Abū Isḥāq Ibrāhīm ibn Yaḥyā al-Naqqāsh al-Zarqālī, Al-Zarqali, Ibn Zarqala (1029–1087), Latinized as Arzachel, was an instrument maker and one of the leading theoretical and practical astronomers of his time. Although his name is conventionally given as al-Zarqālī, it is probable that the correct form was al-Zarqālluh. He lived in Toledo in Castile, Al-Andalus (now Spain), moving to Córdoba later in his life. His works inspired a generation of Islamic astronomers in Andalusia.
The crater Arzachel on the Moon is named after him.
Al-Zarqālī was born to a family of Visigoth converts to Islam in a village near the outskirts of Toledo, then a famous capital of the Taifa of Toledo, known for its co-existence between Muslims and Christians.
He was trained as a metalsmith and due to his skills he was nicknamed Al-Nekkach (in Andalusian Arabic "the engraver of metals"). According to the historians of Al-Andalus he was a mechanic and metal-craftsman very crafty with his hands.[citation needed]
He was particularly talented in Geometry and Astronomy. He is known to have taught and visited Córdoba on various occasions his extensive experience and knowledge eventually made him the foremost astronomer of his time. Al-Zarqālī was not only just a Theoretical scientist but an inventor as well. His inventions and works put Toledo at the intellectual center of Al-Andalus.
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
