Post by Islamic Revival on Aug 10, 2004 10:15:29 GMT -5
Overall, the Muslims' most important contribution to geography was not necessarily technical or scientific, but was in many ways archival - the preservation of the ancient works of the Greeks and the Romans through the dark ages of medieval Europe. Many of the works of Aristotle, Ptolemy, and other famous Greek, Egyptian, and Roman geographers were saved and translated by Muslim scholars.
The center of Islamic learning was Baghdad. Here great translation projects took place, converting the great works of different cultures into Arabic.
One of these great projects was started by a man named Caliph al Mamun in 813 C.E. He employed people of all races and religions to help translate books from around the world. He also paid each translator the weight of their books in gold. Great libraries and schools thrived on the works that the translators contributed.
The contribution of Al Khwarizmi in the field of geography is outstanding. His book "Kitab Surat al Ard" is a monumental book translated into many languages. Seventy geographers working under the leadership of Khwarizmi created the first map of the known world in 830 C.E. Muslim traders had also been traveling as far west as Ireland and as far east as China or even possibly Japan. From these great traveling merchants came a need for maps and details about cities. Of all the contributions made in the field of geography by the Muslims during the period between 800 and 11400 C.E., perhaps the three most influential Muslim geographers were Ibn Batuta, Ibn Khaldun, and al Idrisi.
Ibn Batuta traveled all over the Arab peninsula, down the Red Sea, to Ethiopia, and along the east coast of Africa. He confirmed what Ibn Haukal had said about the torrid zone below the equator being populated when he travelled the coast and visited Arab trading markets.
He wrote about many different places he had traveled to in his book "Rehla (Travels)". In this book, he notes the different climates, peoples, and customs. Ibn Batuta was the most traveled person of his time, travelling an estimated 75,000 miles. He was the last of the great Muslim geographers, giving way to the European age of exploration. Al Idrisi corrected the idea that the Indian Ocean was enclosed and that the Caspian Sea was a gulf to the world ocean. He corrected the charting of many rivers in Europe and Africa and several major mountain ranges.
Born on the Mediterranean coast of northwest Africa, Ibn Khaldun lived in Algeria, Tunisia, Spain, and Egypt. In 1377, he completed his introduction to world history, "the Muqaddimah". In it, he discussed how humans and the environment interact. He also examined subjects like government, the sciences, cities, and physical geography.
reproduced from 2004 calender by PharmEvo (Pvt.) Ltd.
pharmevo@cyber.net.pk
The center of Islamic learning was Baghdad. Here great translation projects took place, converting the great works of different cultures into Arabic.
One of these great projects was started by a man named Caliph al Mamun in 813 C.E. He employed people of all races and religions to help translate books from around the world. He also paid each translator the weight of their books in gold. Great libraries and schools thrived on the works that the translators contributed.
The contribution of Al Khwarizmi in the field of geography is outstanding. His book "Kitab Surat al Ard" is a monumental book translated into many languages. Seventy geographers working under the leadership of Khwarizmi created the first map of the known world in 830 C.E. Muslim traders had also been traveling as far west as Ireland and as far east as China or even possibly Japan. From these great traveling merchants came a need for maps and details about cities. Of all the contributions made in the field of geography by the Muslims during the period between 800 and 11400 C.E., perhaps the three most influential Muslim geographers were Ibn Batuta, Ibn Khaldun, and al Idrisi.
Ibn Batuta traveled all over the Arab peninsula, down the Red Sea, to Ethiopia, and along the east coast of Africa. He confirmed what Ibn Haukal had said about the torrid zone below the equator being populated when he travelled the coast and visited Arab trading markets.
He wrote about many different places he had traveled to in his book "Rehla (Travels)". In this book, he notes the different climates, peoples, and customs. Ibn Batuta was the most traveled person of his time, travelling an estimated 75,000 miles. He was the last of the great Muslim geographers, giving way to the European age of exploration. Al Idrisi corrected the idea that the Indian Ocean was enclosed and that the Caspian Sea was a gulf to the world ocean. He corrected the charting of many rivers in Europe and Africa and several major mountain ranges.
Born on the Mediterranean coast of northwest Africa, Ibn Khaldun lived in Algeria, Tunisia, Spain, and Egypt. In 1377, he completed his introduction to world history, "the Muqaddimah". In it, he discussed how humans and the environment interact. He also examined subjects like government, the sciences, cities, and physical geography.
reproduced from 2004 calender by PharmEvo (Pvt.) Ltd.
pharmevo@cyber.net.pk