Bringing life to Muslim Heritage Discover 1000 years of missing history and explore the fascinating Muslim contribution to present day Science, Technology, Arts and Civilisation.

Muslim Heritage in Mechanics and Technology: Outline of a Program for Future Research The following text is the revised and expanded version of a lecture presented at The Royal Society in London (1st March 2007) during a meeting of the Muslim Heritage Awareness Group (MHAG) in which Mohammed Abattouy outlines a potential future research program in Muslim Heritage in the fields of mechanics, technology and engineering. Also Rediscovering Arabic Science: Islamic Scientific Heritage in the last issue of Saudi Aramco World Recognizing a Decisive Tribute: Islam's Contribution to Western Civilization How Islam Created the Modern World Science under Islam: A Reflection on Past Brilliancy and Future Revival Learning from the Past to Design the Future

Zheng He - the Chinese Muslim Admiral The Beijing Olympic Games started on Friday 8 August 2008 with a dramatic opening ceremony featuring a cast of thousands performers that celebrated the arts and achievements of China's long history. Among the tremendous events narrated by the ceremony was the evokation of Zheng He, the Chinese Muslim admiral of the 15th century. Blue-robed oarsman enacted seafarers travelling between Southeast Asia and the coast of Fujian, in southern China. Their oars became sails, painted with the "treasure ships" of Zheng He who reached Africa in the Ming Dynasty. On this occasion, we republish the following short outline of Zhen He's life and achievement. Also A review of Muslim Geography Mapping the World Piri Reis maps America Earliest maps of America

Ottoman Contributions to Science and Technology: Examples from Geography and Astronomy The Ottoman contribution to science and technology during their six hundred year rule is beyond measure. This article is a brief outline of just some of the Ottoman scientific activities and related institutions that brought about the revival of culture, science, and learning in civilization throughout the Islamic world and beyond. To instantiate the Ottoman scientific contributions, the author focuses on two significant examples from astronomy and geography in the 16th century: the foundation of Istanbul Observatory and Taqi Al-Din's achievements therein, map making and mapmakers such as the famous sailors Piri Reis, Saydi Ali Reis and Macar Ali Reis. Also The Oldest Map of Japan Drawn by Mahmud of Kashgar Better Directions at Sea: The Piri Reis Innovation Mapping and Picturing: Maps as Records of History Arabic Eclipse Records Bring Light to Scientific Analysis of the Earth's Rotation The Observation Well The Instruments of Istanbul Observatory

A Compendium of Knowledge about Islamic Civilization: Its History, Contributions, and Influence An extensive compendium of literature on Islamic civilization, the book published by Professor Shaikh M. Ghazanfar Islamic Civilization: History, Contributions, and Influence: A Compendium of Literature presents detailed and focused "literature briefs" on over 600 books and articles. Thus, it provides a springboard to extensive readings for any student or teacher of Islamic culture. Also A New Book by George Saliba: Islamic Science and the Making of the European Renaissance A New Book on Islamic Medicine:Medieval Islamic Medicine by Peter E. Pormann and Emilie Savage-Smith A New Book on the Ottoman Military History: Guns for the Sultan by Gábor Ágoston The Thistle and the Crescent by Bashir Maan: A Book Review The Islamic Art in the Louvre Museum in Paris

Arabic Medicine in the Mediterranean Professor Charles Burnett describes in a talk he recently gave the phenomena of Arabic Medicine which stretched across the Islamic world and embraced all religions and took knoweldge from wherever it was found. Also Arab Surgeon Albucasis (Al-Zahrawi) Ear, Nose and Throat Medical Practice in Muslim Heritage Al-Razi on Smallpox and Measles Scientific Transfer and Scholarship in Medieval Arabic Pharmacology Health in the Ottoman Empire: A Collective Achievement in the History of Ottoman Medicine

