Retarded thread.
The 'Islamic Golden Age' was a period of Islamic scientific advancement, not a period of 'Islam is the best at everything'. They had the world's best scholars between about 750-1200 or so, including Persians, Arabs, and Moors, as well a Christians, Jews, and religious skeptics, though all a part of Islamic civilization. They were far from the best at everything, nor was the period the height of Islamic culture in every way. The most impressive architecture at the time was Indian/Southeast Asia, and the most impressive art was East Asian. Islamic art and architecture didn't have their golden ages until much later, under the Gunpowder Empires.
In my opinion Islamic architecture was never the most impressive on Earth, but it was never the least either. Usually it came in second place after India or the West. They had loads of great art, but it was never much better than the rest of the world.
All in all, the 'Islamic Golden Age' does refer to a real period, but the way people use it on the internet and in pop-history is basically just a meme.
>all this stuff about Dark Age Europe
Western Europe's 'Dark Age', between about 400-750, came prior to the Islamic Golden Age and not during it. Between 750-1100 the West grew into a civilization as impressive as any other, and after the 12th century they were probably the most impressive of all.
