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From: partha@mse.ogi.edu (R. Parthasarathy)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.islam
Subject: Response to `ISLAM'S CONTRIBUTION TO SCIENCE'
Message-ID: <8516@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 30 May 90 05:22:18 GMT
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Organization: Oregon Graduate Institute, Material Science & Engineering
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Approved: naim@eecs.nwu.edu (Naim Abdullah)


>From: amin@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Aminuddin Ahmad)




			ISLAMIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO SCIENCE


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>	This is a research paper written for the Department of

>	(Hitti 373). About the year 600 A.H.-during the lifetime of
>	Prophet Muhammad - an Indian Muslim mathematician developed the
			      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>	symbol "cipher" or zero and the system of placed notation. This
>	invention, first mentioned in a Syriac text written in 662 AD,
>	revolutionized the study of mathematics and made possible the
>	great achievements of Muslim mathematicians (Science p4).


	I think during the prophet Muhammed's time, islam hadn't
	spread to the indian sub-continent. Therefore, I am puzzled
	about how an " Indian Muslim Mathematician " could have
	developed the concept of zero. I know that the word Algebra
	has roots in  Arabic. Kindly do not start a religious
	war fare here. Instead I'd appreaciate correct facts.

						Partha sarathy