Muslim Contribution to Science

1. In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent , the Most Merciful
www.al-ilm.org
ilmhyderabad@gmail.com

2. Muslim Scientists who have
Contributed in Science
Presented by
M.A.Lateef Atear

3. CONTRIBUTION OF ISLAM TO
MODERN SCIENTIFIC
METHODOLOGY

4. Pre-Islamic Science
Greek Philosophy
• Socrates (469-399 BC), Plato
(427-347 BC), Aristotle (384-322
BC)
• Hypothetical, speculative and
imaginary
• No evidence of experimentation

5. Islamic era of Science
• Birth of Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH)
(570 AD – 632 AD)
• Begins with
revelation of Quran
(610 AD)

6. Islam and Modern Scientific
Methods
• The Challenge of Quran
Soon we will show them our signs in the (furthest)
regions (of the earth), and in their own souls until
it manifests truth on them.
(Sura Fussilat 41:53)

7. Do they not look At the Camels, How they are made
(Sura Gashiya 88:17)

9. Father of Chemistry
Jabir Ibn Hayyan (Geber) 721 –
815 CE
Khorasan, Iran

10. Books Written by him
• Kitab Al-Kimya : Book of Balances
• Kitab Al- Sab’een: Book of the Kingdom
• Book of Eastern Mercury
• 100 Monumental Treatises, 22 on Chemistry and Alchemy

11. His Achievements &
Contributions
• Invented alembic Systematized the process of distillation
• Break through includes :- Nitric, Hydrochloric, Citric, and
Tartaric Acids Preparation
• Paved the way for classification of substances into metals, non-
metals and volatile substances and the law of constant
proportions
• He perfected scientific techniques such as Crystallization,
Distillation, Calcination, Sublimation, Evaporation and
development of Several Instruments for the Same

12. • Pioneer of Applied Chemistry :- Preparation of Various
Metals, development of steel, dyeing of cloth and tanning of
leather, varnishing of water-proof cloth, use of manganese
dioxide in glass-making, prevention of rusting, lettering in
gold, identification of paints, greases, etc

13. Ibn Sina (Avicenna) 980-1037 CE
of Bukhara, Uzbekistan

14. Field of Contributions
• Hafiz
• Physician
• Islamic Philosopher
• Astronomer
• Chemist
• Logician
• Mathematician
• Poet
• Psychologist
• Sheikh
• Soldier
• Statesman
• Theologian

15. • Ibn Sina wrote almost 450 treatises on a wide range of subjects, of
which around 240 have survived.
• In particular, 150 of his surviving treatises concentrate on
Philosophy and 40 of them concentrate on Medicine
• His most famous works are The Book of Healing, a Vast
philosophical and scientific encyclopaedia, and The Canon of
Medicine which was a standard Medical text at Many Islamic and
European universities up Until the early 19thcentury.
• The Canon of Medicine was used as a text-book in the universities
of Montpellier and Louvain as late as1650.
Books Written by him

16. Medicine
• The Canon of Medicine was the first book dealing with
Experimental Medicine, evidence-based medicine, randomized
controlled trials and efficacy test sand it laid out the following
rules and principles for testing the effectiveness of new drugs
and medications, which still form the basis of clinical
pharmacology and modern clinical trails
• "The drug must be free from any extraneous accidental quality.“
• "It must be used on a simple, not a composite, disease.“
• "The drug must be tested with two contrary types of diseases,
because sometimes a drug cures one disease by Its essential
qualities and another by its accidental ones.“

17. • "The quality of the drug must correspond to the strength of
the disease. For example, there are some drugs whose heat is
less than the coldness of certain diseases, so that they would
have no effect on them.“
• "The time of action must be observed, so that essence and
accident are not confused.“
• "The effect of the drug must be seen to occur constantly or in
many cases, for if this did not happen, it was an accidental
effect.“
• "The experimentation must be done with the human body,
for testing a drug on a lion or a horse might not prove
anything about its effect on man."

