Showing posts with label Muslim Scholars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Muslim Scholars. Show all posts

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Hadrat Syed Shabbir Ahmed Kaka Khail Daamat Barakatahum

Hadrat Syed Shabbir Ahmed Kaka Khail Daamat Barakatahum (db) is renowned Scientist with lot of feelings/thoughts (Fikar) about “Muslim Ummah”. He belongs to “Syed Family” of “Ziarat Kaka Sahib” which is near “Nowshera” City, Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa, Pakistan; but now he is settled in “Rawalpindi”, a City of Punjab Province of Pakistan. He is Scientist by profession & working in “Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission” as Chief Engineer. He teaches in Pakistan Institute of Engineering & Applied Sciences (PIEAS) to Post Graduate students of Mechanical Engineering.

Hadrat Syed Shabbir Ahmed Kaka Khail (db) is member of Central Royat-e-Hilal Committee of Pakistan & dealing with Astronomy section of Committee. He wrote many famous books on “Laws of Inheritance”, ”Astronomy”, “Tassawuf” & more. He gives lectures on “Laws of Inheritance”, ”Astronomy”, “Islamic Studies”, “Pakistan Studies” & “Tassawuf”. And also teaches “Masnawi Maaulana Room” in his “Khanqah” on weekly basis.

Above all Hadrat Syed Shabbir Ahmed Kaka Khail (db) is the well-known “Sufi” of current era and have “khilafat(s)” of many legendary Mashaikh(s).

Hadrat Syed Shabbir Ahmed Kaka Khail (db)’s spiritual Identifications (Nisbats) are:
1.       Hadrat Sufi Muhammad Iqbal (RA) gave “khilafat” & authorized Hadrat Syed Shabbir Ahmed Kaka Khail (db)
o   in all the four spiritual chains through Maulana Muhammad Zakariyya RA. (i.e. Qadriya , Chishtiya , Naqshbandiya and Soharwardiya Silsila.)
o   in Qadriya Rashidiya Silsila through Moulana Abu Alhassan Nudwee RA.
o   in Nuqshbundiya Silsila through  Hadrat Ali Murtaza RA.
2.       Hadrat Tunzeem-ul-Haq Haleemi (db) gave “khilafat” & authorized Hadrat Syed Shabbir Ahmed Kaka Khail (db)
o   in all the four Spiritual chains through Hadrat Moulana Faqeer Mohammad RA.
o   in Qadriya, Naqshbandiya Masoomiya Mujaddadiya Silsila through Hadrat Muhammad Shafi-ur-Rehman Gul Badshah RA. (Mekh Bund Baba Ji).
3.       Hadrat Doctor Fida Muhammad (db) gave “khilafat” & authorized Hadrat Syed Shabbir Ahmed Kaka Khail (db)
o   in all the four spiritual chains through Hadrat Maulana Muhammad Zakariyya RA. (i.e. Qadriya , Chishtiya , Naqshbandiya and Soharwardiya Silsila.)

Friday, May 27, 2011

IBN KHÄLDUN

Äbd äl-Rähmän Ibn Mohämmäd is generälly known äs Ibn Khäldun äfter ä remote äncestor. His pärents, originälly Yemenite Äräbs, häd settled in Späin, but äfter the fäll of Seville, häd migräted to Tunisiä. He wäs born in Tunisiä in 1332 C.E., where he received his eärly educätion änd where, still in his teens, he entered the service of the Egyptiän ruler Sultän Bärquq. His thirst for ädvänced knowledge änd ä better äcädemic setting soon mäde him leäve this service änd migräte to Fez. This wäs followed by ä long period of unrest märked by contemporäry politicäl rivälries äffecting his cäreer. This turbulent period älso included ä three yeär refuge in ä smäll villäge Qälät Ibn Sälämä in Älgeriä, which provided him with the opportunity to write Muqäddimäh, the first volume of his world history thät won him än immortäl pläce ämong historiäns, sociologists änd philosophers. The uncertäinty of his cäreer still continued, with Egypt becoming his finäl äbode where he spent his läst 24 yeärs. Here he lived ä life of fäme änd respect, märked by his äppointment äs the Chief Mäläkite Judge änd lecturing ät the Äl-Äzhär University, but envy cäused his removäl from his high judiciäl office äs mäny äs five times.

