“Science is sole contribution of the west” is a misnomer among people with little knowledge as Babylonian, Egyptian, Greek, Chinese, Indian, Iranian, Roman and finally Muslim civilizations have contributed to science and technology, writes Bashir Talib
Like every other discovery, invention or industrial production, mineral oil (crude oil) and its products are also attributed to western technologists where as the case is not so. Muslim scientists discoverers had discovered , extracted, refined and used mineral oil long back though it is a tragic fact the currently fractional distillation of crude oil, which is regarded as one of the most sophisticated technologies, is once again dominated by western companies and technologists. Following account will provide some evidence in this regard.
Today petroleum is the most important product of Muslim lands and probably the most significant material, affecting the lives of many nations and the international policies of the major powers. It is not generally realized, however, that petroleum was also significant in Islamic history. Crude petroleum (naft) was produced and distilled extensively; it had a strategic importance in war and was used also in every day life.
The word naft, which can mean either crude oil or the light distillates, was defined more specifically by Muslim scientists. Usually they called crude oil ‘black naft’ and the distillates “white naft’ , even though some crude oils are white in their natural state. As to the distillation process, we have excellent descriptions in Arabic Literature, such as that in al- Razi’s Kitab Sirr-al- Asrar ( Book of the Secret of Secrets), probably of the late second centaury AH (ninth centaury AD). From this we learn that black naft was first mixed with white clay or sal ammoniac into a ‘ dough like a thick soup’ and then distilled. Such light distillates or white naft were used by him to ’soften or loosen’ some solid substances, such as certain gems and minerals. Moreover in his chemical and medical work al- Razi made use of oil lamps ( naffata) for gently heating chemicals; the fuel for these was either vegetable oils or petroleum.
The oil field of Baku were developed on a commercial scale by the Muslims at an early date, and it is reported that in 272AH/AD 885 the Caliph al- Mu’tamid granted the revenues of the naft springs to the inhabitants of Darband. There are several accounts of Baku oil and al- Mas’udi, after visiting them about 302 AH/AD 915, wrote that ‘vessels trade sail to Baka (Baku) which is the oilfield (mine) for white naft and other{kinds}; and there is not in the world- and God knows better- white naft except in this spot’. In the seventh century AH (thirteen centaury AD) wells were dug in Baku to get down to the source of the naft, and it was at this time that Marco Polo reported ‘ a hundred shiploads might be taken from it at one time.
Besides its extensive military applications petroleum was used as a fuel and a medicine. Marco Polo wrote of Baku oil: ‘ This oil is not good to use with food, but it is good to burn, and is also used to anoint camels that have the mange. People came from vast distances to fetch it, for in all the countries round about they no other oil’.
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