The panel discussion was staged in a pavilion of Iran House of Authors in the 23^rd edition of Tehran International Book Fair and was joined by two researchers in humanities, Qolam-Hussein Rahimi and Farid Qasemi.

 

Rahimi argued in the panel discussion that historically speaking, Iranian scientists are credited with a lion's share of scientific authorship in the world however they have yet to receive a deserved honor from the contemporary publishing corps.

 

Rahimi noted that it was only for a decade that academic circles in Iran have got conscious about available sources of a rich inherited Islamic civilization and looked for how's in prioritizing them and making use of them in compilation of educational course books.

 

The researcher said the historic drive has got meshed following the establishment of a committee in charge of Islamic culture and civilization of Iran and that several scientific and cultural bodies have thrown their weight behind the landmark project, notably the National Library.

 

Rahimi regretted that western countries and several eastern states had dealt with scientific sources of the Islamic civilization much more diligently than the Iranians themselves.

 

He then singled out several books as key source of Islamic civilization and briefed the audience on their distinguishing scientific accomplishments.

 

He said while until seventeen century the world of science had heard of no effective writings on mechanical engineering, a scientist called Banu Mosa Jazari, wrote a book called "al-Heyal" centuries earlier where for the first time ever he spoke of mechanical clock and reciprocating pump.

 

Rahimi then named "Mizan al-Hekma" as a key Islamic source in physics where Khazani, the author, discusses scales, general gravity and gravimetry for plain and complex objects as well as precise measurement of amount of metals in a given alloy.

 

The researcher went on to say that a survived work of an author named Karaji, titled "excavation of underground waters" discusses issues of topography, dig-up of subterranean canals as well as maintenance and management of complex aqueduct system.

 

According to the researcher, a book attributed to Avicenna, titled "Me'yar al-O'qul" has been landmark in the Islamic civilization's and Persian sources as it is the sole work to discuss scaling techniques and relocation of heavy objects. The book also discusses cranes as well as rules governing the work of plain and complex devices.

 

Another Avicenna's work to discuss scientific matters is called "Qorada al-tabi'at," a book in natural sciences which has been written dialectical style and still remains a credible source of science, according to the researcher, who noted it contained a discussion of complicated process of acoustic production, distribution and hearing.

 

Rahimi said in order to live up to the eminent status of the scientists, domestic publishing corps must present their invaluable works to the world through a scholarly language.

 

Following the major discussion, Qasemlu took on the topic of Islamic and Iranian civilization by introducing a debut publication about Islamic civilization, compiled under a joint effort by the above-mentioned state committee as well as Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution in Iran.

 

The book titled "a glance at Islamic era" was published in February by an international by an office with Islamic Azad University in charge promotion of home grown scientific theories and models. It had an international release, according to the researcher.

 

A collection of 12 articles, the book presents junctures of the history of Islamic sciences. Articles are in English, Qasemlu said.

 

He said those in charge of compilation and publication of the article collection had aimed to showcase worldwide numerous scientific achievements of Islamic era.

 

Concerning the motivation behind the publication, the researcher said book was a fruit of a UNESCO sponsored drive in dealing with Islamic era's sciences.

"Five years ago, the United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organization, known as UNESCO, approved an initiative called "Bayt al-Hikma" which aimed to deal with Islamic era's sciences," the researcher said, adding that as part of the initiative, UNESCO urged a study of Islamic era's sciences in the then Iran which led to emergence of the collection of articles.

 

Qasemlu elaborated that the book presents the range of sciences studied in Islamic era through presentation of images of related manuscripts, adding that manuscripts images prove exceptional as they have been taken and collected from whatever available from Iranian and Islamic books in world libraries and museums.

 

The table of contents lists 9 articles and 3 bibliographical inventories collected by two Iranian researchers and eight foreign colleagues, according to Qasemlu, who also said that the major publication features 350 color images about astrology, mathematics and other sciences researched and studied in Islamic era.

 

"Out of the 350 images, 342 have been published for the first time ever. They have been chosen and collected from within up to a million manuscript sheets available in 44 libraries worldwide," the researcher said.

 

He said from a thematic point of view, some of the images are miniatures which depict an array of astrological notions applicable during the Islamic era.

 

Ironically the book has yet to receive an introduction either at home or overseas, the researcher said.