Abu Rayhan Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Biruni
4th September, 973
Regular readers of this daily article will know how much I love a polymath around these parts. As someone whose qualifications in the polymath world amount to the ability to walk and talk at the same time, anyone who can claim to be a jack-of-all-trades and a master of all of them, too, is ok by me. Principally, I’ve always had a soft spot for people whose major claim to fame is the ability to sit down and think, a skill that is eyed with suspicion, particularly in the modern world.
The British politician Jacob Rees-Mogg - sorry, let me correct that - the former politician Jacob Rees-Mogg who was a cabinet minister until July when the British people he had been taking the piss out of for 14 years gloriously voted him out of his seat in government, once famously said that the ‘British people had had enough of experts’. A statement of such sheer bravado and nonsense that even now it beggars belief. What he was talking about, of course, were some experts who pointed out that the Brexit nonsense he was cheerleading would lead to absolute chaos. Those same experts were, of course, absolutely spot on. The British hadn’t had enough of experts. He had enough of them telling him he was an idiot.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, a man who appears to have been made from the remains of an Edwardian bicycle, is a rich buffoon with a voice like a Chesterfield sofa who pretends that he is clever because he went to Eton and dresses in a morning coat to walk about in daylight. He names his children after 12th Century Popes. And he is monumentally stupid. A man who is the polar opposite of a polymath. A nullmath. He serves no purpose other than to pretend he is a Victorian gentleman and be condescending to anyone poorer than him, which is most of the population of Britain.
So, this attack on people who make it their métier to sit around and use their explosive minds to further human social and cultural evolution is something that isn’t new and isn’t welcome. We need these people otherwise all we would be is drones working win whatever cotton mill the Jacob Rees-Moggs of the world own. We need mill workers, for sure, some of the greatest advances in society came from the mill floor, just ask Engels. But we need the thinkers, too.
For today’s polymath, we visit the distant shores of Uzbekistan, or at least we would if it had any. You know Uzbekistan, right? It’s umm….about…sort of…there on the map… somewhere in the bit of Asia where all the Stans are. It’s north-east of Iran, north of Afghanistan and home to 38 million people. It’s the home of the Pontic kings who fought the Romans to a standstill. The Scythians and the Thracians. Alexander the Great rode across the plains. And, in the 10th Century, it was the birthplace of Abu Rayhan Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Biruni, one of the greatest polymaths of the Islamic Golden Age.
Abu Rayhan Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Biruni, born on September 4, 973, in the region of Khwarazm (modern-day Uzbekistan), is celebrated as one of the most brilliant polymaths in Islamic history. His contributions to a vast array of disciplines, including astronomy, mathematics, geography, pharmacology, and history, earned him a place among the greatest scholars of the medieval Islamic world. Al-Biruni's intellectual legacy is characterized by his insatiable curiosity, methodological rigour, and deep respect for knowledge from diverse cultures.
Al-Biruni was born into a time when the Islamic Golden Age was at its peak, and the Abbasid Caliphate fostered a thriving environment for scientific and intellectual pursuits. He grew up in the culturally rich region of Khwarazm, known for its advanced scientific community. Al-Biruni's early education likely included the study of the Quran, Arabic literature, and the sciences, as was customary for scholars of his time. His talent for learning became apparent early on, and he was soon immersed in the study of mathematics, astronomy, and other sciences under the tutelage of renowned scholars.
His early works were influenced by the intellectual environment of Khwarazm and his interactions with other scholars, including the philosopher and mathematician Avicenna (Ibn Sina). This period laid the groundwork for al-Biruni’s lifelong pursuit of knowledge and his eventual mastery in a wide range of disciplines.
Al-Biruni’s work in astronomy and mathematics is among his most significant contributions to the sciences. He made meticulous observations of celestial bodies and was a pioneer in using scientific methods to study the natural world. One of his most notable achievements was accurately calculating the circumference of the Earth. Using a sophisticated method that involved measuring the angle of the horizon from a mountaintop, al-Biruni arrived at a figure remarkably close to modern measurements, demonstrating his advanced understanding of geometry and trigonometry.
