the Saudis. You do realize where the term Saudi came from, right? The Saud family. Would the Saud family really support electing their leaders, and the Loya Jirga exists in Afghanistan, not the Arab world.
Of course, the Arab world has had it's own legislative bodies. Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan (Did it have a legistlative body? I know at one point it had a very liberal constitution) have all or are in one form or another been Republics.
Meanwhile, during Islam's early centuries, in our West, scholars were widely tortured or burned . . . for any reason atall, including noble amusement.
Let me guess-- You took the Spanish Inquisition and stretched it back over centuries before, after over-exaggerating what actually happened.
Of course, never mind the fact that the Spanish Inquisition was after the Renaissance.
Hint: When your economy is barely above subsistence farming, you don't have a middle-class to support those things.Scholars, thinkers, and engineers only got support through noble sponsorship, needing constant brownnosing to maintain.
But guess what the territories Islam ruled over had? Yep, something approximating a middle-class.
When Europe started to get the equivalent of a middle class, guess what happened: Science and technology began to rapidly grow
Actually, what kept the "unwashed" from reading was the fact that books were very hard to reproduce. Monks only kept it because learning was one of the things they were responsible for.Yeah, but that doesn't keep every word of what I wrote from being true. Every great culture has its in the sun, and that was the Muslims'. And, during that same period, the western cultures were horror on its scholars and peasants. Even monks had to give elaborate justifications and mostly glorify Christ; and, cloister structure kept books away from the unwashed even after it was no longer needed after the Dark Ages.
Nobles in Feudal Europe didn't really have time to teach their children, as they had other pursuits. That's what monks, some who were the sons of noblemen themselves, were largely responsible for.
Of course, the above is also overgeneralized. Many parts of Europe remained wealthy enough that literacy was relatively widespread, although for the most part the Byzantine empire and Islamic states held the edge in that regard.
Please do us a favor and tell us what freedom Mohammed called for? Although progressive for his time and region, I'd say the freedom Mohammed called for is a far cry from the freedom that people called for in the 19th century.Importantly, as most Muslims will tell you, Iran and Saudi Arabia are poor exemplars of Muslim ways. Mohammed called for freedom. Iran supports forbidden terrorism. The Sunni Saudis should also be electing their leaders, at least ala Loya Jirga.
Also, I found it funny you mentioned the Saudis. You do realize where the term Saudi came from, right? The Saud family. Would the Saud family really support electing their leaders, and the Loya Jirga exists in Afghanistan, not the Arab world.
Of course, the Arab world has had it's own legislative bodies. Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan (Did it have a legistlative body? I know at one point it had a very liberal constitution) have all or are in one form or another been Republics.