Prominent Muslim Mathematicians

Al-Khwarizmi

The esteemed Muslim mathematician Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi was born in 780 AD. He made significant contributions to mathematics, which include the following:

He is credited with establishing modern algebra.
He introduced Arabic numerals and mathematical concepts to Europe via Spain.
The term “algorithm,” derived from his name, is used in computational mathematics.
He developed sine and cosine tables and made important advancements in trigonometry, later translating these findings to the West.
He authored the influential book “Al-Kitab al-Mukhtasar fi Hisab al-Jabr wal-Muqabala,” which became a foundational text in European universities.
He established the decimal system in Arabic numerals and clarified the concept of zero.
Along with a group of scholars, he was among the first to create a map of the globe.

Omar Khayyam

Omar Khayyam, born in the Iranian city of Nishapur, excelled in the field of mathematics with several notable accomplishments:

He devised a method for extracting cubic roots.
He solved cubic equations using conic sections.
He explored Euclidean postulates concerning parallel lines.
He expanded upon Euclid’s theories regarding rational numbers by addressing the problem of irrational numbers, postulating that the realm of numbers is far broader than previously understood, successfully correlating them to real numbers.

Al-Biruni

Al-Biruni, a distinguished Muslim scholar, made significant strides in various sciences, including philosophy, geography, astronomy, and physics. He discussed the theory of Earth’s rotation around its axis about 600 years before Galileo. His contributions to mathematics include:

He calculated the circumference of the Earth using specific measurements.
He determined the qibla direction mathematically from any point on Earth.
Along with other Muslim scholars, he advanced modern trigonometry, including the concepts of sine, cosine, and tangent.

Abu al-Wafa

Abu al-Wafa al-Buzjani was born in 940 AD, excelling in both astronomy and mathematics. His mathematical achievements include:

Significant contributions to trigonometric theory.
Discovery of a method to calculate sine and the general law of sines in spherical triangles.
He developed a new chart for compiling sine tables, achieving precision up to eight decimal places for the sine of 30 degrees.
He authored numerous texts on mathematics.
He provided extensive commentaries on the works of al-Khwarizmi and Euclid regarding trigonometry.
He specialized in geometry and solved geometric equations, such as the quadratic equations equivalent to other squares known as multiple squares.
He studied geometric constructions related to hexagons and aspects of equilateral triangles.

Thabit ibn Qurra

Thabit ibn Qurra, born in 836 AD, excelled in various fields including sciences, astronomy, and mathematics. He authored numerous works, significantly contributing to the expansion of the set of real numbers, particularly positive real numbers.

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