25. Omar Al-Khayyam
(440-518H/1048-1124AD)

Abu al-Fath Umar Ibn Ibrahim al-Khayyam was a Persian philosopher, poet, mathematician, astronomer, linguist, historian and religious scholar. He was born between 1038 and 1048 AD and died between 1123 and 1124 AD in Nishapur. He was called al-Khayyam because he used to make tents(150) (Khyam in Arabic) in the beginning of his life. When his friend "Nizam al-Mulk" became a vizier of the sultan "Alb Arsalane", then of his grandson "Malikshah", he allocated to al-Khayyam an annual income from Nishapur’s treasury that allowed him to live at ease and spend most of his time studying and doing research. He lived in Nishapur and Samarqand for most of his life. He also travelled to reputed institutions of learning in Bukhara, Balkh, and Ispahan in order to acquire knowledge and exchange experiences with scholars(151). He settled down in Baghdad later on.

Scientific Contributions

Al-Khayyam gained fame due to his work in mathematics. He developed a geometrical and algebraic approach to solving second-degree equations. He also classified equations and found partial geometric solution to most of them. He developed the binomial expansion for the case when the exponent is a positive integer in order to find qualitative mass(152).

Al-Khayyam was also an outstanding astronomer. In 1074, the sultan "Malikshah" asked for his assistance to modify the old Persian calendar. According to Sarton, al-Khayyam’s calendar was more accurate than the Gregorian one.

Major Works

Al-Khayyam wrote many references in mathematics, philosophy and poetry. Most of his books were written in Persian. Among the books he wrote in Arabic :

-"Al Jabr wa al Mukabala’ : The book was translated in French by the scholar Franz Woepc, and edited in Paris in 1851 (153). It was translated into English by Daoud Kassir in 1931(154).

-"Sharh ma Ashkala min Mussadarat kitab Euclid"

-"Al Ihtial Limaârifat Mikdarai Addahab wa al-Fidda fi Jismin Murakkab Minhouma", describing a method to measure qualitative mass.

-"Rissala fi Al Mussika" (Treatise of Music).

Omar Al-Khayyam is best known for his poetic work "Rubaiyat" (quatrains) which was written in Persian and translated in Arabic, Latin, French, English, German and other languages.