Scholar of mathematics
and astronomy (B. ? – D. 944). His full
name is Ebu’l Kasım Abdullah bin Amâcur et Türkî el-Herevî.
He belongs to Amâcur Oğulları family which lived in 9th and
10th centuries and raised other scholars of mathematics and
astronomy. Ebu’l-Kasım Abdullah b. Amâcur el-Turkî, his son Ebu’l-Hasan
Ali and according to some sources his other son, or his brother Ali b. Amâcur and Ebu’l-Hasan’s servant Muflih b. Yunus belong to Amâcur family. They realized the longest observation researches in
the history of Islamic astronomy and brought the results of these observations
in various stars catalogues.
In
classic and modern sources there is almost no information about the members of
the family. There is some confusion between their names. His son Ebu’l-Hasan
Ali is another scholar raised by his father and who is author of several books.
Amâcur family which
attracted attention with their observation researches in the Islamic
Civilization, realized observations for long years between 885 and 933. They
recorded the results of these observations in numerous works. Amâcur family which existed in the same age with el-Battani who
worked in Rakka realized a small part of their observations in
Ebu’l-Kâsım
Amâcur et-Türkî was the first member of Amâcur family who became famous in the
science of astronomy. He was educated in famous madrasahs of
Amâcur
et-Türkî wrote books titled "K. el-Fen”, "K.ez-Ziyc,
el-Ma'ruf bi'l-Hâlis”, "K. Ziycü's-Sind Hint” and "K.ez-Ziyc
el Ma'ruf bi'l-Bedi” using the results he acquired observing stars.
He did not remain contented with this and raised Ali and Ebu’l-Hasan of his
sons in this field and come to a certain place in the science of astronomy.
Thus an honorable family of science and culture passed to the history of
Turkish astronomy and astrology known as “Amâcur Oğulları”. Ali b. Amâcur has a
distinguished position in the science of astronomy. Primarily his deep
interest, but also his family’s interest in astronomy resulted establishing an
observatory in
Ali b.
Abdullah and his brother discovered important phases of lunar globe which were
unknown until that date as a result of these observations, thus acquiring a
very special knowledge. He presented with his serious researches that movements
of the moon were dynamic and irregular and reaching a certain result was not
possible. Thus he paved the way for the discovery of Ebû’1-Vefa Bozcanî, one of
the great scholars of astronomy of Turkish origin at that time, about the
variability of the moon’s third move. Sources state that he is the author of
numerous books in this field and on these issues.
One has to
add Müflih b. Yusuf to this Turkish family of astronomers. Müflih who was an
intelligent servant of Amâcur family was deeply interested in the science of
astronomy and being raised in the cultural environment of this Turkish family,
he became a very valuable scholar of astronomy. He joined observations done by Amâcur
brothers and became a great scholar in astronomy to be able to organize a
catalogue of stars. According to Aydın Sayılı, the valuable scientist and
historian of science, “Ahmed el-Fergâni, Amâcur Oğulları and Turkish scientists
like them occupy an important and distinct place among the oldest astronomers
of the Islamic World.”
Turkish scientists who
drew attention in the field of astronomy with their long term observations are Ebu’l-Hasan
Ali b. Amâcur et-Türkî and his son Ebu’l-Kasım Ali b. Amâcur et-Türkî. They
worked with Ali İbn-i Abdullah İbn-i Amâcur of the same family in the same
observatory. Amâcur family realized around fifty observations between the years
887 and 934. The famous astronomer İbn-i Yunus stated that their observations
of moon were more accurate than the ones of Ptolemy and he benefited from these
observations in his studies. Father-son Amâcurs who realized the first
long-term observations in the Islamic World published many catalogues of stars.
REFERENCE:
Emir Ali / Ruh-u İslâm (Çev. Ömer Rıza Doğrul, 1341), Zeki Velidi Togan / Umumi Türk Tarihine Giriş
(s. 90, 1946), Aydın Sayılı / Türkler ve Bilimler (1976), Emel Esin / Türk
Kültür Tarihinin İç Asya’daki Erken Safhaları (s.19, 1985), Şaban Döğen / İslam
ve Astronomi (s. 132, 1996), Zekeriya Kitapçı / Türklerin Arap Dili ve Edebiyatına Hizmetleri:
Hilafet Ülkeleri (2004, s. 103), İhsan Işık / Ünlü Bilim Adamları (Türkiye Ünlüleri
Ansiklopedisi, C. 2, 2013) - Encyclopedia of Turkey’s Famous People (2013).