A Mathematical Genius

rsridhar---60

Now after giving me the befitting reply do you not think that you have forfeited any exclusive claim on hurt feelimgs?

Even so,Please accept my heartfelt apology for my acidic satire.I promise not to be this crass to you again.The way you complained just touched me.

Sorry again.Friends?

PS:No you do not have to read or not read whatever I suggested.

re:Reply #: 58

hamzad afaqui,

i have no intention of ever interacting with you. Your posts in another forum have hurt my feelings bad. I have given a befitting reply. Consider this as the last time i am interacting with you.

I have no intention of reading Qoran. I suggest you tell some of your own brethren to read that book in its proper perspective. Had that been done, the world today would not have had to deal with the Bin ladens and the Mullah Omars.

I, however, have a St. james version of the Bible in a story form. I enjoy reading some chapters from that great book every now and then.

Sridhar

Re: Rsridhar

``...He was a genius when it came to reproducing what he was taught and what he learned from class and his books. Was he creative?...``

Not all sub-100 IIT rankers are `creative` in the sense that Nash was -- i.e. proposing something so new that it took years for it to be fully appreciated. However, a significant percentage of them are overachievers professionally. One 7 ranker that I know has gone on to become the computer special effects guru for Sony Pictures -- he combined his genius in mathematics/computer science with his love for films.

rsridhar---57

[I think lives of geniuses reinforce our belief in God. It is possibly God`s way of constantly reminding us of His presence]

Thank you for reminding us of this.This also points out to the fact that how many geniuses & potential greats perish for no Hardy is `sent` to them.

``Verily,Allah knows best``

PS:Please read Quran as just `any` book,without any reference or guide.The message will `descend` on you as well.

re: Reply #: 39

Mr Gill,

Thanks for a fascinating account of Ramanujam. I remember reading about those details in the book ``The man who knew infinity`` (Thanks Pankaj for the reference; i had read the book some years ago and forgotten its name).

Ramanujam himself, when asked how he came up with these numbers, said with modesty that Goddess of Namakkal (a family deity)inspired him in his dreams (schizophrenia?). Nobody, not the least Hardy, believed him.

His last days were spent fighting against the ravages of T.B and trying to put all his ideas in a notebook. He would do many steps to a solution on a black board and write only the tenth step or so in the notebook. Thus, to a reader, there was this huge gap between the first and the next step in calculations. This is the area of research in many Universities in USA.

The state where he was born (Tamil Nadu)chose not to honor him because he was a brahmin. He died in utter poverty and his wife probably lives on a small dole from the central govt.

I think lives of geniuses reinforce our belief in God. It is possibly God`s way of constantly reminding us of His presence.

regards,

Sridhar

re:Reply #: 45

shammi,

Fascinating story about your friend. I know i told you of a class mate of mine in Delhi, who was brilliant. This guy came 7th in JEE in 11th std. and went to Delhi IIT. He maintained a perfect score during his years in IIT and went to Stanford to do PhD on a scholarship. I have since lost touch with him. He too was a recluse and hardly made any friends. He was a genius when it came to reproducing what he was taught and what he learned from class and his books. Was he creative? That is hard to answer.

Sridhar

re:Hamzad:

Thanks for your comments regarding my web page and the article on Western Men who`ve converted to Islam.

Yes Arsh, Urooj Zaidi et al are listed on my Zaidi directory, but I don`t know them personally nor is there any immediate relation to them.

Fozia

re: scout

{{it`s more behavioral than mental, a mix of insecurity and the desire to get attention by all means necessary...which has worked...he`s definitely grabbed the attention of everyone on Chowk except for me because i`m special. why don`t you try being special too and ignore the fellow.}}

i can`t ignore the fool...i enjoy whipping his stinky behind too much to ignore him...

Dear freethinker

``The man who knew infinity`` is a biography of Ramanujam written by Robert Kanniegel. It is a very beautifully written book that touches all aspects of Ramanujam`s life, beliefs etc. It also contains a photocopy of that fateful letter to Hardy from Ramanujam. The author tries to explain the genius of Ramanujam but in the end he leaves the question open-ended. I can not tell you more but it is fascinating read for anyone, not just mathematicians.

hamzad #49 why is it so important to you that ``prominent western men`` convert to islam? Do you think God could care less whether you are muslim or christian or any other religion. You are an example of the many muslims who follow the path of chauvinism and egotism. The path of Islam goes in the opposite direction, towards respect for all faiths and all people.

PS Incidentally, how about ``non-prominent non-western men``? Do your sources consider them worthy enough to have lists drawn for them too? Or are you merely revealing the your subconscious awe of western men, which you try to compensate by posting this lengthy cutandpastes of the glory of the muslims?

