In a statement, Mohamed claimed that mathematical concepts were introduced to humanity through Islamic contributions. This remark has been met with criticism from the BJP, with Amit Malviya, head of the party's IT Cell, suggesting that Mohamed is attempting to emulate Rahul Gandhi in making "absurd statements."
The debate centers on the historical contributions of Islamic scholars to mathematics. During the medieval period, scholars in the Islamic world made significant advancements in various mathematical fields. Notably, the Persian polymath Al-Khwārizmī, active in the 9th century, authored works on arithmetic and algebra that were later translated into Latin, influencing European mathematics. His name is the origin of the term "algorithm," and his book on algebra, "Kitab al-Jabr wa-l-Muqabala," is considered foundational in the field.
Islamic mathematicians played a crucial role in preserving and expanding upon Greek and Indian mathematical knowledge. They introduced the decimal positional number system to the Western world and made advancements in trigonometry, geometry, and number theory.