History of Hindu Mathematics: A Source Book v1.c7.s17.t2: Abul Hasan Al-Masûdî (943)
History of Hindu Mathematics: A Source Book v1.c7.s17.t2
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Abul Hasan Al-Masûdî (943)
v1.c7.s17.t2.1
The Arab historian Al-Masûdî writes, "A congress of sages at the command of the Creator Brahmâ invented the nine figures and also their (the Hindus') astronomy and other sciences."⁵ Al-Masûdî's evidence is important as he had first-hand information of India. He was in Multan in 912 A.D. and in Cambay in 916 A.D.
v1.c7.s17.t2.2
⁵ Reinaud, *Mémoire sur l'Inde*, Paris, 1894, p. 300. This shows that the Hindus in the tenth century had forgotten the inventor or inventors of the numerals, as a very long time had elapsed.