Islamic sciences and technology

The Islamic sciences and technology developed with the Moyen-âge, in the context politico-monk of the expansion arabo-Moslem woman. The world arabo-Moslem is with his apogee of at the 14th century: it is the golden age of Arab science .

This scientific culture took its rise with Damas under the last Omeyyades, then with Baghdad under the first Abbassides. It begin with a translation accompanied by critical reading by the works by Antiquity in physics, mathematics, astronomy or medicine, translations which will concourreront with the genesis of an Arab culture “traditional”.

In this context, the Arab language , language of the crowned corpus of the Islam, will play a crucial role like tool and vehicle for this culture which is not already any more one simple Greek thought transference because it comprises many innovations. The situation of crossroads of the Arab Empire explains the Indian influences also partly to see Chinese.

If the assets are undeniable in many fields, the arabo-Moslems will cultivate the Hermétisme with the Alchimie or the Astrologie and will also preserve the Géocentrisme of Ptolémée.

History

General context

For the historical context, to see the following articles:

Origins of Islam;
History of the Moslem conquest;
dynasty of the Omeyyades (661-750);
dynasty of the Abbasid (750-1258).

The history of sciences appoints five great periods:

the Greek period (before Jesus-Christ);
the Roman period (the first four centuries of the Christian era);
the Middle Ages (500-1500);
Modern times (1500-1800);
industrial revolutions (1800-2000).

Words in relation to sciences and technology, of Arab origin: Alkali, Algebra, Alchemy, Alcohol, Aldébaran, Altaïr, Still, algorithm, Almanac, zenith, oar (Paper), Zero, syrup, etc

Attempt at explanation of the rise of sciences in the world arabo-Moslem

the extension of the world arabo-Moslem put in contact several different civilizations: the Arab empire, built as from the 7th century, takes the political control of in the past hellenized territories (Alexandria of Egypt for example). The Moslem scientists thus could consult the scientific works of antiquity.

With final, it is perhaps in his original relationship with the art that the technique grew rich in contact with civilization arabo-Moslem woman.

The effect of diffusion technological because of political unit of the empire will be moderated soon by fractionation into many Califat S independent.

Astronomy

The Astronomie develops little in Europe at the time of the Moyen-âge, but it is then flourishing in the Arab world. The scientists of this civilization resume the studies of the Greek Claude Ptolémée (2nd century) while improving its system. Thus, the first translations in Arab of the Almageste date from the 9th century. At that time, this work was lost in Europe. Consequently, Western Europe redécouvrit Ptolémée starting from the translations of the Arab versions: a translation in Latin was carried out by Gerard de Crémone starting from a text coming from Tolède, in Spain. It was unable to translate many technical terms - it retained even the Arab name Abrachir for Hipparque.

Astronomy is the discipline queen because it allows a better knowledge of the territories by the determination of longitudes and the latitudes. Arab astronomy attempted to solve problems concerning the practice of Islam: to determine the dates of the Ramadan, to calculate the hour of the five daily prayers, to fix the direction of Mecque. One should not lose sight of the fact that Moslem civilization is based on a lunar calendar and on the remote commercial exchanges.

Until the appearance of the Telescope, the observation of the stars progressed thanks to the use of the Astrolabe: this instrument which was also used for navigation, was probably invented by Hipparque. It was then improved in the Islamic world, before reaching the Europe towards 970, via the monk Gerbert d' Aurillac. This last brought back an astrolabe of Al-Andalus.

The Arab astronomer Al-Farghani writes much on the movement of the celestial bodies; its work is translated into Latin at the 12th century. At the end of the 10th century, large a observatory is built close to Teheran by the astronomer Al-Khujandi. It carries out a series of observations which enable him to calculate the obliqueness of the ecliptic. In Persian, Omar Khayyam compiles a series of table S and reform the Calendrier. A large observatory is built with Istanbul, for the Arab astronomer, Aldine Taqi. The Moslem scientists of the medieval time who deal with astronomy are numerous (Al-Battani, Al-Farabi, Omar Khayyam, Al-Kindi, Al-Hasib Al-Misri, Al-Maghribi, Al-Razi, Ibn Al-Haytham, Al-Been enough Al-Biruni, , Al-Tusi, Al-Kashi, Qadi-zadeh Roumi, Oulough Beg, Aldine Taqi)… Al-Sijzî calls into question the fixity of the Earth.

The Arab Astrologie is in relation to astronomy: the horoscopes are established according to the stars and require the use of instruments of observation.

Geography

During the Middle Ages, the Arab geographers, such as Idrisi, Ibn Battuta, and Ibn Khaldun preserved and enriched the heritage gréco-Roman. The first Moslem geographers often take again the legends and perpetuate the work of the geographers of Antiquity (Hérodote, Pline Old the or Ptolémée).

The large geographers are:

Al Masudi, died in 957, Muruj adh-dhahab or the meadows of gold , is the handbook of reference of the geographers and the historians of the Muslim world. He travelled much throughout the Arab world like in the Far East.
Ya' qubi (9th century), Book of the countries
Al-Bekri, author of the Road of White Africa and black of the North-West , written with Cordoue towards 1068
Al Idrissi, (death about 1165), Description of Africa and Spain
Ibn Battûta (death in 1377) is the first geographer of Arab culture to go to sub-Saharan Africa, with Gao and Tombouctou; its principal work is entitled Présent at those which like to reflect on curiosities of the cities and the wonders of the voyages .
Ibn Khaldoun, (death in 1406) is a Historien and Philosophe of North Africa. Some regard it as the Arab historian of the companies , Berbère and Perse. He is the author of the Prolégomènes histories and a Histoire of Berber the .
Leon the African, (death in 1548), is the author of invaluable a Description of Africa
Rifa' has Al-Tahtawi (death in 1873) translated medieval works of geography and history. Its work relates especially to Moslem Egypt.
Carte of Piri Reis the chart of Piri Reis is an old chart, discovered in 1929 at the time of the restoration of the Palate of Topkapı with Istambul. It is allotted to the admiral and Othoman cartographer Piri Reis who would have traced it in 1513. Drawn on a skin of gazelle, it details the Western coasts of Africa and the Eastern coasts of South America. In the South of these last, a layout is the subject of contradictory interpretations.

The cartography progresses during the golden age of Moslem civilization. Thanks to the Compass, transmitted by the Chinese, and to the geographical tables of coordinates, it becomes easier with the merchants to move.

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