Al-Haith

Al-Haitham, Abu Ali al-Hasan ibn al-Hasan ibn al-Haytham (c. 965 – c. 1040 CE), often Latinized as Alhazen, was an Arab mathematician, astronomer, and physicist of the Islamic Golden Age.

He is considered a significant figure in the history of optics, number theory, astronomy, and visual perception. His influential Book of Optics (Kitāb al-Manāẓir) revolutionized the understanding of vision, demonstrating that humans see objects because light reflects from them and then enters the eye, contrary to the long-held belief that the eye emits light.

Al-Haitham made significant contributions to the principles of optics and visual perception, advocating for a scientific, empirical approach to understanding the natural world. He was a pioneer of scientific methodology and is sometimes referred to as the "father of modern optics" for his groundbreaking work and experimental verification of his theories.

He also made advances in mathematics, including geometry, number theory, and algebra. Al-Haitham is credited with being the first to derive the formula for the sum of the fourth powers of the first n natural numbers. He used integral calculus to find the volume of a paraboloid, and he generalized his result for integrals of polynomials up to degree four.

Al-Haitham’s work had a profound impact on later European scientists, including Roger Bacon, Johannes Kepler, and Isaac Newton. His Book of Optics was translated into Latin and became a standard text in European universities for centuries. His influence extended to the fields of engineering, architecture, and art. His legacy continues to inspire scientists and scholars today.