India by Al-Biruni

Title: India by Al-Biruni

Editor: Qeyamuddin Ahmad

Publisher: National Book Trust 2008 (First published: 1983)

ISBN: 978-81-237-0289-6

Pages: 290

This book is an abridged edition of an English translation of the Arabic original by Dr. Edward C. Sachau. The editor has embellished it with a very good introduction and informative notes at the end. Qeyamuddin Ahmad was a professor of history at the Patna University after completing his PhD in 1962. He is an expert on medieval Indian history and of the Indo-Muslim society of the nineteenth century. He has authored three more books, titled The Wahabi Movement in India (1966), Corpus of Arabic and Persian Inscriptions in Bihar (AH 640-1200) (1973), and Mazharul Haque (1976). This book is brought out by the National Book Trust which is synonymous with good quality, low priced editions.

Al-Biruni (also Al Beruni, full name being Abu Raihan Muhammad Ibn Ahmad, 973-1049 CE), was a celebrated mathematician and astronomer who visited India in the wake of the invading forces of Mahmud of Ghazni in the 11^th century. This book, titled Kitab fi Tahqiq ma lil Hind min Maqala fil Aql ao Mardhula, sometime shortened Kitab’ul Hind or Tarikh’ul Hind is a compendium of knowledge in India during those times, which Al-Biruni could gather from Indian experts he consulted. Al-Biruni discusses varied concepts as practised or conceived by early medieval Indians, and the chapters extend to Hindu laws and customs, religious worship, matrimonial rites, astrology, festivals, reckoning of time and days and a good deal of astronomy. Contrary to other Muslim chroniclers who came in the footsteps of conquering and ravaging invaders and who wrote under the patronage of those Islamic sovereigns, Al-Biruni tries to explain the ideas as and when he found it, without showing a condescending attitude to them. On many occasions, he confesses that he, nor any Muslim for that matter, won’t acquiesce in to the concepts narrated, but he still had presented it without any additions or deletions so that a student of the subject gets a true feel of it. This particular volume, being an abridged version, may not expose all occurrences on which he has exhibited this noble posture, but from the tone of his narration, we can safely assume that it is indeed the case.

Al-Biruni began this enterprise of collating the works of India at the behest of his patron Abu Sahl Abd Almunim Ibn Ali Ibn Nuh At-Tifilisi, who was a noble at Ghazni. The book goes on in a comparative mood where the author critically examines the concepts with Greek or Persian ideas which were prevalent in the Islamic world. Details of how the idea differs and why was it so, is brought in fine detail.

One of the first things Al-Biruni observes is the conceit of Indians, which uncannily suits some of the modern Indians who revel in the accuracy of vedic science and ancient Indian concepts. He says, “We can only say, folly is an illness for which there is no medicine, and the Hindus believe that there is no country but theirs, no nation like theirs, no king like theirs, no religion like theirs, no science like theirs. They are haughty, foolishly vain, self-conceited, and stolid. They are by nature niggardly in communicating that which they know, and they take the greatest possible care to withhold it from men of another caste among their own people, still much more, of course, from any foreigner. Their haughtiness is such that, if you tell them of any science or scholar in Khurasan or Persia, they will think you to be both an ignoramus and a liar. If they travelled and mixed with other nations, they would soon change their minds, for their ancestors were not as narrow-minded as the present generation is” (p.10-11). The constant denouncement of Al-Biruni against Indian scientists is that they mix true scientific ideas with popular superstition like a mixture of pearls and sour dates. The reason for this strange behaviour is conjectured to be the desire of conforming to public opinion without which patronage can’t be extended to scholars. The author’s self-restraint is evident when describing the concept of classes (varnas) and castes as it is astonishing that an Afghan muslim scholar could pass over these contentious topics without passing judgement. Such accurate descriptions are not seen in other pre-medieval non-Indian texts.

