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Abu Raihan Al-Biruni
(973--1048 A.D.)
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A Commemorative Egyptian Stamp
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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 thre 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 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 scien-
tists, 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.
This page last updated 10/11/2009 12:39 p.m.
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