The rise of Muslim science began after the life of the
prophet Mohammed and the beginning of Islam in the seventh century. The eighth and ninth centuries involved the period of consolidation of the Muslim people, and the real rise of Muslim scholarship occurred in the ninth and tenth centuries (Al-Daffa', 1977). The Muslims integrated the astronomical traditions of the Indians, Persians, the ancient near east, and especially the Greeks into a synthesis which began to chart a new chapter in the history of astronomy from the eighth century onward (IAL). The unification of the tribes of Arabia into a powerful nation, including Persia, Asia Minor, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, the whole North Africa, Gibraltar, and Spain created a vast intellectual empire (Ead). However, the Greek legacy did not immediately dominate without a struggle with native sciences. Early in this intellectual revival, the Indian tradition was relied upon heavily, and it took a generation or two before the more sophisticated, systematic, and coherent Greek tradition rose to prominence (Saliba, 1994). By the tenth century, the predominance of Ptolemy was virtually secured, and the Iranian and Indian texts were only of historical interest. Knowledge of various cultures was assimilated and the Arabic language was adopted. Schools, colleges, libraries, observatories, and hospitals were built throughout this Islamic state (Ead). Documents and concepts of ancient antiquity, a plethora of cultural ideas, and a quest for knowledge fueled by Islamic tenants all contributed to the development of Islamic astronomy in the eighth, ninth, and tenth centuries. Old learning was infused with a new vigor, and the intellectual freedom of Muslims stimulated the intense search for knowledge and science (Ead).
Greek Influence on Islamic Astronomy
Prior to the seventh century, the Arabs possessed a basic
knowledge of the celestial world, simply enough to guide them ...