Al-Idrisi 1099-1166 or 1180AD
Map of Al-Idrisi – Note: Muslims placed south at the top of their maps.
Geographer and Cartographer
Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Abdullah Ibn Idrisi al-Qurtubi al-Hasani also known by his short name, Al-Sharif Al Idrisi Al Qurtubi, was born in Ceuta, Spain in 1099AD. Al-Idrisi received his education in Cordoba, Spain (Al Andalus). He flourished at the Norman Court of King Roger in Palermo, where he spent most of his life. He was also a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him).Al-Idrisi is regarded as the greatest geographer and cartographer of the middle ages.
As all Muslim geographers, Al-Idrisi traveled to many distant places, including Europe, to collect geographic data about the world.Geographers before Al-Idrisi correctly measured the surface of the earth, for example Al Hawqal, another geographer, in the late 11th century produced a map of the world, while other maps were also available. Arab manuscripts were also available and much older Greek charts and sailing manuscripts as well. This, Al-Idrisi combined with his own information gained from his personal experience. From this, Al-Idrisi became famous for his knowledge, especially attracting attention from sea navigators and military planners because their ships and navigators from the north sea’s, Atlantic and Mediterranean all passed through the Mediterranean passing Sicily, where Al-Idrisi spent most of his life.
Al-Idrisi’s fame soon reached the court of King Roger, the Norman of Sicily, who invited him to produce an up-to-date map of the world. It should be mentioned that Sicily was under Muslim control before King Roger, and Muslim works were freely available to transport to Europe through Latin West.One of Al-Idrisi’s most famous works was composed of a circular world map of pure silver weighing approximately 400 kilograms and precisely on it recorded the seven continents with trade routes, lakes, rivers, major plains and mountains. His map can be seen on the next page.
Al-Idrisi’s Work and Books
It took several centuries for Europe to make use for Al-Idrisi’s work, and Christopher Columbus probably wouldn’t have found America if he hadn’t used Al-Idrisi’s maps. Al-Idrisi was totally convinced that earth was round, and for some people who said that water of the oceans cannot remain on a curved surface, he gave an answer saying,
“An equilibrium which experiences no variation, keeps these bodies of water in place.”
Using all the information compiled by himself, Al-Idrisi wrote his most famous book, Al-Kitab al-Rujari” (Roger’s Book) in 1154 in honour of his patron King Roger, which is also entitled “Mushtaq fi Ikhtiraq al-Afaq” (The delight of him who desires to journey through the climates). This is the name that King Roger gave to the book. It is virtually an encyclopedia containing geographical information on Asia, Africa and also Europe.
Al-Idrisi also compiled another geographical encyclopedia, larger than his previous one, named “Rawd-Unnas wa-Nuzhat al-Nafs” (Pleasure of men and delight of souls) also known as “Kitab al- Mamalik wa al-Masalik.” It contained knowledge on the Niger, Sudan and he also named the precise location of the head waters of the Nile to be in East Africa in the “Jibaal al-Qamar” (Mountains of the moon), which can be clearly seen on his map.
It is amazing that the precise location of the head waters of the River Nile were not discovered by the Europeans until the 19th century and it is remarkable of the accuracy of the location given by Al Idrisi.
In addition to geography, he also contributed to the science of medical plants. His major contribution in this field lies in his medicinal plants as presented in his books, especially Kitab al-Jami-li-Sifat Ashtat al-Nabatat. Al-Idrisi reviewed and made all the material available on the subject of plants, and also associated drugs available to him from Muslim scientists and added it to his collection of research from his travels.Al-Idrisi contributed his knowledge to the subject of botany and gave the names of the drugs in Syriac, Greek, Persian, Hindi, Latin and Berber.
Al-Idrisi-besides botany and geography- also wrote on fauna, zoology and therapeutic aspects.Al-Idrisi’s work was soon translated into Latin and his books remained popular in the east and west for many centuries. His maps remained available in libraries remained available in libraries of European schools of navigation, and the Portuguese and Spanish made use of them before setting out to the Atlantic Ocean (The Sea of darkness).
One of Al-Idrisi’s books published in Rome in 1619 was an abridged version, but the translator never gave credit for the works to Al-Idrisi.
Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Abdullah Ibn Idrisi al-Qurtubi al-Hasani, the greatest geographer and cartographer of his time, died in 1166 or 1180 AD. His exact date of his death is not confirmed.