George Sarton and the History of Science George Sarton was a pioneer scholar who played a decisive role by his scholarship, methodology and academic career in establishing the history of science as a recognized subject in modern academia. His monumental major work in multiple volumes Introduction to the History of Science set a high standard and led the way for many others to follow. In this article, the late Professor Aydin Sayili, who was a student of George Sarton in Harvard University, scrutinizes Sarton's contribution through his own analysis and memories, and relies on the corpus of literature produced on Sarton by historians and academics. Also The Emergence of Scientific Tradition in Islam Scientific Contacts and Influences Between the Islamic World and Europe: The Case of Astronomy The Appreciation of Arabic Science and Technology in the Middle Ages Muslim Heritage Videos

The Thistle and the Crescent by Bashir Maan: A Book Review Information on the long and varied relationship between Islam and Scotland that began as early as the 7th century is non-existent. The Thistle and the Crescent by Bashir Maan has been written to fill this gap. Mrs Margaret Morris reviews this book which covers the history of the relationship between Scotland and Islam, as well as an account of the experiences of Muslims in contemporary Scotland and an account of the beliefs and practices of Islam which counteracts many misconceptions. Also A New Book by George Saliba: Islamic Science and the Making of the European Renaissance A New Book on Islamic Medicine:Medieval Islamic Medicine by Peter E. Pormann and Emilie Savage-Smith A New Book on the Ottoman Military History: Guns for the Sultan by Gábor Ágoston

The Six-Cylinder Water Pump of Taqi al-Din: Its Mathematics, Operation and Virtual Design The main objective of this study is to investigate into the six-cylinder water raising pump described around 1550 by the Ottoman Muslim scientist Muhammad Ibn Ma'rūf, known as Taqī al-Dīn, in his treatise Al-Turuq al-Saniya fī al-' ālat al-rūhaniya. After an outline of the historical context and an English translation of the relevant sections of the manuscript, the focus is laid on the engineering analysis of the water pump. The result of the analysis yielded the reconstruction of the machine through a graphical model which was then used to produce a virtual 3D animation of the mechanical workings of the various parts, including the water turbine, the cam shaft, the connecting rods, the reciprocating pistons and the cylinders. Also The Astronomical Clock of Taqi Al-Din: Virtual Reconstruction Taqi al-Din Ibn Ma’ruf: A Bio-Bibliographical Essay Taqi al-Din ibn Ma‘ruf and the Science of Optics: The Nature of Light and the Mechanism of Vision Taqi al-Din Ibn Ma’ruf: Survey on his Works and Scientific Method

Mathematics in the Medieval Maghrib: General Survey on Mathematical Activities in North Africa In this important article, Professor Ahmed Djebbar, the renowned scholar and specialist of the history of Arabic sciences, especially in the Islamic West, presents a general survey on mathematical activities in the Medieval Maghrib since the 9th century. Relying on his own studies and on a direct knowledge of the original sources, the author draws a rich picture of scientific activity in the Islamic west and thus shows the importance of the contribution of Maghribi mahematicians to the Arabic and Islamic mathematical tradition. Also Muslim Founders of Mathematics Al-Khwarizmi, Abdu’l-Hamid Ibn Turk and the Place of Central Asia in the History of Science Logical Necessities in Mixed Equations by Abd Al-Hamîd Ibn Turk and the Algebra of His Time Mathematics in Muslim Heritage Al-Hassâr's Kitâb al-Bayân and the Transmission of the Hindu-Arabic Numerals

Taqi al-Din Ibn Ma’ruf: Survey on his Works and Scientific Method Being in form a bio-bibliographical essay on the life and works of Taqī al-Dīn Ibn Ma'rūf, a well known scholar of 16th-century Istanbul, this article presents the contents of his books and compares his scientific method with his predecessors. This investigation leads in turn to a description of the originality of his achievement and shows the novel aspects of his work. Also Taqi al Din Ibn Ma’ruf 's Work on Extracting the Cord 2o and Sin 1o The Astronomical Clock of Taqi Al-Din: Virtual Reconstruction Taqi al-Din Ibn Ma’ruf: A Bio-Bibliographical Essay Taqi al-Din ibn Ma‘ruf and the Science of Optics: The Nature of Light and the Mechanism of Vision

