Geographers, astronomers and travellers of the Islamic world

On European ships all the responsibility lay with the captain and the navigator. During a long voyage, an Arab navigator held three positions at once - ship's captain, navigator and pilot.During the time of Ibn Majid, the requirements for a pilot were already given such importance that they were codified in acts of state importance.The book presents studies of the activities of al-Farghani, al-Biruni, al-Idrisi, al-Khwarizmi, al-Masudi, al-Tusi, Suleiman al-Mahri, Sidi Ali Chelebi, Ibn Majid, Peary Rees, and other scholars and travelers who contributed much to the history of geographical discovery. The discovery of the American continent, maps showing the contours of that continent long before Columbus sailed, and accurate navigational data about the waters of the Indian Ocean, centuries before the arrival of the Portuguese, are considered sensational.