Did the Arabs invent the Arabic numbers?

Question

Recent research has revealed that the present numbers (1234567890) are based on Hindu numbers. The zero (0) has been discovered to have been used by the Hindus before any other civilisation. Islam as usual has stolen this and claims to have invented it. See this webpage for details.
http://www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk/history/HistTopics/Arabic_numerals.html

PicassoInActions, please complete your research before answering.

hoi polloi, where did you learn about the invention of zero?

Lalulo_Jazmin, have you found your answer on how to cure laziness? perhaps you will conduct some further honest research. It's hard work believe me.

Discriminator, you need to reset your discriminator, it's badly offset towards 'Whites'.

jon X, did you find these gems in the closet?

Nothing to say?, Do you claim that these numbers were invented in present day Pakistan? Keep researching.

Answer 1

White people created the Arab language and all Arab civilizations. They also created the Hindu religion and all civilization associated with India. The people you see in those areas today are part White and the result of race mixing that led to most White people being bred out of existence in those areas. The same happened with Egypt. The same thing is happening worldwide now. Perhaps some day people from another world will come here and see the black and brown savages and wonder who created the cities that are now ruins. Would they be stupid enough to think the savages created what is left of the great structures they now live near? Perhaps they will think "Indians" did it?

The 14 Words

rahowa

Answer 2

The Arabs did acquire the number system from the Indians, and the Europeans acquired them from the Arabs.

Don't confuse Indian with Hindu, or Arab with Islamic - although there are obvious connections, they may or may not be relevant to the development of the numbers or their spread to Europe.
I expect that they are not especially relevant, as the numbers were not primarily used for religious purposes. However, as the numbers seem to have appeared in the Arab world about the same time as Islam was founded, I suppose the same forces possibly brought both the numbers and Islam to some parts of the world. That is not however saying that Islam brought the numbers - an important distinction.

The reason they are known as Arabic numbers in Europe is that the Europeans first encountered them when used by Arab traders. Consider it like someone in an isolated tribe being visited by Americans - he'll assume the language they speak is American, not English, because he has no knowledge of where the language originated. Furthermore, the numbers the Arabic traders were using were not exactly the same as those used in India, so they weren't Indian numbers, but an Arabic development of Indian numbers (just like American English isn't the same as English in England).

If you have to blame someone or something for the number having become known as Arabic, blame the European traders of the Middle-Ages for not travelling to India, or the Indian traders for not travelling to Europe. But really you can imagine that they were all happy for the Arabs to do the travelling.

Also bear in mind that it is not known if the Indians acquired some parts of the number system from elsewhere, or developed it entirely independently.

For the record I'm not a Hindu or a Muslim, just someone with an interest in technological history and a sense of fair play.

Answer 3

Don't confuse Arab with Muslim.

Only about 20% of the Muslim population is "Arab" today and there are many Arabs who are Christian. Being Arab refers to an ethnic group but Islam/Muslim refers to a set of beliefs about one God revealed in the Quran through prophet Muhammad.

The majority of the Muslim scientists and scholars were not Arabs. Arabic was the common medium (as English is today) under which scholars and scientists thrived under Muslim rule.

Also, at the risk of confusing you further, the term "Hindu" used to refer to people living in the "Hind" region around the river Indus (which is now in Pakistan). The term "Hindu" is now used to describe a religion but originally, a "Hindu" could have any religion, just as an Arab can be a Christian or an Englishman can be a Muslim.

Answer 4

the modern numbers invented Indians including Zero. Arabs Introduced to Europe.

Answer 5

Well you're partly correct, the Hindu's did come up with the rudiments of the numeric representation but Arabic mathematicians did create the strict numerical symbols we know today. Your link is not accurate on this point, again partially but not fully correct. Secondly the concept of 0 was founded and first used by the Mayan and Aztec civilizations specifically in reference to the calendar calculations and astronomical constructs of the stars.

As for the legitimacy of this question, given your last comment regarding Islam, it is clear you are merely a Muslim Baiter and therefore your views are nullified.

In future I would suggest you not put in your bias when asking questions, that way they won't sound so obvious in their attempt to spread bigotry like that 'discriminator' fellow.

Answer 6

No, it is ONLY ARABIC. There two kinds of Arabic numbers: one in the East and the other in the West.

Didn't

Answer 7

Yes. Once upon a time the Arab civilizations were very advanced, and promising. It is only in the 20th century until the present that this severe extremism has taken such a strong foothold. They invented zero, and now lots can't even read.

Answer 8

Yes, the present english numbers are adopted by the original arabic numbers, and the ones used by arabs currently are indian numbers.

http://www.geocities.com/rmlyra/Numbers.html

That should explain a lot more as well as to the origins of the writing of numbers.

Answer 9

the numbers as we use them today were developed by the hindus... the concept of zero was introduced by the arabs, the reason why they are called arab numbers is because they were introduced into the OH SO CIVILIZED western world by the arabs... no arab would be so ignie to claim what you do not know and wrongly assume (that they are "stealing your numbers", oh those terrorists, lol)... (my God, how stupid can people be!!)

btw, how is this a question related to Religion and Spirituality

Answer 10

actually

the nubers currently used in arabic are not arabic and the English numbers arent english


the arabs invented the Dot on the arabic letters [to make reading words easier ] im not sure about the 0 [they both look the same . in arabic] you might have got them mixed up