Islam and science IV

PERHAPS the best of everything is gone. Perhaps we have witnessed the best of inventions in the early twentieth century. Perhaps we have seen the best of scientific discoveries long before now. Perhaps men of the modern world are fast asleep and do not bother about research and new inventions again. Perhaps there is no new thing to discover again to make life more meaningful, easier and rewarding. Perhaps there are no men again to further conquer the frontiers of nature for us so as to make the world a better place to live. Perhaps the new world is bereft of ideas. Perhaps we don’t require new things but to be contented with what had been invented. Perhaps we are no more ready to grapple with the needs of the modern man, whereas the Almighty has challenged us to make the world a better place; whereas providence has entrusted the land into our custody to make it a paradise His vicegerent (Khalifah) on earth. Whereas the Beneficent Lord has destined that this global edifice should be renovated and raised afresh; whereas the most Merciful does not desire destruction of His earth; whereas the Great Maker has promised to raise other people to build the world if the present generation refuses to accomplish the task; whereas the Great Builder has assured that other people or folks to be raised will not be like those who failed Him to make the world a better place. (Qur’an 47:38; 2:3).

The thought of the Poet of the East, Muhammed Tabal, is as fresh and we will relate it to the scientific exploits of the modern man. He said, “Rise. O architect of Haram, and reconstruct the world, afresh, Rise, for it is not time to sleep or refresh.”.

Just as the Muslims of the sixth century were spurred by Qur’an revelations on science, the Muslims of today should answer the clarion call of Iqbal. Just as early Muslims discovered new methods of investigation of experiment, of observations, of measurement of the development of the mathematics in a form unknown to the Greek, the Muslims of today need to rise to the challenge of science Just as the Islamic nations of Iraq, Egypt. Spain and Turkey engineered scientific exploits in the Dark Ages of Europe in the 6th to 11th centuries, the Muslim world should rise up to the challenge of modern times. Just as early Muslims retained the surviving works early Greek inventors in Arabic language for future generations in the 10 century, the Muslims of today need to wake from their slumber to contribute to scientific discoveries Just as Roger Bacon, a reknowned Oxford scientist attest that knowledge of Arabic and Arabic science was for his contemporaries the only way to true knowledge, the Muslims of today need to promote the international language with which the last revelation to mankind was revealed.

By archeological estimation, the earth is four billion years old while life on earth is recorded to be two billion years. But the existence of man on earth is recorded to be one million years old while the knowledge of law and religion is said to be eighty thousand years old. The act of writing in the universe by man is dated some six thousand years old, while the knowledge of science is said to be just four hundred years old, and knowledge of technology is much newer as it is two hundred and thirty years old.

The scientific postulations given in the Holy Qur’an on all forms of known and unknown some one thousand, four hundred years ago must have helped the early Muslims in their scientific discoveries. Such include Al-Idrisi (died 1166) who made the first map of the world, and prepared a map for King Roger of Sicily (1101-1154 A.D.) which surprisingly proved exact and precise. Also, we have Al-Bakri, the best geographer of the tenth century. Ibn Jubayr (Born 1145) was a well-known globe-trotter who authored The Trip (Rihlah) Al-Mazini (1080-1170) went to Russia in 1136 Ibn Battuta (1304-1377) was the Muslim globe trotter of the Middle Ages, who travelled to Ceylon, Bengal, China, Constantinople and the interior of Africa in 1353,

In the field of medicine, early Muslims contributed greatly and reached their high water-pitch in discoveries. The science of surgery was introduced by Ibn Zuhr of Andalusia who was also called Avenzoar (1091-1162). He was also the first to that made strides in medicine discuss feeling in bones. Such other giant Muslims and pharmacy include Ar-Razi (865-925); Ibn Sina (Avicenna, 980-1037), Abul Qasim (Abucasis); Ibn Rushd (1126-1198), and Ibn Tufayl (1100-1185).

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In the field of zoology, we had Al-Jahiz (died 808) who was very famous; and so also Miskawaih; Al-Qazwini and Ad-Damiri.

The early Muslims also contributed to the field of astrology where Al-Batani (died 929 C.E.) made his mark. Ile was famous for offering solution to the operation of triangular equations. He also made mathematical tables of tangents parallel nadir. Also, Al-Batani discovered the law of sines and cosines now known as trigonometry.

