Said al-Andalusi wrote Ṭabaqāt al-ʼUmam (Categories of Nations) in Muslim Spain in 1068.
It is a fascinating text that assesses the sciences of different nations.
He says that the sciences are most advanced in India (calling it the first nation in science).
1)
Other nations with sciences are Persians, Chaldeans, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Arabs, Jews.
He says remaining nations do not have sciences.
He gives a summary of main contributions.
Translation (by S.I. Salem and Alok Kumar) published Univ of Texas Pr., Austin, 1991.
2)
King of China is "king of humans" for the Chinese people are obedient to authority.
King of India is "king of wisdom" for Indians love the sciences (ulum) and are advanced in all forms of knowledge.
King of Turks is "king of lions" because of courage & ferocity of Turks.
3)
Sa'id al-Andalusi:
"The Indians are the essence of wisdom, source of fairness and objectivity. They are the peoples of sublime pensiveness, universal apologues, and useful and rare inventions."
4)
Andalusi has chapters on religion of different nations.
He says apart from the ritual of the Brahmins, Indians follow the Sabian religion (Shaiva religion?) that believes in the eternity of the world and the connections between the stars and worldly life (astrology).
5)
Andalusi's description of the pre-Islamic Arab religion is ASTONISHING.
He says their religion was a form of Sabian religion: "All the worshipers of idols, among the Arabs, believed in the unity of Allah, the Highest, but they worshiped idols as a form of Sabian religion."
6)
The link to the book "Science in Medieval World: Book of the Categories of Nations" published by University of Texas Press.
7)
amazon.com/Science-Mediev…
Name of Divinity in Arabia:
Encyclo. Britannica: "Etymologically, the name Allah is a contraction of the Arabic al-Ilāh, “the God.” The name’s origin can be traced to Il or El, the latter being used in the Hebrew Bible." Many see this the same as Ila इल or इला of the Veda.
8)
इल a. -ला 1 Earth; पुष्टिकाम इलां यजेत् Bhāg.2.3. -2 A cow; Bhāg.3.18 -3 Speech; Bhāg.1.13.64. &c. see इडा. -गोलः, -लम् the earth, the globe. -तलम् 1 the fourth place in t the zodiac. -2 the earth. -धरः a mountain; -वृत्तम् one of the nine Varṣas of the known world. (Apte)
9)
Looking from his vantage point (1068 CE), al-Andalusi sees that China and Northern Europe have no sciences.
A history lesson here: sustaining progress in science requires a proper mixture of cultural values and material prosperity.
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