Did you know that modern numbers are of Arabic origin?
The exciting story of the numbers we use today and their journey from the Arab world
When you pick up your phone, pay a bill, or calculate your score in a game, has it ever occurred to you that those numbers you see every day (0, 1, 2, 3...) have a long and exciting story that began more than a thousand years ago in the capitals of Islamic civilization?
Yes, the numbers the world relies on today, universally known as "Arabic numerals", are the fruit of a genius journey that started from the East, crossed Andalusia, and changed the course of the world.
The beginning in India... and the real breakthrough in Baghdad
The story begins in India, where scientists there developed a numerical system based on nine digits and a distinctive zero. But the real breakthrough came when Arab scholars took this system and added their own genius to it.
In Baghdad, during the Abbasid era, the House of Wisdom, the center of science and knowledge, was founded, where Arab scholars translated the treasures of Indian and Greek science, including Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, who played a starring role in spreading the new numerical system.
Al-Khwarizmi, in his famous book "The Concise Book of Algebra and Al-Muqaddasah," not only conveyed numbers, but also established the rules of algebra and calculations that rely on place value, where the position of a number determines its value, which is what makes zero so important.
Zero: The story of the number that changed the world
Before zero, the world lived in mathematical chaos. Systems like Roman numerals were cumbersome, with no symbol for nothingness, which made calculations difficult.
Arab scientists realized that zero is not just "nothing," but a powerful number, with the potential to distinguish between numbers and simplify complex mathematical operations.
Did you know that the word "zero" comes from the Arabic word "safer" meaning emptiness? It entered European languages through translations, becoming "Zephirum" in Latin, then evolving into "Zero" in English and Italian, and "Zéro" in French.
The introduction of zero made it possible to build the modern decimal system, on which everything is based today, from simple arithmetic to computer programming.
Andalusia: The gateway through which numbers entered Europe
In the 12th century, Andalusia (today's southern Spain) was a bridge between Islamic civilization and the European world. From cities like Cordobaand Toledo,Arabic numerals began their journey to the West.
Among the names that contributed to this transition is Leonardo Fibonacci, an Italian scholar who learned Arabic numerals while in Bejaia, Algeria, where he observed how Muslim merchants used them with more ease and dexterity than Roman numerals.
In 1202, he published his book Liber Apache, in which he advocated the use of the Arab numerical system, considering it the best means for commercial and scientific calculations.
European resistance: Between Acceptance and Rejection
Despite the advantages of Arabic numerals, their transition to Europe was not easy. Europeans were used to Roman numerals, and there were those who saw the new system as "mysterious" or even "dangerous" because it came from the Islamic world, which was seen as an "enemy" during the time of the Crusades.
In some European cities such as Florence, an edict was issued that forbade the use of Arabic numerals in official records, arguing that they were easier to manipulate than the "obvious" Roman numerals.
But over time, as trade, science, and banking developed, Europeans began to realize the superiority of this numerical system, and it became adopted throughout the continent, and later in the entire world.
Numbers: Between the East and the West
It is interesting to mention that the world today uses what it calls "Arabic numerals" (0,1,2,3...), while in Arab countries, a slightly different numerical system known as "East Indian numerals" (0123456789) is used.
But in origin, both systems belong to the same scientific roots developed by the Arabs, with differences in drawing and formatting depending on the regions.
The impact of Arabic numerals in the modern world
Today, there is no area where these numbers are not used:
- In science, researchers rely on this system for experiments and equations.
- In economics, banks and markets operate based on digital processes.
- In technology, computers are based on binary systems based on the concepts of zero and one, which are rooted in the heritage of Arabic numerals.
Even the programming and digital systems that govern today's smartphones have their roots in the decimal numerical system developed by the Arabs centuries ago.
A cultural legacy to be proud of
When you look at the numbers you write every day, remember that behind them is a great civilizational story, created by Arab and Muslim scientists and broadcast to the world to become a universal language that people on all continents understand.
They are not just symbols, but a witness to the pioneering role played by the Arab and Islamic world in building the foundations of science and civilization.
Every time you type in a number, you're actually continuing that journey, which once began in Baghdad, passed through Andalusia, and reached every home, school, and business around the world.
