Thābit ibn Qurra

Al-Ṣābiʾ Thābit ibn Qurra al-Ḥarrānī (826 – 18 February 901) was an Arabic mathematician, physician, astronomer and physicist.

Biography

Thābit ibn Qurra was born in Harran in 826. He soon emerged as a prominent visionary within mathematics, mechanical engineering, medicine, astrology and astronomy during the Islamic Golden Age. He was important in introducing many scientific innovations of that period, such as the Ptolemaic system and the founding of statics.

Thābit was a member of the Sabians of Harran, a Hermetic sect that celebrated study and progression, as espoused by Thābit himself. At one point in his life, he moved to the intellectually thriving city of Baghdad, teaching, studying and innovating there until his death in 901.

Legacy

Thābit's scientific legacy continued after his death. His son, Sinan, would become one of the most important physicians in Baghdad, playing a vital role in the maintenance and development of city's public hospital during the era. Thābit's grandson, Ibrahim ibn Sinan, became a distinguished mathematician, studying curves in order to make sundials and advancing the theory of integration.

Reference

• Assassin's Creed: Initiates