History of Hindu Mathematics: A Source Book v1.c7.s15.6

v1.c7.s15.6

During the reign of the Khalif Al-Mansûr (753–774 A.D.) there came embassies from Sindh to Baghdad, and among them were scholars, who brought along with them several works on mathematics including the *Brâhma-sphuṭa-siddhânta* and the *Khaṇḍa-khâdyaka* of Brahmagupta. With the help of those scholars, Al-fazârî, perhaps also Yâkub ibn Târik, translated them into Arabic. Both works were largely used and exercised great influence on Arab mathematics. It was on that occasion that the Arabs first became acquainted with a scientific system of astronomy. It is believed by all writers on the subject that it was at that time that the Hindu numerals were first definitely introduced amongst the Arabs. It also seems that the Arabs at first adopted the *ghobâr* forms of the numerals, which they had already obtained (but without zero) from the Alexandrians, or from the Syrians who were employed as translators by the Khalifs at Baghdad. Al-Khowârîzmî (825), one of the earliest writers on arithmetic among the Arabs, has used the *ghobâr* forms.¹ But not long afterwards, the Arabs realised that the *ghobâr* forms were not suited to their right-to-left script. Then there appears to have been made an attempt to use more convenient forms. But as people had got accustomed to the *ghobâr* forms, they did not like to give them up, and so we find a struggle² between the two forms, which continued for about two centuries (10th and 11th) until at last the more convenient ones came into general use. The west Arabs on the other hand did not adopt the modified forms of the east Arabs, but continued to use the *ghobâr* forms, and were thus able to transmit them to awakening Europe. This, perhaps, explains in a better way the divergence in the forms of modern Arabic and modern European numerals, than any theory yet propounded.