Ismail al-Jazari
A Muslim polymath, inventor, mechanical engineer, artisan, artist, and mathematician who is best known for writing 'The Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices'.
Most quoted
"The purpose of this book is to explain the construction of various kinds of ingenious devices, and to describe their operation in detail, so that others may be able to construct them."
— from Kitāb fī maʿrifat al-ḥiyal al-handasiyya (Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices)
"The elephant clock is not merely a timepiece; it is a gathering of the world's wisdom: Indian elephant, Greek water works, Egyptian phoenix, Persian carpets, and Arab ingenuity."
— from The Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices, 1206
"To truly understand a mechanism, one must not only observe its function but also comprehend the principles that govern its operation, for these principles are universal."
— from The Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices
All quotes by Ismail al-Jazari (422)
Precision in construction is the soul of the device.
The design must precede the hand, and the mind must guide both.
A small error in the beginning leads to a great error in the end.
Ingenuity lies in making the complex appear simple in its operation.
The machine must serve man, not man serve the machine.
Water is the most obedient servant, if you know its nature and how to command it.
The clock does not merely tell time; it organizes the affairs of men.
A device that amuses also teaches, for wonder is the beginning of understanding.
The balance of forces is the secret of perpetual motion—or the closest approximation we may achieve.
I have seen the work of the Greeks and the Persians, and I have added to it what was revealed to me.
The artisan is a translator, rendering the abstract principles of nature into tangible form.
Do not be content with imitation, even of the masters; seek to improve upon their designs.
The most elegant machine is often the one with the fewest parts necessary to perform its function.
Knowledge is not hoarded like treasure; it is a river that must flow to nourish all lands.
In the palace of engineering, mathematics is the foundation, and observation is the key to every door.
A mechanism that tells the time by water or by weights is a mirror of the heavens themselves, which measure out our days.
The peacock that turns and the musicians that play are not alive, yet they mimic life through the art of the craftsman.
Every automaton has a story to tell, a purpose to fulfill, even if that purpose is only to inspire awe.
The scribe records words, but the engineer records actions and makes them repeatable.
To build a machine that can serve a cup is a small thing, but to build one that can do so without spilling a drop is the mark of mastery.
Contemporaries of Ismail al-Jazari
Other Engineerings born within 50 years of Ismail al-Jazari (1136–1206).