I despair when I read stories such as the recent one about an Imam in East London who was forced to make a grovelling retraction, because he received death threats after he suggested that there might be something in the theory of evolution. The attitude of the misguided individuals who make these threats is often compared to that of the medieval world.  

Well, I have to say that this is an insult to the Islamic medieval world at least. For example Abū Rayḥān al-Bīrūnī who lived in 11th century Afghanistan (of all places) was recognisably a modern scientist.  He carried out experiments, understood experimental error and how to overcome it. He argued against Aristotle based on his observations and speculated that the observed facts could be as well explained by the Earth going round the Sun as the other way round.  While William the Conqueror was invading England was working out the radius of the Earth to within about one tenth of one percent (he was 36 kilometres out). 

He interestingly said:  ”[the Qur’an] does not interfere in the business of science nor does it infringe on the realm of science.”  an attitude which would result in death threats in modern day London.

So if you want to condemn attitudes as ‘medieval’ be sure to qualify that with ‘European’ because the Islamic scholars of the time were at about the level of the Enlightenment.