Al-Biruni Contribution to Geography
[4] Al-Biruni (Abu-Rayhan Mohammad) (973 -1048 AD)
A Tajik by race, he was born on 4th September 973 AD. His father and mother expired at an early age. He passed the early days of his life on the banks of Oxus river in the river of Khwarizm (Khiva) situated in the Republic of Uzbekistan. He was man endowed with creative genius, sagacity, wisdom, international outlook, inductive reasoning, and dedication. He was free from the dogamatic conservativism and emotional bondages. Al-Biruni’s position as a scholar may be appreciated from the fact that the eleventh Century was declared as the age of Albiruni.
He learned Sanskrit at the age of 45 when he stayed in India. He travelled to Nagarkot, Mathura, Kannauj, and Somnath. He died at Ghazna in the year 1039 AD.
His main works are as follows:
| Book | Theme/Subject |
| [a] Kitab-al-Hind | Geography of India |
| [b] Al- Tahid | Origin of universe |
| [c] Risalah | Day & Night |
| [d] Kitab al Tahqiq & Harkatab al Shams | Movement of Sun |
| [e] Qanun al Masudi | Eclipse |
| [f] Al Qanun al Masudi | The Canon of King Masud of Afghanistan |
| [g] Rashikat al Hind | The Zodiac in India |
Kitab-al-Hind (1030) is regarded as his menumental work which deals with the geography of India, where he discussed Indian beliefs, Hindu literature, grammar, metres, chess, etc. but totally ignored Indian Music. He studied Samskhya, the Gita, Patanjali, Vishnu Dharma, and some of the Puranas.
His astronomical writings are discussed and approved the earth’s theory of rotation on its axis and correctly calculated the latitudes and longitudes of many places. He believed in the geocentric concept. The study of tides, he made at Somnath. He opined that the Indians are better equipped than Greeks and Romans, in solar and lunar studies and the study of eclipse. According to him, the Indo-Gangetic Plain was formed by the sediments brought down by the Himalayan rivers.
He gave the description of city of Qannauj. He has provided an accurate account of the seasons of India describing the nature of monsoon.
His correct view and reasoning led him to think that the institution of varna (caste), based on inequality, was the main obstacle in a rapport between the Hindus and the Muslims. He was one of the outstanding scholars and geographers of the medieval period.
Key Points on Al-Biruni:
[i] Eleventh Century was declared as the age of Albiruni.
[ii] He believed in the geocentric concept.
[iii] Kitab-al-Hind (1030) is regarded as his menumental work which deals with the geography of India
[iv] Albiruni Book & theme
| Book | Theme/Subject |
| [a] Kitab-al-Hind | Geography of India |
| [b] Al- Tahid | Origin of universe |
| [c] Risalah | Day & Night |
| [d] Kitab al Tahqiq & Harkatab al Shams | Movement of Sun |
| [e] Qanun al Masudi | Eclipse |
| [f] Al Qanun al Masudi | The Canon of King Masud of Afghanistan |
| [g] Rashikat al Hind | The Zodiac in India |
N.B- Notes will be updated time to time
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