Taqi al-Din ibn Ma‘ruf and the Science of Optics: The Nature of Light and the Mechanism of Vision In this article, some aspects of Kitab Nūr hadaqat al-ibsār wa-nūr haqīqat al-anzār (Book of the Light of the Pupil of Vision and the Light of the Truth of the Sights) of the renowned Ottoman astronomer Taqī al-Dīn ibn Ma‘rūf, who lived in Istanbul in the 16th century, is discussed in detail in order to show the high level and quality of the scientific research carried out during the reign of the Ottoman Empire. Also Camera Ibn Al-Haytham Al-Khazini - Merv's Physicist Kamal Al-Din Al-Farisi’s Explanation of the Rainbow Taqi al-Din Ibn Ma’ruf: A Bio-Bibliographical Essay

Tracing the Impact of Latin Translations of Arabic Texts on European Society In this article, Professor Charles Burnett, a world expert in the history of Islamic influences in Europe at The Warburg Institute (London University), retraces the impact the Latin translations of Arabic texts of science and philosophy had on the intellectual progress of Europe in the decisive period that preceded and prepared the Renaissance. The article is based on an interview conducted with him in 2004. Also The Role of Sicily in the transfer of Islamic Science to the West The Role of the Crusades in the transfer of Islamic science to the West The Impact of Translations of Muslim Sciences on the West Transfer of Islamic Technology to the West Transfer of Modern Science and Technology to the Ottoman State The Syriac-speaking Christians and the Translation of Greek Science into Arabic

The Astronomical Clock of Taqi Al-Din: Virtual Reconstruction In his book The Brightest Stars for the Construction of Mechanical Clocks (Al-Kawakib al-durriyya fi wadh' al-bankamat al-dawriyya), Taqi al-Din Ibn Ma'ruf analyses the four main types of time keeping devices known in the 16th century: watches, domestic clocks, astronomical clocks and tower clocks. Such machines represent the earliest mechanical computers. In the following, we present for the first time a virtual reconstruction of the astronomical clock type through geometrical drawing and 3D animation. Also The Machines of Al-Jazari and Taqi Al-Din When Ridhwan al-Sa’ati Anteceded Big Ben by More than Six Centuries The Self Changing Fountain of Banu Musa bin Shakir Al-Jazari’s Castle Water Clock: Analysis of its Components and Functioning Al-Jazari's Third Water-Raising Device: Analysis of its Mathematical and Mechanical Principles

The Instruments of Istanbul Observatory In this article, Professor Sevim Tekeli, an outstanding scholar in the history of Ottoman science, describes the instruments built by Taqî al-Dîn Ibn Ma'ruf and his team at the Istanbul observatory (was in activity between 1577 and 1580), and points out in particular the close resemblances between them and those used in Western Europe by Tycho Brahe, at the same time, in his observatory at Uraniborg Castle. Also Observatories In Islam Al-Urdi's Article on 'The Quality of Observation' "Three Times Greater than Venus": Ibn Ridhwan's Observation of Supernova 1006 Arabic Star Names: A Treasure of Knowledge Shared by the World Arabic Eclipse Records Bring Light to Scientific Analysis of the Earth's Rotation The Observation Well

Principle and Use of Ottoman Sundials Muslim astronomers and engineers invented a variety of dials for timekeeping and for determining the times of the five daily prayers. In this thorough and technical study, Professor Attila Bir analyses the principle and use of Ottoman sundials. Beginning with the definition of the the day, the hour and the prayer times, he analyses the mathematical formulas of the main two varieties of suncials used by Ottoman astronomers, the horizontal and vertical sundials. Also Modelling the Stars Calendars and Almanac in Islamic Civilization Precious Records of Eclipses in Muslim Astronomy and History Illustrious Names in the Heavens: Arabic and Islamic Names of the Moon Craters Arabic Eclipse Records Bring Light to Scientific Analysis of the Earth's Rotation

