Abu Rayhan al-Biruni · Science
Al-Biruni’s <em>al-Qanun al-Mas’udi</em> - the summa of Islamic mathematical astronomy: refined planetary theory and trigonometry, the coordinates of cities, the geodesy of the earth, and the elegant solution of the qibla problem, where the direction of prayer becomes a question in spherical trigonometry.
You learned that the Mas’udi Canon is al-Biruni’s summa of mathematical astronomy - refining Ptolemy, compiling coordinates of cities, founding geodesy, and solving the qibla problem by spherical trigonometry - and that for him astronomy served both faith (calendar, prayer direction) and truth. Explain how…
Leads to Ptolemy.
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