Islam encourages elevation of humanity at large through all essential means like science and technology. Muslims had understood this concept and worked hard to explore, discover, and invent in the field of science. Throughout history Muslims made immense contributions in almost every sphere of science known on earth including; cosmology, cosmography, geography, natural history, physics, mathematics, astronomy, medicine, alchemy, philosophy, law and architecture. The contribution of the Muslims in all branches of science and arts is immense.
Muslims and Astronomy;
When it comes to Astronomy for instance, there has been more than one evidence mentioned in Qur’an about the solar system especially that Muslims depend on both the Moon and the Sun in their daily prayers and daily life. By the moon they determine the beginning and the end of the months in their lunar system. By the sun they determine the times of their prayers and fasting. The Qur’an contains many references to astronomy: “And it is He who created the night and the day and the sun and the moon; all [heavenly bodies] in an orbit are swimming.”
Galileo (d. 1442) is generally considered to be the inventor of the telescope. But the truth is that long before his time, Abu Ishaq ibn Jundub (d.767) had already made observations of the heavens. He had devised certain rules for observing distant objects and, in accordance with those rules; he had invented a telescopic instrument. It was this initial telescope which was further developed by Galileo, and which is the actual forerunner of the now highly perfected electric telescope of modern time.
Muslims and Mathematics;
Mathematics was their most favorite subject and it was developed by the Arabs and Persian scholars. Muslim mathematicians excelled in geometry, as can be seen in their graphic arts, and it was the great Al-Biruni (who excelled also in the fields of natural history, even geology and mineralogy) who established trigonometry as a distinct branch of mathematics. Other Muslim mathematicians made significant progress in number theory.
Muslims invented the symbol for zero (The word “cipher” comes from Arabic sifr), and they organized the numbers into the decimal system – base 10. Additionally, they invented the symbol to express an unknown quantity, i.e. variables like x.
The first great Muslim mathematician, Al-Khwarizmi, invented the subject of algebra (al-Jabr), which was further developed by others, most notably Umar Khayyam. Al-Khwarizmi’s work, in Latin translation, brought the Arabic numerals along with the mathematics to Europe, through Spain. The word “algorithm” is derived from his name.
Muslims and Medicine;
In Islam, the human body is a source of appreciation, as it is created by Almighty Allah (God). How it functions, how to keep it clean and safe, how to prevent diseases from attacking it or cure those diseases, have been important issues for Muslims.
Muslims have also played a very important role in medicine. Some of the famous Muslims are Ibn Sina, Ibn Maimon, Ibn Rushd, Al-Razi, Ibn Nafis and many others. Later on the names of those great Muslim scientists were Latinized and their researches and work was translated into various languages of Europe.
Arabs and Muslims made extraordinary advances in medicine through their research. The first important physician was Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariyya al-Razi (d. 923), known in Europe as Rhazes. He wrote voluminously on many scientific and philosophic subjects, and over fifty of his works are extant. His greatest work, Al-Havi, was translated into Latin as the Continents, (the comprehensive book). It was the first encyclopedia of all medical science up to that time, and had to be completed by his disciples after his death.
Stay Tuned as we will continue the great inventions and contributions of Muslims in science.
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