A History of Astronomy

1. Introduction.- x1. The Beginnings of Islam.- x2. Islam's Reception of Foreign Science.- x3. Four Muslim Scientists.- Al-Khw?rizm?.- Al-B?r?n?.- 'Umar al-Khayy?m?.- Al-K?sh?.- x4. The Sources.- x5. The Arabic Language and Arabic Names.- The Language.- Transliterating Arabic.- Arabic Names.- Exercises.- 2. Islamic Arithmetic.- x1. The Decimal System.- x2. K?shy?r's Arithmetic.- Survey of The Arithmetic.- Addition.- Subtraction.- Multiplication.- Division.- x3. The Discovery of Decimal Fractions.- x4. Muslim Sexagesimal Arithmetic.- History of Sexagesimals.- Sexagesimal Addition and Subtraction.- Sexagesimal Multiplication.- Multiplication by Levelling.- Multiplication Tables.- Methods of Sexagesimal Multiplication.- Sexagesimal Division.- x5. Square Roots.- Obtaining Approximate Square Roots.- Justifying the Approximation.- Justifying the Fractional Part.- Justifying the Integral Part.- x6. Al-K?sh?'s Extraction of a Fifth Root.- Laying Out the Work.- The Procedure for the First Two Digits.- Justification for the Procedure.- The Remaining Procedure.- The Fractional Part of the Root.- x7. The Islamic Dimension: Problems of Inheritance.- The First Problem of Inheritance.- The Second Problem of Inheritance.- On the Calculation of Zak?t.- Exercises.- 3. Geometrical Constructions in the Islamic World.- x1. Euclidean Constructions.- x2. Greek Sources for Islamic Geometry.- x3. Apollonios' Theory of the Conics.- Symptom of the Parabola.- Symptom of the Hyperbola.- x4. Ab? Sahl on the Regular Heptagon.- Archimedes' Construction of the Regular Heptagon.- Ab? Sahl's Analysis.- First Reduction: From Heptagon to Triangle.- Second Reduction: From Triangle to Division of Line Segment.- Third Reduction: From the Divided Line Segment to Conic Sections.- x5. The Construction of the Regular Nonagon.- Verging Constructions.- Fixed Versus Moving Geometry.- Ab? Sahl's Trisection of the Angle.- x6. Construction of the Conic Sections.- Life of Ibr?h?m b. Sin?n.- Ibr?h?m b. Sin?n on the Parabola.- Ibr?h?m b. Sin?n on the Hyperbola.- x7. The Islamic Dimension: Geometry with a Rusty Compass.- Problem 1.- Problem 2.- Problem 3.- Problem 4.- Problem 5.- Exercises.- 4. Algebra in Islam.- x1. Problems About Unknown Quantities.- x2. Sources of Islamic Algebra.- x3. Al-Khw?rizm?'s Algebra.- The Name \"Algebra\".- Basic Ideas in Al-Khw?rizm?'s Algebra.- Al-Khw?rizm?'s Discussion of x2 + 21 = 10x.- x4. Thabit's Demonstration for Quadratic Equations.- Preliminaries.- Th?bit's Demonstration.- x5. Ab? K?mil on Algebra.- Similarities with al-Khw?rizm?.- Advances Beyond al-Khw?rizm?.- A Problem from Ab? K?mil.- x6. Al-Karaj?'s Arithmetization of Algebra.- Al-Samaw'al on the Law of Exponents.- Al-Samaw'al on the Division of Polynomials.- The First Example.- The Second Example.- x7. 'Umar al-Khayy?m? and the Cubic Equation.- The Background to 'Umar's Work.- 'Umar's Classification of Cubic Equations.- 'Umar's Treatment of x3 + mx = n.- Preliminaries.- The Main Discussion.- 'Umar's Discussion of the Number of Roots.- x8. The Islamic Dimension: The Algebra of Legacies.- Exercises.- 5. Trigonometry in the Islamic World.- x1. Ancient Background: The Table of Chords and the Sine.- x2. The Introduction of the Six Trigonometric Functions.- x3. Abu l-Waf?'s Proof of the Addition Theorem for Sines.- x4. Nas?r al-D?n's Proof of the Sine Law.- x5. Al-B?r?n?'s Measurement of the Earth.- x6. Trigonometric Tables: Calculation and Interpolation.- x7. Auxiliary Functions.- x8. Interpolation Procedures.- Linear Interpolation.- Ibn Y?nus' Second-Order Interpolation Scheme.- x9. Al-K?sh?'s Approximation to Sin(1 ).- Exercises.- 6. Spherics in the Islamic World.- x1. The Ancient Background.- x2. Important Circles on the Celestial Sphere.- x3. The Rising Times of the Zodiacal Signs.- x4. Stereographic Projection and the Astrolabe.- x5. Telling Time by Sun and Stars.- x6. Spherical Trigonometry in Islam.- x7. Tables for Spherical Astronomy.- x8. The Islamic Dimension: The Direction of Prayer.- Exercises.

