Alberuni's India. An account of the religion, philosophy, literature, geography, chronology, astronomy, customs, laws and astrology of India about A.D. 1030

Al-Biruni’s landmark account offers a remarkably detailed description of Indian civilization as observed in the eleventh century, covering both scholarly subjects and religious life. Historically, it is one of the most important early cross-cultural studies of South Asia, and readers will find comparative notes on Hindu thought, astronomy, calendrical systems, and social custom.

Abū Rayḥān al-Bīrūnī was a polymath of the Islamic Golden Age whose work ranged across astronomy, mathematics, history, and comparative religion. His writings on India and on the study of religions are especially important for the history of religious and philosophical scholarship, combining empirical observation with careful cross-cultural analysis.