Contributions to Science Islam, Muslims and Chemistry

Chemistry in General It is a branch of physical science and

the study of the composition, structure, properties and change of matter

It is known as the ‘central science’ as it bridges the other branches of science like geology, physics and biology

Alchemy or Chemistry?Alchemy is a corrupt translation

of the Arabic word ‘kemi-yaá’ preceded by the article ‘Al’

 Chemistry refers to a modern

science whereas alchemy means the amateur, the occult, the second or third rate

Alchemy belongs to the Muslims; chemistry, of course, does not

The Golden Age – Chemistry The following are some of the key

chemical discoveries in The Golden Age:

- Distillation Apparatus – For purification- The words ‘alcohol’, ‘elixir’ and ‘alembic’ – Arab

Origin - Soda and Potash - Distilled water and purified distilled alcohol- Purified distilled alcohol- Perfumery- Many more chemical substances and apparatus

Jabir Ibn Hayyan

The first and most influential Muslim chemist was Jabir Ibn Hayyan, who is considered by many to be the ‘father of chemistry’ for introducing:

- The experimental method- Apparatus such as the alembic, still, and retort- Chemical processes such as liquefaction,

purification, oxidization and evaporation- Purification by crystallization- Filtration- Pure distillation

Jafaar Al-Sadiq

Jabir's teacher, Jaafar Al-Sadiq, did not agree with Aristotle's theory of the four classical elements

He discovered that each one is made up of different chemical elements:

“I wonder how a man like Aristotle could say that in the world there are only four elements: Earth, Water, Fire, and Air. The Earth is not an element. It contains many elements. Each metal, which is in the earth, is an element.”

Jafaar developed a particle theory, which he described as follows:

“The universe was born out of a tiny particle, which had two opposite poles. That particle produced an atom. In this way matter came into being. Then the matter diversified. This diversification was caused by the density or rarity of the atoms.”

Al-Razi

Al-Razi was the first Muslim chemist to:

◦Distill petroleum◦Invent kerosene and kerosene lamps◦Invent soap bars and modern recipes

for soap◦Produce antiseptics◦Develop numerous chemical

processes such as sublimation◦Dry distillation◦Calcination (Al-tashwiya)

The invention of chemical processes

Jabir ibn Hayyan and Ahmad Ibn Imad Al-Din invented the following chemical processes in the 8th century:

◦ Pure distillation (Al-taqtir) which could fully purify chemical substances with the alembic

◦ Filtration (Al-tarshih)◦ Purification by crystallization (Al-tabalwur)◦ Liquefaction, purification, oxidization, and

evaporation (tabkhir)

Laboratory Apparatus

Alembic – Jabir Ibn Hayyan

Refrigerated Coil – Ibn Sina

Laboratory Apparatus Muslim chemists and engineers invented

the cucurbit and allude, and the equipment needed for melting metals such as furnaces and crucibles

Al-Razi described the following tools that were invented by him and his Muslim predecessors:

Khalid ibn Yazid, Jaber bin Hayyan and Al-Kindi -

For melting substances (li-tadhwib): Hearth and bellows, crucible (bawtaqa), tongs

(masik aq kalbatan), scissors (miqta), hammer (mukassir), file (mibrad)

Laboratory Apparatus Al-Razi also described the following tools that were

invented by him and his Muslim predecessors for the preparation of drugs (li-tadbir al-aqaqir):

Cucurbit and still with evacuation tube (qar aq anbiq dhu-khatm), receiving matras (qabila), blind still (without evacuation tube) (al-anbiq al-ama), Alembic al-inbiq, aludel (al-uthal), goblets (qadah), flasks (qarura or quwarir), rosewater flasks (ma wariyya), cauldron (marjal aw tanjir), earthenware pots varnished on the inside with their lids (qudur aq tanjir), water bath or sand bath (qadr), oven (al-tannur in Arabic, athanor in Latin), small cylindirical oven for heating aludel (mustawqid), funnels, sieves, filters, etc…

Hearth and Bellows

Distilled and purified waterArab chemists were the first to

produce distilled water and purified water, used for water supply systems and for long journeys across deserts where the supplies were uncertain

In the 10th century, Abu Mansur Muwaffaq of Herat wrote The foundations of the true properties of Remedies, where he described 585 drugs. He also described the distillation of sea-water for drinking

Chemical Substances – Acids The only acid known to the ancients was vinegar. Using new equipment such as the alembic and processes such as pure distillation

Jaber bin Hayyan was the first to discover and isolate a variety of new acids, such as nitric acid, Hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid Acetic acid was also first concentrated from vinegar through distillation by Jaber bin Hayyan in the 8th century. He is also credited with the discovery of citric acid (the sour component of lemons and other unripe fruits) and tartaric acid (from wine-making residues)

