1
/
of
1
India by Al-Biruni
India by Al-Biruni
Paperback
Regular price
$24.99 USD
Regular price
Sale price
$24.99 USD
Unit price
/
per
Couldn't load pickup availability
DETAILS :
- Author : Ahmad Qeyamuddin
- Publisher : National Book Trust
- Translator : Edward C. Sachau
- Publication Date :1 December 2018
- Language : English
- Paperback : 338 pages
- ISBN-10 : 8123702892
- ISBN-13 : 9788123702896
- Item Weight : 500 g
ABOUT THE BOOK
INDIA (Kitabul Hind) by Al-Biruni is an abridged edition of the famous German scholar Edward C. Sachau’s (1845-1930) English translation edited with an introduction and notes by Qeyamuddin Ahmad and published by National Book Trust, India. It was translated first into German from Arabic. Since 1872-73 this book has been translated into German, English, Russian, Urdu, Hindi and Bengali. In the present abridged edition, Qeyamuddin has tried to draw the attention of the “general reader to the approach and methodology of Al-Biruni, the core of his direct observations on the Indian society and sciences.”
Al-Biruni introduces his book saying it is a, “simple historical record of fact.” Al- Biruni tries to show his readers the similarities of theories of Hindus and Greeks.
Abu Raihan Muhammad ibn Ahmad Al-Biruni was of Iranian origin. He was born in Kath, Khwarizm (now Kara-Karpakskaya, Uzbekistan) on Sept. 15, 973 A. D. He had immense opportunities to learn during his childhood, which was a rarity at that time. He began studies at a very early age under the famous astronomer and mathematician Abu Nasr Mansur. At the age of 17, he was engaged in serious scientific work. In 990 A. D., he computed the latitude of Kath in the region of the Aral Sea by observing the maximum altitude of the sun.
Al-Biruni was a great linguist and a prolific writer. Besides the knowledge of his mother tongue, Khwarizmi (a Persian dialect of the northern region with Turkish influence), he knew Arabic, Hebrew, Syriac and Sanskrit. He was well acquainted with the works of Plato and other Greek masters through Syriac and Arabic.
Most of his works, including Kitabul Hind, are in Arabic. Those days Arabic was not only an international language but also the language of science and arts. The end of the 10th century and beginning of the 11th century was a period of an unrest and upheaval in the Islamic world. There were civil wars in the region where Al-Biruni was born. Khwarizm was part of the Samanid Empire, which was ruled from Bukhara. It is not clear when Al-Biruni left Khwarizm. But as records show he had the patronage of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni (999- 1030).
Al-Biruni lived and worked in Ghazni until his death at the age of 75 in 1048 A. D. In order to complete his research work he stayed in India among Hindus for 13 years. Al-Biruni had developed particular interest in India and the Indians when he was still in Ghazni. He was an astrologer and astronomer of repute in Mahmud’s court.
Share
★★★★★
★★★★★
★★★★★
★★★★★