In the turbulent climate of the Middle Ages, the two primary reasons for the rise and flourishing of Islamic civilization in terms of thought, science, art, and spirituality were: the first, the ability of Muslims to adopt and absorb the best aspects of the ancient civilizations they encountered in the lands they conquered. The second reason was that the faith and spirituality manifested to humanity through Islamic revelation, along with the sciences and arts that emerged from it, nurtured a transcendent love for knowing Allah. In this way, between the 8th and 14th centuries, in particular, Islamic civilization became one of the pinnacles of intellectual thought.
One of the scholars who thrived in this intellectual climate was a man whose full name was Abu al-‘Izz Isma’il ibn al-Razzaz alJazari, though we know him simply as al-Jazari. Historians note that he worked under the patronage of the Artuqid dynasty in Diyarbakir between 1181 and 1206. Based on the epithet at the end of his name, it can be inferred that he was born in Cizre.
Al-Jazari’s place in the history of science
Al-Jazari, recognized as one of the greatest geniuses of the Middle Ages in the field of cybernetics, was a physicist, and master of mechanical robotics, and matrix systems. The use of the term “robot” in the Middle Ages might sound surprising, but it does not refer to robots as we know them today. Instead, it refers to automata, derived from the Greek word “automatos”, meaning “self-moving”. An automaton is a mechanical device that starts moving on its own, performs a task systematically, and then stops on its own. This term typically applies to machines that mimic human or animal movements. Another field in which al-Jazari excelled was cybernetics, the science of communication, regulation, and control. It examines the exchange of information, control, and balance in both humans and machines. This discipline is known as a foundational field that paved the way for the development of modern computer and automation systems.
Al-Jazari, having completed his education in Cizre, eventually focused his work on physics and cybernetics. His contributions were not limited to theoretical work; he made dozens of inventions that continue to inspire awe even today. While Western science history tries to attribute the title of the first robotic invention to the Greek mathematician Archytas, who created a steam-powered pigeon around 300 BCE, the earliest known records related to robotics actually belong to al-Jazari. The undeniable historical evidence we possess demonstrates that al-Jazari was the first cybernetic scholar from Anatolia and the inventor of sixty devices, including automata, clocks, water machines, encrypted locks, safes, thermoses, and automatic children’s toys, thereby laying the groundwork for early computer science.
The marvels of al-Jazari
Certainly, throughout history, and even before al-Jazari, there were studies on automata. Figures like Ctesibius, Heron, Philo, Archimedes, the Banu Musa brothers, al-Khwarizmi, and Ridwan are among the notable scientists who worked in this field. What elevated al-Jazari to the pinnacle of innovation was his meticulous and serious study of these predecessors and his ability to harness his own intellectual brilliance to build upon their work, creating entirely new inventions. The renowned scholar’s book, commonly referred to as Kitab al-Hiyal, was written in Arabic, the scientific language of the time. The book provides explanations, supported by illustrations, of eightythree devices or machines. These include waterpowered clocks, robots (automata), bloodletting devices, candle clocks, locks and doors, fountains, and various irrigation and water-raising mechanisms.
Among al-Jazari’s most thoroughly examined marvels today are his water clocks, designed to measure time. While only some of these clocks used water as an energy source, in all of them, the flow of water was employed as a timing mechanism. Al-Jazari’s timing mechanisms were not only used to measure time but also to trigger specific mechanical actions at set intervals. His devices measured time through three main methods: based on the time it took for a submerged vessel to sink, the time for a full water tank to empty, and the time for an empty vessel to fill. However, alJazari did not only design remarkable clocks. His book also includes suitable vessels and figures for feasts. It features various cups, containers, ewers, and depictions of humanshaped automata intended for use during meals with large gatherings of guests.
We would not be mistaken if we said that al-Jazari made efforts to reflect scientific discoveries into technical devices to be used in practice, in accordance with contemporary understanding. The construction of his ewers, bloodletting instruments, and ablution basins serves as excellent evidence of this. Notably, the ewers capable of dispensing hot, cold, and lukewarm water, various automata, instruments that indicate the amount of blood drawn from patients, ablution basins, fountains that change shape, and devices for continuously playing flutes, as well as mechanisms for drawing water from shallow lakes and rivers, are truly dazzling, especially when considering the technology of his time.
Moreover, al-Jazari’s mastery in achieving precise balance in these devices has also been recognized by scholars, who have noted that he designed extraordinary instruments using the principle of balance. He applied this principle through the use of water and candles, creating highly sensitive mechanisms that demonstrate his advanced understanding of these concepts.
However, it is unfortunate that Muslims later failed to build upon the genius of al-Jazari’s work, and many of his contributions were forgotten. Notably, some of the inventions he introduced were effectively rediscovered in Europe centuries later. For instance, it is a painful truth that Leonardo da Vinci is often recognized as the first to mention conical valves, and a device similar to the level control device mechanism in water clocks was patented in England in 1784 for use in steam boilers.
Al-Jazari, a source of pride not only for Muslims but for all humanity, passed on at the age of eighty in his birthplace, Cizre, after a life rich in knowledge and labor.
