More interest for Islamic technology
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Anatolian Agency
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Aralık 27, 2008 00:00
ISTANBUL - The Islam History of Science and Technology Museum in Istanbul, which displays the models of scientific tools created by Islamic scholars, needs more attention. Professor Fuat Sezgin says the architect intentionally halted many operations during the renovation of the building.
Professor Fuat Sezgin, a significant contrıbutor to the establishment of the Islam History of Science and Technology Museum, said the museum had still not reached the standard he desired.
"I do not want to complain about anyone, but the architect of the museum has intentionally halted many operations at the museum," he said.
The museum opened six months ago and sheds light on discoveries of Islam scholars. Sezgin, 84, who dedicated his life to the history of Islamic sciences and works as director for the Goethe University History of Arab-Islam Sciences Institute, spoke to the Anatolia news agency.
Sezgin received the title of Professor in 1956 at Frankfurt University. In 1983 he opened a museum where models of scientific tools created by Islamic scholars were displayed.
"Muslims have a feeling of inferiority toward Europeans because they do not know about their significant position in the field of science. Our aim is to teach them this position. After long-term work at Goethe University, I learned about Islamic scholars and the scientific tools they discovered. I decided to make models of these lost tools and open a museum. At first I worried about whether I could find 20 tools and make models of them. But the museum in Frankfurt displays 800-900 tools at the moment. It is a magnificent museum," he said.
Sezgin said he later came up with the idea to open a similar museum in a big city, such as Istanbul. "I had talks with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism three years ago. Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality assigned the Has Ahırlar Building in Gülhane Park to the museum and the History of Science and Technology Museum opened on May 24 this year," he said.
Sezgin said the museum has not yet reached the standard he desires, however, "even its establishment is important. Turks, Arabs and even Europeans have admired the museum. When it reaches the standard I desire, its effect on people will be more powerful."
Architect left many things unfinished
Sezgin said the company charged with renovating the museum building had left many things unfinished and when the museum opened six months ago there was not even a sign showing its location in the park and lighting was also very bad.
He said he prepared nearly 200 signboards that explained the history and functions of the tools on display in the museum, "We sent these German, English, French, Arabic and Turkish signboards to the museum. They were supposed to be hung on the walls of the museum. Visitors expect to see the place of Islamic sciences and its history within the global sciences. European intellectuals and orientalists went to great lengths to introduce the history of Islamic sciences to the world, through contributing to the signboards. For example, the question: ’what is the position of Islam in the development of sciences?,’ was answered by an American orientalist. If I gave answers to all these questions, people would think that I was just saying something because I am a Muslim. That is why Europeans have provided the quotes for our signboards."
Sezgin said it was the first museum in the world to provide information in five languages, however, the signboards had not yet been printed. "This museum needs to speak. It was very difficult to prepare these signboards... It is the responsibility of the architect who carried out the renovations of the building."
’I have been invited toNew York’
Sezgin said he had been invited by a nature museum to visit New York. "They asked me if we could open an exhibition which displays these tools in their museum. We need to be there, it is a very famous museum. We need to promote ourselves there."
Sezgin said the Istanbul Islam History of Science and Technology had been established with 142 tools and had now collected 517 tools.
Very significant tools
sSpeaking about the tools on display in the museum, Sezgin said, "There is a terrestrial globe in the museum. It is very important. It is a world map that was prepared 30 years ago. It was lost and we found it. We printed it and made it into a globe. There is also a watch that was discovered by Muslims. I found out about this watch 10 years ago in a manuscript at a library and then made a model."
Sezgin said the stage of scientific creativity in the Islamic world started in the second half of the eighth century and continued until the end of 16th century. "We only know a small amount of information about what they succeeded in doing. They developed what they learned from other cultural worlds, especially the Greeks. Perhaps it is impossible to discover all the things they created."
"I do not want to complain about anyone, but the architect of the museum has intentionally halted many operations at the museum," he said.
The museum opened six months ago and sheds light on discoveries of Islam scholars. Sezgin, 84, who dedicated his life to the history of Islamic sciences and works as director for the Goethe University History of Arab-Islam Sciences Institute, spoke to the Anatolia news agency.
Sezgin received the title of Professor in 1956 at Frankfurt University. In 1983 he opened a museum where models of scientific tools created by Islamic scholars were displayed.
"Muslims have a feeling of inferiority toward Europeans because they do not know about their significant position in the field of science. Our aim is to teach them this position. After long-term work at Goethe University, I learned about Islamic scholars and the scientific tools they discovered. I decided to make models of these lost tools and open a museum. At first I worried about whether I could find 20 tools and make models of them. But the museum in Frankfurt displays 800-900 tools at the moment. It is a magnificent museum," he said.
Sezgin said he later came up with the idea to open a similar museum in a big city, such as Istanbul. "I had talks with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism three years ago. Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality assigned the Has Ahırlar Building in Gülhane Park to the museum and the History of Science and Technology Museum opened on May 24 this year," he said.
Sezgin said the museum has not yet reached the standard he desires, however, "even its establishment is important. Turks, Arabs and even Europeans have admired the museum. When it reaches the standard I desire, its effect on people will be more powerful."
Architect left many things unfinished
Sezgin said the company charged with renovating the museum building had left many things unfinished and when the museum opened six months ago there was not even a sign showing its location in the park and lighting was also very bad.
He said he prepared nearly 200 signboards that explained the history and functions of the tools on display in the museum, "We sent these German, English, French, Arabic and Turkish signboards to the museum. They were supposed to be hung on the walls of the museum. Visitors expect to see the place of Islamic sciences and its history within the global sciences. European intellectuals and orientalists went to great lengths to introduce the history of Islamic sciences to the world, through contributing to the signboards. For example, the question: ’what is the position of Islam in the development of sciences?,’ was answered by an American orientalist. If I gave answers to all these questions, people would think that I was just saying something because I am a Muslim. That is why Europeans have provided the quotes for our signboards."
Sezgin said it was the first museum in the world to provide information in five languages, however, the signboards had not yet been printed. "This museum needs to speak. It was very difficult to prepare these signboards... It is the responsibility of the architect who carried out the renovations of the building."
’I have been invited toNew York’
Sezgin said he had been invited by a nature museum to visit New York. "They asked me if we could open an exhibition which displays these tools in their museum. We need to be there, it is a very famous museum. We need to promote ourselves there."
Sezgin said the Istanbul Islam History of Science and Technology had been established with 142 tools and had now collected 517 tools.
Very significant tools
sSpeaking about the tools on display in the museum, Sezgin said, "There is a terrestrial globe in the museum. It is very important. It is a world map that was prepared 30 years ago. It was lost and we found it. We printed it and made it into a globe. There is also a watch that was discovered by Muslims. I found out about this watch 10 years ago in a manuscript at a library and then made a model."
Sezgin said the stage of scientific creativity in the Islamic world started in the second half of the eighth century and continued until the end of 16th century. "We only know a small amount of information about what they succeeded in doing. They developed what they learned from other cultural worlds, especially the Greeks. Perhaps it is impossible to discover all the things they created."