Page 74 - The Qur'an Leads the Way to Science

THE QUR'AN LEADS THE W A Y TO SCIENCE

Muhammad ibn Zakariyya ar Razi (Rhazes) (865-925), Burhan al-din
Nafis(?-1438), Isma'il Jurjani (?-1136), Qutb al-Din al-Shirazi (1236-

1310), Mansur ibn Muhammad, Abu al-Qasim al-Zahrawi (Albucasis),
are just some of the Muslim scientists noted for their studies in astronomy,
mathematics, medicine and anatomy.
There were also many Muslim scientists who made great contributions
to various disciplines other than medicine and anatomy. For instance, 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. Ali Kushchu, a 15th century scientist, was the first to
make a map of the moon, and a region of the moon has been named after
him. Thabit ibn Qurrah (Thebit), who lived in the 9th century, invented
differential calculus centuries before Newton. Battani, a 10th century
scientist, is the first developer of trigonometry. Abul Wafa Muhammad
al-Buzjani introduced the "secant-cosecant" to trigonometry for the first
time. Al-Khwarizmi wrote the first book on algebra in the 9th century. Al-
Maghribi invented the equation known today as the Pascal triangle, some
600 years prior to Pascal. Ibn al-Haitham (Alhazen), who lived in the 11th
century, was the founder of optics. Roger Bacon and Kepler made use of
his works, and Galileo invented the telescope by referring to them. Al-
Kindi (Alkindus) introduced relative physics and the theory of relativity

some 1100 years prior to Einstein. Shams al-din, who lived some 400
years prior to Pasteur, was the first to discover the existence of germs. Ali
ibn al-Abbas lived in the 10th century and was the first to perform cancer
surgery. In the same century, Ibn el Jessar introduced the reasons and
treatment methods of leprosy. These Muslim scientists, only some of
whom are mentioned here, have made important discoveries that laid the
foundation for modern science.
When we look at Western civilization, we see that the advent of modern
science arrived with faith in God. The 17th century, known as the "Age of
the Scientific Revolution", abounds with scientists whose primary aim
was the exploration of the universe and nature that God created. All
scientific institutes established in various countries, such as Britain and
France, had as their main goal "coming nearer to God by discovering His

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