18. Abbas Ibn Firnas ( Armen
Firman) 810-887 CE
Izn-Rand Onda, al-Andalus (today's Ronda, Spain)
First Man to Fly

19. His Achievements &
Contributions
• First to make glass from stones (quartz)
• Designed a water clock called Al-Maqata
• "Ibn Firnas was the first man in history to make a scientific attempt
at flying."
—Philip Khuri Hitti, in his book “History of the Arabs”
• He also devised means of manufacturing glass from sand to produce
quartz glass, and he developed a chain of rings that could be used to
display the motions of the planets and stars
• Invented an artificial weather simulation room, in which spectators
saw stars and clouds, and were astonished by artificial thunder and
lightning. These were due to mechanisms hidden in the basement

20. • In 852, under the new Caliph 'Abd al-Rahman II, Ibn Firnas
flew off from the minaret of the Mezquita mosque in Córdoba,
using a huge wing-like cloak to break his fall, he sustain minor
injuries. This was the first example of an early parachute
• In 875, at the age of 65 years, Ibn Firnas made the first attempt
at controlled flight when he invented a hang glider with artifical
wings, and launched himself from the Mount of the Bride (Jabal
al-'arus) in the Rusafa Area, near Córdoba. The flight was
largely successful, and was widely observed by a crowd that he
had invited. However, the landing was not perfect

21. El Zahrawi (Albucasis) 936 – 1013
CE
Córdoba, Spain
Father of Surgery
Surgical Instruments by
Al Zahrawi

22. Books Written by him
• At-Tasrif - a medical Encyclopedia spanning 30 volumes which
included sections on Surgery, Medicine, Orthopaedics,
Ophthalmology, Pharmacology, Nutrition etc
• Liber servitoris de preeparatione medicinarum simplicium, describes
chemical preparations, tablet making, filtering of extracts and related
pharmaceutical techniques
• Discussed cauterisation, bloodletting, midwifery and obstetrics and
the treatment of wounds; exposure and division of the temporal artery
to relieve certain types of headaches; diversion of urine into the
rectum; reduction mammoplasty for excessively large breasts and the
extraction of cataracts; injuries to bones and joints; even mentioning
fractures of the nasal bones and of the vertebrae

23. His Achievements &
Contributions
• Outlined use of caustics in surgery, fully described tonsillectomy,
tracheotomy and craniotomy- operations performed on a dead foetus;
used a hook to extract a polyp in the nose; used a bulb syringe he
invented for giving enemas to children and used a metallic bladder
syringe and speculum to extract bladder stones
• The first to describe the so-called “Walcher position” in obstetrics; the
first to depict dental arches, tongue depressors and lead catheters & the
first to describe clearly the hereditary circumstances surrounding
haemophilia; described ligaturing of blood vessels long before Ambroise
Pare
• The French surgeon Guy de Chauliac in his ‘Great Surgery’, completed
in about 1363, quoted Al-Tasrif over 200 times. El Zahrawi was described
by Pietro Argallata (1423 A.D.) as “without doubt the Chief of all
Surgeons”

24. MOHAMMAD BIN MUSA AL-
KHAWARIZMI
Greatest Mathematician that Ever Lived /
Astronomer / Geographer

25. Books Written by him
• Kitab al-Jam’a wal- Tafreeq bil Hisab al-Hindi on Arithmatic
• On Algebra, Al-Maqala fi Hisab-al Jabr wa-al- Muqabilah –translated into Latin
in the 12th century, and it was this translation, which introduced this new
science to the West “completely unknown till then.”
• Astronomical Tables were also translated into European languages and, later,
into Chinese
• Kitab Surat-al-Ard on Geography, together with its maps
• Two books on the Astrolabe
• Kitab al-Tarikh
• On sun-dials - Kitab al-Rukhmat

