Ibn al-Banna' al-Marrakushi facts for kids

Ibn al‐Bannāʾ al‐Marrākushī, whose full name was Abu'l-Abbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Uthman al-Azdi al-Marrakushi, was a brilliant scholar born in Marrakesh on December 29 or 30, 1256. He passed away in the same city on July 31, 1321. He was known as a polymath, which means he was an expert in many different subjects. He excelled as a mathematician, astronomer, scholar, and even an astrologer during a time known as the Islamic Golden Age.

A Life of Learning and Discovery

Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Uthman was born in a part of Marrakesh called the Qa'at Ibn Nahid Quarter. Because he was born and died in Marrakesh, he was given the name al-Marrakushi. His father was a builder, which is why he was also known as Ibn al-Banna', meaning 'son of the builder'.

Ibn al-Banna' was a very curious student. He learned from at least 17 different teachers, studying a wide range of topics. He studied the Quran, the holy book of Islam, with respected teachers. He also learned about Hadith, which are sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad.

His studies included Islamic law and its principles, where he learned from wise teachers like Abu Imran Musa. He also mastered Arabic grammar and even studied Euclid's Elements, a famous book about geometry, from teachers like Abu Ishaq Ibrahim. He learned the rules of Arabic poetry and the complex math needed for fairly dividing inheritances. His math skills were further developed by teachers such as Muhammad ibn Ali. He also learned about the stars and planets (astronomy) from Abu 'Abdallah Muhammad and even studied medicine.

Later in his life, Ibn al-Banna' connected with a respected religious leader named Abu Zayd Abd al-Rahman al-Hazmiri. This leader helped Ibn al-Banna' use his math skills to understand patterns and make predictions.

Ibn al-Banna' became a teacher himself in Marrakesh. He shared his vast knowledge with many students, some of whom later became important scholars in their own right.

Amazing Discoveries and Writings

Ibn al-Banna' was a very productive writer. He wrote more than 100 books and papers on many different subjects! These included understanding the stars (astronomy), predicting events (astrology), fair ways to divide family property (inheritances), language, logic, math, weather, public speaking, and religious studies.

Math for Everyday Life

One of his most famous math books was called Talkhīṣ ʿamal al-ḥisāb, which means 'Summary of Arithmetical Operations'. In it, he explained how to work with fractions and how to add up squares and cubes of numbers.

Another important book, Tanbīh al-Albāb, helped people with practical math problems. It showed how to:

• calculate changes in water levels for irrigation canals,
• use math to understand Islamic inheritance laws,
• figure out the correct time for the Asr prayer (an afternoon prayer),
• avoid mistakes when using measuring tools,
• keep track of prayers that needed to be said in a specific order, and
• calculate taxes correctly.

He even wrote his own introduction to Euclid's Elements, making this ancient geometry book easier to understand for others.

Exploring Advanced Math

His book Rafʿ al-Ḥijāb 'an Wujuh A'mal al-Hisab, which means 'Lifting the Veil from the Workings of Calculations', explored advanced math. It taught how to find the square roots of numbers and explained complex ideas like simple continued fractions.

See also

• Ibn Ghazi al-Miknasi