Taqi al Din Ibn Ma’ruf 's Work on Extracting the Cord 2o and Sin 1o This article by Professor Sevim Tekeli, a leading historian of science in the Ottoman period, deals with an aspect of the work of Taqi al-Din Ibn Ma'ruf in trigonometry, a mathematical discipline which studies the relationships between the sides and the angles of triangles and the trigonometric functions which describe those relationships. Approaching Taqi al-Din's work through modern methods of notation, his mathematical method in extracting the cord 2o and Sin 1o is fully disclosed. The author shows the originality of Ibn Ma'ruf's discovery and states how it constituted a progress with regard to his predecessors, in Greek and Islamic mathematics. Also The Machines of Al-Jazari and Taqi Al-Din Astronomical Instruments of Tycho Brahe and Taqi al-Din Al-Khwarizmi, Abdu’l-Hamid Ibn Turk and the Place of Central Asia in the History of Science Logical Necessities in Mixed Equations by Abd Al-Hamîd Ibn Turk and the Algebra of His Time Sine, Cosine and the Measurement of the Earth Al-Hassâr's Kitâb al-Bayân and the Transmission of the Hindu-Arabic Numerals

Muslim Printing Before Gutenberg This article by an eminent scholar, Dr Geoffrey Roper, presents an outline of a tremendous issue: the existence of printing in early Islam, several centuries before the invention of printing by Gutenberg in the 15th century. Based on his work on original sources, he states that some of the early printed Arabic documents display quite sophisticated designs involving calligraphic headpieces, transverse lettering, geometric panels, roundels, and the use of colour. The author documents briefly this important discovery and concludes that "Muslims were practising the craft of printing for some five centuries before Gutenberg". Also The Great Book Collectors The Beginning of the Paper Industry Al-Amidi's System of Writing for the Blind General Organisation of Education and Teaching Methods in Islamic Civilisation Knowledge, Learning Institutions and Libraries in Islam: Book Publishing and Paper Making

Kamal Al-Din Al-Farisi’s Explanation of the Rainbow This article focuses on a critical presentation of the arguments put forward by Kamal al-Din al-Farisi about the formation of the rainbow. This optical phenomenon was explained simultaneously but independently by two scientists, Kamal al-Din al-Farisi and Theodoric of Freiberg. Surprisingly, their theories of the rainbow were nearly correct in some respects and somewhat similar to our present understanding. This study reveals that Kamal al-Din al-Farisi was well ahead of his time in his assumptions related to most of the above mentioned topic. Also Ibn Al-Haitham the Muslim Physicist Eye Specialists in Islam Camera Ibn Al-Haytham Al-Khazini - Merv's Physicist

Islamic Art in Poland: The Kornik Castle The article is about the famous Kornik Castle near Poznan, in Poland which has many features inspired by Islamic art and architecture. Outlining the reasons of this influence, Mrs Latour-Abdalla describes the many aspects of Islamic art, architecture and learning featured in this monument until today. Also The Art of Calligraphy in the Ottoman Empire A Discovery in Architecture: 15th Century Islamic Architecture Presages 20th Century Mathematics Sinan’s Acoustical Technology The Seljuk Face of Anatolia: Aspects of the Social and Intellectual History of Seljuk Architecture Sheikh Zayed Great Mosque in Abu Dhabi: Islamic Architecture in the 21st Century