26. His Achievements &
Contributions
• Founder of several branches and basic concepts of Mathematics
• Influenced mathematical thought to a greater extent than any other
medieval writer - Phillip Hitti
• Work on Algebra was outstanding, as he not only initiated the subject
in a systematic form but he also developed it to the extent of giving
analytical solutions of linear and quadratic equations, which
established him as the founder of Algebra
• The very name Algebra has been derived from his famous book Al-
Jabr wa-al-Muqabilah

27. • His arithmetic synthesised Greek and Hindu knowledge and
contained his own contribution of fundamental importance
to Mathematics and Science
• Developed decimal system so that the overall system of
numerals, ‘Algorithm’ or ‘Algorizm’ is named after him
His Achievements &
Contributions

28. Ibn Zuhr (Avenzoar) 1091 -
1161 CE
Seville, Spain
The First Parasitologist

29. Books Written by him
• Kitab Al-Taisir fi Al-Mudawat Wa Al-Tadbir (Book of Simplification
concerning Therapeutics and Diet) gives in detail pathological
conditions, followed by therapy
• Kitab Al-Iqtisad fi Islah Al-Anfus Wa Al-Ajsad (Book of the Middle
Course concerning the Reformation of Souls and the Bodies) gives a
summary of diseases, therapeutics and hygiene written specially for
the benefit of the layman - A valuable discourse on Psychology
• Kitab Al-Aghthiya (Book on Foodstuffs) describes different types of
food and drugs and their effects on health

30. His Achievements &
Contributions
• Produced works of everlasting fame
• Made several discoveries and breakthroughs
• Books translated into Latin & Hebrew and remained popular in
Europe as late as the advent of the 18th century
• Described correctly, for the first time, Scabies, the Itch mite and
may thus be regarded as the first Parasitologist
• Gave clinical descriptions of mediastinal tumorous, intestinal
phthisis, inflammation of the middle ear, pericarditis, etc
• Prescribed Tracheotomy and direct feeding through the gullet
and rectum in the cases where normal feeding was not possible

31. Great Physician
anatomia
Ibn Al - Nafis 1213 - 1288 CE
Damascus (Syriya)

32. Books Written by him
• The most voluminous of his books is Al-Shamil fi al-Tibb, which was
designed to be an encyclopedia comprising 300 volumes. The
manuscript is available at Damascus
• Mujaz Al-Qanun Kitab Al-Mukhtar fi Al-Aghdhiya (the effects of diet on
health)
• Elaborated the function of the coronary arteries as feeding the cardiac
muscle
• Donated his house, library and clinic to the Mansuriya Hospital in
Cairo, where he also served

33. His Achievements &
Contributions
• The first to correctly describe the constitution of the lungs and gave
a description of the bronchi and the interaction between the human
body’s vessels for air and blood.
• Approach comprised writing detailed commentaries on early works,
critically evaluating them and adding his own original contribution.
• His major original contribution of great significance was his
discovery of the blood’s circulatory system, which was rediscovered
by modern science after a lapse of three centuries.
• Elaborated the function of the coronary arteries as feeding the
cardiac muscle.

34. Nasir Al-Din Al Tusi 1201-
1274 CE
Kadhimain near Baghdad, Iraq
Mathematics, Astronomy, Philosophy and Religion
A Treatise on Astrolabe
by al-Tusi, Isfahan
Tusi couple from Vat.
Arabic ms 319

35. Books Written by him
• Al-Zij-Ilkhani Tajrid-Al-’Aqaid (Islamic Scholastic Philosophy
• Akhlaqi-Nasri book on ethics entitled Al-Risalah Al-Asturlabiyah – A
Treatise on astrolabe
• Wrote 64 treatises; one-fourth concern Mathematics, another fourth
Astronomy, another fourth Philosophy and Religion, and the
remainder other subjects
• Invented an instrument ‘torqued’ that contained two planes

