Ahvazi Engineer

Strange questions:

The rain just stopped and Hasan was looking at the rainbow on the corner of the sky. The teacher had sat behind his small table. He hit his thin stick on the table firmly and said '' O' Hasan!''
Hasan turned back with the shout of the teacher.
'' O' teacher! I have a question. How is the rainbow created?''
The teacher looked at the sky and remained silent.
'' O' teacher! Don't you want to answer my question?''
'' When you grow up, you will understand the answer''.
''But I want to know the answer now. You are a teacher; therefore, you should know the answer. Tell me to know it''.
''You are too young to ask such questions''.
''O' teacher! I have a lot of questions to ask. Why don’t the stars fall? How are they stuck there? Why is everything dark at night and why is everything light at noon?''
The teacher thought and said involuntarily '' really, why?''
A person from the end of the class said '' O' children! As you see, our teacher the same as us does not know the answer of the questions of Hasan''.
The children laughed loudly. The teacher hit the stick on the table and shouted '' O' Hasan! Bring your hands forward''.
He hit on the palm of his hand several times and dismissed him. The students remained silent and sat politely and quietly. Hasan rubbed his red hands. He started at the rainbow and murmured '' one day I will understand how it has been created? I should find the answer of my questions''.

Great persons:

Few hours passed and Hasan didn't come down the roof still. The mother went to the roof in a worried way. He saw Hasan lying on the mud-and-straw floor of the roof and studying a book. She called '' Hasan''.
He was drowned in studying as much as he didn't hear the voice of his mother.

'' When did you come?''

The mother smiled '' you were drowned in studying as much as you couldn't see me''.
Hasan put the book down and said '' excuse me ''.
''What are you reading? You are too young to study such books. Now you should play with your peers''.
''But studying this book is more enjoyable than any plays''.
His father that reached the roof after his mother touched his head hearing the remarks of Hasan and said '' O' my son! If you want to study, I can provide appropriate books for you''.
Hasan kissed the hand of his father and said '' if possible, provide the books of Eghlidos (1) and Arashmidos (2) for me. I would like to get familiar with their beliefs and get a copy of their opinions''.
The father looked at his mother and said '' I'm sure that this boy will become an intellectual in the future''.
Hasan said in a smiling way '' O' father! What are you saying? If I want to become a scientist, I should study a lot in order to write a book''. When I grow up, I can do it''.
The father kissed the face of Hasan and promised to provide more books for him.

A young genius:

It was night. Hasan had lied beside his father on the roof and was looking at the stars. The father asked '' O' dear Hasan! What are you thinking about?''
Hasan said '' I'm looking at the stars. I have thousands questions. Is it possible to come to the meeting with you?''
The father said '' O' Hasan! Persons that are old enough can go there, but you are a child''.
Hasan said '' O' father! I beg you. Persons that come there are educated, so they may answer my questions''.
The father accepted and took him to the meeting. There were a lot of persons in the class and no one paid attention to Hasan. He sat beside his father on a corner and listened to their remarks. He would like to express his opinions in their discussion. But his father had told him only to listen. The teacher said nothing during this time and listened to the remarks of others. He asked at once '' how can we see objects with our eyes?''
Everybody was quiet. The teacher repeated his question once more. The question seemed familiar to Hasan. He had already read the answer of this question in the book '' Eghlids''.
He raised his hand and said '' O' teacher! Can I answer this question?''

Everyone turned back him.

The teacher said '' can you answer this question?''
He answered '' yes. If you let me, I'll answer it. The exit of a beam from our eyes and its reflection on objects around us can help us to see them…''
Everyone looked at him in a surprised way. When Hasan finished his remarks, the teacher wanted him to get closer to him and to sit beside him. He asked him kindly '' O' dear boy! How old are you?''
Hasan answered '' eleven years old''.
The teacher asked '' how do you know the answer of this question?''
Hasan answered '' from the book of the great scientist '' Eghlides''.
The teacher asked several questions. Hasan answered all of them and the teacher allowed him to take part in their meetings.
Later Ibn Heitham rejected the remarks of Eghlides after he did a lot of experiments and searches.
He said '' when we can see objects, a beam of light reaches us from objects. He proved a new theory that became known as '' the theory of the eyesight of Ibn Heitham''.

