Introduction
Al-Biruni or in full Abū al-Rayhān Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Bīrūnī was a Persian-Khwarezmian Muslim scholar and polymath. He was born in 973 and his contributions to science made him one of the greatest Muslim scientists and astronomers. He was well versed in physics, mathematics, geography, history, ethnography, anthropology and astronomy. During his time of becoming a great polymath, he survived some unusual political changes such as change of six princes. There is not enough information about his early life available but from what it is known; khwarezm was located beyond “Amu Darya” river, a river that was called Oxus River at those times. Al-Biruni’s educator, Khwarezm-Shah was a member of the parliament or in better words dynasty that controlled and ruled the area. The dynasty that al-Biruni’s educator was a prince of was called the Banu Iraq. His real name was Abu Nasr Mansur and there are not any clear sources and reasoning of what happened to him during the civil war of the time. The events at that time went in a way that al-Biruni himself described them as: “After I had barely settled down for a few years, I was permitted by the Lord of Time to go back home, but I was compelled to participate in worldly affairs, which excited the envy of fools, but which made the wise pity me.” [1]
Al-Biruni was a great Muslim scientist in his era and his books and theories are still subjects of study in higher level educations, i.e. Masters and PhD. His mathematical and physics theories and findings caused great discoveries to clarify questions about life, stars and in general astronomy. He plays an important role in science, especially astronomy. His scientific explorations and theories made him one of the retest scientists ...
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[8] George Saliba, "BĪRŪNĪ, ABŪ RAYḤĀN iii. Mathematics and Astronomy" in Encyclopaedia Iranica
[9] Al-Biruni 1017, The Book of Instruction in the Elements of the Art of Astrology, translated by R. Ramsey Wright.1934.
[10] Burckhardt. 1977. Titus, Mystical Astrology According to ibn Arabi
[11] Campion, Nicholas .1982. An Introduction to the History of Astrology
[12] Nasr, S.H. 1978. Islamic Cosmological Doctrines
[13] David Plant .1994. Al-Biruni and Arabic Astrology, text available at: http://www.skyscript.co.uk/albiruni.html
[14] Christopher Warnock. 2012. Renaissance Astrology: Islamic Astrology and Astronomy of Al-Biruni, text available at: http://www.renaissanceastrology.com/albiruni.html
[15] Dr. Conor Burns, (Winter2014), CHST787 Course-pack, reading #16 (excert from the book of the elements and arts of astrology by al-Biruni)
the Accuracy of the Chronicle of Al-Jabarti." Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies. No. 2 (1970): 283-294. http://www.jstor.org/stable/613005 (accessed November 30, 2013).
Ibn Munqidh, Usama. "From Memoirs." McNeill, William and Marilyn Robinson Waldman. The Islamic World. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1973. 184-206.
Boyle, Kay. "Astronomer's Wife." Responding to Literature: Stories, Poems, Plays, and Essays. Fourth Edition. Ed. Judith A. Stanford. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2003. 619-623.
A great astronomer, King Nezahualpilli used his position as king to find others with similar knowledge to work on the tribe’s calendar (Document 4). Document 6 shows the several studies in religion which were carried through by priests and the philosophers that wrote the books of science to educate others about their discoveries. Document 2 describes the determination and will of warriors to fight to prove their own bravery and courage.
Willis, Roy. and Curry, Patrick . Astrology Science and Culture. Pulling Down the Moo. (Oxford: Berg 2004)
Dating History: The Renaissance & the Reformation of Chronology, Anthony Grafton, Daedalus, Vol. 132, No. 2, On Time (Spring, 2003), pp. 74-85
In some people’s eyes Muhammed Ali is the greatest boxer ever. He was even classified as the greatest athlete in the 20th century by Sports Illustrated. He was the first to win the heavyweight title three times. He was a worldwide entertainer, and millions of people enjoyed watching his style. He was also very controversial because of his religious beliefs, his name change from Cassius Clay to Muhammed Ali and his refusal to fight in the Vietnam War.
For centuries, people from all latitudes have been fascinated by the night sky. The unreachable stars, the Moon, the comets and all the events happening in the sky, fired up imaginations and became symbols of life and death, of war, peace and the passing of time and the seasons. The movement of the stars was used to establish the time for planting and harvesting, to prepare for the long winters and to try to discover the future and destiny, the eternal unknown destiny of the human race. Three large human groups, the Mayans, the Aztecs and the Zapotecs populated the Central and Southeastern regions of Mexico long before the discovery of the continent by Columbus. These ancient cultures developed a very complex knowledge of Astronomy and built a large number of structures destined to be used as observatories. They made precise measurements and kept records of all the important events in the skies. This paper will explore some of the most important discoveries of these ancient astronomers and the precision of the alignments of their buildings. It will also establish the importance the astronomical knowledge had in their lives and societies.
...ime period in a positive scientific light. The distinction between modern and medieval science was described as medieval science being more theoretical in nature and modern being of the more applied variety. Through the further presentation of the plethora of Islamic scientists, covering fields as diverse as astronomy, medicine, chemistry, and physics it has been shown, without a doubt, that significant scientific contributions were made in this period. Finally, the source of this misconception was exposed through the common accidental perception of the past as a European narrative. History can easily be focused around Europe, and to do so produces a view of the medieval era being stagnant. However, when one looks at the greater global picture, it is clear that the Islamic world more than makes up for this lull in innovation, successfully brightening the “Dark Age”.
Although Kepler was not a man who experienced great joy in his lifetime, he was a man who greatly impacted many fields of mathematics and the field of astronomy as a whole. Johannes Kepler paved the way for many astronomers and mathematicians alike, and aided in advancing these fields. Kepler was a talented astrophysicist, the very first in fact, and the very last scientific astrologer.
went on to high school at Central High in Louisville Kentucky. Though devoted fully to
Hawking, G, 1973, Astronomical Alignments in Britain, Egypt and Peru, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series A, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Vol. 276, No. 1257, pp. 157-167
...42-46, 107-121, 173-175 in Religions of the Ancient Near East. The Westminster Press, 1972, Print.
Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc., 1996).