Overview of Ahmed Bin Majid
Ahmed Bin Majid is widely recognized as the most renowned navigator and captain from the United Arab Emirates. Below are key personal details about him:
| Common Name | Ahmed Bin Majid |
| Full Real Name | Shihab al-Din Ahmed Bin Majid Bin Muhammad Bin Omar Bin Fadl Bin Dweik |
| Country of Origin | United Arab Emirates |
| Date of Birth | 1418 CE |
| Place of Birth | Julfar/Ras Al Khaimah – UAE |
| Field of Fame | Navigating and Seamanship |
A Brief Biography of Ahmed Bin Majid
Ahmed Bin Majid was born in 1418 CE in Julfar, which is present-day Ras Al Khaimah. He acquired extensive knowledge in various disciplines beyond navigation, including mathematics, astronomy, geography, literature, and history. His prolific writing contributed to the establishment of a new scientific framework referred to as “Oceanography,” which had not been previously articulated in such a formal manner.
Ahmed Bin Majid descends from the Adnanite tribes and was honored with the titles “Shihab al-Din” or “Shihab al-Haq,” indicating his deep understanding of religion and adherence to Islamic teachings. Additionally, he was known by titles such as “Captain of the Vessels,” “Fourth of the Three,” “Master of the Seas,” and “Instructor of the Indian Ocean,” all of which denote his esteemed status in the maritime world. Ahmed Bin Majid passed away in Julfar in 1501 CE at the age of 83.
Ahmed Bin Majid’s Maritime Journey
Captain Ahmed Bin Majid began accompanying his father on maritime voyages at the young age of ten. By the time he reached 17, he had led his first sea expedition. He pioneered several navigational tools, notably the maritime compass, which he subdivided into 22 degrees, a design still in use today, which he called “al-Haqah.”
His name is also associated with the exploratory voyage around the Cape of Good Hope led by Vasco da Gama. Ahmed Bin Majid is renowned for assisting explorers in discovering the new route to India from South Africa. He laid the foundational principles of global navigation, and his ideas and insights in the field of navigation remained influential across the Arabian Gulf, Red Sea, and South China Sea for many decades. He is regarded as the first author of modern navigational manuals.
Writings of Ahmed Bin Majid
Ahmed Bin Majid authored an impressive collection of around 40 works. Below are some of his most significant publications:
- The Container of Abbreviations in the Principles of Oceanography.
- The Benefits in the Fundamentals of Ocean Science and its Principles, considered his most important work.
- The Gift of the Elite in Preparing the Principles.
- Epistle of the Necklace of Suns and Extraction of the Principles.
- The Notable Guide in Systematizing Maritime Sciences.
- The Elegant Method in the Science of Profound Seas.
- The Seven-verse Poem.
- The Book of Sects.
- The Book of Seasons.
- The Humziya Poem.
- The Commentary on the Golden Treatise.