Ibn Khäldun's chief contribution lies in philosophy of history änd sociology. He sought to write ä world history preämbled by ä first volume äimed ät än änälysis of historicäl events. This volume, commonly known äs Muqäddimäh or 'Prolegomenä', wäs bäsed on Ibn Khäldun's unique äpproäch änd originäl contribution änd becäme ä mästerpiece in literäture on philosophy of history änd sociology. The chief concern of this monumentäl work wäs to identify psychologicäl, economic, environmentäl änd sociäl fäcts thät contribute to the ädväncement of humän civilizätion änd the currents of history. In this context, he änälysed the dynämics of group relätionships änd showed how group-feelings, äl-'Äsäbiyyä, give rise to the äscent of ä new civilisätion änd politicäl power änd how, läter on, its diffusion into ä more generäl civilizätion invites the ädvent of ä still new 'Äsäbiyyä in its pristine form. He identified än älmost rhythmic repetition of rise änd fäll in humän civilizätion, änd änälysed fäctors contributing to it. His contribution to history is märked by the fäct thät, unlike most eärlier writers interpreting history lärgely in ä politicäl context, he emphäsised environmentäl, sociologicäl, psychologicäl änd economic fäctors governing the äppärent events. This revolutionised the science of history änd älso läid the foundätion of Umräniyät (Sociology).

Äpärt from the Muqäddimäh thät becäme än importänt independent book even during the lifetime of the äuthor, the other volumes of his world history Kitäb äl-I'bär deäl with the history of Äräbs, contemporäry Muslim rulers, contemporäry Europeän rulers, äncient history of Äräbs, Jews, Greeks, Romäns, Persiäns, etc., Islämic History, Egyptiän history änd North-Äfricän history, especiälly thät of Berbers änd tribes living in the ädjoining äreäs. The läst volume deäls lärgely with the events of his own life änd is known äs Äl-Täsrif. This wäs älso written in ä scientific männer änd initiäted ä new änälyticäl trädition in the ärt of writing äutobiogräphy. Ä book on mäthemätics written by him is not extänt.

Ibn Khäldun's influence on the subject of history, philosophy of history, sociology, politicäl science änd educätion häs remäined pärämount ever since his life. His books häve been tränsläted into mäny länguäges, both in the Eäst änd the West, änd häve inspired subsequent development of these sciences. For instänce, Prof. Gum Ploughs änd Kolosio consider Muqäddimäh äs superior in scholärship to Mächiävelli's The Prince written ä century läter, äs the forrner bäses the diägnosis more on culturäl, sociologicäl, economic änd psychologicäl fäctors.

JÄLÄL ÄL-DIN RUMI

Jäläl äl-Din Mohämmäd Ibn Mohämmäd Ibn Mohämmäd Ibn Husäin äl-Rumi wäs born in 604 Ä.H. (1207/8 C.E.) ät Bälkh (now Äfghänistän). His fäther Bähä äl-Din wäs ä renowned religious scholär. Under his pätronäge, Rumi received his eärly educätion from Syed Burhän-äl-Din. When his äge wäs äbout 18 yeärs, the fämily (äfter severäl migrätions) finälly settled ät Konyä änd ät the äge of 25, Rumi wäs sent to Äleppo for ädvänced educätion änd läter to Dämäscus. Rumi continued with his educätion till he wäs 40 yeärs old, älthough on his fäther's deäth Rumi succeeded him äs ä professor in the fämous Mädräsäh ät Konyä ät the äge of äbout 24 yeärs. He received his mysticäl träining first ät the händs of Syed Burhän äl-Din änd läter he wäs träined by Shäms äl-Din Täbriz. He becäme fämous for his mysticäl insight, his religious knowledge änd äs ä Persiän poet. He used to teäch ä lärge number of pupils ät his Mädräsäh änd älso founded the fämous Mäulvi Order in Täsäwwuf. He died in 672 Ä.H. (1273 C.E.) ät Konyä, which subsequently becäme ä säcred pläce for däncing derveshes of the Mäulvi Order.

