ABU RAIHAN AL-BIRUNI
(973-1048 C.E.)
Abu Raihan Mohammad Ibn Ahmad al-Biruni was one of
the well-known figures associated with the court of King Mahmood
Ghaznawi, who was one of the famous Muslim kings of the 11th
century C.E. Al-Biruni was a versatile scholar and scientist who
had equal facility in physics, metaphysics, mathematics, geography
and history. Born in the city of Kheva near "Ural" in
973 C.E., he was a contemporary of the well-known physician Ibn
Sina. At an early age, the fame of his scholarship went around and
when Sultan Mahmood Ghaznawi conquered his homeland, he took al-Biruni
along with him in his journeys to India several times and thus he
had the opportunity to travel all over India during a period of 20
years. He learnt Hindu philosophy, mathematics, geography and
religion from thre Pandits to whom he taught Greek and Arabic
science and philosophy. He died in 1048 C.E. at the age of 75,
after having spent 40 years in thus gathering knowledge and making
his own original contributions to it.
He recorded observations of his travels through
India in his well-known book Kitab al-Hind which gives a
graphic account of the historical and social conditions of the
sub-continent. At the end of this book he makes a mention of
having translated two Sanskrit books into Arabic, one called Sakaya,
which deals with the creation of things and their types, and the
second, Patanjal dealing with what happens after the spirit
leaves the body. His descriptions of India were so complete that
even the Aein-i-Akbari written by Abu-al- Fadal during the
reign of Akbar, 600 years later, owes a great deal to al-Biruni's
book. He observed that the Indus valley must be considered as an
ancient sea basin filled up with alluvials.
On his return from India, al-Biruni wrote his
famous book Qanun-i Masoodi (al-Qanun al-Masudi, fi al-Hai'a
wa al-Nujum), which he dedicated to Sultan Masood. The book
discusses several theories of astronomy, trigonometry, solar,
lunar, and planetary motions and relative topics. In another
well-known book al-Athar al-Baqia, he has attempted a
connected account of ancient history of nations and the related
geographical knowledge. In this book, he has discussed the
rotation of the earth and has given correct values of latitudes
and longitudes of various places. He has also made considerable
contribution to several aspects of physical and economic geography
in this book.
His other scientific contributions include the
accurate determination of the densities of 18 different stones. He
also wrote the Kitab-al-Saidana, which is an extensive
materia medica that combines the then existing Arabic knowledge on
the subject with the Indian medicine. His book the Kitab-al-Jamahir
deals with the properties of various precious stones. He was also
an astrologer and is reputed to have astonished people by the
accuracy of his predictions. He gave a clear account of Hindu
numerals, elaborating the principle of position. Summation of a
geometric progression appropos of the chess game led to the
number:
1616° - 1 =
18,446,744,073,709,551,619.
He developed a method for trisection of angle and
other problems which cannot be solved with a ruler and a compass
alone. Al-Biruni discussed, centuries before the rest of the
world, the question whether the earth rotates around its axis or
not. He was the first to undertake experiments related to
astronomical phenomena. His scientific method, taken together with
that of other Muslim scientists, such as Ibn
al-Haitham, laid down the early foundation of modern science.
He ascertained that as compared with the speed of sound the speed
of light is immense. He explained the working of natural springs
and artesian wells by the hydrostatic principle of communicating
vessels. His investigations included description of various
monstrosities, including that known as "Siamese" twins.
He observed that flowers have 3,4,5,6, or 18 petals, but never 7
or 9.
He wrote a number of books and treatises. Apart
from Kitab-al- Hind (History and Geography of India), al-Qanun
al-Masudi (Astro- nomy, Trigonometry), al-Athar al-Baqia
(Ancient History and Geography), Kitab al-Saidana (Materia
Medica) and Kitab al-Jawahir (Precious Stones) as mentioned
above, his book al-Tafhim-li-Awail Sina'at al-Tanjim gives
a summary of mathematics and astronomy.
He has been considered as one of the very greatest
scientists of Islam, and, all considered, one of the greatest of
all times. His critical spirit, love of truth, and scientific
approach were combined with a sense of toleration. His enthusiasm
for knowledge may be judged from his claim that the phrase Allah
is Omniscient does not justify ignorance.
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