Astronomy in the Service of Islam
David A. King
Abstract
Contents: Preface: General Survey: Science in the service of religion: the case of Islam Lunar Crescent Visibility and the Regulation of the Islamic Calendar: Some early Islamic tables for determining lunar crescent visibility Ibn Yunus on lunar crescent visibility Lunar crescent visibility predictions in medieval Islamic ephemerides Astronomical Timekeeping and the Regulation of the Times of Islamic Prayer: Mikat: astronomical timekeeping Universal solutions in Islamic astronomy Universal solutions to problems of spherical astronomy from Mamluk Egypt and Syria Mizwala The Sacred Direction in Islam: Kibla: sacred direction Makka: as the centre of the world Matlaa : astronomical rising-points On the orientation of the Kaa ba Astronomical alignments in medieval Islamic religious architecture The earliest Islamic mathematical methods and tables for finding the direction of Mecca Addenda Indexes.