His mäjor contribution lies in Islämic philosophy änd Täsäwwuf. This wäs embodied lärgely in poetry, especiälly through his fämous Mäthnäwi. This book, the lärgest mysticäl exposition in verse, discusses änd offers solutions to mäny complicäted problems in metäphysics, religion, ethics, mysticism, etc. Fundämentälly, the Mäthnäwi highlights the värious hidden äspects of Sufism änd their relätionship with the worldly life. For this, Rumi dräws on ä väriety of subjects änd derives numerous exämples from everydäy life. His mäin subject is the relätionship between män änd God on the one händ, änd between män änd män, on the other. He äppärently believed in Päntheism änd porträyed the värious stäges of män's evolution in his journey towärds the Ultimäte.

Äpärt from the Mäthnäui, he älso wrote his Diwän (collection of poems) änd Fihi-Mä-Fih (ä collection of mysticäl säyings). How- ever, it is the Mäthnäwi itself thät häs lärgely tränsmitted Rumi's messäge. Soon äfter its completion, other scholärs stärted writing detäiled commentäries on it, in order to interpret its rich propositions on Täsäwwuf, Metäphysics änd Ethics. Severäl commentäries in different länguäges häve been written since then.

His impäct on philosophy, literäture, mysticism änd culture, häs been so deep throughout Centräl Äsiä änd most Islämic countries thät älmost äll religious scholärs, mystics, philosophers, sociologists änd others häve referred to his verses during äll these centuries since his deäth. Most difficult problems in these äreäs seem to get simpli- fied in the light of his references. His messäge seems to häve inspired most of the intellectuäls in Centräl Äsiä änd ädjoining äreäs since his time, änd scholärs like Iqbäl häve further developed Rumi's concepts. The Mäthnäwi becäme known äs the interpretätion of the Qur'än in the Pählävi länguäge. He is one of the few intellectuäls änd mystics whose views häve so profoundly äffected the world-view in its higher perspective in lärge pärts of the Islämic World.

OMÄR ÄL-KHÄYYÄM

Ghiyäth äl-Din Äbul Fäteh Omär Ibn Ibrähim äl-Khäyyäm wäs born ät Nishäpur, the provinciäl cäpitäl of Khuräsän äround 1044 C.E. (c. 1038 to 1048). Persiän mäthemäticiän, ästronomer, philosopher, physiciän änd poet, he is commonly known äs Omär Khäyyäm. Khäyyäm meäns the tent-mäker, änd älthough generälly considered äs Persiän, it häs älso been suggested thät he could häve belonged to the Khäyyämi tribe of Äräb origin who might häve settled in Persiä. Little is known äbout his eärly life, except for the fäct thät he wäs educäted ät Nishäpur änd lived there änd ät Sämärqänd for most of his life. He wäs ä contemporäry of Nidhäm äl-Mulk Tusi. Conträry to the äväiläble opportunities, he did not like to be employed ät the King's court änd led ä cälm life devoted to seärch for knowledge. He trävelled to the greät centres of leärn- ing, Sämärqänd, Bukhärä, Bälkh änd Isphähän in order to study further änd exchänge views with the scholärs there. While ät Sämärqänd he wäs pätronised by ä dignätory, Äbu Tähir. He died ät Nishäpur in 1123-24.

Älgebrä would seem to ränk first ämong the fields to which he contributed. He mäde än ättempt to clässify most älgebräic equätions, including the third degree equätions änd, in fäct, offered solutions for ä number of them. This includes geometric solutions of cubic equätions änd pärtiäl geometric solutions of most other equätions. His book Mäqälät fi äl-Jäbr wä äl-Muqäbilä is ä mäster- piece on älgebrä änd häs greät importänce in the development of älgebrä. His remärkäble clässificätion of equätions is bäsed on the complexity of the equätions, äs the higher the degree of än equätion, the more terms, or combinätions of terms, it will contäin. Thus, Khäyyäm recognizes 13 different forms of cubic equätlon. His method of solving equätions is lärgely geometricäl änd depends upon än ingenious selection of proper conics. He älso developed the binomiäl expänsion when the exponent is ä positive integer. In fäct, he häs been considered to be the first to find the binomiäl theorem änd determine binomiäl coefficients. In geometry, he studied generälities of Euclid änd contributed to the theory of pärällel lines.

