Al-Razi Manuscripts and Printing in Europe

Maliya Naz

Project Description

My thesis explores how different scientific ideas from the Islamic world spread to Europe. Particularly, I analyze how the printing press revolutionized the reproduction and distribution of knowledge, allowing for the wider circulation of scientific ideas across Europe. I explore printing and the exchange of knowledge through the case study of the Islamic scholar Abu Bakr Muhammad Ibn Zakariya Al Razi (865–925).

I traveled to the British Library to access primary sources that enabled me to directly examine Al-Razi’s scientific impact. Specifically, I focused on translated Islamic scientific manuscripts in English and Latin of Al-Razi's scholarly work.

What Form will your Final Project Take?

Thesis paper. I plan on publishing my thesis eventually and or centering a workshop around the manuscripts I transcribed.

Maliya is a senior at The New School pursuing a degree in Global Studies and Creative Coding. She worked at NASA Johnson Space Center this Spring and is passionate about journalism, design, and making astronomy more accessible for minorities.

Who was supporting you in your work?

Erin Simmons, Teaching Assistant, Department of Anthropology.

Throughout the entire semester, Erin Simmons has offered comprehensive feedback which was essential to the development of my thesis. Without her, this thesis would not have been possible as she guided me every step of the way and pushed me to think creatively about my research topic.

Project Themes:

Research

How has this project has been impactful or transformative?

Surprisingly, the intersection of the Arabic scientific narrative and the printing press has not been thoroughly explored previously, making my research particularly essential in shedding light on this aspect of history. More importantly, I hope my thesis reminds the Muslim community of our diverse scientific past. As a Muslim woman myself, I have observed that many Muslims perceive modern science as a secular, and even atheistic, Western construct. Consequently, they have forgotten the remarkable contributions made by Islamic scholars a millennium ago. This is why it is crucial to remind Muslims and non-Muslims of a time when Islam and science coexist harmoniously. By doing so, not only can science flourish once again in the greater Muslim world, but it can also pave the way for a future where Muslims feel no threat from science, just as they did a thousand years ago.

What would you do differently?

I would advise a student who is going to do something similar to have prior experience working with manuscripts.

JPG IMAGE: Sloane MS 2567: Alchemy: General collections and anonymous treatises and processes in prose and verse, page 34, taken by me at the British Library.

17th century Alchemy Manuscript referencing Al-Razi taken by Maliya at the British Library.

Short summary of your experience:

This experience provided me with the opportunity to successfully complete chapter 2 of my thesis. I was also able to successfully transcribe manuscripts, a skill I had never acquired before. Additionally, I had the privilege of delving into the world of archival research and learning how to navigate information from historical records.

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