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Ibn Al-Haytham: First Scientist (Profiles in Science)

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Bradley Steffens' IBN AL-HAYTHAM: FIRST SCIENTIST will reach into the advanced elementary grade levels with an unusual survey of a scientific pioneer who lived from 950 to 1040 and whose work fostered several scientific and mathematical fields from physics to astronomy and geometry. Chapters consider his life, achievements, and experimental processes in this fine blend of history and science biography.

The author did a nice job of fleshing out the biographical story of Ibn Al-Haytham. Ibn Al-Haytham, a Muslim, had grown up amongst Muslims in Baghdad and seriously entertained the arguments between different schools of thought. In the end, he decided that there was only one Islam and that interpretations were the result of the different comprehension abilities amongst individuals. How then, he asked, can the religion of Islam (peace through submission to God) be articulated so that all may understand equally? The answer, he determined, lies in mathematics. No one argues that 2+2=4. If he could mathematically describe Islam, then everyone would understand God's Final Testament equally.

He studied the mathematics of the ancient Greeks. Then he wrote books on geometry and building construction. When his unappreciated genius riled the anti-Islamic dictator in Baghdad, he pretended mental illness. Just as Joe Louis, the Brown Bomber, put himself into a Denver psychiatric hospital to escape the mob after Sonny Liston was murdered, so too had Ibn Al-Haytham sought to escape the dictator's ire.

Then he went to Egypt after being summoned to build a dam. He determined that a dam could be built where it was eventually built in the 20th century, but he knew that logistically it would cost the Egyptian dictator too much to build and the high cost might upset him. The dictator was upset anyway, and again Ibn Al-Haytham pretended mental illness. He was arrested anyway and wrote 'The Book of Optics' while incarcerated. He was finally released and he returned to Baghdad where he wrote 90 more books on science before he died.

The author, Bradley Steffens did a good job transliterating the Arabic into English. However, he made some serious blunders concerning Spain. Spain was created in the early 1470s when King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella merged their respective kingdoms and formed the new Catholic country of Spain in Iberia. So when Steffens writes that "The only area of medieval Europe that had eluded the grasp of Christendom was Spain, which remained under Muslim rule" (p 95), he blunders. Replace Spain with Iberia, then you have it. There's no such thing as "Spanish Muslims" (p 96), only Iberian Muslims. It's like saying that 10,000 years ago the Ice Age hit the U.S.; or Native Americans arrived in the United States when they crossed a land bridge at the Bering Strait. The U.S. did not exist back then. And Spain did not exist in Iberia until the 1470s.

That said, Steffens did a nice job showing how unIslamic the governments were that terrorized Muslim populations and Ibn Al-Haytham in particular. All this before MI6 and CIA moved into the dictator installation and maintenance game in the Middle East. Muslims cannot point the finger at the colonizers alone, because why were dicators governing Muslims when Islam requires Muslims to choose their leader? The Muslim world was so topsy-turvy in Ibn Al-Haytham's time that he had to pretend to be crazy on two separate occasions in order to escape the carpricious wrath of unIslamic dictators in Muslim lands.

I find the book interesting, for it accords and recognizes a Muslim scientist his proper place as a first scientist who is responsible for advocating experimental work in verifying conceived scientific ideas (hypotheses) instead of ascribing it to Roger Bacon. Nevertheless, it seems that the author, at the same time, tries to equate Islam with Chrisianity with regard to philosophy vs. religion. He tries to project an idea that as in Christianity, Islam also rejects science. He even quotes a prophetic saying (prayer): "May God protect us from useless knowledge" (pp. 92). Useless knowledge is knowledge that does not bring us closer to God (such as astrology). How could that prayer include science when the Qur'an clearly invites/urges people to ponder over the physical phenomena?: Surrah 'Ale-Imran-THE FAMILY OF IMRAN-Verse:189-190

In the creation of the earth and the heavens and the alternation of night and day, there are signs for those gifted with understanding. These people keep Allah's Laws in mind whilst standing, sitting or reclining. After reflecting upon the creation of the heavens and the earth, they cry out, "O our Sustainer! You have not created this Universe in vain or for destructive purposes. Your Schemes of things are much above flaw. Grant us the insight to understand the functioning of these things, so that we benefit from them and remain safe from suffering."
(The Qur'an: Verse 189-190)

(it would be interesting if parallel biblical verses could be brought forward)

It must be noted that the universe is His other Signs (Aayah in Arabic also means signs apart from verses).

The conflict between philosophy and religion in Islam is different from that of Christianity. In Islam, the rejection of philosophy pertains to metaphysics and not natural sciences (at that time, still considered as part of philosophy). Imam Al-Ghazali even discourages the Muslims to study only fiqh, abandoning medicine as he considers studying medicine (and other natural sciences) is fard-kifayyah (if a section of the Muslim Ummah has embarked upon them, then the rest of the Muslims are relieved from that religious obligation; it does not mean the rest should not study as well if they want).

