AL-SAMARQAND?, SHAMS AL-D?N MUH?AMMAD IBN ASHRAF AL-H?USAYN?

(b. Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Russia, fl 1276)

mathematics, logic, astronomy.

Al-Samarquand? was a contemporary of Nas? al-D?n al-T?s? (1201–1274) and Qu?tb al-D?n al-Sh?r?z? (1236–1311). Al-Samarqand? was not among the scientists associated with al-T?s? at the observatory at Mar?gha. A noted logician, al-Samarqand? was best known to mathematicians for his famous tract Kit?b Ashk?l al-ta’s?s (“Book on the Fundamental Theorems”). This work of twenty pages, probably composed around 1276, summarizes with their abridged demonstrations thirty-five fundamental propositions of Euclid’s geometry. To write this short work, Samarqand? geometry. To write this short work. Samarqand? consulted the writings of Ibn al-Haytham, ‘Umar al-Khayy?m?, al-Jawhar?, Nas?r al-D?n al-T?s?, and Ath?r al-D?n al-Abhar?. Several mathematicians, notably Q?d? Z?da, commented on this work by al-Samarqand?.

It was chiefly with his book on dialectics that al-Samarqand? became famous. This valuable work, entitled Ris?la f? ?d?b al-ba?th (“Tract on the Methods of Enquiry”), was the subject of several commentaries. Two other works on logic by al-Samarqand? are known: M?z?n al-Qust?s and Kit?b ‘Ayn al-nazar fi‘ ilm al-jadal. Al-Samarqand? was also interested in astronomy. He wrote Al-Tadhkira fi ’l-hay’a (“Synopsis of Astronomy”) and a star calendar for 1276–1277. His S?ah??’if al-il?hiyya and his ‘Aq?id are two works on dogmatic theology.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

MSS of the works of al-Samarqand? are listed in C. Brockelmann, Geschichte der arabischen Literatur, I (Weimar, 1898), 486; and ibid., supp. 1 (Leiden, 1937), 860. See also H. Suter, Die Mathematiker und Astronomen der Araber (Leipzig, 1900), 157; and “Nachträge und Berichtigungen zu ‘Die Mathematiker ...,’” in Abhandlungen zur Geschichte der Mathematik, 14 (1902), 176.

Also helpful are H??jj? Khal?fa’s Kashf al-‘zun?n. G. Flügel, ed. (Leipzig, 1835–1855), 1, 322; Carra de Vaux’s article “Bahth,” in Encyclopaedia of Islam, 1st ed., I (1911), 587; and G. Sarton, Introduction to the History of Science, II (Baltimore, 1962), 1020–1021.

For a demonstration of Euclid’s fifth postulate attributed to al-Samarqand?, see H. Dilgan, “Démonstration du V‘ postulat d’Euclide par Shams-ed-D?n Samarkand?,” in Revue d’histoire des sciences et de leurs applications13 (1960), 191–196. For the attribution of this demonstration to Ath?r al-D?n al-Abhar?, see A. I. Sabra, “Th?bit ibn Qurra on Euclid’ Parallels Postulate,” in Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, 31 (1968), 14, note, 9.

HÂmit Dilgan