Episodes in the Mathematics of Medieval Islam

Kajian ini membahaskan tentang sumbangan Jamāl al-Dīn al-Qāsimī dalam bidang astronomi melalui hasil usaha beliau menulis kitab tafsir bertajuk Maḥāsin al-Ta’wīl dengan menjadikan beberapa topik astronomi yang ditekankan oleh al-Qāsimī sebagai asas kajian. Metode kajian ini berasaskan penyelidikan perpustakaan dengan menggunakan metode pengumpulan data, metode analisis kandungan dan metode kualitatif. Topik-topik terpilih telah dihuraikan dengan menggunakan analisis komparatif iaitu kajian perbandingan dengan kitab-kitab tafsir muktabar yang lain serta membawa kajian-kajian saintifik yang bersesuaian dengan topik berkenaan. Sumber data adalah melalui kitab Maḥāsin al-Ta’wīl, kitab-kitab tafsir yang muktabar, karya-karya al-Qāsimī, kitab-kitab umum, tesis dan disertasi serta laman sesawang berautoriti berkaitan dengan tajuk kajian. Hasil dapatan kajian mendapati bahawa Jamāl al-Dīn al-Qāsimī merupakan salah seorang ulama tafsir yang bersungguh-sungguh memperkasakan kekuatan pentafsiran al-Quran secara saintifik dalam sejarah Islam. Kajian terhadap karya agung beliau, kitab tafsir Maḥāsin al-Taʼwīl memberikan impak positif dalam memahami konsep tafsīr ʻilmī dengan lebih jelas terutamanya berkenaan ayat-ayat al-Kawniyyah di dalam al-Quran yang memfokuskan bidang astronomi sebagai topik perbincangan. Gabungan metode pentafsiran secara al-Ma'thūr dan al-Raʼyī yang digunakan dalam pentafsiran al-Qāsimī mengharmonikan hubungan antara inti pati al-Quran dengan kajian saintifik semasa.

Sumbangan Jamal al-Din al-Qasimi dalam bidang astronomi: Kajian berdasarkan kitab tafsir Mahasin Al Ta'wil / Hamizah Ruslan

This study explores the relationship among spirituality, self-efficacy, COVID-19 anxiety, and hopelessness. The participants are comprised of 418 individuals (282 females and 136 males) in Turkey whose ages range between 18 and 61 years old. The participants completed the following surveys: The Coronavirus Anxiety Scale, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Beck Hopelessness Scale, and the Spiritual Orientation Inventory. The relationships among the variables have been examined using path analysis. According to the results, spirituality, self-efficacy, and COVID-19 anxiety have direct effects on hopelessness. The analysis also shows self-efficacy to mediate the relationship between spirituality and hopelessness. The proposed model has good fit indices. The findings are discussed in the context of the literature on COVID-19, spirituality, self-efficacy, and hopelessness, with practical implications for mental health professionals being provided. 

/pdf/the-relationship-among-spirituality-self-efficacy-covid-19-3gq2n4c5.pdf

The Relationship Among Spirituality, Self-Efficacy, COVID-19 Anxiety, and Hopelessness During the COVID-19 Process in Turkey: A Path Analysis

The aim of this article is to analyze the empirical evidence collected in the form of in-depth interviews, observations, statistics and accounts concerning the assistance provided by female and male religious congregations in the fight against the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland during the first year after the outbreak (March 2020 to February 2021). The paper describes the nature of the assistance rendered by religious congregations to the sick, to those affected by the pandemic and to healthcare facilities during the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in Poland. Our findings reveal that the activities undertaken and the support provided by religious congregations in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland have spanned many areas: medical assistance and nursing within the healthcare system, charitable work (including material, financial and welfare/housing aid), and pastoral, religious, educational, psychological, ecumenical, evangelization and missionary activities. The support provided by religious congregations as part of the coronavirus response efforts proved crucial and invaluable during the first weeks of the pandemic, that is in March and April 2020, when the healthcare system was faced with severe staff shortages. 

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10943-022-01570-0.pdf

The Ministry of Religious Congregations to People Affected by the SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus in Poland: Geographies of Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a global phenomenon defined by uncertainty, fear and grief which has resulted in record high levels of stress and anxiety in the first half of 2020. It also led to an increased interest in the study of the role of belief, religion, and spirituality as responses to coping with and responding to the pandemic throughout different societal domains. This study explores the impact of anxiety and stress caused by the pandemic on Muslim academics' subjective well-being. It also explores correlations between coping and spirituality by assessing Muslim academics' coping strategies in overcoming stress and anxiety. To this end, this study sampled 480 Muslim academics ages 25-60 years residing in Muslim countries. The findings show a negative yet significant correlation between anxiety and well-being while also showing a positive and significant correlation between coping strategies and subjective well-being. The research also points to the role of coping strategies in reducing anxiety and stress, the resulting improvements in well-being for Muslim academics, and the mediating effect of coping strategies between anxiety, stress, and well-being for Muslim academics.

