ABU
RAIHAN AL-BIRUNI - (973--1048 AD)
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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
A.D. 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 A.D., 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 three Pandits to whom he taught Greek and Arabic science
and philosophy. He died in 1048 A.D. 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
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
(Astronomy, 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. |