Sibt al-Maridini

Sibt al-Maridini, full name MuÃ¡Â¸Â¥ammad ibn MuÃ¡Â¸Â¥ammad ibn AÃ¡Â¸Â¥mad AbÃÂ« ÃÂ¿Abd AllÃÂh Badr [Shams] alÃ¢ÂÂDÃÂ«nalÃ¢ÂÂMiÃ¡Â¹Â£rÃÂ« alÃ¢ÂÂDimashqÃÂ« (1423 – 1506 AD), was an astronomer and mathematician. His father came from Damascus. The name "Sibt al-Maridini" means "the son of Al-Mardini's daughter". His maternal grandfather, Abdullah al-Maridini, was a reputed astronomer of the eighth century AH. He was a disciple of the astronomer Ibn al-Majdi (d. 850/1506), according to tradition.

Sibt al-Maridini taught mathematics and astronomy in the Great Mosque of al-Azhar, Cairo. He was also a timekeeper (muwaqqit) of the mosque. He wrote treatises in astronomy (sine quadrants, sundials, ) and wrote at least twenty-three mathematics textbooks.

Al-Sakhawy counted two hundred books that were written by Sibt al-Maridini, on Islamic law, astronomy, and mathematics. Libraries that specialize in ancient manuscripts, all over the world, have transcripts of his works.

Sibt al-MardiniÃ¢ÂÂs declared that Ã¢ÂÂthe opinion of the muezzins (those who call people to prayer) is less correct than that of the legal scholars and it is the latter that should be used as the basis for the determination of prayer timeÃ¢ÂÂ.

Works

* Sharh al-Rahbiyah a commentary on the work of al-Rahbi (d. 579 AH/1183 AD) on Fara'id (shares of inheritance)

* Sharh al-Muqni' fi 'ilm al-Jabr wa al-Muqabalah (commentary on al-Muqni' about the science of calculation by completion and balancing. al-Muqni' is a work of Shihabuddin ibn Ahmad ibn al-Hayim.)

* Daqa'iq al-Haqa'iq

* RisÃÂla fÃÂ« alÃ¢ÂÂÃÂ¿Amal biÃ¢ÂÂÃÂ¾lÃ¢ÂÂrubÃÂ¿Ã¢ÂÂalÃ¢ÂÂmujayyab (on using the sine quadrant)

* RaqÃÂÃÂ¾iq alÃ¢ÂÂÃ¡Â¸Â¥aqÃÂÃÂ¾iq (on calculating with degrees and minutes)

* Zubd alÃ¢ÂÂraqÃÂÃÂ¾iq (this may be an extract from the previous treatise)

* Muqaddima (introduction) to sine problems and spherical relations

* alÃ¢ÂÂÃ¡Â¹Â¬uruq alÃ¢ÂÂsaniyya (on sexagesimal calculations)

* alÃ¢ÂÂNujÃÂ«m alÃ¢ÂÂÃ¡ÂºÂÃÂhirÃÂt (on the muqanÃ¡Â¹ÂarÃÂt quadrant)

* QaÃ¡Â¹Âf alÃ¢ÂÂÃ¡ÂºÂÃÂhirÃÂt (apparently an extract from the previous treatise)

* HÃÂwÃÂ« alÃ¢ÂÂmukhtaÃ¡Â¹Â£arÃÂt (another discussion of the muqanÃ¡Â¹ÂarÃÂt quadrant)

* IÃ¡ÂºÂÃ¡Â¸Â¥ÃÂr alÃ¢ÂÂsirr alÃ¢ÂÂmawÃ¡Â¸ÂÃÂ«ÃÂ¿ (use of a specialized quadrant)

* HidÃÂyat alÃ¢ÂÂÃÂ¿ÃÂmil (on another kind of specialized quadrant)

* HidÃÂyat alÃ¢ÂÂsÃÂÃÂ¾il (on the quadrant mentioned in the previous entry)

* alÃ¢ÂÂMaÃ¡Â¹Âlab (on the sine quadrant)

* alÃ¢ÂÂTuÃ¡Â¸Â¥fa alÃ¢ÂÂmanÃ¡Â¹Â£ÃÂ«riyya (on quadrants)

* Muqaddima (introduction to construction of sundials)

* a treatise on the equatorial circle

* a treatise on the quadrant, astrolabe, and calendar

Sibt al-Maridini

Works

References