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Abū Rayhān
Muhammad ibn Ahmad Bīrunī, (September 15,
973December 13, 1048), also Known as Beruni, was a
Persian mathematician, physicist, scholar, encyclopedist,
philosopher, astronomer, astrologer, traveller,
historian, pharmacist, and teacher, who contributed
greatly to the fields of mathematics, philosophy,
medicine, and science.
Al-Biruni crater,
on the Moon, is named after him.
He was the first
muslim scholar to study India and Brahminical tradition.
He was born in Khwarazm (formerly north-eastern part of
the Persian Samanid dynasty) presently in Khiva,
Uzbekistan.
He studied
mathematics and astronomy under Abu Nasr Mansur. He was
a colleague of the fellow Persian Muslim philosopher and
physician Ibn Sina, the historian, philosopher and
ethicist Ibn Miskawayh, in a university and science
center established by prince Abu al-Abbas Ma'mun
Khawarazmshah. He also travelled to South Asia with
Mahmud of Ghazni who also became his patron, and
accompanied him on his campaigns in India (in 1030),
learning Indian languages, and studying the religion and
philosophy of its people. There, he also wrote his
Ta'rikh al-Hind ("Chronicles of India"). B
Biruni knew the
Greek language, the Sanskrit language and possibly
Syriac and Berber.
He wrote his books
in Persian and Arabic, but his native language was
Khwarezmian.
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The
Khilafah Movement