On 24th-25th of November 1999, Al-Furqan Islamic Heritage Foundation organised its fifth conference, on the topic of "The Earth and its Sciences in Islamic Manuscripts".
The conference papers addressed the domain of mathematical sciences in relation to planet Earth, with six papers in the field of geographical heritage, accurately illustrating Earth’s representation. The papers highlighted the efforts of Muslim scholars in this domain, which were treated with fairness and given due credit by orientalists; moreover, showcasing the rare gems that were published, which stand as eloquent testimony to the powers of exploration and analysis in the description of Earth and all it holds.
Furthermore, the conference papers highlighted the science of botany, which developed at the hands of Muslim scholars, after they had assimilated Greek heritage, and authored on it, along linguistic, horticultural, or medicinal lines of inquiry. Through their efforts, it evolved even further, to become a fully-fledged science in its own right, focused on purely scientific descriptions of flora, without engaging in agricultural benefits or advantages.
While Islamic chemistry recorded no progress over more than half a century, the conference did not neglect this field. Similarly, geology, with Islamic manuscript heritage containing an extensive list of important works executed in this domain, delved into properties, benefits, colours, strength, and crystal structure, as well as markets and prices.