/pdf/coping-with-anxiety-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-a-case-14nddl1in6.pdf

Coping with Anxiety During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of Academics in the Muslim World.

Negara Malaysia telah menggunakan kriteria yang pelbagai dalam menyusun kalendar Hijrah. Sehingga kini kriteria imkan al-rukyah telah digunakan hampir 20 tahun. Namun, bagaimanakah proses penyusunan kriteria ini masih menjadi persoalan di kalangan ahli falak dan masyarakat awam. Justeru, kajian ini menjelaskan sejarah asal usul kriteria kenampakan anak bulan yang digunakan di Malaysia. Metode pengumpulan data yang digunakan adalah berdasarkan kajian perpustakaan dan kajian lapangan. Seterusnya, analisis induktif diaplikasikan dalam menganalisis data. Hasil kajian mendapati kriteria altitud 2 darjah dan sudut elongasi 3 darjah dirumus berdasarkan data-data kenampakan anak bulan di Indonesia. Manakala kriteria kenampakan anak bulan 8 jam setelah berlakunya ijtimak adalah berasal daripada pandangan tokoh falak Malaysia.

SEJARAH KRITERIA KENAMPAKAN ANAK BULAN DI MALAYSIA (History of the Criteria for Lunar Crescent Visibility in Malaysia)

Science and technology (S&T) are necessary as a tool to help Islamic jurists understand related issues explicitly. On the crescent visibility issue, the implementation of S&T through astronomical calculation and instrumentation is still debated, some accept while others reject. Therefore, this paper will examine the effects arising from the implementation of S&T. The crescent visibility data for 2010 were analysed to examine the effects. The results showed that S&T can strengthen the method of rukyah (observation), thereby overcoming the indecision and reducing the fallibility from the observation and the witness. The issued juristic result can also be made accurately and proven scientifically. Without S&T, the result might be supported by weak testimonial, even though the witness is qualified.

Kesan Penggunaan Hitungan Astronomi Dan Alatan Moden Dalam Cerapan Hilal Di Malaysia: Satu Penelitian

Pada masa kini, penentuan waktu, khususnya untuk tujuan ibadah, mudah diketahui. Ini kerana kiraan waktu dapat dibuat menerusi kaedah pengiraan moden seperti menerusi aplikasi formula saintifik dan kiraan secara berkomputer. Walau bagaimanapun, kemahiran moden ini telah melalui sejarah yang panjang. Pengkaji Muslim silam mengadaptasi ilmu-ilmu daripada pelbagai tamadun asing kerana kepentingan dan kedudukan ilmu waktu dalam pelaksanaan syariat Islam. Atas kesedaran ini, makalah ini secara deskriptif menjelaskan perihal ilmu al-Mīqāt meliputi takrifnya, serta sejarah perkembangan, khususnya dalam konteks Alam Melayu dengan mengimbau sumbangan ulama Melayu, dan kepentingan ilmu al-Mīqāt. Akhirnya, makalah ini mendapati penentuan waktu dalam ilmu falak berdiri atas asas yang kukuh hasil sumbangan ulama silam yang perlu dihargai

Ilmu Al-Mīqāt Pentakrifan, Sejarah dan Kepentingannya

Astronomical instruments have been used in Arabia to aid the process of determining the accurate times, qibla direction and several issues regarding Muslim worship since the 7th century AD. The technical instruments are used together with the knowledge of astronomy and mathematics. As a result, 'ilm al-Miqat has been introduced as a part of the Syariah discipline. Through 'ilm al-Miqat, prayer times are no longer determined by the naked eye, but are calculated with the aid of astronomical instruments.Among the popular astronomical instruments that are used in the method of 'ilm al-Miqat are the astrolabe and rubu' mujayyab. Indeed, rubu' mujayyab has also been used in Malaysia to determine prayer times. Therefore, this research aims to study the methods concerning how Subuh prayer time is calculated in Malaysia using rubu' mujayyab. The results of the comparison between the methods of calculation using rubu' mujayyab and those that use electronic devices in terms of the timing of the Subuh prayer, showed that there is a similarity in terms of the concept used in both methods of calculation. Thus, it can be concluded that the current prayer time calculation methods are generated based on the calculation concept using rubu' mujayyab.

Nurulhuda Ahmad Zaki

Papers

Coping with Anxiety During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of Academics in the Muslim World.

SEJARAH KRITERIA KENAMPAKAN ANAK BULAN DI MALAYSIA (History of the Criteria for Lunar Crescent Visibility in Malaysia)

Kesan Penggunaan Hitungan Astronomi Dan Alatan Moden Dalam Cerapan Hilal Di Malaysia: Satu Penelitian

Ilmu Al-Mīqāt Pentakrifan, Sejarah dan Kepentingannya

Penentuan Waktu Solat Subuh Menggunakan Rubu' Mujayyab di Malaysia