Abu Rayhan al-Biruni (973–1048) left a scientific legacy that continues to be studied in various countries around the world. The places where he lived and conducted his research have always attracted public interest.
According to historical sources, in 1037, Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni took al-Biruni with him during his campaign to India. Along the way, the Sultan’s army conquered several cities and fortresses, including the Nandana Fortress, located at the foothills of high mountains.
To the west of the fortress stands a mountain, while to the south stretches a vast plain. It was here that the scholar used a simple astrolabe to measure the movement of the Sun and calculated the radius of the Earth. According to his calculations, the Earth's radius was more than 12,803,000 gaz (approximately 6,315 kilometers), which differs by only 5 kilometers from modern precise measurements.
The remains of al-Biruni’s laboratory have been preserved in Nandana Fortress, located in the Jhelum district of Pakistan. At the time, this fortress served as a scientific laboratory for al-Biruni. He lived there for some time, carrying out his calculations and research.
The ruins of this fortress have survived to this day and are situated in Punjab province, Pakistan. However, the fortress is now in a severely deteriorated state. In February 2021, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan issued a directive to restore this historical site and transform it into an international tourism center. However, for various reasons, almost no tangible action has been taken in this regard so far.
— "Recently, I participated in an international conference in Islamabad, Pakistan, on the topic 'Education and Upbringing of Women in the Muslim Community: Experiences and Opportunities' on behalf of the Center for Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan," said Gulnora Ganieva, head of the Scientific Research Department at the Center for Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan.
As part of the conference, we held a meeting with the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Pakistan, Alisher Tokhtaev, and the Director of the "Babur Heritage" Center at the University of Punjab, Professor Rukhshana Iftikhar. During the meeting, we also discussed the study of the "Biruni Laboratory" located in Nandana Fortress.
Currently, the leadership of the Center for Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan is considering organizing a scientific expedition to Pakistan to study this historical site, where our great ancestor, Abu Rayhan al-Biruni, worked for a certain period and made significant discoveries.
