|
The prominent Muslim scientist and polymath, Abu Ali Hassan ibn al-Haytham
Compiled By: Syed Ali Shahbaz
On 22nd of the Islamic month of Moharram in 354 AH, the prominent Muslim scientist and polymath, Abu Ali Hassan ibn al-Haytham, known to medieval Europe by his Latinized name of "Alhazen", was born in Basra in the Iraqi province of the Iranian Buwayhid Empire. It is not certain whether he was of Arab or Persian origin. He made vital contributions to the principles of optics, as well as to medicine, physics, astronomy, mathematics, visual perception, philosophy, ophthalmology, and various other sciences, and is the inventor of the telescope.
He wrote insightful commentaries on the works of Aristotle, Ptolemy, and Euclid. Ibn al-Haytham was active in both Basra and Baghdad and after visiting Islamic Spain he settled in Fatemid Egypt where he died at the age of 77 in Cairo. He was said to be a follower of the school of the Ahl al-Bayt, and was associated with the famous academy of al-Azhar, which derives its name from the “az-Zahra” (The Radiant), the epithet of Hazrat Fatema (SA), the noble daughter of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA).
In Egypt he took up the project of controlling the floods of the Nile. He is said to have written over 200 books and treatises, the most famous of which is the 7-volume “Kitab al-Manazer” on Optics that was extensively used by later European scholars such as Roger Bacon and Johannes Keppler. His books include "Configuration of the World", "On the Form of Eclipse", "The Milky Way", "The Model of Motions of Each of the Seven Planets", and "Treatise on the Influence of Melodies on the Souls of Animals". Among his students, mention could be made of Sorkhab, the famous Iranian scientist from Semnan and Mubashir ibn Fatek, an Egyptian scientist. The crater "Alhazen" on the Moon is named in his honour, as was the asteroid "59239 Alhazen".
|
