Muhammad ibn al-Katib Sinan al-Qunawi (died c. 1524), also known as Muhammad ibn Yusuf, was an Ottoman astronomer and muwaqqit (timekeeper) in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth century. A pioneer of Ottoman astronomy, especially in the field of astronomical instruments and timekeeping, he served as muwaqqit at various mosques, and eventually at the Sublime Porte under Suleiman the Magnificent (r. 1520–1566). He was influenced by earlier Mamluk astronomers, especially Shams al-Din al-Khalili (1320–1380) and Ibn al-Shatir (c. 1304–1375), as well as by the Central Asian Ali al-Qushji and Al-Biruni. He wrote two treatises on the construction of the astrolabe quadrant (al-rub' al-muqantarat), including Hadiyat al-Muluk ("A Present for Kings") dedicated to Bayezid II (r. 1481–1512). He published a Turkish edition of Al-Khalili's universal tables, and compiled Mizan al-Kawakib ("Balance of the Stars"), containing tables that allow reading the time at night by observing the stars—"the most original Ottoman contribution to astronomical timekeeping by tables" according to historian of astronomy David A. King. In addition to the then commonly used Arabic, he also wrote in Turkish, in order to make his field more accessible throughout the empire. This tradition would be continued by astronomers such as Mustafa ibn Ali al-Muwaqqit. Taha Yasin Arslan writes that al-Qunawi "single-handedly pioneered" the science of timekeeping in the Ottoman Empire.
Origin
Little biographical information is known about Muhammad al-Qunawi. His nisba, al-Qunawi, indicates that he or his family came from Konya (Qunya), but historian of science İhsan Fazlıoğlu writes that he was likely born in Istanbul, the capital of the Ottoman Empire. His father Sinan worked as a scribe (katib) in the imperial chancery, hence his patronym, Ibn (son of) al-Katib Sinan. He was also known as Muhammad ibn Yusuf.
Life
According to his Kitāb al‐aṣl al‐muʿaddil, al-Qunawi "had met all the important astronomers of the time", referring to the Ottoman astronomers in his social and intellectual circles. These astronomers learned the works of the Samarkand astronomer Ali al-Qushji (died 1474), who continued the works of Mamluk-era astronomers Shams al-Din al-Khalili (1320–1380) and Ibn al-Shatir (c. 1304–1375), two of the leaders of the science of timekeeping (ilm al-miqat) in the Islamic world. After his studies, he served as muwaqqit (mosque timekeepers) in various mosques in Istanbul and Edirne, including the New Mosque (Yeni Camii) of Edirne. Based on remarks in Tarjamah‐i jadawil‐i afaqi, Fazlıoğlu infers that as muwaqqit he likely taught astronomy in the muwaqqit's institutions (muvakkithanes) of these mosques, and that Turkish was the language of instruction used. Al-Qunawi specialised in the science of timekeeping and in astronomical instruments. In his Mizan al-Kawakib ("Balance of the Stars") written during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent (r. 1520–1566), he signed himself as the muwaqqit of the Ottoman court, also known as the Sublime Porte. Al-Qunawi's works have been attested in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth century—during the reigns of Bayezid II (r. 1481–1512), for whom he dedicated Hadiyyat al-muluk ("A Present to Kings") and Tarjamah‐i jadawil‐i afaqi; Selim I (r. 1512–1520), in whose name he wrote Fadl al-da'ir; and Suleiman, for whom he presented Mizan al-Kawakib. Al-Qunawi died c. 1524 in Istanbul.
Works Most or all of Al-Qunawi's works are about timekeeping or astronomical instruments. According to historian of science Taha Yasin Arslan, there are thirteen known works, including nine in "very plain" Ottoman Turkish, while Fazlıoğlu writes that there are eleven works: seven in Arabic and the rest in Turkish. Arslan writes that Al-Qunawi "single-handedly pioneered Ottoman timekeeping", following the legacy of the Mamluk astronomers. Whenever possible, Al-Qunawi reused information produced by his Mamluk predecessors, and focused on subjects or aspects which were still not covered by them. He also preferred to treat areas that were of practical value in religious, administrative, or social fields. For example, many aspects of Islamic religion and culture demand calculations which astronomy can facilitate, such as the determination of the Islamic lunar calendar. Furthermore, the timetable of the daily prayers (salat) and the direction to Mecca (qibla) requires specific calculations for each locality, and Al-Qunawi calculated those for Istanbul.
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