A party:

The Shiite scientist had been famous throughout the world of the Islam. Al-Hakem was a leader that loved science; therefore, he wanted the dignitaries of the court to bring Ibn Heitham from Basra (3) to Cairo (4). Al-Hakem said to his minister '' if you say that he is a great scientist, we would like him to be here with us. Take a lot of money and gifts for him and bring him to Cairo''.
That time was the era of the prosperity and the flourishing of the Islamic Government from political, scientific and social aspects in the world. The rulers competed against each other in order to support scientists and dignitaries so that they could collect and use the best scientific books of the world.
Ibn heitham wouldn't like to leave his city and master. But he knew that if he didn’t accept the invitation of Al-Hakem, the leader of Cairo, he would become angry and would put him into trouble. He said goodbye to his master and friends and went to the court of Al-Hakem. During way, Al-Hakem came to welcome him. He became so happy to meet him and said to him '' as I had heard, you are very graceful and mild. It is a great sorry that Dar Al-Hakame (5) be deprived of you''.
Ibn Heitham said '' I thank you, but …
Al-Hakem rode his horse forward and ordered '' bring him to the castle respectfully''.
When they arrived the court, Al-Hakem took him to his house and ordered his servants to dine Ibn Heitham. Then he looked at him and said '' although you are too young, you have learned a lot of sciences. By the way, I've heard that you're addressed with the title '' Engineer Ahvazi'', aren't you?''
Ibn Heitham said '' my ancestors are from Ahvaz (6) and after Arab invaded there, they migrated Basra''.
On the occasion of the entrance of Ibn Heitham to Cairo, the ruler celebrated and invited the dignitaries and the scientists of Cairo to come to Dar Al-Hokume in order to learn the sciences from Ibn Heitham. After the celebration, the dignitaries said to the ruler ''Ibn Heitham is unique in the sciences of medicine, philosophy, logic (7), music, astronomy and math and it is our honor to have him among the dignitaries of Cairo.

The problem of Nil River:

Al-Hakem loved science and knowledge and respected the dignitaries, but he didn't always behave similarly. From time to time, he did strange jobs. For example, one day he said that he liked math and the other day, he said that he hated whoever knew math. Everyone was afraid of him because of his strange behaviors.
One day he summoned Ibn Heitham and said '' O' Ahvazi Engineer! We believe in your knowledge. We want you to do an important job''.
Ibn Heitham said '' O' leader! What should I do?''
Al-Hakem said '' you're one of the best engineers of Cairo. Your plans always turn out to be right and exact. We want to make a plan to solve the problem of Nil River''.
Ibn Heitham said '' which problem?''
Al-Hakem said '' we want you to organize the flow of Nil River in the time of its overflowing in the winter and the reduction of its water in the summer with an exact engineering plan''.
Ibn Heitham accepted it. But when he along with engineers went beside Nil River and saw the quick flow of the water of Nil, he changed his thought. He said to himself '' if my plans don't turn out right, it isn't clear of how the ruler with his strange features will behave with me and others''.
He went to Al-Hakem and said '' regarding the condition of Nil River, I can't implement my plan''.
Afterwards, Al-Hakem changed his behaviors with Ibn Heitham. He took back his property and devoted a guardian for him.

Traveling toward Sham:

Ibn Heitham came out of the court and went toward Sham without any news about Cairo. The leader of Sham became happy because the great scientist came to his court. He welcomed him warmly and left him a lot of properties. Ibn Heitham didn't accept the gifts and the properties of the leader of Sham and said '' if I accept these properties, I should be in your service and this action prevents me from science and knowledge. It's a great help to stay in Sham''.
The leader said '' how do you want to live in Sham?''
Ibn Heitham said '' Kind God has endowed me good handwriting. I can run my life with rewriting books and teaching''.
The leader became surprised of the diligence and the modesty of Ibn Heitham and said '' but such jobs aren't in your rank''.
Ibn Heitham smiled '' rewriting the books of the dignitaries, I can make money as well as increase my science and knowledge''.
The leader smiled and said '' excellent! You're a wise person''.
Ibn Heitham said '' the failure of the design of Nil caused that I could understand that I should increase my research and studies. To reach a new theory, I should use the theory of other scientists. I should record right points and correct wrong points with exact analyses. This job gives me the best chance to do more research''.
The leader said '' you can live in our land however you feel relaxed. We are proud of you''.
Ibn Heitham was the first person that applied this new way for scientific researches. He made tools that were necessary for experiments and explained the way of making them in his books.

