The Chishti Nizami Habibi Soofie
Sufi Order
Pietermaritzburg
Kwa Zulu Natal
South Africa
Algebra
In order to perform our religious duties, like fixing the times of prayer,
determining the Qibla, dividing inheritance etc Muslim scholars studied the
mathematical sciences.
Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizimi WAS THE FIRST MATHEMATICAL ASTRONOMER OF THE
ISLAMIC WORLD. He wrote Al-Jabr w-al-Muqabala from which the word ALGEBRA IS
DERIVED
Algebra owes its name to the Arabic, al-Jabr (completion). The Muslim Arabs
extensively developed this science. Al-Khwarizmi contributed effectively to five
sciences:
1. He wrote on the Hindu Numerals,
2. Compiled astronomical tables which as revised in Muslim Spain , were for
centuries used as standard by astronomers from Cordova to Chang an,
3. Formulated the oldest trigonometrically tables known
4. Collaborated with sixty nine other scholars in drawing up for Caliph Al-Mamun
a geographical encyclopedia,
5. His Calculation of Integration and equation gave analytical and geometrical
solutions of quadratic equations. Gerard of Cremona translated the Arabic work
into in the 12 century and was used as the principle text in European
universities until the 16 century- from here was introduced the word Algebra
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