Iran declares readiness to restore al-Biruni tomb in Afghanistan

Iranian Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts (CHTH) Ali Asghar Mounesan has announced Iran’s readiness to assist in the reconstruction of Abu Rihan al-Biruni's tomb in Afghanistan.  

Mounesan has urged Mohammad Hassan Talebian, Deputy Minister of Cultural Heritage, to accelerate the reconstruction process so that the tomb of Abu Rihan al-Biruni, an Iranian scholar and polymath and one of the greatest scholars of the medieval Islamic era in the city of Ghazni, would be restored and reconstructed.  

“Iran has good knowledge in the field of repair and reconstruction of historical monuments and has prominent experts in this field,” Mounesan said adding, “The preservation of monuments as a cultural component with tourism approach will create a historical cultural path between the two countries.”  

He further said that, “To achieve such goal, we are helping Afghanistan to reconstruct the tomb of Abu Rihan al-Biruni in order to witness a tomb reconstructed worthy of this prominent Iranian scientist."

Abu Rayhan Muhammad ibn Ahmad Biruni, the 10th century Islamic mathematical genius, made contributions to astronomy, mathematics, physics, medicine and history.  

It was Al-Biruni who combined trigonometry and algebra to calculate the radius of the earth; a very numerical feat that required a lot of imagination over a thousand years ago.

Biruni's scholarly legacy has inspired scientists and mathematicians for several centuries, and his name continues to bring in respect even today.

MM/FM