The Orientalists and Western scholars have all along been castigating the Muslims claiming that their holy Book, the Noble Qur’an, revealed in the 7th century, has no reference whatsoever about modern science. Their cause was further boosted by the colonial subjugation of several Asian, African and Middle Eastern countries for several centuries. The Western colonial masters, Britain, France and Italy, left no stone unturned in their efforts to minimize or negate the contribution of Islam and Muslims to the development of modern science. Purposely, these Great Powers of
the time did not include the achievements of Muslim scientists in school curricula so that the succeeding generations would not know the scientific advancements achieved by Muslims.
Classical Greek philosophers considered the motion of celestial bodies and of objects on earth as unrelated to each other. These were seen to follow perpetually repeating non-descending trajectories in the sky. Aristotle’s vision about such bodies was that they possessed natural motion that did not require external cause while massive earthly objects possessed a natural tendency to move toward the earth’s center. Aristotle viewed that the body moving at constant speed required constant force acting on it and this force could be applied by contact only. These views impeded understanding of the principles of motion and hence retarded the development of theory of universal gravitation.
the time did not include the achievements of Muslim scientists in school curricula so that the succeeding generations would not know the scientific advancements achieved by Muslims.
Classical Greek philosophers considered the motion of celestial bodies and of objects on earth as unrelated to each other. These were seen to follow perpetually repeating non-descending trajectories in the sky. Aristotle’s vision about such bodies was that they possessed natural motion that did not require external cause while massive earthly objects possessed a natural tendency to move toward the earth’s center. Aristotle viewed that the body moving at constant speed required constant force acting on it and this force could be applied by contact only. These views impeded understanding of the principles of motion and hence retarded the development of theory of universal gravitation.
After the Greek theory of gravitation scholars, came the revelation of the Qur’an, there is an unbroken succession of ages of Muslim scientists: Jabir, Khwarizmi, Razi, Masudi, Afa, Biruni, Omar Khayyam and Avicenna etc. Until the 13th century the achievements of Muslim scientists continued in the field of mathematics, chemistry, geography, physics, astronomy and medicine.
Muhammad Bin Musa Khwarizmi is renowned for founding algebra, while Muhammad Bin Jabir Al-Battani is famous for logarithm and its application in astronomy. Al-Battani wrote the astronomical almanac known as the Book of Correct Astronomical Almanac (Kitab Al-Jeez Al-Sabi). He measured the time of the orbital motion of the earth around the sun as 365 days 5 hours and 24 seconds. It is two minutes 24 seconds less than the 19th century measurements. He made very important observation of the moon and sun eclipses and parallax. During the reign of Caliph Mamoun many observations were recorded. Musa Bin Shakir and his sons and Khwarizmi measured the circumference, latitude and longitude of the earth.
Al-Manazir, the famous book written by Al-Hasan Bin Al-Haithm (Al-Hazen 965-1039), deals with light, transparent, transcending and opaque that includes laws of reflection and refraction of light. He proved that a ray of light passing through a medium takes the path which is easier and quicker, i.e., it travels in straight lines. He developed the law of inertia which was later worked on by Isaac Newton and is now known to be Newton’s First Law of Motion.
Al-Biruni (973-1048 C.E.) said that the change of day and night is not caused by the sun; it occurs by the rotation of earth on its axis, and the earth and planets go round the sun. This was said 500 years before Copernicus. Al-Biruni pointed to the power of gravitation in celestial bodies. He put argument of earth being spherical, its rotation on its axis and its orbiting around the sun. He propounded a new formula – known as Al-Biruni’s rule – for working out the circumference of the earth. He also used the cylindrical astrolabe not only to observe the planets and stars but also used it in measuring the distance of celestial bodies from the earth, their altitude and movement of the planets.
Al-Khazini (12th century) worked out the theory of universal gravity directed toward the center of the earth. He put forth the assumption that air has weight.
Qutubuddin Al-Shirazi (1236-1311 C.E.) stated that the speed of light is in inverse ratio to the optical, rather than the material density of medium and that hyperbolic lenses prevent spherical aberration.
The observations of Muslim scientists of 10th and 11th centuries in all their fields in general and particularly in astronomy were almost accurate and serve as a torchlight to future progress. The Qur’an, obviously, was the guiding force for the Muslim scientists.
Now we shall see in the Qur’an as to how the celestial bodies are keeping to their places:
Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see. Then, He rose above (Istawa) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His majesty). He has subjected the sun and the moon (to continue going around), each running (its course) for a term appointed. (13:2) He has created the heavens without any pillars that you see. (31:10) Imam Al-Razi (Rhazes) in the commentary of the Holy Qur’an explaining the verse said: These celestial bodies keep to their places. Allah raised the heavens without visible columns. The columns are there in reality, i.e., that these columns are there as Allah has so planned for protecting and sustaining the celestial bodies high above in the atmosphere. We know that we require columns to keep a thing in its place.
Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see. Then, He rose above (Istawa) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His majesty). He has subjected the sun and the moon (to continue going around), each running (its course) for a term appointed. (13:2) He has created the heavens without any pillars that you see. (31:10) Imam Al-Razi (Rhazes) in the commentary of the Holy Qur’an explaining the verse said: These celestial bodies keep to their places. Allah raised the heavens without visible columns. The columns are there in reality, i.e., that these columns are there as Allah has so planned for protecting and sustaining the celestial bodies high above in the atmosphere. We know that we require columns to keep a thing in its place.
The Qur’an mentions the stars and planets and their keeping to their tracks in their orbits. “It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day. They all float each in an orbit.”36:40). That is to say that these invisible columns are moving with the motions of the stars and planets so that they may keep moving in their orbits. It is evident that this verse helped Muslim scholars in the 11th century to find the law of inertia which led to the gravitation of the celestial bodies.
What Newton assumed “The presence of attractive force between all massive celestial bodies, this force does not require bodily contact but acts at distance” is no more than invisible columns stated by the Qur’an in 7th century that keep the celestial bodies onto their tracks.
How wonderful it is that the Qur’anic facts are being confirmed by modern science. This is the doubtless proof of the Uniqueness of the Creator, of His Book the Qur’an and of His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that He blessed humanity with the perfect order of Islam containing all the modern knowledge.
