BIRUNI                     

 

          Biruni, who is one of the greatest scientists and theologists of Turkish-Islamic world, was born in 973 in Kas city which is within the borders of Iran today. Biruni, who was a Harizm Turk and lost his father in his early ages, drew attention with his skills and intelligence. Ebu Nasr Mansur, the famous mathematician from Harezmsah destiny, took Biruni under his protection and brought him up.

       Biruni, who started his astronomy studies in 995, determined the declination (inclinations) of the sun and planets in Buşkatir, near Harezm. Biruni, who carried out observation studies together with the leading astronomers of his period was taken under protection by Gazneli Sultan Mahmut and carried on his studies there. He performed his studies in Kabil in 1011.

       He took part in India expedition of Gazneli Sultan Mahmud as his chief counselor and general director of treasury. After having conducted some measures pursuant to  conquest of India, he calculated the radius of the earth as 6.324.66 kilometers, a number very close to the real number and explained that the world was round beyond all doubts.

Biruni, who learned Sanscrit, Hebrew, Roman, Suryanice and Greek, also showed great advance in medicine, physics, mathematics, history, chronology and theology. He wrote total 196 books on these fields.

        Science historians consider Biruni as one of the biggest brains of all times because of his scientific research method. He carried out investigations before English Newton on gravity and explained that the center of the earth attracted things and therefore things on the earth were not thrown to the space despite its turning.

Biruni passed away in Gazne in 1049.