Muslim Invention and Discoveries Muslim has had a profound and lasting influence on the world today. Through their ingenious inventions and momentous discoveries, Muslims revolutionized science, technology and civilization. The creation of first Cheque, the first camera and the windmill, contributions in mathematics, medicine, hygiene and beautification are the great Muslim contribution.

Numbers

Muslims adapted the Indian version of numerals into the modern numbers 1 to 9 that we use today. The application of “zero” was the work of Muslim mathematician, al-Khwarizmi and al-kindi, in 1825. Arabic numerals initially came to Europe in the late 10th century through Pope Sylvester-I who studied in Qurtaba , Spain and then to Rome .  

Fountain Pen

The fountain pen was invented for al-mu’izz an Egyptian sultan in 953 on his request to have a pen which didn’t require a separate inkpot and would not stain hands and clothes. The first fountain pen is the basics of all pens today. The ink will flow only when there is an intention to write ………. Is this possible if God so wills (al-Mu’izz and the craftsman)   

Read! And your lord is most generous Who has taught (the writing) by the pen. (Quran-Surah ‘Alaq-verses 3-4)   

Tooth brush

The use of miswak was popularized by Prophet Mohammad (p.b.u.h). The Muslims practice of using a twig of miswak to scrub one’s teeth before each prayer is amongst the credible sources which aided in inventing the tooth brush. Miswak not only has the chemicals for oral treatment but the twig also acts as a brush to scrub the teeth. 

If I had not found it hard for my followers or the people. I would have ordered them to clean their teeth with Miswak for every prayer.

            (vol2, Book 13, no 12 Sahih Al-Bokhari)

Cheque

The modern Cheque from the Arabic “saqq”, a written vow to play for goods upon delivery. The use of saqq was born out the need to ovoid the dangers and difficulties in carrying coins. In the 9th century, a Muslim businessman could cash a saqq in china drawn on his Bank in Baghdad , under a highly developed ‘banking system’. In promoting the concept of the bill of exchange, saqq or Cheque Muslims made the financing of commerce and inter-continental trade possible.

Medicine

Medical research by Muslims scientist dates back as far as the 9th century when their scientist built the first hospital and pharmacies. Muslim scientists invented the first internal stitching method, designed outstanding surgical instrument, developed pharmaceuticals and treatments including contract-operations and bone setting.

“The European medical system in Arabian not only in origin but also in its structure. The Arabs are the intellectual forebears…. .

(Dr Donald Campbell)

Parachute

In 852 Ibn Firnas, a Muslim engineer from Spain made a loose stiffened with wood strut and jumped from the minarets of the grand Musjid in Qurtaba, in hope to glide like a bird. Although he did not glide in the air as he had expected, the cloak slowed his fall, creating what is considered to the first parachute.

Soaps and Shampoos

Washing and bathing are religious requirement for Muslims; it was Muslims who initially developed soap by boiling and hardening a mixture of vegetable oil with

Al-qali (salt like substance). In 1759 sheikh Dean Mohammed, an Indian Muslim popularized the Indian treatment of champi (shampooing) in England and was appointed the King’s shampooing surgeon.

Take some sesame oil, sprinkle of potash Alkali and some lime…. . When cooked, pour the mixture into moulds producing a hard soap.

 Algebra

 Algebra is named after al-Khwarizmi his book, Al-jab-wa-al muqabilah revolutionized mathematics Algebra gave mathematics a new dimension and development path, away from the Greek concepts of mathematics which further developed by numerous Muslims mathematicians and scholars and imported into Europe after 300 years.

Algebra is “operating on unknown…… is the same was as the arithmetician operates on the known” (al-samawal 12th century scholar) 

 Windmill

 Five hundreds years before they were seen in Europe, windmills were in Persia under the order of the second Muslim Caliph Umar (R.A) and were first used in the Persian Province of Slaton. Windmills were designed to use wind, the only available source of power in the desert, and were widely used to grind corn and draw up water for irrigation.

Camera

Ibn al –haithams, a 10century Muslim scientist, was the first man to shift optics from Philosophical activity to an experimental one. His theory of light entering the eye, rather than leaving it, formed the foundations for the science of optics and led him to build the first camera in history the camera obscura also as the pinhole camera

Carpets

Although carpets date back long before Islam , with the first carpets made by the Bedouin tribes of Arabia Persia and Anatolia, Muslims made them popular through their advance weaving and colouring techniques and development of patterns and designs. Carpets with Muslims designs were later introduced in Europe in the 12th century.

Coffee

The first record of coffee is from Yemen where Muslims would drink the brew of Ethiopia coffee beans to stay awake through the night for prayers. The drink traveled from Yemen the Makkah and Turkey through travelers and traders in the late 15th century and then England in 1650. The Arabic “Al-Qahwa” becomes the Turkish “khave” then the Italian “Caffee” and then English “coffee”