ARAB CONTRIBUTION TO SCIENCE : MODERN PHILOSOPHY PART-III
ARAB CONTRIBUTION TO SCIENCE:
MODERN PHILOSOPHY: PART-III
**BY RAJ NANDY**
INTRODUCTION
In Part One I have introduced my readers to Early Modern
Philosophy along with its pioneers ;
And in Part Two painted the historical background to the
‘Rise of Science’ and the ‘17th Century Age of Reason’.
I would be doing grave injustice if I leave out those Arab
scholars and scientists of earlier centuries ,
Whose works shone like a distant guiding beacon ; -
Inspiring the later works of Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo and
Sir Francis Bacon !
I shall tell you briefly about Islam’s Golden Age, and their
great courts at Baghdad(Iraq) and Cordoba(in Muslim Spain);
And those Arab scholars who translated, preserved, and
added to the works of Ancient Greeks Philosophers ,
Preserving them for posterity and all true knowledge
seekers !
Yet this civilization which had once so majestically risen,
With its mosques, palaces and minarets towering tall ;
Had failed to produce a Kepler, a Galelio or a Newton ;
While I shall tell you about their decline, and reasons
for their fall !
CONTRIBUTION OF ARAB SCHOLARS :
Background :
After the fall of the mighty Roman Empire , and before
the re-birth of the Renaissance ,
Medieval Europe was plundered by the Germanic tribes, -
Which had swooped down from the desolate North !
Besieged by famine, plague and persecution ,
Several centuries got swept under the rug ;
The hands of the clock turned backward, as nights in
Europe became long and dark !
Now within a century of prophet Mohammed’s death,
The Arabic-Muslim Empire had spread its wings ;
Covering northern Africa, southern Spain and Europe ,
Through Central Asia up to Indus River’s brink !
While in Medieval Europe religion and science made
strange bedfellows , -
Which led to the martyrdom of Italian philosopher-
scientist Bruno !
For Islam, Science the study of Nature, was linked to the
Oneness of God and His creation ;
“The scholar’s ink is more sacred than the blood of martyrs,”
- was holy Koran’s prevailing notion !
“For every disease Allah has given a cure”, said the Koran ;
Which promoted medical science, and scientific research
had begun !
Between the 8th and 13th centuries under the Abbasid Caliph’s
patronage ,
History witnessed the flourishing of Islam’s Golden Age ;
When great strides in all fields of human knowledge was
made !
CAPITAL CITY OF BAGHDAD :
The Abbasids , on the banks of river Tigris founded Baghdad
- their capital city, in 762AD .
Their ‘House of Wisdom’ was a flourishing library with a
planetarium and a translating center ,
Where they unlocked the precious treasures from various
ancient cultures !
By translating from Greek, Persian, Syriac and even
Sanskrit ,
They accumulated a vast body of knowledge which was
largely scientific !
With their experiments, discoveries, and through mental
application ,
They pioneered and advanced in several directions !
This accumulated knowledge spread throughout their
kingdoms entire ,
From Baghdad to Southern Spain , - the western flank
of their Empire !
AL ANDALUS – MUSLIM SPAIN:
During early 8th Century AD the Moors and Berber tribes
from North Africa ,
Crossed the narrow Straits of Gibraltar, where the ancient
Pillars of Hercules over the blue waters tower !
These Muslim tribesmen entered Spain conquering it
for their own use ;
Which was once the ‘Land of the Vandals’, so they called
it - ‘Al Andalus’!
Soon they moved up north, knocking on the doors of
Southern France ,
But in Oct 732, Frankish leader Charles Martel halted
their military advance !
This historic Battle of Tours confined the Muslims to
Southern Spain ,
And saved Western Europe from Muslim dominance !
UMAYYAD DYNASTY of Al Andalus :
During 750 AD, the Umayyads of Damascus were
slaughtered by the Abbasids ;
Its surviving prince Abdar Rahaman fled to Al Andalus,
To establish his Umayyad dynasty there and to seek refuge !
It was a land besieged by factional loyalties of various
warring tribes ,
So many battles he had fought to consolidate and survive !
He established Cordoba as the capital of his Emirate ,
And with advanced technology and architecture of his days ,
Rebuilt Al Andalus to outshine Baghdad in several ways !
