Arabic dreams

Submitted by Arthur B. (United States), Mar 20, 2007 at 17:12

Re: the mythical Arab mathematician who was supposed to have invented the concept of Zero, I was troubled by The Khalil Gibran International Academy's inclusion of Middle Eastern fairy-tale history and pseudo-science in its curriculum.

This kind of Arab-inspired wishful fantasizing has already created whole communities full of dreamers who believe that they are the perfect people who need no reformation.

In reality, the concept of Zero as well as the decimal numbering system was developed in India. The Arabs took advantage of their position in the middle of the trade routes to spread what became known as the "Arabic numerals" to the west.

One needs only to refer to the Islamicity.com Website to get the whole story.

Arthur B., Los Angeles

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