ABU RAIHAN AL-BIRUNI
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 the Pundits 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 theorems 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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