Contributions of Muslim Scientists to Discovery of the World

Monday, 02 August 2010

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Written by Dr. Ragheb Elsergany

Muslims and Discovery of America

Muslims were always the forefathers of maritime discoveries, especially those which were unfairly attributed to western scientists. It is vivid clear that these discoveries were made by Muslim scientists. One of the most important discoveries was the discovery of America, which was ascribed to Christopher Columbus[1] in (1492 A.D.). Since Muslims announced the roundness of the Earth, depending on astrological and mathematical proofs, references emerged in their books to the possibility of the  existence of inhabited islands on the other side of the Earth that have not been discovered yet. This theory was based on the fact that it is not logic that one side of the surface of the Earth is thoroughly land while the other is fully covered with water, otherwise that would disturb the balance of the Earth and the regularity of its rotation[2].

Al-Biruni was the first to refer to this fact in his books. Depending on this theory, the adventures of geographical discovery started. These adventures were mentioned in the manuscripts of senior Muslim geographers, including Al-Mas’udi[3], in his book Muruj adh-dhahab wa ma'adin al-jawhar (The Meadows of Gold and Mines of Gems) and Al-Idrisi in his book Nuzhat Al-Mushtaq (Diversion for the Man Longing to Travel to Far-Off Places).

This has been mentioned by the linguistic historian Father Anastas Al-Karmali[4], pointing out that Muslims preceded Columbus in reaching America from Lisbon due to their awareness of the warm current in the Atlantic Ocean. Al-Karmali said "Arabs were the first nation to know this current and its properties. They were also aware of its movement from Mexico to Ireland and vice versa"[5].

Muhiddin ibn Al-Reis’s Maps

One of the most astonishing references to the discovery of America by Muslims is the map discovered by the German orientalist Paul Kahle[6] in the (Topkapi Saray Library) in Istanbul, which he published in 1929 after international scientific scrutiny which lasted for many years. This startling map was drawn by a Muslim geographer called Muhiddin ibn Mohamed Al-Reis, nicknamed Piri Reis[7]. He was one of the captains in the Ottoman fleet, which was the dominant fleet at that time. In fact, this map is divided into various separate maps. It shows the eastern side of the Atlantic Ocean with its western Spanish and African coasts. It also shows the western side of the ocean, highlighting the American Continent with its coasts, islands, ports and animals. It further portrays the Red Indians who were drawn naked while grazing.

In his book, History of the Arab Geographical Literature, the orientalist Krachkovsky commented on this map, pointing out that Reis must have drawn his map on the basis of the maps of Columbus, which might have been found by Reis when the Turkish Fleet defeated the Venetian Fleet in (1499) and confiscated some of its ships[8].  However, this opinion has been rejected by some researchers; this map of Reis has more details about places which were not known or discovered by Columbus. Nevertheless, those researchers have not presented alternative interpretation that could reveal the secret of this mysterious map.

It is worth of note that Brazilian newspapers published in 1952 a statement by Professor Gaghriz[9], Professor of Social Archaeological Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand in the Republic of South Africa. This statement pointed out that historical books wrongly attribute the discovery of America to Christopher Columbus; Muslim Arabs, in fact, discovered it scores of years earlier[10]. This study, lasting for 6 years, depended on the study of the human skeletons found in the Brazilian state of Granada[11].

Discovery of the Sixth Continent in the Southern Pole

What is astonishing about the maps of Muhiddin Al-Reis is that they preoccupied scientists after the launch of space probes and photographing the Earth by satellites. Cartographers in America and Europe in the twentieth century used to think that these maps were inaccurate and had some mistakes according to their latest information about the American coast. However, after the emergence of the first photograph taken by the satellite, they were so startled that they found out that the maps of Moheiddin Al-Rayys are more accurate than they imagined and are identical to those taken by the satellite. Therefore, those American and European scientists realized that they were incorrect.

