Biology
The
Muslim scientists made considerable progress in biology
especially in botany, and developed horticulture to a
high degree of perfection.
They
paid greater attention to botany in comparison to zoology.
Botany reached its zenith in Spain as explained bellow.
In zoology the study of the horse was developed almost
to the rank of a science. Abu Ubaidah (728--825 A. D.)
who wrote more than 100 books, devoted more than fifty
books to the study of the horse.
Al-Jahiz,
who flourished in Basra is reputed to be one of the greatest
zoologists the Muslim world has produced. His influence
in the subject may be traced to 'the Persian'Al-Qazwini'
and the Egyptian 'Al-Damiri'.
His
book 'Ritab al Haywan' (book on animals) contains germs
of later theories of evolution, adaptation and animal
psychology. He was the first to note changes in bird life
through migrations. He described the method of obtaining
'ammonia from animal offal by dry distilling.'
Al-Damiri,
who died in 1405 in Cairo and who was influenced by Al-Jahiz
is the greatest Arab zoologist. His book Hayat Haywarz
(Life of animals) is the most important Muslim work in
zoology. It is an encyclopaedia on animal life containing
a mine of information on the subject. It contains the
history of animals and preceded Buffon by 700 years.
Al-Masudi,
has given the rudiments of the theory of evolution in
his well known work Meadows of gold. Another of his works
Kitab al-Tanbih wal Ishraq advances his views on evolution
namely from mineral to plant, from plant to animal and
from animal to man.
In
botany Spanish Muslims made the greatest contribution,
and some of them are known as the greatest botanists of
mediaeval times. They were keen observers and discovered
sexual difference between such plants as palms and hemps.
They roamed about on sea shores, on mountains and in distant
lands in quest of rare botanical herbs.
They
classified plants into those that grow from seeds, those
that grow from cuttings and those that grow of their own
accord, i.e., wild growth.
The
Spanish Muslims advanced in botany far beyond the state
in which "it had been left by Dioscorides and augmented
the herbology of the Greeks by the addition of 2,000 plants"
Regular botanical gardens existed in Cordova, Baghdad,
Cairo and Fez for teaching and experimental purposes.
Some of these were the finest in the world.
The
Cordovan physician, Al-Ghafiqi (D. 1165) was a renowned
botanist, who collected plants in Spain and Africa, and
described them most accurately.
According
to G. Sarton he was "the greatest expert of his time
on simples. His description of plants was the most precise
ever made in Islam; he gave the names of each in Arabic,
Latin and Berber". His outstanding work Al Adwiyah
al Mufradah dealing with simples was later appropriated
by Ibn Baytar."
Abu
Zakariya Yahya Ibn Muhammad Ibn Al-Awwan, who flourished
at the end of 12th century in Seville (Spain) was the
author of the most important Islamic treatise on agriculture
during the mediaeval times entitled Kitab al Filahah.
The book treats more than 585 plants and deals with the
cultivation of more than 50 fruit trees. It also discusses
numerous diseases of plants and suggests their remedies.
The book presents new observations on properties of soil
and different types of manures.
Abdullah
Ibn Ahmad Ibn al-Baytar, was the greatest botanist and
pharmacist of Spain--in fact the greatest of mediaeval
times. He roamed about in search of plants and collected
herbs on the Mediterranean littoral, from Spain to Syria,
described more than 1,400 medical drugs and compared them
with the records of more than 150 ancient and Arabian
authors. The collection of simple drugs composed by him
is the most outstanding botanical work in Arabic.
"This
book, in fact is the most important for the whole period
extending from Dioscorides down to the 16th century."
It is an encyclopedic work on the subject. He later entered
into the service of the Ayyubid king, al-Malik al-lamil,
as his chief herbalist in Cairo. From there he traveled
through Syria and Asia Minor, and died in Damascus.
One
of his works AI-Mughani-fi al Adwiyah al Mufradah deals
with medicine. The other Al Jami Ji al Adwiyah al Mufradah
is a very valuable book containing simple remedies regarding
animal, vegetable and mineral matters which has been described
above. It deals also with 200 novel plants which were
not known up to that time. Abdul Abbas Al-Nabati also
wandered along the African Coast from Spain to Arabia
in search of herbs and plants. He discovered some rare
plants on the shore of Red Sea.
Another
botanist Ibn Sauri, was accompanied by an artist during
his travels in Syria, who made sketches of the plants
which they found.
Ibn
Wahshiya, wrote his celebrated work al-Filahah al-Nabatiyah
containing valuable information about animals and plants.
Many
Cosmographical encyclopedias have been written by Arabs
and Persians, which contain sections on animals, plants
and stones, of which the best known is that of Zakariya
al-Kaiwini, who died in 1283 A. D. Al-Dinawari wrote an
excellent 'book of plants' and al-Bakri has written a
book describing in detail the 'Plants of Andalusia'
Ibn
Maskwaih, a contemporary of Al-Beruni, advanced a definite
theory about evolution. According to him plant life at
its lowest stage of evolution does not need any seed for
its birth and growth. Nor does it perpetuate its species
by means of the seed.
The
great advancement of botanical science in Spain led to
the development of agriculture and horticulture on a grand
scale.
"Horticulture
improvements" says G. Sarton, "constituted the
finest legacies of Islam, and the gardens of Spain proclaim
to this clay one of the noblest virtues of her Muslim
conquerors- The development of agriculture was one of
the glories of Muslim Spain."
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