Dear Soysauce and Hamzad Afaqui:

Thank you for bringing the book on ``Man.....Infinity`` to my attention; I`m picking up a copy from the library tonight. I had read Hardy`s book but this is a new book.

I`m not particularly hooked to Ramanujan, so to say, although he interested me a lot. Reading about the creative people is my pastime.

Dear Fozia and other Readers:

Thanks for your comments, wishing you well,

Mohammad Gill

#49 hamzad

You are terribly mistaken.

What comes across clearly is how it was touch & go with Ramanujan. He might just as easily not have made it into the pantheon of the gods of mathematics. Kanigel also brings it out quite clearly that the control that Ramanujan`s mother had over him extracted a heavy emotional price. Quite an achievement considering the cultural chasm that separates an american writing in late 20th century and an orthodox south indian brahmin living almost a century before.

soysauce---48

I read it 6 years ago,It is indeed fascinating.The role of Hardy & the racist character of the english society is exposed.

If I remember somewhat,it mentions how the large companies are still after the scraps of paper he left behind in his room.

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fozia:This is especially for you.I hope it is new for you.

SOME PROMINENT WESTERN MEN

WHO EMBRACED ISLAM

(U.K) RT.HON.SIR ROWLAND GEORGE ALLANSON- LORD HEADLEY AL-FAROOQ (SHAIKH RAHMATULLAH AL-FAROOQ)- Born in 1855, Lord Headley Al-Farooq was leading British Peer who embraced Islam in 1913,after being educated at Cambridge University and serving in the British Army as Captain and later as Lieutenant Colonel. He was the author of several books, including ``A WESTERN AWAKENING TO ISLAM``

(U.K) DR. ARTHUR (ABDULLA) – He was and eminent Biologist, Electrical Engineer, and Professor at the University of London and the University of Oxford.

(SOUTH AFRICA) SHUNMUGAN APPADURAY (ABDUL-AZIZ)- Former Sunday School Teacher and Bible Student of the Pentecostal Church.

(JAPAN) AHMAD ARIGA- Trader and Muslim missionary of the 1930`s.

(U.K) ABDULLAH BATTERSBEY- Major of the British Army.

(GERMANY) ERWIN BAUER- Editor of the ``Al-Fadjr`` Islamic magazine in Hamburg.

(FRANCE) DR. ALI SELMAN BENOIST – Doctor of Medicine.

(USA) ``RAP`` BROWN (JAMIL AL-AMIN) –AFRO – American who was the Chairman of the (STUDENT NON-VIOLENT COORDINATING COMMITTEE) of the Civil rights era. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

(U.K) SIR LAUDER (JALALUDDIN) BRUNTON –was and Oxford educated statesman and baronet, and public man of wide repute.

(FRANCE) DR. MAURICE BUCAILLE- A surgeon who has taken great interest in the scientific aspects of the Qur`an. He learnt Arabic and managed to study the Qur`an in its original text. He was amazed with its precise scientific data. As a result of his study. Dr. Bucaille embraced Islam.he has since written THE BIBLE, THE QUR`AN AND SCIENCE AND WHAT IS THE ORGIN OF MAN? He is a personal friend of Captain Jacques Cousteau.

(USA) Cassius Clay (MUHAMMAD ALI) – Former three –time world famous heavy- weight boxing champion. He is an Afro-American who is founder of the Muhammad Ali Islamic Foundation in Chicago, Illionis.

(USA) BOB CRANE – Ex- Economic Advisor to President Nixon.

(GERMANY) AHMED VON DENFFER – Author of Islamic books.

(AUSTRIA) DR. ROLF FREITHERR VON EHRENFEELS (DR. UMAR ROLF BARON EHRENFELS) – Born as the only son of the late Baron Christian Ehrenfels, (founder of Austria`s modern structural (Gestalt, psychology). Dr. Ehrenfels accepted Islam in 1927, and later became a Professor of Anthropology and authored numerous scientific and Islamic publications.

(UK) COLIN (ISMAIL) EVANS- Author of Islamic books in the international language of Esperanto.

(FRANCE) ROGER (RAJA`A) GARAUD – Served fourteen years as a member of the Politburo of the French Communist Party, and was vice president of French Parliament. He is now President of the Geneva –based Institute for the Dialogue of Cultures, and has set up the Calahorra Exhibition in Cordoba. Spain, a center showing the great Muslim heritage of Spain.

(HUNGARY) DR. ABDUL KARIM GERMANUS – Head of the Dept. and Professor and Scholar of Oriental and Islamic Studies at the Budapest University.

