Turkish Minister: Muslims Discovered the Earth is Round

Arutz Sheva ^ | 30/11/14 | Tova Dvorin

[Eleutheria5]

The Turkish Science Minister has become the latest public figure to make outrageous claims over Islam's hand in science and technology, the Hurriyet Daily News reported Friday - this time, claiming that Muslims discovered that the world is round.

"Some 700-800 years before Galileo, 71 Muslim scientists led by al-Khwarizmi convened by the order of the Caliph Al-Ma'mun and revealed that the Earth is a sphere," Minister Fikri stated on Thursday.

Fikri further claimed that a copy of the original document proving Islam's role in astronomy is currently in the Museum of Islamic Science and Technology in Istanbul.

The Earth was widely regarded as flat until the 3rd century BCE, when the Hellenists proposed that the Earth was a sphere based on astronomical calculations. Plato was among the early supporters of the concept of a spherical Earth, writing in Phaedo that "my conviction is that the earth is a round body in the centre of the heavens, and therefore has no need of air or of any similar force to be a support."

Fikri's statement does have a kernel of merit to it: indeed, around 830 AD, Caliph Al-Ma'mun did commission a group of Muslim scientists to calculate the Earth's circumference, using measurements of the distance from Tadmur (Palmyra) to Raqqah, the current capital of ISIS in Syria. The commission did, in fact, reach measurements close to modern values.

Fikri's fundamental error, however, is in who Galileo Galilei was; instead of pioneering Western acceptance of the Earth as a sphere, he supported heliocentrism, the theory that the Earth revolves around the Sun. He was subsequently persecuted by the Roman Catholic Church in the seventeenth century for holding these views.

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[Eleutheria5]

The Greeks actually were the first to figure out that it was a sphere and calculate the circumference based on scientific observation. But Ptolemy erred in believing that it was a perfect sphere, and therefore underestimated the actual size.

But back to the Jive Turkeys and their made-up Islamic accomplishments. They have to make them up. They have no real ones.

[ConorMacNessa]

IIRC, Eratosthenes demonstrated the Earth was round and calculated the circumference based upon observations of the sun's apogee illuminating the depths of a well, approximately a millennium before the birth of Mohammed.

"Dia shábháil ar fad anseo!"

This is the Arabic character "nun" – the first letter of the word "Nazarene." I post it as my avatar in solidarity with people of all faiths suffering persecution at the hands of Islam. Many of them are members of the oldest of our Christian Communities, dating from the days of the Apostles. They endure cruel, merciless and unrelenting persecution. They are Orthodox and Catholic, Protestant and Evangelical, Coptic, Pentecostal, and Baptist. To the persecutors they, and we, are all "Nazarenes."

[beethovenfan]

Camel doots.

[goldstategop]

The astronauts were actually filmed in a secret studio in Istanbul.

Cuz Tayyip Recep Erdogan knows its a Muslim achievement.

The Americans made the moon landing all up.

[humblegunner]

Muslim scientists led by al-Khwarizmi convened by the order of the Caliph Al-Ma'mun and revealed that the Earth is a sphere

Much like the backside of a goat!

[Darksheare]

Obama has NASA complicit with this.
Their current focus is to make muzzies feel good about their accomplishments in space.
And this dovetails nicely with Barry big ears “everything Islam is superior” outlook.

[Brother Cracker]

Muslims discovered dentistry

[rjsimmon]

The Greeks actually were the first to figure out that it was a sphere

Not quite:

"He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth" Isaiah 40:22

[Telepathic Intruder]

It was Eratosthenes, actually, who correctly measured the circumference of the Earth in something like 220 BC, long before Mohammed lopped off his first head.

[Eleutheria5]

I know, I know. I said based on scientific observation. Divine Wisdom doesn’t count as scientific observation.

[Eleutheria5]

I think he’s supposed to be a hygienist.

[ForYourChildren]

Haha.

Eratosthenes

“c. 276 BC[1] – c. 195/194 BC[2]) was a Greek mathematician, geographer, poet, astronomer, and music theorist.”

“He is best known for being the first person to calculate the circumference of the Earth, which he did by applying a measuring system using stades, or the length of stadia during that time period. His calculation was remarkably accurate.”

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eratosthenes

So, if he was the first person to calculate the circumference, for how long earlier was it commonly accepted that the earth is round.

[Flag_This]

Floss, or you get to see Achmed, the hygienist.

[Eleutheria5]

Plaque build-up, beware.

[Fungi]

Job 26:7 He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.

[MeshugeMikey]

fact i..... that most muslims.... still dont get the round earth concept....

[hal ogen]

Please. moozlums made some great discoveries, including that goats and camels make great sex partners

[Eleutheria5]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D67kmFzSh_o

[Brother Cracker]

Islamic Advice The Prophet [sallallahu alayhe wa sallam (SAWS)] recommended Muslims to clean their teeth using a miswak every day; especially after waking, when performing wudhu, before salah, when reciting the Qur'an, before sleeping,before self immolation and when the mouth smells bad.

[Darksheare]

Lol, very fitting!