Chemical Elements Several chemical elements were first

discovered by Jaber bin Hayyan:

◦ Arsenic, antimony and bismuth. He was also the first to classify sulfur (‘the stone which burns’ that characterized the principle of combustibility) and mercury (which contained the idealized principle of metallic properties) as 'elements'

◦ Lead and tin were also first purified and clearly differentiated from one another by Arabic alchemists

Derivative and Synthesized Substances

In the 10th century Al-Razi wrote that he and his Muslim predecessors Khalid ibn Yazid, Jaber bin Hayyan and Al-Kindi, invented the following derivative and artificial chemical substances:

Lead(II) oxide (PbO), red lead (Pb3O4), tin(II) oxide (Isfidaj), copper acetate (Zaniar), copper(II) oxide (CuO), lead sulfide, zinc oxide, bismuth oxide, antimony oxide, iron rust, iron acetate, Daws (a constituent of steel), Borax, Amalgam, cinnabar (HgS), arsenic trioxide (As2O3), alkali (al-Qili), sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), and Qalimiya (anything that separates from metals during their purification)

Natural Substances Al Razi also classified the natural chemical

substances that were discovered by him and his Muslim predecessors mainly Khalid ibn Yazid, Jaber bin Hayyan , Al-Kindi and Al-Tamimi as follows:

Four spirits: mercury, sal ammoniac, arsenic, sulfur

Seven fusible metals: gold, silver, copper, iron, tin, lead, mercury

Thirteen stones: marqashisha, maghnisiya, daws, tutiya, lapis lazuli, malachite green, turquoise, hematite, arsenic oxide, lead sulfide, talq (mica and asbestos), gypsum, glass

Six vitriols: black vitriol, alum, qalqand, qalqadis, qalqatar, suri

Seven borates: borax, bread borax, natron, nitrate, sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, sodium borate

Thirteen salts: lead(II) acetate (sweet), magnesium sulfate (bitter), andarani salt, tabarzad, potassium nitrate, naphthenate, black salt (Indian), salt of egg, alkali (al-qali), salt of urine, calcium hydroxide (slaked lime), salt of oak ashes, natrun, Camphor

Other Chemical Substances

Through their experiments with various chemical compounds, Arabic chemists first produced many other chemical substances, including:

Arsenic, alkali, alkali salt, rice vinegar, boraxes, potassium nitrate, sulfur and purified sal ammoniac by Jaber bin Hayyan

Aqua regia, alum, sal ammoniac, stones, sulfur, salts, and spirits of mercury, by by Jaber bin Hayyan

Sal nitrum and vitriol by Al-Razi

Ethanol, sulfuric acid, ammonia, mercury, camphor, pomades, and syrups

Lead carbonatic, arsenic, and antimony

Nitric and sulfuric acids, alkali, the salts of mercury, antimony, and bismuth

Jaber bin Hayyan was also the first to classify all seven classical metals: gold, silver, tin, lead, mercury, iron and copper

Oil and petroleum products From the 8th century the streets of Baghdad were

the first to be paved with tar, derived from petroleum through destructive distillation

Muslim chemists were the first to produce petrol from crude oil, using the process of distillation

Kerosene was produced from the distillation of petroleum and was first described by Al-Razi in the 9th century. In his Kitab al-Asrar (Book of Secrets), he described two methods for the production of kerosene. One method involved using clay as an absorbent, while the other method involved using ammonium chloride (sal ammoniac). He also described the first kerosene lamps (naffatah) used for heating and lighting in his Kitab Al-Asrar (Book of Secrets). These were used in the oil lamp industry

Essential oils were first produced by Ibn Sina in the early 11th century, using steam distillation, for use in aromatherapy and the perfumery industries

More common products Plated mail was invented by Jaber bin Hayyan in ‘The Book of

the Hidden Pearl’ for use in armors (jawasin), helmets (bid) and shields (daraq)

Rosewater was first produced by Muslim chemists through the distillation of roses, for use in the drinking and perfumery industries

Various chemicals were added to cotton fabrics during the dyeing process among the most famous processes was used by the Hausa Textile Merchants in Kano they mixed the color Indigo with potassium, ash and hot water to produce a deep blue dye

References www.google.comwww.wikipedia.comwww.in-islam.comwww.irfi.org/articles2/

articles_2701_2750/Muslim%20Contribution%20to%20Chemistry.HTM

http://books.google.aewww.qu.edu.qahttp://

historysinnovations.blogspot.ae/2012/03/ibn-sina-and-first-refrigerated-coil.html