(xii)
A‘lahazrat as a Mathematician
Prof. Zia al-din was the Vice Chancellor of Aligarh University and Sayyid Sulayman Ashraf was Professor of Islamic Studies. Prof. Zia al-din was a noted Mathematician of India. Once he got confused over a question of mathematics. The question was so complicated that despite all efforts, it remained unsolved. Insofar as, Prof. Zia al-din made up his mind to go to Germany in order to consult his German counterparts. Meanwhile, Prof. Sulayman Ashraf advised him to approach A‘lahazrat at Bareilly on this issue. Prof. Zia al-din raised certain queries about A‘lahazrat. On being told that A‘lahazrat was Maulana [Mawlavi], he paid no heed and began to make all arrangements for his trip to Germany.
However, Prof. Sulayman Ashraf did not change his stand and
went on insisting that he should visit Bareilly. Upon this,
Prof. Zia al-din said: "I admit what you say. I admit
that he is a great man. But it is not a question of Islamic
science; it is a question of mathematics. What has a Mawlawi
to do with mathematics? What a deriding it is to go to him
for such a question which is a gordian knot even for
mathematicians." Even so Prof. Sulayman Ashraf did not
retract at all and argued: "As compared to Germany,
Bareilly is at an arm’s length and direct train is there.
What ails you if you go there first for my sake? If you get
satisfaction, all well. If not, you are at liberty to
proceed to Germany or anywhere you like." Then, Prof.
Zia al-din said: "If you so insist, let me see
A‘lahazrat".
Finally
both the gentlemen reached Bareilly and met A‘lahazrat.
A‘lahazrat was running somewhat indisposed. However,
A‘lahazrat asked Prof. Zia al-din, "What brings you
here?" "In connection with a question of
mathematics", he replied. "What is that",
A‘lahazrat asked. Prof. Zia al-din said: "The
question is not so easy. I shall tell you when you are at
ease," "Even so, what is that?" —
A‘lahazrat remarked. Prof. Zia al-din then went on putting
up his lengthy and uphill question. By the time the question
was finished A‘lahazrat replied forthwith: "Its
answer is such and such." Hearing the answer at such a
slip shod, Prof. Zia al-din was all-agape. He was
overwhelmed with the charisma of A‘lahazrat’s talent. He
said: "I heard of Ilm-i-Ladunni (inspired
knowledge) but today I have seen it with my own eyes.
Glorious mathematicians are vainglorious. The real genius is
A‘lahazrat who took no time to solve an insoluble question
for which I have been languishing since long." Prof.
Zia al-din, thus, took a sigh of relief and thanked Prof.
Sulayman Ashraf for his kind and fruitful guidance.
Thrilling
news appeared in the English Daily "Express" of
18th October 1919 published from Bankipur, Patna (Bihar). It
was regarding a unique and dreadful forecast made by Prof.
Albert of USA, who happened to be an astronomer and
mathematician of international repute. Its gist was as
under:-
"On
17th December, 1919, six planets which are most powerful
viz. Jupiter, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn and Neptune will
be in conjunction and the Sun will come in opposite
direction of these planets. These planets will fetch the sun
towards them with all their gravity. The result will be that
the magnetic properties of these planets will pierce into
the sun and it will inflict a hole into the sun, which will
be in the shape of a big dagger. And, such a stain on the
sun will be visible which everybody would see on 17th
December 1919 with naked eyes. Prof. Albert further
predicted that conjunction of such planets, which was not
witnessed for the last twenty centuries, would cause
disorder in the air and it would bring about big storms,
terrible rains and powerful earthquakes. The earth will
return to its normal position after several weeks."
The news
spread like wild fire. Panic gripped the whole world. Some
of the Muslims fell prey to it as well. Mawlana Zafaruddin
of Bihar, a disciple and caliph of A‘lahazrat apprised
A‘lahazrat of such forecast of Prof. Albert. Thereupon,
A‘lahazrat wrote an article belying the forecast tooth and
nail brandishing it as baseless and bogus, which was
published in the Monthly "Al Riza" from Bareilly.
This contradictory article too gained equal publicity.
A‘lahazrat was challenging Prof. Albert. A Mawlawi was
challenging an astronomer. An Indian was challenging an
American. It was towards the middle of November and the
people were waiting impatiently for 17th December. In order
to allay the fear on the part of his Muslim brethren,
A‘lahazrat rose to the occasion and chose to get his
article published. A‘lahazrat consoled the frightened
Muslims and advised them:-
"Muslims:
be afraid of Allah. Don't be afraid of Albert. His forecast
is false and baseless. It is neither desirable nor
permissible for you to pay any heed to it".
Interestingly enough, A‘lahazrat gave as many as seventeen
arguments to disprove the said forecast. The arguments
advanced by A‘lahazrat are astronomical and technical. Men
of common understanding cannot understand. So, it is of no
use to reproduce them in full. However, those who can and
those who wish to make a deep study of these arguments, may
please go through the booklet "Prof. Albert F. Porta
Ki Peshin Goi Ka Rad" published from Maktaba Gharib
Nawaz, Allahabad.
However,
to present something for a common, man, I would like to
point out that A‘lahazrat argued vehemently that the very
basis of such a forecast was wrong. The forecast was based
on the principle that "sun is stationary and the earth
moves around the sun". In the light of Holy Qur’an,
A‘lahazrat declared:- "The sun and moon do move
according to their course. They are sailing within a circle.
It is earth (not sun) that is stationary around which the
sun and other planets revolve".
According
to the working of Prof. Albert, the mutual distance of six
planets as on 17th December 1919 worked out to 26 degree,
whereas A‘lahazrat presented a detailed chart depicting
the real position of such planets as on 17th December,
according to which, such mutual distance worked out to 112
degree. There was such a lot of difference between the two.
Prof.
Albert gave all the weight to Law of Gravitation. Confuting
it, A‘lahazrat argued that the said conjunction did not
conform with the Law of Gravitation as well. Either of the
two shall have to be discarded then. Have all the planets
made a pact to attack the sun alone? Why will they not
attack each other, A‘lahazrat quipped. If the Law of
Gravitation is correct, it is bound to affect all — more
effect upon what is nearer and sharper effect upon what is
weaker. When the attack of six planets can cause such an
injury to the sun, then why the Saturn could not be
destroyed by the gravity of the remaining five planets,
especially when the Saturn is smaller than Sun by thousand
times, A‘lahazrat asked.
Mars is
smaller than Saturn. Mercury is the smallest of all. So in
this way, these are bound to be shattered into pieces. What
an absurd it is to believe that the weaker might not suffer
at all and the strongest (sun) will lose the battle,
A‘lahazrat argued. Even on the basis of the Law of
Gravitation, there can be no such conjunction of planets,
A‘lahazrat declared. That is, A‘lahazrat beat Albert
from both ends.
By and
by, the time passed and the crucial day of 17th December
arrived. As the sun rose, the panic-stricken people began to
take it as Doomsday. The routine life went to standstill.
Clouds of horror hovered heavily. Some people laid hope in
Albert. Some people laid hope in A‘lahazrat. The names of
Albert and A‘lahazrat were running on the lips and tips of
one and all. By grace of Allah, the day went off peacefully,
the sun set setting the pandemonium at rest. Nothing
untoward took place anywhere. The position of Albert was all
burst.
Everybody
witnessed that what A‘lahazrat had observed and declared,
came true word by word. It bagged three cheers for
A‘lahazrat. Prof. Albert also conceded the talent of
A‘lahazrat in the field of astronomy.