36. His Achievements &
Contributions
• Instrumental in establishment and progress of Maragha observatory
• Made significant influence in the development of Science, notably in
Mathematics and Astronomy
• Al Zij Ilkhani became most popular tables among astronomers and
remained so till the 15th century
• In Mathematics, his major contribution in Trigonometry was compiled
as a new subject in its own right for the first time
• Developed the subject of Spherical Trigonometry, including six
fundamental formulas for the solution of spherical right-angled
triangles
• After devoted work of 12 years at the observatory, his team produced
new astronomical tables called Al-Zij-Ilkhani

37. Ibn Zakariya Al-Razi (Rhazes) 864 -
930 CE
Ray, Iran
One of the Greatest Physicians of all times
Kitab_fi'l-Judari

38. Books Written by him
• Kitab al- Mansoori
• Al-Hawi (this book has been translated in Hyderabad)
• Kitab al-Mulooki and Kitab al-Judari wa al – Hasabah
• Jami-fi-al-Tib
• Maqalah fi al- Hasat fi Kuli wa al-Mathana
• Kitab al-Qalb
• Kitab al-Mafasil
• Kitab-al- ‘Ilaj al-Ghoraba
• 200 outstanding scientific contributions; 100 deal with Medicine and 21
concern Alchemy. He also wrote on Physics, Mathematics, Astronomy
and Optics

39. His Achievements &
Contributions
• Prepared Alcohol by fermenting sweet products
• First original treatise on smallpox and chickenpox
• Opened the way for Inorganic and Organic Chemistry
• Composed the largest Medical Encyclopedia till his time
• Expert Surgeon and the first to use opium for anaesthesia
• Introduced concepts of space & time as constituting a continuum
• Designed about twenty instruments used in chemical
investigation

40. • First to draw clear comparisons between smallpox and
chickenpox
• The first to produce Sulphuric Acid together with some other
acids
• Greatly influenced development of Medicine, in particular
and Science, in general
His Achievements &
Contributions

41. Al - Haitham (Alhazen) 965 –
1040 CE
Basra in Iraq (Mesopotamia)
Father of Optics
Eye Diagram in 11th
Century
Diagram of the Eyes and
Related Nerves From “Kitab
Al Manazir” in 11th Century

42. Books Written by him
• Mizan -Al-Hikmah - discusses the density of the atmosphere and
developed a relation between it and the height
• Kitab-Al-Manadhir - Exerted a great influence upon western science
e.g. on the work of Roger Bacon and Kepler - brought about great
progress in experimental methods
• His Monumental treatise on Optics survived through its Latin
translation

43. • Known for the earliest use of the camera obscura
• Carried out the first experiments on the dispersion of light into
its constituent colours
• The first to describe accurately various parts of the eye and give
a scientific explanation of the process of vision
• Made a thorough examination of the passage of light through
various media and discovered the laws of refraction
• Dealt at length with the theory of various physical phenomena
like shadows, eclipses, rainbow, and speculated on physical
nature of light
His Achievements &
Contributions

44. Ibn Ahmad Al-Biruni 973 - 1048
CE
Kheva, (present day Uzbekistan)
Sextant
Lunar Eclipse
An eight-geared lunisolar
calendar illustrated in Al-
Biruni's treatise on the
astrolabe, written in AD 996.
The design is much simpler
than that of the Antikythera
Mechanism, but is very
probably descended from it.
One of the Greatest Scientists of all times

45. Books Written by him
• Katib Al-Saidana (Indian Medicine): Kitab-al-Jamahir deals with the
properties of various precious stones
• Kitab-Al-Hind (History and Geography of India): Al-Tafhim-li-Awail
Sina’at Al-Tanjim - a summary of Mathematics and Astronomy
• Al-Athar Al-Baqia - connected account of ancient history of nations
with related geographical knowledge - Discussed rotation of the earth
• Qanun-i Masoodi (Al-Qanun Al-Masudi, fi Al-Hai’a wa Al-Nujum) - on
Astronomy, Trigonometry, solar, lunar, and planetary motions and
relative topics

