Before turning into separated countries due to western colonization. Arab and Muslim regions were filled with creative scientists and inventors. The Middle East and North Africa served as a hub for free-thinker, philosophers, and scientists from all over the world regardless of their origins or religion.
The arrival of foreign scientists to the Muslim Empire and the rise of the translation movement mostly from Greek to Arabic in Baghdad in the mid-8th century were key factors that helped the launch of the Golden Age of Arabic and Islamic science. In this article, we will be discussing some of the inventions that were originally invented by Arabic/Muslim individuals.
Al-Zahrawi
Abu Al-Qasim Al-Zahrawi or Albucasis or Zahravius was a Physician born in 936 CE, in a small city near Cordoba in Andalusia (Spain). He spent his whole life as a pharmacist and surgeon which then lead him to become Caliph Al-Hakam II’s Physician. Al-Zahrawi wrote his famous book ‘Al Tasreef Liman Ajaz An Taaleef’, which is a 30-volume encyclopedia that sums up about 50 years of medical experience. This book was largely used as a reliable source for students in Europe for more than 500 years.
Abu Al-Qasim invented the technique that is known as "Inhalation Anaesthesia," which involved immersing a sponge in medicine before dabbing it into the patients' mouths and nostrils. Additionally, he created more than two hundred surgical instruments, the majority of which are still in use today.
These include scalpels, pincers, specula, curettes, lithotrites, which are used to crush bladder stones, and even the forceps that are used to remove a dead fetus. His book, On Surgery and Instruments, was the first illustrated book on surgery ever written, and he was the first to perform migraine surgery.
Al-Zahrawi died in 1013 CE at the age of 77, leaving a significant amount of information for humanity and the upcoming scholars. His inspiring achievements were the reason numerous schools and institutes in many places in the Islamic world were named after him.
Fatima Al-Fihria
Fatima Al-Fihri (800–880 A.D.) was the daughter of a rich merchant. Fatima is known for building the world’s first university — the University of al-Qarawiyyin — in 859 AD in Fez (which is now Morocco). Al Qarawiyyin was first a mosque for educational purposes and then kept evolving and including numerous subjects besides the ones related to religion.
And then ended up as the first degree-awarding university in the world, teaching a variety of subjects like Islamic Studies, Mathematics, Medicine, and Astronomy. According to UNESCO and Guinness World Records, it is the oldest operating university (preceding the University of Bologna by a century) and is also home to one of the oldest libraries on earth.
Abbas Ibn Firnas
Abbas ibn Firnas was born in 809 near Malaga in Spain, he was an Arabic-speaking poet, physician, chemist, engineer, and musician. He lived in the Emirate of Córdoba. Ibn Firnas successfully invented the first recorded heavier-than-air flying device a thousand years before the Wright brothers did.
When he jumped off the minaret of the Grand Mosque of Cordoba in 852, he accidentally invented a precursor to the parachute by wearing a cloak that was held in place by wooden struts. The cloth slowed his descent, just like a parachute would. He didn't fly then.
He built his glider in 875, when he was 70 years old, and flew it for 10 minutes before crashing into the ground. Numerous locations have been named after him, like The Ibn Firnas Crater on the Moon, the Ibn Firnas Airport in Baghdad, and one of the bridges over the Guadalquivir River in Cordoba.
Muhammad Ibn-Musa Al-Khawarizmi
Abu Abdallah Muhammad ibn Musa Al-Khwarizmi is his full name. He was born in 780 CE, in the Khwarizm region, currently Khiva precisely in the town of Kath in Uzbekistan.Al- Khawarizmi is one of the greatest mathematicians of all time, he is known as the father of algebra and the grandfather of computers because he came up with the idea of the algorithm in mathematics.
He developed the Arabic numeral system we use today which was originally inspired by the Indian system of numerals. He established algebra as a distinct field of study.
Algebra (Al-Jabr) got its name from the title of his work, Hisab Al-Jabr wal Muqabalah, which means "Book of Calculations, Restoration, and Reduction."During Caliph Al-Mamun of Baghdad's rule, Ibn Musa Al Khawarizmi ended up as a court astronomer before he passed away in 850 CE.
Zyriab
Abul-Hasan Al-Ibn Naf or also known as Zyriab was born in Iraq in 789. In 822, Abul-Hasan moved from Iraq to Andalusia to settle in Cordoba where he experienced unprecedented fame and recognition for his art. His arrival came at the same time that Abd-Al-Rahman II gave cultural life a new boost, which brought the whole of Andalusia to its peak cultural growth.
He then became a court entertainer, earning 200 golden Dinars per month and enjoying numerous privileges, this lead him to unleash his creativity. In addition to revolutionizing music, he significantly improved fashion and lifestyle. He was the first person to introduce the lute (Al-U'd), to Spain and Europe as a whole through music. He even added a fifth bass string to it.
He started the first conservatoire in the world, which taught harmony and composition. He changed social customs like how people dress and style their hair, how people eat, socialize, and relax. He substituted the gold-made glasses for glass and crystal ones.
He propagated the use of a tablecloth. In addition, he introduced new culinary recipes and tableware. As a respect for his contributions nations in the Muslim world name streets, hotels, and clubs, or after him.
Written By: Abderrahmane Loudiyi
Edited By: Nidhi Jha
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