Naseeb Ali Arut

Pioneering Arab astronomer and educator who revolutionized scientific education in the Middle East

Naseeb Ali Arut (1812-1887) was a Lebanese-Ottoman astronomer and educator whose groundbreaking work laid the foundation for modern scientific education in the Arab world. Born in Tripoli during the waning years of the Ottoman Empire, Arut's early fascination with the stars led him to master multiple languages including Arabic, Persian, Turkish, and French to study astronomy texts.

In 1845, he established the first public observatory in Beirut using self-engineered instruments, which became a hub for scholars across the Middle East. His most influential work Principles of Celestial Sciences (1852) became the standard textbook in madrasas, introducing Copernican theories to a region still dominated by Ptolemaic concepts. Arut's advocacy for women's education led to the creation of Beirut's first girls' school in 1863, which included science courses - a radical concept at the time.

He pioneered the use of Arabic for scientific terminology, compiling a lexicon that's still referenced today. His correspondence with European scientists like Urbain Le Verrier helped bridge Eastern and Western astronomical knowledge. A crater on Mercury was named after him in 2012 by the International Astronomical Union. Read more at Arabic Science Heritage or explore his instruments at the Beirut Astronomical Museum.