Though the initial culture of Islamic Spain derived from
the Abbasid civilization of Baghdad ;
It peaked to contribute on its own, during the reign of
Abdal al-Rahman the Third ! ( 912-961AD)
At Cordoba the Capital, he assumed the title of Caliph
of Al-Andalus ,
Where the Jewish , Christian, and Islamic cultures, -
had peacefully mingled and fused !
This Umayyad Caliph broke all ties with the Abbasids
of Baghdad ,
Since rivalry between them had prevailed right from the
very start !
Abdal Rahaman encouraged religious and all secular
scientific knowledge ,
And Cordoba became the intellectual center of Europe, -
which all Historians acknowledge !
GLORIES of CORDOBA : 10th and 11th Century AD:
This ancient city of Roman Hispania (Spain) was
strategically located along the Guadalquivir River ;
Became the largest city of Europe and an epitome of
Islamic culture ;
Cordoba thrived and prospered with its cutting edge
of urban agriculture !
Its Mazquita the Great Mosque, and Umayyad Palace
the Alcazar,
Since 1984 survives as World Heritage Site, in Cordoba’s
historic parts !
Cordoba had internal plumbing, and street lighting most
unique those days ,
Superior to rest of Europe and was envied in many ways !
When the royalty in Europe lived in wooden houses, and
their subjects in thatched roofed shacks ;
Though grudgingly acknowledged, is a historical fact !
The Caliph entertained his foreign guests with drinks ,
cooled by ice brought from the high Pyrenees ,
A mind boggling effort, which the minds of his guests
did tease !
The city had seventy libraries, three hundred public baths,
and mosques with horse-shoe types red and white painted
arch !
Through geometric patterns and intricate designs displayed
repetitively, - it symbolized the motif of infinity !
Musicians, astronomers, physicians, architects and talents
from all walks of life ,
Flocked into Cordoba to teach, learn, and as proud
professionals survive !
Illustrious SONS of CORDOBA :
Let me now mention three of Cordoba’s illustrious sons ;
Seneca, Maimonides and Averroes, whose praise many
philosophers have sung !
Roman Seneca born in Cordoba, and lived from 3BC to
65AD,
A poet, a Stoic philosopher and writer, and a tutor to Nero
the future King !
Maimonides(1135-1204) the famous Jewish physician,
philosopher and rabbai ,
Wrote ‘The Guide for the Perplexed’ to aid the medieval
mind !
And finally we come to Ibn Rushid (1126-1198), better
known as Averroes ;
A physician, a lawyer, and a Medieval Muslim philosopher
of importance ,
Was the greatest commentator on the works of Aristotle !
By trying to reconcile Aristotle’s philosophy with teachings
of the Koran ,
Gave rise to ‘double truth’ which the Medieval Church
had promptly shun !
Yet his many scientific and medical works, had greater
influence on the European Renaissance ,
Than on Islamic philosophy itself, as scholars had rightly
thought !
OTHER SCIENTIFIC ACHIVEMENTS of the ARABS :
Muslim Spain became a bridge for passing scientific legacy
into Europe subsequently ,
And had also greatly influenced later Renaissance philosophy!
The Arabs traveled during cool of the night guided by the
heavenly stars ,
So Astronomy was a pet subject they always loved by far !
They computed accurate astronomical data, and the Lat.
and Long of earth’s grid entire ;
So that during time of prayer they could face Holy Mecca
across their vast Empire !
Cordoba had a water clock showing the lunar months
and hours of day ,
Invented the quadrant and the astrolabe, to navigate
the oceans by night and day !
Muslim navigators accompanied Columbus when he sailed
across the uncharted seas ;
These are the lesser know facts of Islamic History !
Arabs improved upon Medical science of Greek Galen
and Hippocrates,
Setting up many Hospitals, and developed Pharmacology !
They also transformed Alchemy into the science of
Chemistry ;
Inventing burners, crucibles, scales and weights, test tubes,
filters and distillation apparatus for experimentations ;
And in the field of Optics performed cataract operations !
In Baghdad’s ‘House of Wisdom’ the mathematician
Al-Khwarizmi , combined Greek geometric intuition with
mathematical precision, creating Algebra for the Nation !
He also created the Decimal Point, and wrote the ‘‘Hindu
Art of Reckoning’’,
Introducing the Ten Hindu-Arabic Numerals, for easy
calculation and reckoning !
