Abū al-Rayhān Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Bīrūnī was a Persian Muslim scholar who produced learned work on a wide range of topics. He was born in 973 GC in present-day Uzbekistan. He spent most of his life in Ghazni in present-day Afghanistan and produced a leading study of India.
Similar ancient complaints of Severus Sebokht and al-Biruni indicate that both science and parochialism are universal. … Read the post Sebokht and al-Biruni on universal science and parochialism
Al-Biruni’s understanding of human natures and human history engaged with his knowledge of sacred words in his truth-seeking. … Read the post al-Biruni's quest for truth encompassed religions and natures
In al-Biruni view, Muslim scholars should study Hindu thought and be no more concerned Hindu idolatry than about similar Greco-Roman idolatry. … Read the post al-Biruni treats Hindu idolatry like ancient Greco-Roman idolatry
Byzantine iconomachy probably occurred against a long tradition of venerating icons, not against a new response to Islamic success and Byzantine failure. … Read the post understanding Byzantine iconomachy: venerating icons preceded Islam
A story of Brahman’s son Narada with parallels to stories of Moses wasn’t for al-Biruni a satisfying explanation of Indian idols and idolatry. … Read the post Mosaic story explains idols in ancient India?
Disengagement from India in the ancient Islamic world more plausibly resulted from reconfiguration of scholarly interests than deep cultural differences. … Read the post views of India from the ancient Islamic world
Al-Bīrūnī is currently rated as brilliant. Earlier evaluations of al-Bīrūnī’s Book of Pharmacy were more varied and more interesting. … Read the post al-Bīrūnī's Book of Pharmacy: two perspectives
Al-Biruni respected Greek medical authority, even when his own reasoning uncovered weakness in Greek pharmacological substitutes. … Read the post al-Biruni on pharmacological substitutes