46. • The first to undertake experiments related to astronomical
phenomena
• Scientific contributions include the accurate determination of the
densities of 18 different stones
• Developed a method for trisection of angle and other problems which
cannot be solved with a ruler and a compass alone
• His descriptions of India were so complete that even the Aein-i-
Akbari, 600 years later, owes a great deal to al-Biruni’s book
• Al-Biruni knew that the Earth Rotates about its own axis, some 600
years prior to Galileo, and determined the Earth's Circumference
some 700 years prior to Newton
His Achievements & Contributions

47. AL- IDRISI (DRESES) 1099 – 1166
CE
CEUTA, SPAIN
First Man To Draw World Map
Map of the World in
1154 by Idrissi

48. Books Written by him
• Rawd-Unnas wa-Nuzhat al-Nafs (Pleasure of men and delight of souls)
also known as Kitab al-Mamalik wa al-Masalik Another Geographical
Encyclopedia, larger than the former
• Al-Kitab al-Rujari (Roger’s Book), also entitled Nuzhat al-Mushtaq fi
Ikhtiraq al-Afaq (The delight of him who desires to journey through the
climates) - a Geographical Encyclopedia of the time, containing
information not only on Asia and Africa, but also Western countries.

49. His Achievements &
Contributions
• Made a planisher in silver for King Roger II
• Geography books remained popular both in the East and the West for
several centuries
• Gave the names of the drugs in six languages: Syriac, Greek, Persian,
Hindi, Latin and Berber
• Made original contributions to Geography, especially as related to
Economics, Physical Factors and Cultural Aspects
• Made available a large number of new drugs and plants together with
their evaluation to the medical practitioners
• Collected plants and data not reported earlier and added this to the
subject of Botany, with special reference to medicinal plants

50. Al - Battani (Albategnius) 858
– 929 CE
Harran, Turkey
One of the Greatest Astronomers of his times

51. Books Written by him
• Zij - which is known to be more accurate than all others written
before that time
• His Most famous book an De scienta stellerum on astronomical
treatise with tables - De numeris stellerum et motibus

52. His Achievements &
Contributions
• Accurately determined solar year as being 365 days, 5 hours, 46
minutes and 24 seconds
• Provided very neat solutions by means of orthographic
projection for problems of spherical trigonometry
• Original discoveries both in Astronomy and Trigonometry of
great consequence in the development of these sciences
• Determined with remarkable accuracy the obliquity of the
ecliptic, the length of the seasons and the true and mean orbit of
the sun
• Rectified several orbits of the moon and planets and propounded
a new and very ingenious theory to determine the conditions of
visibility of the new moon

53. lbn Al Baitar 1248 CE
Malaqa, Spain
The Greatest Scientists of Muslim Spain &
the Greatest Botanist and Pharmacist of
the Middle Ages

54. Books Written by him
• His second monumental treatise Kitab al-Mlughni fi al-Adwiya al-
Mufrada is an Encyclopaedia of Medicine. The drugs are listed in
accordance with their therapeutical value
• Kitab al-Jami fi al-Adwiya al- Mufrada, is one of the greatest botanical
compilations dealing with Medicinal Plants in Arabic -enjoyed a high
status among botanists up to the 16th century

55. His Achievements &
Contributions
• Started collecting plants in and around Spain
• Contributions characterized by observations, analysis and
classification
• Exerted a profound influence on Eastern as well as Western Botany
and Medicine
• Left Spain on a plant-collecting expedition along the northern coast
of Africa as far as Asia Minor in 1210 A.D.
• Kitab al Jami – a systematic work that embodies earlier works, with
due criticism, and adds a great part of original contribution. The
encyclopedia comprises 1,400 different medicinal plants and
vegetables, of which about 200 plants were not known earlier

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