UOS dissertation explores Muslim scholars’ impact on astronomy

The study was conducted under the supervision of His Excellency Prof. Hamid M.K. Al Naimiy, Chancellor of the University of Sharjah and Director General of the Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology, with Prof. Masoud Idris, Director of the Sharjah International Foundation for the History of Arab and Muslim Sciences, serving as co-supervisor.

Dissertation defence panel and evaluation

The dissertation defense panel was chaired by Mohammed Mounis, Professor of Islamic History and Civilisation, and included Mashhad Al Alaf, Associate Professor in the Department of History and Islamic Civilisation, as the internal examiner, and Prof. Hatem Wedian from Al al-Bayt University in Jordan as the external examiner.

Highlighting the contributions of Ibn al-Shatir to astronomy

The primary objective of the study was to highlight the contributions of Muslim scholars to science and astronomy, with a particular focus on Ibn al-Shatir’s heliocentric model, which stands as one of the most significant achievements of the Arab-Islamic scientific tradition. Ibn al-Shatir was the first to challenge the Ptolemaic theory and successfully demonstrate its inaccuracies, paving the way for substantial advancements in astronomical science.

The Influence of Muslim scholars on Copernicus

Recent scholarly investigations confirm that Copernican theories of astronomy did not emerge in isolation but rather were built upon the foundational work of earlier Muslim scholars. The study underscores striking similarities between Copernicus’s heliocentric theory and the mathematical models developed by Ibn al-Shatir, particularly in their approaches to resolving issues related to Mercury’s orbit and the structure of lunar orbits. Despite some minor discrepancies, both scholars employed identical mathematical techniques in their formulations. The findings strongly suggest that Copernicus was influenced by Ibn al-Shatir, particularly in his calculations that align with the notion of Earth and other planets orbiting the Sun—a concept that contradicts the commonly held belief that Copernicus was the original proponent of the heliocentric model.

Dissertation acceptance and scholarly impact

At the conclusion of the defense session, the examining committee unanimously recommended the acceptance of the dissertation, conferring upon the researcher a Doctorate in History and Islamic Civilisation from the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at the University of Sharjah. The committee commended the dissertation’s originality, its scholarly significance, and its substantial contribution to historical and astronomical knowledge. The study provides fresh insights into the role of Muslim scholars in the evolution of astronomy and their critical contributions to the transmission of scientific knowledge to the West.