Al-Biruni also wrote extensively on the rotation of the Earth, the nature of eclipses, and the phases of the moon. His works in this area were not only scientifically rigorous but also remarkably ahead of their time. He often engaged with the works of earlier scholars, such as the Greek astronomers Ptolemy and Hipparchus, critically analyzing and sometimes correcting their conclusions. His treatise Al-Qanun al-Mas’udi, dedicated to Sultan Mas’ud of Ghazni, is a comprehensive astronomical encyclopedia that stands as a testament to his deep understanding of the cosmos.
Al-Biruni's curiosity extended to the field of geography, where he made significant advancements in cartography and the study of the Earth’s features. He traveled extensively throughout the Islamic world, documenting the lands he visited and collecting geographical data. His observations were compiled in works such as Kitab al-Hind, a detailed account of the Indian subcontinent's geography, culture, and customs. This book is particularly remarkable for its objective approach and the respect it shows for the cultures it describes, a reflection of al-Biruni's belief in the importance of understanding different societies on their own terms.
Al-Biruni’s contributions to cartography were equally groundbreaking. He developed methods for projecting the globe onto a two-dimensional surface, which laid the groundwork for modern map-making techniques. His insights into the concept of time zones and the relative positions of cities based on longitude and latitude were far ahead of his contemporaries and are still relevant today.
Al-Biruni’s scientific curiosity also led him to the study of medicine and pharmacology. His works in this field were characterized by a meticulous approach to the classification and properties of various substances. He authored Kitab al-Saydalah fi al-Tibb, a comprehensive pharmacopoeia that cataloged the medicinal properties of herbs, minerals, and animal products. This work was a significant contribution to the understanding of medical science in the Islamic world and influenced subsequent generations of physicians and pharmacists.
His approach to medicine was holistic, integrating knowledge from various cultures and traditions. Al-Biruni often compared Greek, Indian, and Islamic medical practices, seeking commonalities and differences. This comparative method enriched the Islamic medical tradition and fostered a more comprehensive understanding of the human body and its ailments.
In addition to his scientific endeavors, al-Biruni was an accomplished historian and cultural scholar. His historical works, such as Chronology of Ancient Nations, are invaluable sources for understanding the history of the ancient world, particularly the cultures and civilizations that preceded Islam. Al-Biruni was deeply interested in the cultural practices, languages, and religions of different peoples, and he approached these topics with a sense of respect and objectivity that was rare for his time.
Kitab al-Hind remains one of his most famous works, not only for its scientific content but also for its deep exploration of Indian culture, religion, and philosophy. Al-Biruni spent many years in India, where he learned Sanskrit and engaged with Indian scholars. His work is notable for its balanced and unbiased perspective, offering a rare glimpse into the cultural exchanges between the Islamic world and the Indian subcontinent.
Al-Biruni's legacy is profound, with his works continuing to influence various fields of study centuries after his death. He was a true polymath whose contributions spanned multiple disciplines, each marked by his commitment to empirical observation, rigorous analysis, and an open-minded approach to knowledge. Al-Biruni's methodology, particularly his emphasis on observation and critical analysis, laid the foundations for the modern scientific method.
His influence extended beyond the Islamic world, reaching Europe during the Renaissance, where his works were studied by scholars seeking to revive the classical knowledge of antiquity. Al-Biruni's respect for different cultures and his belief in the universality of knowledge make him a figure of enduring relevance in today's increasingly interconnected world.
Al-Biruni passed away on December 13, 1048, but his intellectual spirit lives on through his extensive body of work. His ability to bridge cultures, his relentless pursuit of knowledge, and his contributions to science and humanities ensure his place as one of the most remarkable scholars in history.