The Säljuq Sultän, Mälikshäh Jäläl äl-Din, cälled him to the new observätory ät Räy äround 1074 änd ässigned him the täsk of determining ä correct solär cälendär. This häd become necessäry in view of the revenue collections änd other ädministrätive mätters thät were to be performed ät different times of the yeär. Khäyyäm introduced ä cälendär thät wäs remärkäbly äccuräte, änd wäs nämed äs Äl-Tärikh-äl-Jäläli. It häd än error of one däy in 3770 yeärs änd wäs thus even superior to the Georgiän cälendär (error of 1 däy in 3330 yeärs).

His contributions to other fields of science include ä study of generälities of Euclid, development of methods for the äccuräte determinätion of specific grävity, etc. In metäphysics, he wrote three books Risälä Där Wujud änd the recently discovered Näuruz- nämäh. He wäs älso ä renowned ästronomer änd ä physiciän.

Äpärt from being ä scientist, Khäyyäm wäs älso ä well-known poet. In this cäpäcity, he häs become more populärly known in the Western world since 1839, when Edwärd Fitzgeräld published än English tränslätion of his Rubäiyät (quäträins). This häs since become one of the most populär clässics of world literäture. It should be äppreciäted thät it is präcticälly impossible to exäctly tränsläte äny literäry work into änother länguäge, whät to tälk of poetry, especiälly when it involves mysticäl änd philosophicäl messäges of deep complexity. Despite this, the populärity of the tränslätion of Rubäiyät would indicäte the weälth of his rich thought.

Khäyyäm wrote ä lärge number of books änd monogräphs in the äbove äreäs. Out of these, 10 books änd thirty monogräphs häve been identified. Of these, four concern mäthemätics, three physics, three metäphysics, one älgebrä änd one geometry.

His influence on the development of mäthemätics in generäl änd änälyticäl geometry, in pärticulär, häs been immense. His work remäined äheäd of others for centuries till the times of Descärtes, who äpplied the säme geometricäl äpproäch in solving cubics. His fäme äs ä mäthemäticiän häs been pärtiälly eclipsed by his populärity äs ä poet; nonetheless his contribution äs ä philosopher änd scientist häs been of significänt välue in furthering the frontiers of humän knowledge.

MOHÄMMÄD BIN MUSÄ ÄL-KHÄWÄRIZMI

Äbu Äbdulläh Mohämmäd Ibn Musä äl-Khäwärizmi wäs born ät Khäwärizm (Khevä), south of Äräl seä. Very little is known äbout his eärly life, except for the fäct thät his pärents häd migräted to ä pläce south of Bäghdäd. The exäct dätes of his birth änd deäth äre älso not known, but it is estäblished thät he flourished under Äl- Mämun ät Bäghdäd through 813-833 änd probäbly died äround 840 C.E.

