The Muslim scientists made considerable progress in biology especially
in botany, and developed horticulture to a high degree of perfection.
They paid greater attention to botany in comparison to zoology. Botany
reached its zenith in Spain.
Zoology
In zoology the study of the horse was developed almost to the tank of
a science.Abu Ubaidah(728-825 A. D.) who wrote more than 100 books,
devoted more than fifty books to the study of the horse.
Al-Jahiz
Al-Jahiz, who flourished inBasrais reputed to be one of thegreatest
zoologiststhe Muslim world has produced. His influence in the subject
may be traced to 'the Persian'Al-Qazwini' and the Egyptian
'Al-Damiri'. His book 'Kitab al Haywan' (book ori animals) contains
gems of latertheories of evolution,adaptationandanimal psychology. He
was the first to note changes in bird life through migrations. He
described the method of obtaining 'ammonia from animal offal by dry
distilling.'
Al-Damiri
Al-Damiri, who died in 1405 in Cairo and who was influenced by
Al-Jahiz is the greatest Arab zoologist. His bookHayat Haywarz(Life of
animal) is the most important Muslim work in zoology. It is an
encyclopedia on animal life containing a mine of information on the
subject. It contains the history of animals and preceded Buffoon by
700 years.
Al Masudi
Al-Masudi, has given the rudiments of the theory of evolution in his
well known work Meadows of gold. Another of his worksKitab al-Tanbih
wal Ishraqadvances his views on evolution namely from mineral to
plant, from plant to animal and from animal to man.
Botany
In botany,Spanish Muslimsmade the greatest contribution, and some of
them are known as thegreatest botanistsof mediaeval times. They were
keen observers and discovered sexual difference between such plants as
palms and hemps. They roamed about on sea shores, on mountains and in
distant lands in quest of rare botanical herbs.
Theyclassified plantsinto those that grow from seeds, those that grow
from cuttings and those that grow of their own accord, i.e., wild
growth. The Spanish Muslims advanced in botany far beyond the state in
which "it had been left by Discords and augmented the herbology of the
Greeks by the addition of 2,000 plants" Regular botanical gardens
existed inCordova, Baghdad, Cairoand Fez for teaching and experimental
purposes. Some of these were the finest in the world.
The Cordovan physician,Al-Ghafiqi(D. 1165) was a renowned botanist,
who collected plants in Spain and Africa, and described them most
accurately. According to G. Sarton he was "the greatest expert of his
time on simples. His description of plants was the most precise ever
made in Islam; he gave the names of each in Arabic, Latin and Berber".
His outstanding workAl Adwiyah al Mufradahdealing with simples was
later appropriated by Ibn Baytar."
Abu Zakariya Yahya
Abu Zakariya Yahya Ibn Muhammad Ibn AlAwwan, who flourished at the end
of 12 century in Seville (Spain) was the author of the most important
Islamic treatise on agriculture during the mediaeval times
entitledKitab al Filahah. The book treats more than585plants and deals
with the cultivation of more than50fruit trees. It also discusses
numerousdiseases of plantsand suggests their remedies. The book
presents new observations onproperties of soiland different types of
manures.
Abdullah Ibn Ahmad Ibn Al-Baytar
Abdullah Ibn Ahmad Ibn Al-Baytar, was the greatest botanist and
pharmacist of Spain--in fact the greatest of mediaeval times. He
roamed about in search of plants and collected herbs on the
Mediterranean littoral, from Spain to Syria, described more than1,400
medical drugsand compared them with the records of more than 150
ancient and Arabian authors.
Thecollection of simple drugscomposed by him is the ilaost outstanding
botanical work in Arabic. "This book, in fact is the most important
for the whole period extending from Discords down to the 16th
century." It is an encyclopedic work on the subject. He later entered
into the service of the Ayyubid king, Al-Malik, as his chief herbalist
in Cairo. From there he traveled through Syria and Asia Minor, and
died in Damascus.
One of his worksAl-Mughani-fi al Adwiyah al Mufradahdeals with
medicine. The otherAl Jami Ji al Adwiyah al Mufradahis a very valuable
book containing simple remedies regarding animal, vegetable and
mineral matters which has been described above. It deals also with200
novel plantswhich were not known up to that time.
Other Notable Botanists
Abul Abbàs Al-Nabatialso wandered along the African Coast from Spain
to Arabia in search of herbs and plants. He discovered some rare
plants on the shore of Red Sea. Another botanistIbn Sauri, was
accompanied by an artist during his travels in Syria, who made
sketches of the plants which they found.Ibn Wahshiya, wrote his
celebrated work al-Filahah al-Nabatiyah containing valuable
information about :animals and plants.
Many Cosmographical encyclopedias have been written by Arabs and
Persians, which contain sections on animals, plants and stones, of
which the best known is that ofZakariya al-Kaiwini, who died in 1283
A. D.Al-Dinawari wrote an excellent 'book of plants' andal-Bakrihas
written a book describing in detail the 'Plants of Andalusia'
Ibn Maskwaih, a contemporary ofAl-Beruni, advanced a definite theory
about evolution. According to him plant life at its lowest stage of
evolution does not need any seed for its birth and growth. Nor does it
perpetuate its species by means of the seed.
The great advancement of botanical science in Spain led to the
development of agriculture and horticulture on a grand scale.
"Horticulture improvements" says G. Sarton, "constituted the finest
legacies of Islam, and the gardens of Spain proclaim to this clay one
of the noblest virtues of her Muslim conquerors- The development of
agriculture was one of theglories of Muslim Spain."
'' Our Lord ! grant us good in this world and good in the hereafter and save us from the torment of the Fire '' [Ameen]
-
{in Arab} :->
Rabbanaa aatinaa fid-dunyaa hasanatan wafil aakhirati hasanatan waqinaa 'athaaban-naar/-
(Surah Al-Baqarah ,verse 201)
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