Examinations:

One day the child of a leader came to see him. He was a polite and mild young. He would like to become the student of Ibn Heitham. The youth said '' since I heard that a great scientist had come Sham, I wished to see you. Maybe, you accept me as your student''.
Ibn Heitham became interested in his honesty and the behaviors and to make sure about his interest in science and knowledge, he suggested him high payment. The youth accepted it without any objections and said happily '' being the student of a scientist like you is more valuable than this payment. When can I start studying?''
Ibn Heitham said '' today''.
The child of the leader rented a house near the house of Ibn Heitham and started acquiring science and knowledge. He paid his tuition in a due time in each month. He was the student of Ibn Heitham for three years. After his educational course finished, Ibn Heitham gave back all of money that he had taken from him over these three years and said '' I wanted to know your interest in science and knowledge. I wanted to know whether you were ready to acquire science with however much money''.
The child of the leader thanked and wherever he went, he said that Ibn Heitham had given him back the money. Since then people respected Ibn Heitham more than before. They said '' he's a faithful scientist and doesn't distribute his science with money''.

The death of the ruler:

Everyone got informed of the death of the ruler so soon. Barkers (8) announced his death anywhere. Ibn Heitham was making a means for his experiments. A man riding a horse was passing the alley and shouted '' O' people! Know that Al-Hakem, the leader of Cairo, has passed away. O' people! know…''
Ibn Heitham stopped working and said to himself '' did I hear right? Has the leader of Cairo passed away?''
Even though years passed, he couldn't feel relaxed because of the story of the leader and the problem of Nil River. He breathed deeply and said to himself '' I should study and do experiments more than before. I missed these years without any logical reasons''.
After the death of Al-Hakem, he went to Jame Al-Azhar, one of scientific great centers of Egypt, and started writing the book '' Al-Manazer''. It took years for him to write the seven-volume book. It is one of important books in Physique that Ibn Heitham tried a lot to write it.

Purpose:

Ibn Heitham did a lot of experiments in order to find the answer of his questions. If he was wrong, he repeated his experiments over and over again in order to find the answer.
It was a long time that he worked on the structure of the eye. He went to bed late at night. He ate only a meal and didn't leave his workroom and talked to no one. One day one of his students brought him food and begged him to eat his food, but the food became cold and he never stopped working.
The student asked '' what's your purpose for all of these jobs and attempts?''
He said '' have you ever paid attention that eye has a great and complex structure? I 'm trying to make these complex components known''.
The student said '' aren't you tired of job and attempt?''
Ibn Heitham said '' these activities are fun for me. Science makes me get closer to God''.
The student remained silent, took out the plate of food and said to his classmates '' he's a strange man and he never stops trying if he doesn't come in a result. He's drowned in experiment and research as much as he doesn't feel hunger''.
Ibn Heitham was the first person that classified the structure of eye and named its parts. He used new solutions to solve the problems of math that he himself had found.

Invention:

Ibn Heitham was in the class of the course of astronomy in Jame Al-Azhar. One of his students asked '' how can we sight (9) stars? How can we measure the movement of planets? What're the reasons of lunar eclipse and the appearance of corona around the month? Is the speed of light limited?''
Ibn Heitham smiled and said '' be patient. Ask your questions one by one so that I can answer them''.
He answered the questions one by one patiently. The student remained silent for a moment and held down his head. Ibn Heitham said '' did I answer them wrongly?''
The student said '' although time is important for you, it is a long time that I've been asking questions and you've been answering them patiently. I was ashamed that I took your time with my invaluable questions''.
Ibn Heitham said mildly '' I thank you because your questions force me to try''.
After he did a lot of experiments and searches, he wrote the answer of the questions in the book '' Al-Manazer'' and tried to deal with things that are necessary for people in their books. Doing all of these experiments caused that he designed the dark house or black box in photography. The scientists after him could make photo camera and shooting camera using black box. Ibn Heitham discovered most of scientific matters for the first time. For example, the previous scientists said that the speed of light was limited, but he proved that the speed of light was unlimited. He also invented the first magnifier. He is well known as '' Elahzen''. He's the first scientist of the physique of light in the world. Ibn Heitham wrote a lot of books and trained a lot of students in different majors. After his death, the great scientists of the world used the book '' Al-Manazer'' as a reference. Ghotb Al-Din Shirazi, Kamal Al-Din Farsi, Robert Gerus, the England Scientist, Wiltu, Polish Scientist and other dignitaries of the world used this book for their scientific works.
Ibn Heitham was born in Basra in 1350 H and passed away in Cairo in 430 H.
Source:
1. A Greek mathematician and astronomer that was born three hundred years before the birth of Christ and wrote the book '' the principles of geometry'' 2. A great Greek scientist and mathematician that was born in 212 A.D 3. One of cities in Iraq 4. The capital city of Egypt 5. It is said to the capital of each country that is the place of government 6. One of cities of Khuzestan Province 7. It is a science that teaches the right way of thinking 8. Some of the officers of the government that walked in the alley and the streets of the city and announced the orders of the ruler loudly. 9. Looking at stars for a long time in order to understand scientific rules related to them.