Indian Origins of Arab-Islamic Scientific and Literary Heritage - Tapa dura

This book comprising two parts is a pioneering research work in the fertile but little explored field of Indo-Arab cultural and intellectual interaction as well as history of science and civilization. It has been substantially brought out in the first part that India has been the teacher of the Arabs and through them of the entire world in such diverse subjects of studies as mathematics, astronomy, medicine and wisdom literature.The role of Arabs in preserving and enriching scientific knowledge of the world, leading to renaissance of the West has also been properly highlighted on the basis of both original and secondary sources. The second part of the book contains comprehensive life sketches and literary contributions of ten eminent Indian scholars of Arabic-Islamic learning. The contribution made by them to the enrichment of Arabic-Islamic literature have been analytically assessed for the first time in the English language. It is clearly made out that their contributions are so vast and rich that they cannot be neglected in any meaningful survey of the world's Arabic-Islamic literary heritage. It is hoped that the book will be hailed in academic circles as as valuable addition to scanty literature on the subject. Both indologists as well as historians of science, literature and civilization will find it particularly interesting and useful.

Prof Abdul Ali received his higher education at the University of Allahabad (1922-66 ). He started his professional career as Lecturer at the Department of Arabic, Rangia Degree College, Kamrup (Assam) after obtaining the degree of Master of Arts in Arabic in 1966. Then he joined the Govt. Post-Graduate Hamidia Arts & Commerce College, Bhopal (M.P.) IN 1968, and served this institution for 20 years as Lecturer and Assistant Professor of Arabic. He obtained the degree of PhD and D Litt in Arabic from Lucknow University, Lucknow. He also served as Chairman and Director, Department and Institute of Islamic Studies, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh. Prof Ali is author of fifteen books and over a hundred research papers and articles published in Journals and Seminar proceedings of National and international repute both at home and abroad. He worked on a UGC-funded Major Research Project for a period of three and a half years. He has also been awarded the Presidential Certificate of Honour for Excellence in teaching and research in Arabic