As we discussed in our previous article, Muslim scholars have made significant contributions through a wide range of scholarly pursuits like the ones we have mentioned as on Astronomy, Medicine and Mathematics. This article will continue to highlight key Muslim scientific and philosophical thinkers who have helped shape modern-day knowledge in a range of fields.
Muslims have always been eager to seek knowledge, both religious and secular, and within a few years of Muhammad’s mission, a great civilization sprang up and flourished. Muslims made great advances in many different fields, such as geography, physics, chemistry, mathematics, medicine, pharmacology, architecture, linguistics and astronomy. Algebra and the Arabic numerals were introduced to the world by Muslim scholars.
Muslims and Chemistry;
After al-Razi, Jabir ibn Hayyan (721-815) is ranked greatest in the field of medieval chemical science. He more clearly recognized and stated the importance of experimentation than any other early alchemist, and made noteworthy advanced in both the theory and practice of chemistry.
Jabir’s books were held as the final authority on chemistry in Europe up till the fifteenth century. The initial ladder to the modern western chemistry of the eighteenth century was produced by Jabir. It is believed that Jabir wrote two thousand books on different sciences.
Prophet Muhammad himself urged people to “take medicines for your diseases”, as people at that time were reluctant to do so. He also said,
“God created no illness, except that He has established for it a cure, except for old age. When the antidote is applied, the patient will recover with the permission of God.”
Muslims also made discoveries in Chemistry by discovering many new substances such as potash, nitrate of silver, corrosive sublimate and nitrate and sulfuric acid as well as improving methods for evaporation, filtration, sublimation, calcinations, melting, distillation, and crystallization.
Jabir, otherwise known as the father of Arab alchemy contributed in the fields of Pharmacology and Toxicology.
Muslims and Geography;
The rapid expansion of territory under Muslim rule fell in line with Qur’anic recommendations to encourage travel in search of knowledge and other benefits.
For example, one Verse says: “Have they not traveled in the land, and have they hearts wherewith to feel and ears wherewith to hear?” (Qur’an 22:46). Another verse states: “And of His signs is this: He sends herald winds to make you taste His mercy, and that the ships may sail at His command, and that you may seek His favor, and that you may be thankful” (Qur’an 30:46).
Among the earliest Muslim geographers was al-Khwarizmi, the mathematician, who participated in a project to draw a map of the known earth in the early 9th century CE. Al-Kindi, the philosopher, wrote an account of the inhabited parts of earth as known then. Some of the greatest traveler-geographers were Ibn Hawqal, who traveled for over 30 years and wrote about the places and people he saw, and the famous al-Mas’udi. He traveled, quoted geographic works that have disappeared, and wrote his own encyclopedia of geography and history called Meadows of Gold and Mines of Precious Stones in 956 CE.
Muslims and Surgery;
El Zahrawi, the life story of El Zahrawi made it clear to us that he dedicated his total life and his entire genius to the development of Medicine science and particularly of surgery. He wrote a large book consisting of 30 volumes which included surgery, Medicine, orthopedics, ophthalmology, pharmacology, nutrition etc.
Muslim civilization stretched from Spain to China. From the 7th century onwards, men and women of different faiths and cultures built on knowledge from ancient civilizations, making breakthroughs that have left their mark on our world.
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