By Salman Sultan
It was Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, who first coined the term ‘Scientific temper’. He along with Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, India’s first Education Minister, established such great institutes as IISc (Indian Institute of Science), IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology). IIMs (Indian Institutes of Management), ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations), etc. Nehru was a visionary who believed in rationale thinking.
“Claudius Ptolemy was a 2nd century Greek mathematician, astronomer and geographer famous for his controversial geocentric theory of the universe, which would form the basis of our understanding of the motions of stars and planets for over than a thousand years”. It was Nicolaus Copernicus who refuted this wrong belief and held the modern view of planetary motion around the Sun. Though Copernicus has mentioned only Al-Battani but actually he greatly benefitted from the observation and data of Arab astronomers like Al-Tusi and Ibn al Shatir. Nasir Al-Din Al-Tusi gave a model of planetary motion which is known as Tusi couple: “The Tusi-Couple was comprised of two circles such that the smaller circle with half of the diameter of the bigger circle would roll tangent inside of the larger circle”. Copernicus in his book copied Tusi couple diagram down to letters; replacing Arabic letters with English but didn’t give the reference.
According to Professor Jim Al-Khalili (University of Surrey, U.K) “It was Islam which paved the way for one of the greatest upheaval in the history of Science” (BBC documentary: Science and Islam) In his quest to find the motivation for such gigantic astronomical research, Khalili discovered that it was due to religious necessity. Muslims are required to pray five times a day and therefore, to know the precise time of prayer is a must in Islam. In Ummid Mosque, Damascus, Khalili could find an exact replica of the ‘Sun Dial’ originally established by Ibn al-Shatir (1304-1375). The ‘Sun Dial’ had even provision for seasonal changes in prayer times.
To pray one must face the ‘Qibla’ (Kaaba in Mecca) and one of the great astronomer of Muslim world Al-Battani (858-929) introduced the use of sines and tangents in geometrical calculations, replacing the geometrical methods of the Greeks. Using trigonometry, he created an equation for finding the ‘Qibla’. His equation was widely used until superseded by more accurate methods, introduced a century later by the polymath Al-Biruni. His value for the solar year of 365 days, 5 hours, 46 minutes and 24 seconds, is 2 minutes and 22 seconds from the accepted value.
Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi (780-847), known as the Father of Algebra (al-jabr), was a great mathmetician who presented the first systematic solution of linear and quadratic equations. In the 12th century, Latin translations of his textbook on arithmetic (Algorithmo de Numero Indorum) which codified the various Indian numerals, introduced the decimal positional number system to the Western world. To solve problems through computers we use algorithm (step-by-step procedure to solve a problem). Algorithm is only derived from his name Al-Khwarizmi. Around 820 CE, he was appointed as the astronomer and head of the library of the House of Wisdom in Baghdad.
Ḥasan Ibn al-Haytham (965 –1040) was a medieval mathematician, astronomer, and physicist of the Islamic Golden Age from present-day Iraq. He is Referred to as “the father of modern optics”.
Jabir ibn Hayyan (721-815), Known in Europe as Geber, Islamic scholar of the Middle Ages, is considered the father of alchemy and one of the founders or pioneers of pharmacology and modern chemistry.
Maulana Abdus Salam Nadwi wrote ‘Hukma-e-Islam’ in two volumes. It contains a short description of Al-Khwarizmi. Another edition of the book with additions and footnotes is much required.
Now the big question is: why this golden age of Islam came to an end? Science thrives with prosperity but with the attacks of Mongol and decline of Islamic Empire Scientific research could not be carried at the same pace. Further, the ‘Fatwa’ against printing press (1450) halted the dissemination of knowledge. Unfortunately attempt to print Quran on this early printing press was a disaster. As type-setting Arabic letters (with complicated A’rab) is not easy, the printed Quran contained fatal error and therefore, all copies were burnt except the one which survives in the library of Venice.
One important difference between Western Scholars and our own is the prompt way they respond to queries. Whenever I have sent emails to Professor Juan Cole (author of ‘Muhammad: Prophet of Peace amid the Clash of Empires.’), he has promptly responded. In contrast I sent my first email to Dr. Sajjad Nomani (ilm.zikr@yahoo.com, Jan 15, 2018) as follows:
Mohtram Maulana (Dr.) K.R. Sajjad Nomani Saheb
Assalamu’alaikum w Rahmatullah w Barkatahu’
Trust this finds you in the best of health and spirit. It was kind of you to visit Dr. Nakadar Institute of Knowledge and deliver a thought provoking speech.
I have to clarify a few points with reference to Holy Quran and Hadith and i feel with your knowledge and experience you are the right person to whom i may seek for an answer.
Kindly acknowledge receipt.
I again sent him reminders dated: February 22, 2018, July 30, 2018 and September 13, 2019 but without response to this date.
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In contrast to the golden age of Islam (Seventh to Thirteenth century) when Madaris were centre of Scientific learning, present day Madaris are devoid of such spirit of Scientific enquiry. Graduates from our Madaris have poor knowledge of Universe and they present established Scientific facts in absurd ways. I sent a query (December 6, 2017) to Darul Ifta, Deoband as follows:
Category Name : Faiths & Beliefs
Title: Unsubstantiated speech from Mosque pulpit
Your Question: Assalamu’alaikum w Rahmatullah w Barkatahu’ Recently, i happened to be in Friday prayer in the Jama Masjid of Bhangel, sector 110, NOIDA (NCR), where a young gentleman was addressing the congregation. He talked about determination of gender and other characteristics of Fetus. He said that an angel visits the Fetus around 3-4 months to decide gender (male or female) and other characteristics. He also talked about photosynthesis and referred to moonshine being responsible for sweetness in fruits. When later on (after ‘Isha’) I asked the gentleman as to the source of his talk, he vaguely pointed out various literature. “Sex determination: A baby’s sex is determined at the time of conception. When the baby is conceived, a chromosome from the sperm cell, either X or Y, fuses with the X chromosome in the egg cell, determining whether the baby will be female (XX) or male (XY)” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_differentiation_in_humans) When I politely asked the youth about his qualification he replied “Deoband”. I suggested to this gentleman that he should refrain talking on Scientific matters but I feel he didn’t take my suggestion in the right spirit as he got up to go condemning Science. I would request you to please enlighten me as to what is taught in a prestigious institution like “Deoband” vis-a-vis Scientific developments. Kindly respond at your earliest convenience. Jazak Allah Khair
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I didn’t receive a reply and this year (April 13, 2023) I again requested them to respond to which they replied:
It is very old question you have to submit again (April 15, 2023)
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Graduates from our Madaris also talk about blue sky overhead though it is pitch dark out there above our ionosphere. It appears blue because of scattering of light. Sir C.V. Raman was awarded Nobel Prize for the discovery and introduced ‘Raman Spectra’.
Please ask Mr. Shamseer of Kerala for an opinion.
Assalamu’alaikum
Please give his contact number
Alaikum Salaam!
Does “The Muslim Mirror” need MY help in reaching the Speaker of the Keralam Assembly?