Al-Biruni: One of the Greatest Pioneers of Geographical Science
Abstract
Abu Rayhan al-Biruni (973-1048) was unquestionably one of the greatest polymaths and scientists of the tenth century Islamic Golden Period. He is commonly referred to as al-Biruni. Among his various fields of study, al-Biruni excels in mathematics, physics, astronomy, science, as well as history, chronology, and languages, in which he is well-versed. He also made significant contributions to the advancement of Muslim geographical knowledge, particularly in the subject of mathematical geography. Furthermore, al-Biruni is sometimes referred to as the father of comparative religious studies, as well as the father of Indology, modern geodesy, and the first anthropological. In this paper, I will highlight some of his experimental contributions, as well as his geographical knowledge, which constituted the foundation of current geography knowledge.
References
. M. A Hanifi, A Survey of Muslim Institutions and Culture, Pakistan, 1978, p 149
. Bayt al-Hikmah was founded by the Abbasids caliph al-Mamun (813-833) whose reign is considered the golden period of the Abbasids.
Dr. Mohammad Israuddin, “Al-Biruni’s Contributions to Geography”, Al-Biruni Commemorative Volume, edited by Hakim Mohammad Said, Karachi. Pakistan, 1979, p.206
. Ahmad Nafis, Muslim and Science of Geography, Decca, 1980, p.28-30; https://historiaislamica.com/en/al-biruni-the-man-who-calculated-the-earths-radius/
. Nasr Sayyed Husain, Abu Rayhan Al-Biruni, nd. P. 2
. S. M. Ali, Arab Geography, Aligarh, 1960 p.81
. Kath meant a wall in the Khwarizmian language even if there were no building within it and also see in D.J. Boilot “ Al-Biruni”, in Encyclopeadia of Islam new edition, E.J. Brill, Vol. I,(London, 1960). E. S. Kennedy, “Al-Biruni”, Dictionary of Scientific Biography, (Charles Scriber’s Sons, New York), 1970.
. https://historiaislamica.com/en/al-biruni-the-man-who-calculated-the-earths-radius/
. Hakim Mohammad Said, ‘Abu Raihan Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Al-Biruni”, in Al-Biruni Commemorative Volume, op.cit., p. 18
. Dr, Mishra J. S., Al-Biruni Eleventh Century Historian, Varanasi, 1985, p. 4
. Ali S. M., Arab Geography, op.cit, p. 82
. Ahmad Nafis, Muslim and the Science of Geography, op.cit, p. 29
. Husain Majid, Evolution of Geographical Thought, Jaipur, 1988
. Cf Ali S. M., opcit, p. 82
. Ibid., p. 83
. Ahmad Nafis, Muslim Contribution to Geography, p. 30
. Ali S. M., op.cit., p. 85
. Ahmad Nafis, Muslims and the Science of Geography, p. 44
. Ahmad Ziauddin, “Al-Biruni-Life and Works”, Islamic Culture, Vol., 5, 31, pp. 43-44
. Nafis Ahmad, Muslims and the Science of Geography, p. 55
. Sultan Mawdud was succeeded by his father Masud who was murdered by his officer. Mawdud reign was eight year.
. Ahmad Nafis, Muslim and the Science of Geography, op.cit, p. 30
. E. S. Kennedy, “Al-Biruni” in Dictionary of Scientific Biography, New York, 1970, Vol. II p. 155
. Sharief M. M., A History of Muslim Philosophy, (Delhi, 1989), Vol. II, p. 1269
. Mohammad Israruddin, “Al-Biruni’s Contribution to Geography’, Al-Biruni Commemorative Volume, p. 207
. The distance of a point E or W of the Greenwich meridian, which is longitude 0 degree, measured as an angle from the centre of the Earth. Longitude is measured in degrees E or W of the Greenwich up to 180 degrees. Lines of longitude are known as meridians.
. The distance of point N or S of the equator, measured as an angle from the centre of the Earth,. The equator is latitude 0 degree and the poles are latitudes 90 degree N and 90 degree S. Lines joining poles with the same latitude are called parallels.
. Ahmad Nafis, Muslim Contribution to Geography, p. 33
. Ibid., p. 32
. It is a Point on the surface of the Earth directly opposite to each other if a straight line were drawn through the centre of the Earth. Australia and Newzealand , which lie roughly on the opposite side of the earth to the British Isles, are often referred to as the antipodes
. Mohammad Israruddin, “Al-Biruni’s Contribution to Geography’, Al-Biruni Commemorative Volume, p. 206
. Mohammad Aslam, “Al-Biruni Aur Ilm-I Djughrafiyah”, Al-Biruni Commemorative Volume, p. 844.
. Ibid., p. 843
. Ibid., p. 839
. M. M. Sharif (ed.), A History of Muslim Philosophy, 1966, Vol. II, p. 1290
. Ibrahim Boolaki, “The Mathematical Geography of al-Biruni”, in Hamdard Islamicus, Pakistan, Vol. VII, No. 2, pp. 64-65
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-By) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY