In the Middle Ages, Muslims were able to gain a head start in the field of travel, discoveries, and geographical studies. Europe benefited from the knowledge Muslims had about the known parts of the world in the Middle Ages.
The prosperity of Islamic civilization, the sovereignty of Muslims on land and sea, and the nature of the Islamic religion, all of this would have encouraged travel and journeys. Also, the ties of religion, language and culture continued to bring together the inhabitants of Islamic countries, and they felt that they were the sons of a far-flung Islamic empire. These ties were strong in the Middle Ages. Regional nationalisms had not yet gained prominence. The parts of this vast kingdom established by the Muslims required study and description.