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Science and Islam
Webquest Visual Aides
Astrolabes
• The curved lines represent the beginning and end times for afternoon prayer
Geared Astrolabes
• The mechanical clock owes it development, in part, to the geared astrolabe
• The gearings around the revolutions of the sun were instrumental in developing the lunar calendar used by Muslims
Qibla Indicator
• The purpose of the qibla indicator was to help Muslims find the direction of Mecca
• These were essential for people who often travelled such as merchants
Qibla Indicator & Horizontal Pin-Gnomon Dial
• Unlike the previous device, this instrument gave Muslim the exact location of Mecca based on the location of 32 towns
Seeking Mecca
• Some qibla indicators included towns in North Africa and their relation to Mecca’s location
From Baghdad to Damascus
• Some early astrolabes included star pointers which were designed in the style of a dagger
William Laud
• Some Europeans owned Astrolabes. This Astrolabe was owned by William Luad, Archbishop of Canterbury and Chancellor of Oxford University in the early 17th century
• Thus, Muslim advances in math and science were passed onto the West
Sources
• http://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/scienceislam/index.php