Author: Abu Raef
The Role of Muslims in the Formation and Development of Sciences (Part42)
2. Badi’ al-Zaman al-Jazari
The innovations of pioneering Muslim scholars in the field of Beneficial Mechanical Devices (Ḥiyal Nāfiʿa) included various designs of clocks and mechanical lifts that converted linear motion into circular motion using gear systems—the very foundation of all modern engines. A prominent work in this field is the book Al-Jāmiʿ bayn al-ʿIlm wa al-ʿAmal al-Nāfiʿ fī Ṣināʿat al-Ḥiyal by Badiʿ al-Zamān Abū al-ʿIzz ibn Ismāʿīl ibn al-Razzāz al-Jazarī (d. 1184 CE). This book was translated into English by Donald Hill in 1974. George Sarton, a contemporary historian of science, described it as the clearest book of its kind and considered it the pinnacle of Muslim technical achievements in this field.
The book of al-Jazari consists of several sections, the longest of which deals with water clocks, while another section addresses water-raising devices. Al-Jazari’s clocks featured automatic figurines that marked the time—such as birds that dropped small balls onto scales from their beaks, doors that opened to reveal miniature figures, rotating zodiac discs, and figures playing drums or blowing horns. In most of these clocks, the initial force transferred energy through precise pulley systems to activate the figures.
In the water-raising section, al-Jazari describes a pump that modern historians consider one of the earliest known precursors to the steam engine. The pump consisted of two opposing cylinders, each with a piston. When one cylinder compressed, the other created suction. A toothed disc connected to both arms eccentrically synchronized the opposing movements. This disc was rotated by gears linked to a central axis. Each pump had three valves that allowed water to flow in only one direction—from bottom to top—preventing backflow.
Al-Jazari’s pump was a metallic device powered either by wind or by animals moving in a circular pattern. Its purpose was to raise water from deep wells to the surface or transport water from lower riverbeds to higher areas, such as Mount al-Muqattam in Egypt. Sources note that this technology could pump water to a height of approximately ten meters, directly delivering water to the surface while keeping the suction pipe submerged.[1]
Taqī al-Dīn ibn Maʿrūf al-Dimashqī
Taqī al-Dīn ibn Maʿrūf al-Dimashqī, who lived in the 10th Islamic century (16th CE), is considered one of the most outstanding Islamic engineers. He authored the book Al-Ṭuruq al-Saniyya fī al-Ālāt al-Rūḥāniyya, which contains precise descriptions of mechanical devices such as water clocks, mechanical and sand clocks, lifts with pulleys and gears, water fountains, and rotating devices powered by steam turbines. This book is of particular importance as it marks a critical stage in the development of mechanical engineering during the Islamic period and describes machines previously undocumented in either Islamic or Western sources.
In his illustrations, Taqī al-Dīn approached modern engineering drawing techniques, displaying all device components from multiple angles in a three-dimensional manner. Understanding these texts and images requires deep study by experts.
One of the most significant hydraulic machines he described in his book Al-Ṭuruq al-Saniyya was the six-cylinder pump. For the first time, he used a cylinder block containing six cylinders aligned in a straight row, along with a camshaft with six lobes evenly distributed around the circle, allowing the cylinders to operate sequentially and provide a continuous water flow. He advised that the number of cylinders should not be fewer than three to ensure a smooth, uninterrupted ascent of water. This advanced concept of sequential operation and the avoidance of fluctuations—along with the idea of dynamic balance—forms the basis of modern multi-cylinder engines and compressors.
In his six-cylinder piston pump design, Shaykh Taqī al-Dīn placed a lead weight atop each piston rod, heavier than the water column in the suction pipe. This design ensured the pistons effectively returned downward and pumped water to the desired height. His invention predates a similar design by Moreland in 1675 CE, in which lead disks were used to return pistons.
These innovations by Taqī al-Dīn demonstrate that mechanical engineering in Islamic civilization was not limited to entertainment devices but rather included advanced designs developed centuries before similar technologies emerged in Europe.[2]
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[1] What Did Muslims Contribute to the World? p. 331.
[2] The Islamic Scientific Heritage: Something from the Past or a Resource for the Future? p. 39.
