Global Journal of www.gsj-pub.com Social Sciences Global Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities 2 (2018) 4-7 and Humanities www.gsj-pub.com/gjssh Muslim Alchemists and Their Philosophy Influence on Modern Chemistry; Jabir Ibn Hayyan Ibrahim N. Hassan*, Mohd Yusof Hj. Othman, Muhammad Hilmi Jalil Institut Islam Hadhari, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Selangor, Bangi, Malaysia *Email: [email protected] Abstract The word chemistry was not mentioned in any civilization before the Muslim civilization; neither the ancient Greek civilization nor Egyptian civilization. Thus, chemistry is considered an Islamic science by all means. The foremost Muslim alchemist, Jabir ibn Hayyan, the father of chemistry, was born c. 721, Khurasan and died c. 815, Al’ Kūfah, Iraq. He has been entitled as al-Sufi, as he was following Tasawwuf, the inner mystical dimension of Islam. Jabir was a colleague of Imam Abu Hanifa, the founders of the Sunni Hanafi School of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence). The Jabirian corpus is renowned for its contributions to alchemy. The recognition of the experimentation importance is perfectly expresses by that corpus, which states that “the first essential in chemistry is that thou shouldest perform practical work and conduct experiments, for he who performs not practical work nor makes experiments will never attain to the least degree of mastery”. Thus, in this paper, we look at the philosophy of chemistry from Islamic angle, and we have revealed why Muslims have developed Chemistry and what the Islamic perspective of Chemistry is. Keywords: Founder of Chemistry, Muslim chemists, Islamic perspective, Jabir ibn Hayyan, chemical apparatus Introduction Islamic Chemistry The actual founders of modern sciences were the Before we talk about the Islamic Chemistry, there is Muslims’ fore-fathers (Robinson 1996; The Indian an important issue that must be resolved; that is Express 2016). The impact of Muslim scientists in using the word “alchemy” rather than chemistry. Europe, especially on their scientific revival, is not However, that is the kind of corruption in history, limited to one or two sciences but in numerous which deceived a lot of people who do not have a disciplines like chemistry, philosophy, astronomy, deep perception on the outcome of this historical physics, medicine, geography, optics, mathematics, corruption, or perhaps because they aim to a literature and technology, they presented their scholarship causing them to misrepresent the image ability to the West (Al-Hassani et al. 2007). of history, especially the Islamic history, or in order to obliterate the Islamic civilization. Alchemy, is an “The use of common Arabic words used in the incorrect translation of the Arabic word Chimia English language today, like chemistry, cotton, (chemistry) started with Al, which is widely used in algebra, alcohol, earth, alembic and alkaline, is the Arabic language and means: the, as well as in living proof to the revolutionary and original work French and some other languages. of the Muslims itself” (Chambers 1870). There may be another motive behind the use of alchemy rather than chemistry. Western scientists say that means the chemistry of modern science, while alchemy means astrology, which belongs to expert, dissimilar with the others who are either Muslims. The idea that alchemy ended with the end experts in chemistry, but have no Arabic of the middle ages, and that chemistry began with background, or Arabists but understand a little bit Western scientists, has absolutely no basis in of chemistry. Holmyard noted that the growth and fact.(Vaux 1926). development of the Islamic chemistry was not given In the 1st century AH / 7th century AD, Muslims big space, and whatever information exist are knew chemistry, which has led them to engage in incorrect and misleading, because of Kopp's this concept early and this explains that the first unfavorable vision on Islamic Chemistry, and Arab scientist who study chemistry was Khalid ibn Berthelot’s quick conclusions from his insincere Yazid (Died 704 CE), son of Yazid ibn Mu’awiya studies on Islamic material. ibn Abi Sufyan, the second Caliph of the Umayyad According to Holmyard, both Berthelot and Kopp Caliphate (Fakhry 2004). Islamic conquests has were not Arabists, and therefore, the conclusion played an important role in opening eyes on forms they got on Islamic Chemistry was unable to stand of literature in the science of chemistry, including the test of reproach because much information is books on the gold industry, and the types of various obtainable. Indeed, scholars today can always chemical processes, so that was the outcome of disregard evidence which appear since Berthelot Muslims work in chemistry field - in the end – and Kopp, and remain stick with their distorted rather than physics field (Burckhardt 1967). statements, misinformation, or errors, and blame on either one of them. Actually, in any field of history, this tactic is very common amongst scholars writing Muslim Revolution of Chemistry who structure and restructure events have all the