I'm very glad I purchased this concise, readable, important book on ibn al-Haytham (a.k.a. Alhacen). As someone who has spent many years researching and teaching about optics, the eye, the visual brain, and visual perception, I've gradually become aware of ibn al-Haytham's towering (but generally forgotten) contributions to my field. Although truncated bits of al-Haytham's work sometimes find their way into introductory and advanced textbooks, students of vision and the history of science don't usually come to understand that al-Haytham is Bacon before Bacon (for explaining and using the scientific method), Newton before Newton (for his contributions to light and optics), and even to some small extent Fechner before Fechner (for his creation of what resembles experimental psychology and a science of perception). Nor is there much to explain al-Haytham's life and times during the golden age of Islamic science.

Steffens provides a very nice and much needed introduction to ibn al-Haytham. Steffens' book is a readable, engaging introduction like no other available. And while it may read (as others have noted) like a children's book in places, it accomplishes much. It describes some of al-Haytham's most important experiments while placing them in historical context. It presents some (not all) of al-Haytham's long neglected work on, and thoughts about, *perception* (as opposed to simply optics and visual physiology). Steffens speculates at times about al-Haytham's motivations and thoughts, and this has led to negative reviews and challenges by some readers. But Steffens makes clear that he is speculating as he attempts to provide reasonable answers to obvious questions about al-Haytham.

In teaching my students (and my colleagues for that matter) about al-Haytham, I use the following:

1) Passages from Steffens' book, especially Steffens' concise descriptions of classic experiments, and some quotes and descriptions of al-Haytham's perceptual theories

2) Clips from Jim Al-Kalili's (BBC) 3-part special "Science and Islam", especially a 10 minute section from part 2 "The Empire of Reason," about 5/6 of the way through the program. (Al-Kalili's own book is due out soon)

3) Ian Howard's 1996 article, "Alhazen's neglected discoveries of visual phenomena'' Perception 25 1203-1217

There are other sources on al-Haytham that one might wish to consult. Sabra's 1989 "The Optics of ibn al-Haytham" is the english translation of al-Haytham's most important work on optics, "Kitab al-Manazir." I am sure that anything by A. Mark Smith on Alhacen is well worth a look, but I have yet to familiarize myself with his work (e.g., 2001 "Alhacen's Theory of Visual Perception," and his translation De Aspectibus, the latin translation of Kitab al-Manazir).

Two sources I found useful were Park's book "Fire Within the Eye," and Nicholas Wade's "A Natural History of Vision." Khaleefa's 1999 enthusiastic "Who is the founder of psychophysics and experimental psychology?'' (American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences 16(2) 1-26) is certainly worth a look, but be sure to see also Aaen-Stockdale's 2008 response, "Ibn al-Haytham and Psychophysics" Perception 37, 636-638.

"First Scientist" is entertaining, educational and inspiring. A great read.
I am the product of a "liberal arts" education (8 years of Jesuit tutelage) plus some advanced education from USC and Harvard. MR. Steffens's "First Scientist" speaks to me, not as a child's lesson in science, but rather, as an adult historical awakening. In addition to experiencing some eye opening scientific adventure, I received a double dose of enlightenment.

A thirst for knowledge, a pursuit of truth, a cultural adherence to virtue, a unique methodology, a generosity of shared research, an intellectual pre-eminence - these traits had always been presented to me as the fountainhead of Western thought. Suddenly, with Steffens's delightful introduction to Ibn al-Haytham, I discover that people from that "other, unfamiliar" culture were honest, intense, brilliant and wise - and in this case, long before "we" were.

My ignorance of such "Eastern history" represents a judgmental void in my typically "Western" education. I am embarrassed to acknowledge my own ignorance. Ibn al-Haytham gave the world a way of knowing the truth about the universe. Had this wonderful book been available to us in our primary years, perhaps our collective understanding of Muslim intellectualism and culture might have lessened in ignorance, and awakened in enlightenment, indulgence, understanding and valuation.

I highly recommend this book to people of all ages, different backgrounds and especially Scientist wanting to know the Genesis of Science as we practice it today, in the 21st Century.

I have read briefly about Ibn Al-Haytham while I was in grade school. I wish I have read this book. It shows so nicely the link between different civilizations and natural evolution of science and technology. This books gives really nice insights also into the period and locations where the scientist had lived. This aids in the understanding of how such a scientist arrived at the fantastic discoveries and enlightenment he bestowed on humanity. I really cherish the description that the authors gave for the City of Baghdad during the time of Kalifa' Al Mammun: "Scientist and educators came from all over the world to study and teach at Dar Al-Hikma (House of Wisdom); no matter what their religion and nationality; they lived and studied side by side". It is very much like the US today and especially CA.
Finally, the author described the bewilderment of the scientist after spending so many years studying the two main sects of Islam at that time "Sunna and Shi'ah" and arriving at a tantalizing conclusion more than a 1,000 years ago, that essentially there is no difference between the two Sects from a technical and spiritual point of view. The difference is in the people that are promoting these two sects. A conclusion made 1,000 Years ago at the hands of an Aristotelian like figure in the Arab-Islamic world that Millions of people to this day cannot fathom or conclude.

I guess the book is written with kids in mind. The author is neither a historian nor a scientist. He has apparently very superficial knowledge of the specific time and its culture he is speaking about, has not read any original source,...

If the intended reader is a young kid (say 10 years old), the book can be useful. Serious reader, abstain !