الفـــــ( الرجاء التسجـــــيل هنا) ــــــلاتة

Quote: Joy Winstead February 20, 2001 Muhammad: a Life in Math, Magic, and Religion. Have you ever wondered how mathematics, magic, and religion are all connected? Look no further than the work of Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Fullani al-Kishnawi, of Katsina (now Nigeria). Although not much is known about Muhammad’s life, what we do have are his quotes and written words that reveal to us what type of person and mathematician he became. We also know what type of math Muhammad worked on through the reading of Africa Counts. There is still debate as to what year Muhammad was born, however, we do know that his time was spent creating a new way to develop magic squares and completing the five pillars of Islam. His multi talents as an astronomer, mathematician, mystic, and astrologer helped him during his prolific career. As a member of the Fulani people, he was one of the first groups to be converted to Islam. The Fulani people have a history as nomadic herders and traders; they also have made an impact on politics and economics throughout West Africa. Additionally, the Fulani people are very independent and competitive. They have used Islam as well as their competitive spirit to acquisition new lands around present day Nigeria. Because of Muhammad’s faith, he spent a large portion of his life in the Middle East completing his duties as a devoted Muslim. It is because of this devotion to Islam, that he is recorded as saying, “work in secret and privacy. The letters are in God’s safekeeping. God’s power is in his names and his secrets, and if you enter his treasury you are in God’s privacy, and you should not spread God’s secrets indiscriminately.” This quote from Muhammad clearly symbolizes the first pillar of Islam by stating that any inspiration that is given to you by God, stays between you and God until another is found worthy of this inspiration. This leads us to the conclusion that Muhammad worked independently and led his students to do the same. After completing the fifth pillar of Islam, which is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Muhammad traveled to Egypt. While there, in 1732, he wrote a manuscript in Arabic about how to complete magic squares of up to an order of eleven. Unfortunately, Muhammad ibn Muhammad died in Cairo in 1741 before returning to Katsina. Does it bother you when you believe you have mastered a concept only to discover you have not even come close? Do not worry because some things are not always the way they appear. In the words of Muhammad, “Do not give up, for that is ignorance and not according to the rules of this art. Those who know the arts of war and killing cannot imagine the agony and pain of a practitioner of this honorable science. Like the lover, you cannot hope to achieve success without infinite perseverance.” This quote describes the pain and suffering of someone who does not live up to his full potential by giving up. Muhammad’s statement reveals to us the quality of his work as a mathematician. He was not only devoted to the art of mathematics, but Muhammad wanted his students to understand and join him in God’s privacy. This could not be achieved without time and energy, devotion, and practice. Without a doubt, giving up is not an option. Curious as to what this has to do with math, magic, and religion? The answer goes back centuries to a divine turtle Lo Shu in ancient China. On the back of this divine turtle, appeared this configuration of numbers: