Women in Science - Golden Age of Islam

[hathair]

Peace

I am currently doing research on women in science - ancient history to late 20th century.

Just wondering if anyone could point me to resources/info (books, internet sites) regarding prominent female scientists during the Islamic Golden Age. I've found some info on women, eg Amra bint Abdul Rehman (she was instrumental force behind a ban on the selling of unripe fruit, studied crop damage). Al-Shifa bint Abdullah was a nurse and trainer in medicine, as was Rofaida Aslamiah. Miriam al-Ijli al Asterlabia made astrolabes.

Were there any women of exceptional genius (not to diminish the achievments of the abovementioned women) like Marie Curie, Lise Meitner, Sophie Germain, Inge Lehmann? It is true that in almost all periods of history women haven't been given the same opportunities as men. I've got a fair bit of info on 18-20th century. Some on medieval Europe & various ancient civilisations.

It is somewhat disappointing to find almost no info on prominent female scientists from what is called the Islamic Golden Age. For instance, there are maybe four google search results for Miriam al-Ijli al Asterlabia.

Please any info greatly appreciated.

[hathair]

Ok well I can't seem to find much on specific women scientists. Women accounted for ~%1 of scholars prior to the 12th century (and there was a period later on when %15 of hadith scholars were women), mainly specialising in Islamic topics (hadith, jurisprudence). I think I'll do more research on the role women played in establishing academic institutions (eg Fatima al-Fihri); and it is true there is a rich history of female partcipation within academic institutions.

[falah]

Al-Muhaddithat – The Women Scholars in Islam

http://www.productivemuslim.com/al-m...lars-in-islam/

[hathair]

Al-Muhaddithat – The Women Scholars in Islam

http://www.productivemuslim.com/al-m...lars-in-islam/

Thanks for this info on hadith scholars. However, I'm more interested in what are called the "natural sciences" [physics, chemistry, biology] & mathematics.

[falah]

In Andalus women were employed in copying books, and other academic work.

Fatima bint Maslama al-Majriti features on this Spanish International Year of Astronomy (2009) calendar:

Fatmia of Madrid

Muslim Astronomer X-XI centuries, was also the daughter of an astronomer and polymath, Maslama al-Majriti, whose name means "man of Madrid." She wrote numerous works, known as "Corrections of Fatima." worked with her father in their research astronomy and mathematics. Together they edited and corrected Astronomical Tables of al-Khwarizmi,
adjusting the meridian of Cordoba and placing the 'Center of the World' in the capital of the Caliphate, as a reference
for all calculations. She also worked on calendars, the calculation true positions of the sun, moon and planets, tables of sines and tangents, spherical astronomy, tables astrological calculations parallax eclipses and visibility of the moon.

http://www.astronomia2009.es/Documen...resolucion.pdf

[hathair]

In Andalus women were employed in copying books, and other academic work.

Fatima bint Maslama al-Majriti features on this Spanish International Year of Astronomy (2009) calendar:



http://www.astronomia2009.es/Documen...resolucion.pdf

Thanks for this info. Unfortunately I can't seem to locate any biographical info beyond the Spanish Year of Astronomy. In fact all biographical sketches seem to derive their info from that one source [she is also known as Fatima de Madrid (? 10th - 11th century)].

[falah]

If you wanted to research her, you might have to go to the monasteries in Spain where her works are currently held like the Monastery of El Escorial.


There is an article here about her which says that she wrote the book the Corrections of Fatima.

http://www.nmspacemuseum.org/documen...tionPaper3.pdf

and here:

http://translate.google.com.au/trans...ed=0CCgQ7gEwAA

[hathair]

If you wanted to research her, you might have to go to the monasteries in Spain where her works are currently held like the Monastery of El Escorial.


There is an article here about her which says that she wrote the book the Corrections of Fatima.

http://www.nmspacemuseum.org/documen...tionPaper3.pdf

and here:

http://translate.google.com.au/trans...ed=0CCgQ7gEwAA

Thanks! - I'll check this out.