However, when hovering over the matrimonial practises of India, some of this restraint is lost and harsh criticism follows. After describing the customs followed in India, he says, “We have here given an account of these things in order that the reader may learn by the comparative treatment of the subject how much superior the institutions of Islam are, and how much more plainly this contrast brings our all customs and usages, differing from those of Islam, in their essential foulness” (p.50). Religious worship is the touchstone of the credentials of a medieval Muslim scholar and Al-Biruni fails there too, when he asserts that only the ignorant worships idols. However, he goes on to say that the educated among Hindus don’t follow this practise and their worship of the god is comparable to other religions. How the Muslim invaders tried to end idolatry is described, with the example of Multan given as, “When Muhammad Ibn Alkasim Ibn Almunabbih conquered Multan, he inquired how the town had become so very flourishing and so many treasures had there been accumulated, and then he found out that this idol was the cause, for there came pilgrims from all sides to visit it. Therefore, he thought it best to have the idol where it was, but he hung a piece of cow’s flesh on its neck by way of mockery. On the same place, a mosque was built” (p.53).

Reckonings of numbers in Indian mathematics goes on to include very large numbers without much practical significance and Al-Biruni chastises the mathematicians for their love of categorizations which serve no real purpose. The Greeks and Arabs go up to 1000 only, but Indians go as far as the 18^th order due to religious reasons, particularly to assert the length of epochs (yuga). But the real reason might be the place-value notation which was in vogue in India and which the westerners learnt from here. The custom of giving so many names for objects, like celestial bodies as the sun, is also ridiculed upon as a waste of time, throwing an air of mystery and a fault of the language.

A curious fact which comes to light from these passages is the rivalry exhibited by Brahmagupta against Aryabhata. The author says, “He is rude enough to compare Aryabhata to a worm, which eating the wood, by chance describes certain characters in it, without understanding them and without intending to draw them…In such offensive terms he attacks Aryabhata and maltreats him” (p.174). The reticence of Indians in detailing history is frowned upon, as “Unfortunately the Hindus do not pay much attention to the historical order of things, they are very carelss in relating the chronological succession of kings, and when they are pressed for information and are at a loss, not knowing what to say, they invariably take to tale-telling” (p.193). Also, the treacherous nature of Mahmud of Ghazni is made vividly clear as, “I admire the following passage in a letter of Anandapala, which he wrote to the Prince Mahmud, when the relations between them were already strained to the utmost: ‘I have learned that the Turks have rebelled against you and are spreading in Khurasan. If you wish, I shall come to you with 5000 horsemen, 10000 foot-soldiers and 100 elephants, or if you wish, I shall send you my son with double the number. In acting thus, I do not speculate on the impression which this will make on you. I have been conquered by you, and therefore I do not wish that another man should conquer you” (p.194). A queer case of Stockholm syndrome, indeed! But what came at the end? “The same prince cherished the bitterest hatred against the Muhammadans from the time when his son was made a prisoner” (p.194). We also learn of Indian astronomers teaching the science at Baghdad. “Alfazari and Ya’kub sometimes heard from their Indian master, expressions to this effect, that his calculation of the star cycles was that of the great siddhanta, whilst Aryabhata (Arab, arjabhad) meant a thousandth part” (p.196).

Some very interesting asides are obtained from the book. It says that Indians don’t seek permission while entering a house, but ask it while leaving! Also, the Indian explanation of why the sky appear blue is given. Scholars believed that Mount Meru, which lies between four worlds in four cardinal directions had the height of 80,000 yojanas, one half of which rose to the heaven and the other went down the earth. This side which was next to our world consisted of blue sapphires which was the reason for the bluishness of sky!

The book is very dry and dull, consisting of chapters and chapters on various aspects without any lively interpretations or suggestions from the author. But, that is nobody’s fault, and such is what can be expected from a medieval manuscript. The book leans heavily on astronomy as a lot of chapters are kept aside for that subject alone.

The editor’s handling of some of the topics is also to be examined here. It is common for Muslim historians to attribute economic reasons for the destruction or desecration of Hindu temples by medieval Muslim invaders. Qeyamuddin Ahmad is no different, but the text he gives betrays his argument! We learn of what happened at Somnath in the words of Al-Biruni. “The image at Somnath was destroyed by the Prince Mahmud – may God be merciful to him! – in A.H. 416. He ordered the upper part to be broken and the remainder to be transported to his residence, Ghazni, with all its coverings and trappings of gold, jewels, and embroidered garments. Part of it has been thrown into the hippodrome of the town, together with the Chakraswamin, an idol of bronze, that had been bought from Taneshar. Another part of the idol from Somnath lies before the door of the mosque of Ghazni, on which people rub their feet to clean themselves from dirt and wet” (p.214). Some economics, indeed!

The book is recommended for students of history and ancient Indian customs.

Rating: 2 Star