Al-Jazari's Third Water-Raising Device: Analysis of its Mathematical and Mechanical Principles Five pumps or water-raising machines are described by al-Jazari in his monumental treatise of mechanics Al-Jami' bayn al-‘ilm wa 'l-‘amal al-nafi' fi sina'at al-hiyal (A Compendium on the Theory and Useful Practice of the Mechanical Arts). The following long article is a detailed study of the third of these water-raising devices. The study presents a detailed analysis of the mathematical and mechanical principles of this sophisticated machine and explains its functioning. Further, the various components of the pump are reconstructed via computer assisted design. A profusion of 3D graphics and 3D animations show the device in different angles and helps in viewing it in operational mode. Also Automation and Robotics in Muslim Heritage: The Cultural Roots of al-Jazari's Mechanical Systems 800 Years Later: In Memory of Al-Jazari, A Genius Mechanical Engineer Al-Jazari: 800 Years After Overview on al-Jazari and his Mechanical Devices An 800 Years Old Ancestor: Today’s Science of Robotics and al-Jazari Al-Jazari’s Castle Water Clock: Analysis of its Components and Functioning

Ecology in Muslim Heritage: Treatises on Environmental Pollution up to the End of 13th Cen. Several Arabic treatises dating from the 9th through the 13th century deal with environmental pollution. They cover subjects like air and water contamination, solid waste mishandling and environmental assessments of certain localities. The authors of these texts are well known scholars and physicians: al-Kindi, Qusta b. Luqa, al-Razi, Ibn al-Jazzar, al-Tamimi, Abu Sahl al-Masihi, Ibn Sina, Ali b. Ridhwan, Ibn Jumay‘, Ya‘qub al-Isra' ili, Abdullatif al-Baghdadi, Ibn al-Quff and Ibn al-Nafis. The article surveys this important corpus of environmental ecology and summarizes its contents. Also Gardens, Nature and Conservation in Islam Abbasid Gardens in Baghdad and Samarra Contribution of Ibn Sina to the development of Earth Sciences The Secret Gardens of Sana'a Islamic Aesthetics, Gardens and Nature Ecology in Muslim Heritage: A History of the Hima Conservation System

Ahmad Ibn Fadhlan in Northern Europe: A Survey of his Account of Russian Vikings in the 10th Century One of the earliest detailed descriptions of Northern Europe is reported in the account written by the Arab Muslim writer and traveler Ahmad Ibn Fadhlan, who was sent in 921 CE as the secretary to an ambassador from the Abbasid Caliph al-Muqtadir from Baghdad to the Volga Bulgars by the Black Sea and the Caspian. Ibn Fadhlan's travel account was the source of inspiration to many fictional narratives in Western literature and art, such as the the well known novel Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton, filmed as The 13th Warrior directed in 1999 by John McTiernan, and the film Beowulf, released in November 2007. Also The Travels of Ibn Fadlan The Travels of Ibn Jubair Al-Ramhormuzi and the Wonders of India Ibn Battuta and the 14th Century Muslim World Scandinavia and Ibn Fadlan Ibn Battuta

The Self Changing Fountain of Banu Musa bin Shakir Amongst the mechanical devices described by the Banu Musa Brothers in their book of mechanics Kitab al-hiyal, seven models present a variety of sophisticated fountains. This article analyses the geometric and physical principles lying behind these mechanical devices, with the help of basic line drawings and 3D computer generated representation. Also Water Management and Hydraulic Technology Water management in Valencia Introduction of Wind Power Pioneers of Automatic Control Systems The Mechanics of Banu Musa in the Light of Modern System and Control Engineering 800 Years Later: In Memory of Al-Jazari, A Genius Mechanical Engineer

Automation and Robotics in Muslim Heritage: The Cultural Roots of al-Jazari's Mechanical Systems This short paper introduces a longer essay by Prof. Gunalan Nadarajan, Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies in the College of Arts and Architecture at Penn State University. The essay draws on the work of al-Jazari, the famous 13th century Islamic scholar, engineer and scientist. Also Al-Jazari - the Mechanical Genius A review of Early Muslim Control Engineering The Machines of Al-Jazari and Taqi Al-Din Pioneers of Automatic Control Systems When Ridhwan al-Sa’ati Anteceded Big Ben by More than Six Centuries