Samad Rizvi
Encyclopedia
Syed Samad Hussain Rizvi (July 23, 1924 – December 17, 2009) was a noted astrologer
who dedicated his life to astronomy
and cosmology
.
), he learnt astrology
from the Pandits of Banaras. The influence of noted astronomer Abu Rayhan Biruni led him to study astronomy in Aligarh. After earning a B.Sc. in Engineering Science with distinction from Aligarh Muslim University
, he migrated to Karachi
, Pakistan
.
’s lost book, Karana Tilaka (a treatise on Indian astronomy and calculation of celestial bodies). The original Sanskrit
manuscript
of Karana Tilaka is unavailable and untraceable, but Samad Rizvi found its Arabic version (Ghurrat-uz-Zijat) penned by Al-Beruni and deciphered it into English. However, his milestone work is the revival of Al-Beruni’s new moon
sighting criterion.
His correct monthly predictions of the new moon sighting, published in the Urdu daily "Jang", for about half a century, until his death, were remarkable.
He joined the Military Engineering Service of Pakistan as an electronics engineer (civil contractor), but continued as a serious amateur astronomer.
. He was buried in Wadi-e-Hussain Graveyard.
Few Research papers contributed by Engr. Syed Samad Husain Rizvi (Alig)
Astrologer
An astrologer practices one or more forms of astrology. Typically an astrologer draws a horoscope for the time of an event, such as a person's birth, and interprets celestial points and their placements at the time of the event to better understand someone, determine the auspiciousness of an...
who dedicated his life to astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
and cosmology
Cosmology
Cosmology is the discipline that deals with the nature of the Universe as a whole. Cosmologists seek to understand the origin, evolution, structure, and ultimate fate of the Universe at large, as well as the natural laws that keep it in order...
.
Early life and education
Born on July 23, 1924 in a literary family of Aligarh (IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
), he learnt astrology
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
from the Pandits of Banaras. The influence of noted astronomer Abu Rayhan Biruni led him to study astronomy in Aligarh. After earning a B.Sc. in Engineering Science with distinction from Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh Muslim University ,is a residential academic university, established in 1875 by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan as Mohammedan Angelo-Oriental College and later granted the status of Central University by an Act of the Indian Parliament in 1920...
, he migrated to Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
Academic career
He translated the Laghu Parashari and Thirty-three chapters of Mahabharat into Urdu. Another significant work attributed to him is the translation and interpretation of Vijaya NandiVijayanandi
Vijayanandi was an Indian mathematician and astronomer who made contributions to trigonometry....
’s lost book, Karana Tilaka (a treatise on Indian astronomy and calculation of celestial bodies). The original Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
manuscript
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
of Karana Tilaka is unavailable and untraceable, but Samad Rizvi found its Arabic version (Ghurrat-uz-Zijat) penned by Al-Beruni and deciphered it into English. However, his milestone work is the revival of Al-Beruni’s new moon
New moon
In astronomical terminology, the new moon is the lunar phase that occurs when the Moon, in its monthly orbital motion around Earth, lies between Earth and the Sun, and is therefore in conjunction with the Sun as seen from Earth...
sighting criterion.
His correct monthly predictions of the new moon sighting, published in the Urdu daily "Jang", for about half a century, until his death, were remarkable.
He joined the Military Engineering Service of Pakistan as an electronics engineer (civil contractor), but continued as a serious amateur astronomer.
Death
He died at the age of 85 on December 17, 2009 in KarachiKarachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
. He was buried in Wadi-e-Hussain Graveyard.
Research Paper
- "Al-Biruni's criterion for the visibility of the lunar crescents" by Samad Rizvi, published in 1994.
- "Al-Bruni on the determination of Latitudes and Longitudes in Indian Empire" by Samad Rizvi.
Few Research papers contributed by Engr. Syed Samad Husain Rizvi (Alig)
- "Electricity in Atmosphere": Published in the Engineering college magazine of Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh in June 1948.
- "A Unique and Unknown book Of Al-Biruni Ghurrut-uz-Zijat or Karna Tilaka (On Ancient Indian Astronomy)": Published in the international Quarterly English Magazine “ Islamic Culture of Hyderabad Deccan India in seven installments from April 1963 to April 1965
- "An Astrological Prediction of Mirza Ghalib (in Urdu)": Presented by himself in the function on the 100th death anniversary of Mirza Ghalib held in Karachi in February 1969 by Idara-e –Yadgar-e- Ghalib.
- "Mirza Ghalib’s Correct Date of Birth (According to his horoscope)(Urdu)":Published in the quarterly magazine URDU Karachi January to March 1969
- "Astrological poetry of Mirza Ghalib (Auje Qubool)": Published in quarterly magazine URDU KARACHI April to June 1969.
- "A newly discovered book of Al-Biruni Ghurat –uz- zijat and Albiruni’s Measurement of Earth’s Dimensions": Paper presented by himself at the International Congress held at Karachi on the 1000th birth day of Albiruni from 26 November to 12 December 1973.
- "The Reality of visibility of Moon(in Urdu)": Published in monthly Urdu magazine FIKR O NAZAR and edited by Islamic Research Centre Islamabad dated August 1974.
- "Al-Biruni’s Method of Visibility of Moon and its Modern Version": presented at International UNESCO Seminar held at Islamabad from 15 December to 17 December 1974 .
- "The Historic Sindh Era": Paper Jointly Prepared by DR .N.A .Baloch and Engr. Saiyid Samad Rizvi (Alig). And presented at International Seminar “Sindh Through the Centuries” held at Karachi from 2 March to 7 March 1975
- "Direction of Qibla by Sun Shadow": Paper Presented at The international congress on Mathematical sciences held at Karachi from 14 July to 20 July 1975
- "Explanation of Astrological Terms Used by Ameer Khusrau": Paper presented at International Seminar on Central Asia held at Islambad from 17 to 19 October 1975
- "Ameer Khusrau and astrology": Paper presented at the International Congress on Ameer Khusrau on his 700th Death Anniversary, held at Rawalpindi from 24 to 25 October 1975
- "Iqbal and Bhartrihari": Paper presented at the International Congress on Allama Iqbal. Held at Lahore from 2 to 6 December 1977.
- "Discovery of Precession and its Impact on Astrological prediction": paper presented at International Congress on "The History and Philosophy of sciences", held at Islamabad from 8th to 13th of Dec 1979.