Aryabhata the Hindu astronomer during 5th Century AD,
Is credited with the concept of ‘sunya’ or zero, an accepted
fact of History !
The Arab traveler Al Beiruni, who had stayed in India for
eleven years ,
Learnt Sanskrit and translated the Vedas, had taken this
concept of Zero to Arabia !
The Arabs during the 7th Century developed Poetry
with end rhymes, using poetry as a medium to circulate
opinions through catchy rhymes !
Yet this great leap in scientific knowledge during Islam’s
Golden Age ,
Gradually declined after the fall of Cordoba’s Caliphate !
DECLINE of ISLAM'S GOLDEN AGE :
In 1013 AD Cordoba fell to the rebels, and internal strife
and discord prevailed ;
The Caliphate gets fragmented into smaller kingdoms like
Seville, Toledo, Granada ;
And Al Andalus looses its former majesty and splendor !
The Turks in the East undermines central authority ,
Religious differences prevailed in the Muslim world with
charges of heresy !
Al-Ghazali the famous Muslim theologian expelled Science
from Religion ,
And changed Islam’s scientific thought and its very foundation !
In 1095 Pope Urban- II declares a Holy War- 'The Crusades',
And in 1258 Baghdad fell to the Mongols, sealing Islam’s
fate !
CONCLUSION :
The Arabic scientific heritage had made a great leap
forward during Islam’s Golden Age ;
From Baghdad in the East, to Cordoba in the West !
European scholars between 12th and 19th centuries, have
regularly quoted from Arabic scientific texts,- is therefore
no mystery !
The language of modern Science still has references to its
Arabic roots ; -
Algebra , algorithm, and alkaline are all derived from its
Arabic roots !
Without Algebra there would be no modern Mathematics
or Physics ;
No Computers without algorithm , and no Chemistry
without alkali !
I have mentioned only a few, to curtail the length of my
Story !
With this dear readers I conclude Part–III of my Modern
Philosophy !
Thanks for reading patiently, - Raj Nandy, New Delhi.
E-mail: rajnandy21@yahoo.in
Indeed, Sir. The esoteric sprongwater from Alexandria hardly stream much along history. It is nice for you to bring this up here, Indah
Praiswotrthy job indeed! well done !
Ohhh myyyy.... Lines and lines and lines of knowledge on history.. I have started reading this write.. dear poet.. since 2 days... Only today i could read it in full. I am amazed by the patience with which you frame these lines.. lines of history!!! Ohhh ... salute your talent to write a poem like this. A lot of interesting incidents and history of past to be known here.
great work...very much useful study especially for those involved in research works
I salute you for your marvellous effort! What a piece! I'm enlightened! A poet of your potential is a rare and a s pecial gift. You set the bar too high for me, hope I do justice to the site.
Wonderfully written .. with each line of your work i time travelled and witnessed the events through the words ! Thanks for posting
A great Historian really knows the human value of Arab Scholars! Like a Swan segregates milk & water in a pond?
Thank you dear Friends for your kind comments ! Since 'Google' has been posting my works on their reference web pages , I just checked by typing "Arab Contribution- Modern Philosophy" today, & to my delight found my work posted on the very first page ! Thanks once again , - Raj
This is fantastic Ray as I have been tranlating arabigo/andaluzes poems from old Portugues, it is a laborious work, but i didn't know the Islamic golden age arched so much. wine drinking, yes many of the poems are about wine: here is one The Rose and Lily Original title: Açucena e a Rosa Written by IBN Farach (976) Poemas Arbigo-Andaluzes Savour the wine with the fragrant lily in bloom and during morning form an assembly when the rose blush. If you suckle the heaven’s teats and together blend its milk with lily, rose and blood, there will be a revolt, the lily becomes whiter than the camphor-tree- the queen of whiteness- and the rose- disobedient against conformity- becomes more divine than red hot iron.
Fantastic illustration of the contribution of a historical past. Herculean task you have taken to your shoulder to introduce the glorious past to the contemporary phase of civilization. Carry on. Ignorance may be sometimes act as blessing but often it plays as the inhuman aroma of hatredness to a certain community. You are doing the right work as a human who should be grateful to the ancestors of the human civilization. Great writing. Thank you for sharing.
Again I choose the library of Raj and what a wealth of knowledge is revealed and the rise and fall of many empires, thanks again for spot on work in the Arab world...regards