Glasses is one of the most important discoveries in the history of mankind. Each civilization claims to be the inventor of spectacles. Consequently, the origin of glasses also tend not clear where and when found.
Lutfallah Gari, a researcher on science and technology history of Islam from Saudi Arabia trying to trace the secret discovery of goggles in depth. He tried to dissect a number of original sources and examine the additional literature.
Investigation does it produce a bright spot. He found the fact that the golden era of Muslim civilization has an important role in finding a tool to read and see it.
Through his writings titled The Invention of Spectacles Between the East and the West, Lutfallah revealed that Western civilization is often claimed sebegai inventor of spectacles. In fact, long before Western societies know lens, Islamic civilization has been found. According to him, the Western world has made a historical discovery of goggles that reality is a myth and a lie. "They deliberately made history that the glasses come as Ethnocentrism," explained Lutfallah.
According to him, before the familiar spectacle of human civilization, scientists tfrom various civilizations have found the lens. This was evidenced by the discovery of glass.
The lens is also known in some civilizations like Roman, Greek, Hellenistic and Islamic. Based on available evidence, the lens at the time was not used for magnification (magnification), but for burning. You do this by focusing sunlight on the focus lens / lens focal.
Therefore, they call it the common name "burning glass / burning mirrors". "This is also listed in some literature composed in the era of Muslim scholars of Islamic civilization," said Lutfallah. According to him, the legendary Muslim physicist, Ibn al-Haitham (965 AD-1039 AD), in his work titled Kitab al-Manazir (on optical) has mempelajarai problem object magnification and refraction of light.
Ibn al-Haitam studying the refraction of light passing through a surface without color such as glass, air and water. "The forms of visible objects appear distorted when it continued to see the object without color." This is supposed to form the surface of objects with no color, "said al-Haitham was quoted as saying Lutfallah.
This is one fact that shows how Arab Muslim scientist at abadke-11 that have recognized the wealth magnification images through the surface without color. However, al-Haitham has not received the application that are important in this phenomenon. Fruit think that triggered Ibn al-Haitham was the first thing that most of the field lens.
At the very least, the Islamic civilization has known, and find the lens of three hundred years earlier than the European Community. According Lutfallah, the discovery of goggles in the civilization of Islam was revealed in the poetry of Ibn al-Hamdis (1055 AD-1133 AD). He wrote a poem that describes about the glasses. Poem was written sekitar200 years, before Western societies find glasses. Ibn al-Hamdis describe glasses through his verse are as follows:
"It shows the text nodes in a book for the eyes, translucent objects such as water, but this thing is a rock. It left marks on the cheeks wet, wet like a river that formed the image of his sweat, "said al-Hamdis.
Al-Hamdis continued, "It's like an intelligent man, who translated a camera codes are difficult to translate. It's also a good treatment for parents of weak eyesight, and parents write a little in their eyes. "
Poem al-Hamids it has broken the claims of Western civilization as the inventor of the glasses first. In the third poem, the legendary Muslim poet said, "This thing translucent (glass) to the eye and shows the writing in the book, but the torso is made of stone (rock)."
Furthermore, in two poems, al-Hamids mention that glasses are the best treatment tool for parents who suffer from disability / have weak eyesight. By using the glasses, said al-Hamdis, someone will see the enlargement.
In the fourth poem, al-Hamdis trying to explain and describe glasses as follows: "This will leave a mark on the cheek, like a river". According to research Lutfallah, the use of sunglasses started to spread in the Islamic world in the 13th century AD The fact was revealed in the paintings, history books, calligraphy and poetry.
In one poem, Ahmad al-Attar al-Masri has been mentioned glasses. "Ua came after a young age, I never had a strong vision, and now my eyes are made of glass."
Meanwhile, al-Sakhawi sSejarawan, disclose, on a calligrapher Ibn Amir Sharaf al-Mardini (d. 1447 CE). "He died at the age of over 100 years, he never had a healthy mind and he continued to write without a mirror / glass. "A mirror here seems like a lens," said al-Sakhawi.
Another fact that can prove that the Islamic civilization had already found the glasses is the achievement of Muslim physicians in ophtalmologi, the science of the eye. In karanya about ophtalmologi, Julius Hirschberg, said the Muslim ophthalmologists did not mention glasses. "But that does not mean that Islamic civilization did not know the glasses," said Lutfallah. Desy Susilawati
Europe and Discovery Glasses
Roger Bacon
In the 13th century AD, English scholar, Roger Bacon (1214 AD - 1294 AD), wrote about the magnifying glass and explain how to bring up the object using a piece of glass. "For this reason, these tools are very useful for elderly people and those who have weaknesses in sight, this tool is provided for them to be able to see small objects, if it is magnified," said Roger Bacon.
Some historians of science have adopted Bacon mentions science of Muslim scientists, Ibn al-Haitam. Bacon influenced by the book written by al-Haitham al-Manazir Ktab titled The Book of Optics. The Book of al-Haitham's work turned out to have been translated into Latin.
The idea of enlargement with the form of glass have been coined much earlier by al-Haitham. But, unfortunately, from some of the evidence, the use of a magnifying glass to read the first mentioned in his book Bacon.
Julius Hirschberg
Julius Hirschberg, the historian ophthalmologi (ophthalmology), mentions in his book, that begins with the discovery of stone magnification magnifying glass and eyeglasses in 1300 or before the 13th century AD "Ibn al-Haitham just doing research on the enlargement of the century - 11 AD," he said Hirschberg.
Glasses first mentioned in medical books in Europe in the 14th century AD Bernard Gordon, professor of medicine at the University of Montpellier in southern France, said in the year 1305 AD concerning ophthalmic (eye medication) as an alternative for those parents who do not use glasses.
Year 1353 AD, Guy de Chauliac mention other kinds of eye medicine to heal the eyes, he said better to use glasses if eye medication is not working.
In addition to scientists at the top, adapula three different stories mentioned by the Italian scholar, Redi (d. 1697). The first story, mentioned in the manuscript Redi in 1299 AD Mentioned in the introduction that the author is a person who is old and can not read without glasses, which was found in his day.
The second story, also narrated by Redi, showed that the glasses mentioned in a speech that clearly the year 1305 AD, where the speaker said that the equipment is found no sooner than 20 years before the speech is expressed.
The third story, says that the monk (the monk) Alexander of Spina (east of Italy) to learn how to use the glasses. He died in 1313 AD
Finally, three different versions of the story is widespread, as many other books that adopt the stories mentioned Redi after he died. However, some historians of science say that Redi has made a false story and they do not believe.
In fact, in the book Julius Hirschberg, also mentioned about Redi's story, written between 1899 and 1918 in Germany and a lot of information that is old and many are updated. The book was later translated (without revision) into English and published in 1985. As a result, Redi story spread in the UK, research articles and was denied the truth of the story is rejected Julius Hirschberg.
Some other hoax written by a journalist in the mid-19th century AD He claims to Roger Bacon is the inventor of spectacles like. In fact he also mentioned that the monk (the Monk) Alexander Roger Bacon has also been taught how to use the glasses. The news spread quickly of course.
Another lie is also seen on a gravestone. One author suggests that a Christian tombstone in the cemetery located at the church, writing a sentence, "here rest of Florence, the inventor of spectacles, God forgive his sins, the year 1317?. There are many other stories or myths about the inventor and manufacture of spectacles in Europe. All claim to be the first inventor of a tool to read and look at it.
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