Salih Mansur II, son of Prince Nuh, who reigned for only two short
years, from 387—389 A.H., in Bukhara. While carrying out scientific
investigations, the city was threatened by the Ghazanawid Sultan
Mahmud,who invaded it (389/999).
Beruni's next sojourn was in Jurjan, to serve the learned Ziyand
Prince Abu'l-Hasan Qabus b, Washmgir Shams al-Ma'ali (reigned 389—
403 A.H.). As a great patron of arts and sciences, he welcomed Beruni,
and received him with tender feelings and respect.
Here, Beruni continued to carry on important scientific research.
During this period he had correspondence with al-Shaykh Ibn Sina
which related to matters on the nature and transmission of heat and
light which unfortunately ended abruptly. Furthermore, in 390/1000,
he published his earliest extant major work on the chronologies of ancient nations and cultures entitled al-Athar al-Baqiyah 'an al-Qurun alKhaliyah, and which he dedicated to his patron Qabus.
After 395/1004, Beruni returned to Khwarizm and Jurjaniyah performing serious investigations and writings in the service of the Samanid
Prince Abu'l 'Abbas al-Mamun b. Muhammad II. With nostalgic feeling,
Beruni reported that this period was the best he ever had, where he received a truly generous patronage and respect. He also made acquaintance with the physician Abu Sahl 'Isa b. Yahya al-Jurjani. However, in
407/1017 a military rebellion took place in Khwarazm and the rebels
killed the ruling Prince who was a brother-in-law of Sultan Mahmud of
Ghazna. The Sultan immediately marched against the rebel force and
vanquished them. Order was restored and Khwarizm was annexed to
the Ghaznawid Empire. Beruni and other learned men were patronized
and they accompanied the Sultan to Ghazna.
Thereafter, it took almost a year before Beruni resumed his scientific activities in full capacity, under the patronage of the Ghaznawid
Sultan Mahmud, and later his heirs, in the areas of 'al-Hind which are
now defined in the modern names as Afghanistan, Kashmir and Pakistan. For about thirteen years, he conducted his scientific investigations in the region extending from Peshawar to Multan.
An important outcome of these researches was his Tahqiq ma IllHind min maqulah, etc., which he completed upon his last trip returning to Ghaznah, and published in 421/1030. This book of Beruni is
considered to be regarded as the best and most reliable of its kind concerning Indian history, geography, its social classes, laws and customs,
philosophy, linguistics, politics and religion. Indeed this book represents the pinnacle of excellence in matters of positive knowledge and
cultural legacy from the time of Alexander the Great's invasion of India
up to the author's time and after.
However, Beruni's finest and most comprehensive scientifics work
