Al Biruni was born in Khwarizm (today's Khiva in Uzbekistan) in 973 C.E. He was a brilliant astrologer and scholar who published books on optics, mineralogy, chemistry, mechanics, astronomy, matematics, and the calendars and dating systems of many different cultures.
Khwarizm was raided by the Muslims despot Abu-Said Mahmud in 1017. Al Bruni was taken to India as one of the Mahmud's reluctant human prizes, and lived there for 13 years.
Al Biruni despised Mahud, who he complained wrecked northern India economically as well as killing Hindus" like specs of dust scattered every which way". He found a good use for his time, however, in purchasing all the Sanskrit manuscripts he could find and consulting endlessly with Indian pandits about Hindu science and spirituality.
The result was the Indika, Al Biruni's monumental study of Hindu culture and spirituality.
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