Ibrahim al-Haytham: Life and Works

Ibrahim al-Haytham (Hasani Blin Haytham)

• Born in 965 in Basra, a time of significant scientific and mathematical development in the Muslim world
• Mathematician and scientist who became famous for his knowledge in maths and physics

The Nile River Incident

• Claimed he could control the dangerous flooding of the Nile, which led to an invitation to Cairo from the Caliph
• Realized he couldn't fulfill his claim, panicked and pretended to be insane to avoid repercussions
• Was put under house arrest for 10 years until the Caliph's death

Scientific Contributions

• Developed the concept of the pinhole camera, which was later used to invent the modern camera
• Performed experiments on glass lenses, refraction, and magnification of images, leading to an understanding of optics
• Accurately described the anatomy of the eye for the first time
• Proposed a new theory of vision, stating that the eye receives light radiated from objects around it, instead of emitting laser beams

Kitab al-Manazir (The Book of Optics)

• A foundational text in the field of optics for the next 600 years
• Still used today, and a crater on the moon was named in honor of al-Haytham's role in developing the telescope

The Foundation of Modern Science

• Introduced the concept of controlled, repeatable experiments and logical processes (the RT bar) to explain his theories
• Influenced the work of Roger Bacon, Leonardo da Vinci, and Johannes Kepler
• Considered by many to be the father of the scientific method

Ibrahim al-Haytham (Hasani Blin Haytham)

• Born in 965 in Basra, a hub of scientific and mathematical development in the Muslim world
• Renowned mathematician and scientist, excelling in maths and physics

The Nile River Incident

• Claimed to control the Nile's flooding, leading to a Caliph's invitation to Cairo
• Realized his claim was false, panicked, and feigned insanity to avoid repercussions
• Spent 10 years under house arrest until the Caliph's death

Scientific Contributions

• Developed the concept of the pinhole camera, precursor to the modern camera
• Experimented on glass lenses, refraction, and magnification of images, understanding optics
• Accurately described the anatomy of the eye for the first time
• Proposed a new vision theory: the eye receives light radiated from objects, not emitting laser beams

Kitab al-Manazir (The Book of Optics)

• A foundational text in optics for 600 years
• Still used today, with a moon crater named in honor of al-Haytham's telescope contributions

The Foundation of Modern Science

• Introduced controlled, repeatable experiments and logical processes (the RT bar) to explain theories
• Influenced Roger Bacon, Leonardo da Vinci, and Johannes Kepler
• Considered by many to be the father of the scientific method

Learn about the life and accomplishments of Ibrahim al-Haytham, a renowned mathematician and scientist from the Muslim world.