Further strides were made by Muslims in the field of astronomy, especially by Ibn Rushd who was the first to recognise spots on the surface of the sun. Al Majriti of Cordova (died 1007), Az-Zargali of Toledo (1029-10870) and Ibn Aflah of Sevile (Died 1150) were Hispano-Arab astronomers of high repute.

As the Great Book of science, the early Muslims were inspired by the Glorious Qur’an and they made marks in the field of botany. Ad-Dinawari was a household name, as he authored six volumes of Encyclopedia Botanica (Kitab an-Nabat) Ad-Dinawari really proved that science originated from Holy Qur’an and never from the Greek literature. His Encyclopedia Botanica was written and published long before the first translation into Arabic of Greek works on Botany, and Silberberg quite admits that Ad-Dinawari’s work far surpassed Greek works in botany by Discorides and Theophrastus even after a thousand years of study.

Even Ad-Dinawari was not the only Muslim Botanist. We also had Al-Ghafiqi (Died 1165) who wrote al-Adwiyah, al-Mufradah (te On Simples): Ibn ul-Baytar (Died 1248) was a foremost herbalist who wrote al-Mughni fil-Adwiyyah al Mufradah (Materia Medica); while Al-Jami wote Fil-Adwiyah Al-Mufradah (Simple Remedies).

Besides, Ibn Firmas (Died 888) was an aggressive builder of engines, and therefore contributed greatly to the field of mechanical engineering Just as Prophet Sulaiman’s reign of 40 years between B.C. 992 to 952 contributed to the manufacturing industry with production of articles from molten copper, he stands out in history as the first man to fly in aero plane (Q:34:12; 21:81;38:36). But the modern aero plane was actually invented by Ibn Firmas in the year 861 AD. When he made an instrument, which had two wings. He then climbed to the top of the minaret in the city of Cordova.

From a height of 300 meters, he jumped and flew over the city. Unfortunately, Ibn Fimas fell and died on the spot as he attempted to direct himself and land. But he actually succeeded in inventing the first modem aeroplane. And it was not until 1903 when Orville and Wilbur Wright improved on the feat of Ibn Firmas to produce propeller airplane.

Moreover, great scientific works are attributed to Khalid bin Yazid (Died 708) in the fields of chemistry and physics Such others likes Ja’far As- Sadiq the great jurist (Died 765) and his pupil Jabir bin Hayyan (Died 815). In fact, Jabir bin Hayyan wrote five hundred books. But of these only eighty appear to have survived. He wrote on philosophy, logic and alchemy. His magnum opus is al Zibak al-Sharki (The Oriental Quicksliver). His ingenuities as foremost chemist includes first producer of acid, first distiller of sulfuric acid, and first to evolve a method for the extraction of sodium carbons. potassium, arsenic and sliver nitrates

It is important to note that almost all the great names connected with medicine left indelible marks on mathematics. But as Ishaq Akintola [1992] notes Muhammed Ibn Musa was also a renowned Muslim Mathematician. He discovered the use of decimal notation. So also, was Al-Biruni (Died 1048) who wrote more than one hundred books on mathematics, geography, astronomy and pharmacy, He invented an instrument of the radius called the ‘Biruni method. He also invented a method to measure generic weight for nine different metals and discovered the nature of liquid pressure and a method for extracting salt from sea Even Al-Khawarizni (Died 850) was a leading mathematician who invented the term logarithm in the relation of numbers He also found the solution to the operation of 2nd and 3rd degrees. Apart from also inventing algebra, he discovered the numerical system (1.2.3.4, etc) which was adopted in Europe at the end of the 16th century and is still in used till today.

On Optics, a Muslim scientist, A-Kindi wrote the Book of Rays in the nineth century which was far in advance of the Greek lore of the incendiary mirrors. Ibn Ul-Hanham (Died 1039) was a brilliant optician. He was the first to draw the eye and the first to detail the phenomenon of reflection and expansion. He researched into the enlargement of pictures, their reflection, accumulation and the formation of colours. The great optician was also the first to detail the phenomenon of expansion of flat surfaces.

In the area of paper-making and printing technology which are crucial to the preservation of knowledge, the Muslim world quite proved a mettle. Though paper making began in China in the second century B.C. when people used worn-out bast fibres to make rough paper, it was actually invented in the second century when liana and haniboolibres were also used for making paper. Baghdad, capital of actually served as the spot from where the technology reached Europe after the 12th century. The Arab world had developed paper over four centuries earlier, precisely in the 8th century. The same thing applied to the printing technology that developed from wood-block printing to movable-type printing.

The list of ingenuities in science by Muslims is endless.