In light of these discoveries, a NASA team devoted themselves to reexamine these maps after having magnified it. The team was also astonished to find out that Muhiddin Al-Reis had identified in his maps a sixth continent in the Southern Pole, which is known as Antarctica. Amazingly enough, Muhiddin described the mountains and valleys of this continent which was only discovered in (1952).

In his book, Chariots of the gods, writer Eric Phone Dunckin pointed out that the maps of Muhiddin Al-Reis were presented to Professor Maliri Arlington, professor of geographical maps at American universities. After close scrutiny, he announced that these maps have all geographical facts about America. However, when he doubted the presence of some mistakes or inaccurate location of some places, he sought the assistance of the geographers of the US Fleet, whose study of these maps showed that the maps of Al-Reis had accurately and amazingly portrayed the internal topography of the continents (geographical features). These maps showed mountains, rivers and valleys so accurate that they were photographed by the outer space[12].

In (1957), a team of geographers at big observatories and American Marines to study the maps of Al-Reis at close. After conducting these studies with sophisticated devices, the team discovered that the maps of Al-Reis about the sixth continent were amazingly correct and accurate. They even referred to some areas which have not been discovered at present; mountains there were just discovered in (1952). They are continuously covered with thick strata of ice. These mountains have been drawn on modern maps by using echo-sounding apparatus.

What is really amazing is the interest of the NASA in keeping studying these maps. They have been found to be identical to the photo taken of the Earth by a spacecraft while it was moving above the South Pole continent. This photo which covered an area of (5000 miles) was amazingly identical to photos taken by satellite[13].

Discovery of the Road to India via Spain

In his book, the morning of the Blind (Sobh Al-A'sha), Al-Kalakshandi, Who died in (1418 A.D.) accurately described that the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean are linked. Such a description showed that Muslims knew this fact before Vasco da Gama[14]. Commenting on the Atlantic Ocean, he Said "It extends from the coasts of the Far Occidental Countries via the Sabtah Alley (referring to The Strait of Gibraltar), located between Andalusia and Bar Al Adwah towards the south. It then moves towards Lomtonah Desert (the Desert of Berbers)". He also went on describing the maritime road, saying, "it moves towards the east behind the Moon Mountains from which the sources of the Nile of Egypt stem. Accordingly, the said sea moves towards the south and extends east towards a waste land behind the Negroes' countries. It then extends east and north until it gets connected with the sea of China and India[15].

Krachkovsky mentioned that an Arab navigator underwent the same journey of Vasco de Gama in (1420 A.D.), but he took the opposite direction. He started from a harbour on the Indian Ocean and moved around Africa until he reached the Moroccan ports on the Atlantic Ocean. This journey was initiated 27 years earlier than Vasco de Gama[16].

In his memoirs, Vasco de Gama mentioned that Arab navigators whom he met on his journey were having advanced compasses for guiding ships, observation devices and maritime maps. He went on to say that he sought their assistance and sent some of their maps to King Manuel. He also added that a Muslim navigator, called (Master Kana) from Melinda led his ship from Melinda to Calcutta in India. In other references, the captain of the ship of Vasco de Gama was the Arab geographical navigator Ibn Maguid[17] (who invented the compass).

It is noticed that the maps of Al-Masoudi and Al-Idrisi showed that the Indian and Atlantic oceans were linked around Africa. These areas were full of Arab ships that moved back and forth between India and the West of Africa[18].

It is really interesting to follow the efforts of Muslims in geography and the discovery of the Earth around them. It is also amazing to read about these fruitful efforts.

Last Witness

"To count the Arab geographers and their publications will speak volumes. Abul Fida[19] mentioned 60 names of geographers who appeared before him. Due to the insistence of Europeans on their inherited hatred[20] of Islam, senior and great western geographers have denied the Muslim contributions to geography. It is suffice to mention the contributions of Arabs which assure their importance. Arabs were the first to reach accurate astronomical knowledge which was the first basis for maps"[21].

This is not our word but that of Gustave Le Bon.

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