essential references and sources in order for their First and foremost, many discoveries and products writing to be rationalized. Several “scholars” even made by the Muslims have become part of our go as far as they blame the references in their modern world. Mathe (1980) summarizes the university, mentioning in their conclusion or legacy of Muslim chemists, which include the preface that any shortcoming in their writing was discovery of alcohol, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, due to limited material they could access (Palter potassium nitrate and silver nitrate, determining the 1961). weight of many of the objects, and mastery of distillation, crystallization, and sublimation In Makers of Chemistry (Holmyard 1928), techniques. Muslim chemists took many industrial Holmyard outlining the science growth from the uses including: tinctures and their applications in earlier periods until presence. Although he had not leather tanning, and textile, distillation plants and as much information as many of today's scholars flowers, and perfume-making and pharmacy have, he shaped it excellently. It does not include therapeutic. For example, Al-Majriti (950– any usual gaps of centuries which could be found 1007CE), described experiments for mercuric with other historians; nor does it include the chloride, mercuric chloride sublimation erosion, contradictions caused by miraculous, enlightened, processes and the result is a sign of the beginning of or sudden breakthroughs from nothing. the synthetic chemistry (Meri 2005; Russell et al. 1995). After this revelation, shall we still look to the Fair Historians of Chemistry Islamic Chemistry as the West claims that it was the mysterious or magical practices called Alchemia? Antoine Lavoisier (1743 – 1794CE) (Lavoisier, Are not there are a lot of aspects in Alchemia are 2001) was a French chemist central to the 18th- exactly the same in modern chemistry? And if all of century chemical revolution and had a large these are not enough, let us see what Muslims influence on the history of chemistry (Schwinger thought of the vague Alchemia; both Ibn Sina and 2002). He was considered the father of modern Ibn Khaldoun attacked the experimentalists who chemistry (de Lavoisier). Yet, he was born ten were trying to turn ordinary metals into gold. Ibn centuries after the father of chemistry, Jabir ibn Khaldoun, for example, condemns the frauds when Hayyan (722-815CE) (Samir S. Amr 2007), the first applying a thin layer of gold on top of silver chemist in the history who has used chemistry jewelry, and does some other manipulations on practically (Julian 2003). several metals. According to Ibn Khaldoun, silver Holmyard (Sarton and Sarton 1948) was the only and gold are made by the Divine wisdom as rare scholar who gave the due to Islamic Chemistry, and metals in order to guarantee wealth and profits. In bravely call it so. In fact, Holmyard, more than any the Book of Minerals, Ibn Sina denounced the work other scholar, has the correct qualifications for of artisans who dye metal to give it an outward discussing the Islamic chemistry as he is a great appearance similar to gold and silver. He proved chemist and Arabist in training, that made him that turning other metals into gold and silver is qualified to see this science from the angle of practically impossible and unsustainable from a philosophical and scientific point of view. Among other influential Muslim chemists (Rashed Transactions could be useless due their 1996) who started and developed Chemistry; disproportionate growth and could run against such Khalid ibn Yazid (died 704) (Calid) wisdom (Holmyard 1928). Jafar al-Sadiq (702-765) Abbas Ibn Firnas (810-887) (Armen Firman) Jabir Ibn Hayyan Al-Kindi (801-873) (Alkindus) Al-Majriti (fl. 1007-1008) Nearly 3000 cursive about chemistry, as well as Ibn Miskawayh (932-1030) several other sciences, was found belonging to the Abu Rayhan al-Biruni (973-1048) father of chemistry, Jabir ibn Hayyan (Meri 2005). Avicenna (980-1037) Jabir was born and educated in Tus, and he later Al-Khazini (fl. 1115-1130) traveled to Kufa south of Iraq. He is generally Nasir al-Din Tusi (1201-1274) known as the father of chemistry, and has Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406) contributed a lot in the field of chemistry. His Al-Jaldaki (?-1342) influence in the fundamental significance to chemistry was covering the excellence of many scientific techniques like evaporation and sublimation, calcinations, distillation, Conclusion crystallization, and development of numerous instruments. He has presented experimental Muslim scholars have developed and transferred examination into alchemy, from which modern Chemistry, as well as other sciences, from Greece chemistry was emerged. It is now well-established civilization to us. However, Crusades were one of that the Arabs have studied and developed the main reasons behind the demise of Muslims chemistry as a distinct branch of science, and the contribution in science. We must, therefore, give very name “chemistry” is derived from Alchemia, Islamic Chemistry its rightful place in history.