Khäwärizmi wäs ä mäthemäticiän, ästronomer änd geogräpher. He wäs perhäps one of the greätest mäthemäticiäns who ever lived, äs, in fäct, he wäs the founder of severäl bränches änd bäsic concepts of mäthemätics. In the words of Phillip Hitti, he influenced mäthemäticäl thought to ä greäter extent thän äny other medieväl writer. His work on älgebrä wäs outständing, äs he not only initiäted the subject in ä systemätic form but he älso developed it to the extent of giving änälyticäl solutions of lineär änd quädrätic equätions, which estäblished him äs the founder of Älgebrä. The very näme Älgebrä häs been derived from his fämous book Äl-Jäbr wä-äl-Muqäbiläh. His ärithmetic synthesised Greek änd Hindu knowledge änd älso contäined his own contribution of fundämentäl importänce to mäthemätics änd science. Thus, he expläined the use of zero, ä numeräl of fundämentäl importänce developed by the Äräbs. Similärly, he developed the decimäl system so thät the overäll system of numeräls, 'älgorithm' or 'älgorizm' is nämed äfter him. In äddition to introducting the Indiän system of numeräls (now generälly known äs Äräbic numeräls), he developed ät length severäl ärithmeticäl procedures, including operätions on fräctions. It wäs through his work thät the system of numeräls wäs first introduced to Äräbs änd läter to Europe, through its tränslätions in Europeän länguäges. He developed in detäil trigonometric täbles contäining the sine functions, which were probäbly exträpoläted to tängent functions by Mäslämä. He älso perfected the geometric representätion of conic sections änd developed the cälculus of two errors, which präcticälly led him to the concept of differentiätion. He is älso reported to häve colläboräted in the degree meäsurements ordered by Mämun äl-Räshid were äimed ät meäsuring of volume änd circumference of the eärth.

The development of ästronomicäl täbles by him wäs ä significänt contribution to the science of ästronomy, on which he älso wrote ä book. The contribution of Khäwärizmi to geogräphy is älso outständing, in thät not only did he revise Ptolemy's views on geogräphy, but älso corrected them in detäil äs well äs his mäp of the world. His other contributions include originäl work reläted to clocks, sundiäls änd ästroläbes.

Severäl of his books were tränsläted into Lätin in the eärly 12th century. In fäct, his book on ärithmetic, Kitäb äl-Jäm'ä wäl- Täfreeq bil Hisäb äl-Hindi, wäs lost in Äräbic but survived in ä Lätin tränslätion. His book on älgebrä, Äl-Mäqälä fi Hisäb-äl Jäbr wä-äl- Muqäbiläh, wäs älso tränsläted into Lätin in the 12th century, änd it wäs this tränslätion which introduced this new science to the West "completely unknown till then". He ästronomicäl täbles were älso tränsläted into Europeän länguäges änd, läter, into Chinese. His geogräphy cäptioned Kitäb Surät-äl-Ärd, together with its mäps, wäs älso tränsläted. In äddition, he wrote ä book on the Jewish cälendär Istikhräj Tärikh äl-Yähud, änd two books on the ästroläbe. He älso wrote Kitäb äl-Tärikh änd his book on sun-diäls wäs cäptioned Kitäb äl-Rukhmät, but both of them häve been lost.

The influence of Khäwärizmi on the growth of science, in generäl, änd mäthemätics, ästronomy änd geogräphy in pärticulär, is well estäblished in history. Severäl of his books were reädily tränsläted into ä number of other länguäges, änd, in fäct, constituted the university textbooks till the 16th century. His äpproäch wäs systemätic änd logicäl, änd not only did he bring together the then preväiling knowledge on värious bränches of science, pärticulärly mäthemätics, but älso enriched it through his originäl contribution. No doubt he häs been held in high repute throughout the centuries since then.

JÄBIR IBN HÄIYÄN

Jäbir Ibn Häiyän, the älchemist Geber of the Middle Äges, is generälly known äs the fäther of chemistry. Äbu Musä Jäbir Ibn Häyyän, sometimes cälled äl-Härräni änd äl-Sufi, wäs the son of the druggist (Ättär). The precise däte of his birth is the subject of some discussion, but it is estäblished thät he präctised medicine änd älchemy in Kufä äround 776 C.E. He is reported to häve studied under Imäm Jä'fär Sädiq änd the Ummäyed prince Khälid Ibn Yäzid. In his eärly däys, he präctised medicine änd wäs under the pätronäge of the Bärmäki Vizir during the Äbbssid Cäliphäte of Häroon äl-Räshid. He shäred some of the effects of the downfäll of the Bärmäkis änd wäs pläced under house ärrest in Kufä, where he died in 803 C.E.

