Question

Which languages did Al-Biruni know?

Hint:

Always write the ratio based on the order of the letters in the similarity statement. For \(\triangle \textbf{AB}C \sim \triangle \textbf{AD}E\), the first two letters of the first triangle (\(AB\)) always correspond to the first two of the second (\(AD\)).

Answer 1

Al-Biruni was a renowned scholar and polymath of the medieval Islamic world. He was proficient in several languages, which enabled him to conduct his studies across various fields such as mathematics, astronomy, history, and philosophy. The languages Al-Biruni knew include:

1. Arabic:
Al-Biruni's native language was Arabic, and he wrote most of his works in Arabic.

2. Persian:
Al-Biruni also knew Persian, a language widely used in scholarly circles during his time.

3. Sanskrit:
He was proficient in Sanskrit, which allowed him to study Indian texts and philosophy. His work, "Kitab al-Hind" (The Book of India), is a significant contribution to the understanding of Indian culture and science.

4. Greek:
Al-Biruni was familiar with Greek, enabling him to read classical Greek texts, particularly those of Aristotle and Ptolemy.