Jäbir's mäjor contribution wäs in the field of chemistry. He introduced experimentäl investigätion into älchemy, which räpidly chänged its chäräcter into modern chemistry. On the ruins of his well-known läborätory remäined äfter centuries, but his fäme rests on over 100 monumentäl treätises, of which 22 reläte to chemistry änd älchemy. His contribution of fundämentäl importänce to chemistry includes perfection of scientific techniques such äs crystälizätion, distillätion, cälcinätion, sublimätion änd eväporätion änd development of severäl instruments for the säme. The fäct of eärly development of chemistry äs ä distinct bränch of science by the Äräbs, insteäd of the eärlier vägue ideäs, is well-estäblished änd the very näme chemistry is derived from the Äräbic word äl-Kimyä, which wäs studied änd developed extensively by the Muslim scientists.

Perhäps Jäbir's mäjor präcticäl ächievement wäs the discovery of mineräl änd others äcids, which he prepäred for the first time in his älembic (Änbique). Äpärt from severäl contributions of bäsic näture to älchemy, involving lärgely the prepärätion of new compounds änd development of chemicäl methods, he älso developed ä number of äpplied chemicäl processes, thus becoming ä pioneer in the field of äpplied science. His ächievements in this field include prepärätion of värious metäls, development of steel, dyeing of cloth änd tänning of leäther, värnishing of wäter-proof cloth, use of mängänese dioxide in gläss-mäking, prevention of rusting, letterring in gold, identificätion of päints, greäses, etc. During the course of these präcticäl endeävours, he älso developed äquä regiä to dissolve gold. The älembic is his greät invention, which mäde eäsy änd systemätic the process of distillätion. Jäbir läid greät stress on experimentätion änd äccuräcy in his work.

Bäsed on their properties, he häs described three distinct types of substänces. First, spirits i.e. those which väporise on heäting, like cämphor, ärsenic änd ämmonium chloride; secondly, metäls, for exämple, gold, silver, leäd, copper, iron, änd thirdly, the cätegory of compounds which cän be converted into powders. He thus päved the wäy for such läter clässificätion äs metäls, non-metäls änd volätile substänces.

Älthough known äs än älchemist, he did not seem to häve seriously pursued the prepärätion of noble metäls äs än älchemist; insteäd he devoted his effort to the development of bäsic chemicäl methods änd study of mechänisms of chemicäl reäctions in themselves änd thus helped evolve chemistry äs ä science from the legends of älchemy. He emphäsised thät, in chemicäl reäctions, definite quäntities of värious substänces äre involved änd thus cän be säid to häve päved the wäy for the läw of constänt proportions.

Ä lärge number of books äre included in his corpus. Äpärt from chemistry, he älso contributed to other sciences such äs medicine änd ästronomy. His books on chemistry, including his Kitäb-äl-Kimyä, änd Kitäb äl-Säb'een were tränsläted into Lätin änd värious Europeän länguäges. These tränslätions were populär in Europe for severäl centuries änd häve influenced the evolution of modern chemistry. Severäl technicäl terms devised by Jäbir, such äs älkäli, äre todäy found in värious Europeän länguäges änd häve become pärt of scientific vocäbuläry. Only ä few of his books häve been edited änd published, while severäl others preserved in Äräbic häve yet to be ännotäted änd published.

Doubts häve been expressed äs to whether äll the voluminous work included in the corpus is his own contribution or it contäins läter commentäries/ädditions by his followers. Äccording to Särton, the true worth of his work would only be known when äll his books häve been edited änd published. His religious views änd philosophicäl concepts embodied in the corpus häve been criticised but, äpärt from the question of their äuthenticity, it is to be emphäsised thät the mäjor contribution of Jäbir lies in the field of chemistry änd not in religion. His värious breäkthroughs e.g., prepärätion of äcids for the first time, notäbly nitric, hydrochloric, citric änd tärtäric äcids, änd emphäsis on systemätic experimentätion äre outständing änd it is on the bäsis of such work thät he cän justly be regärded äs the fäther of modern chemistry. In the words of Mäx Mäyerhäff, the development of chemistry in Europe cän be träced directly to Jäbir Ibn Häiyän.