(USA) ALFRED GRIFFIN—Afro -American Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, court- martialed in 1983 for refusing to fight against fellow Muslim brothers in Beiruth.

(FRANCE) RENS GUENON (SHEIKH ABDUL-WAHED YAHYA)- Philosopher and author of metaphysics and Islamic books.

(JAPAN) ARAI HAKUSEKI – A famous Japanese scholar of the early 1700`s. He was the first commentator on Islam in Japan.

(USA) ROGER HALVORSON (MUHAMMAD RASHEED) – Vice President (Medical Division) of El-Seif Development, Saudi Arabia. Former Catholic who embraced Islam in the late `80`s.

H(U.K.) SIR CHARLES EDWARD ARCHIBALD WATKINS AMILTON (SIR ABDULLAH ARCHIBALD HAMILTON BART) – Born in 1876, he was a well-known statesman ,Baronet, and Lieutenant in the Royal Defence Corps. He embraced Islam in 1923.

(U.K.) IBRAHIM HEWITT— Journalist.

(GERMANY) MUHAMMAD AMAN HOBOHN – Diplomat, Missionary and Social Worker.

(U.K) MUHTAR HOLLAND – Linguist, translator, lecturer and senior research fellow in the Islamic Foundation of England.

(NEW ZEALAND) ALAN (ADIL) IREALAND – Journalist for the Evening Standard newspaper in New Zealand.

(CANADA) DR. THOMAS B.THOMAS B. IRVING (TA`LIM ALI) – Professor at University of Tennessee, and author of Islamic books.

(USA) GERMANINE JACKSON – Afro – American from Gary, Indiana. Formerly of the Jackson Five family pop singing group. Brother to Michael Jackson.

(U.K) DENYS JOHNSON – DAVIES (ABDUL WADOUD) – Translator.

(USA) MUHAMMAD JAMAL – Owner of the American Islamic Bookstore in Newark, New Jersey. (Known for feeding the homeless).

(USA) Jimmy-Jones—Afro-American Professor at Springfield College in Massachusetts and a volunteer Muslim chaplain in the Connecticut prison system.

(CANADA) ABU- BILAL MUSTAFA AL- KANADI – This Islamic author embraced Islam in Vancouver, B.C., Canada in 1974. He was a BA holder of English literature, and studied at the Language Institute of Umm Al- Qura Univ. in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Upon graduation he then entered the College of Shariah ( Islamic Law) and Islamic Studies. He graduated with honors in 1983 and in1989 completed his Masters Degree in Qur`anic Sciences he has written a number of treatises on various topics, as well as ``THE ISLAMIC RULING REGARDING WOMEN`S DRESS – ACCORDING TO THE QUR`AN AND SUNNAH``.

(IRAN) DAVID BENGAMNI KELDANI, B.D. (PROFESSOR ABDUL AHD DAWUD, BD) -- was formerly a Christian Reverend before embracing Islam.

(KOREA) ABU- BAKR KIM—Islamic author.

(POLAND) ATAULLAH KOPANSKI – Professor and former communist who worked closely with Lech Walesa and the Solidarity Movement.

(JAPAN)HISHAM KURODA – Islamic author.

(PHILIPPINES) LUIS LACER – Islamic author.

(U.K.) PROFESSOR HAROON MUSTHAPHA LEON, M.A., Ph.D., L.L.D., F.S.P., -- accepted Islam in 1882. He was an active and honorary member of many learned societies in Europe and America. Dr. Leon was also a learned etymologist (a branch of linguistics), geologist, lecturer and author.

(U.S.A) MALCOLM x (EL-HAJJ MALIK EL – SHABAZZ)—was a world famous Afro – American speaker and author of the civil rights era, from Harlem, New York.

(USA) DR. KHALID ABDULLAH TARIQ AL-MANSOUR – Afro American Supreme Court Lawyer, businessman, religious activist, author and Islamic speaker.

(GERMANY) Dr. HAMID MARCUS—Scientist, author, journalist and former editor of ``MOSLEMISCHE REVUE`` Berlin.

(U.K.) MUSTAFA YUSUF MCDERMOTT – Author of Islamic books.

(HOLLAND) R.L. MELLEMA—Anthropologist, scholar and writer of Islamic books.

(JAPAN) HAJJI UMAR MITA—A well-known Japanese economist, social worker and preacher. Born in 1892, he embraced Islam in 1941. He performed the Hajj in 1958 and was elected President of the Japan Muslim Assoc. in 1960. He translated the meanings of the Holy Qur`an into Japanese in 1972.

(FRANCE) VINCENT MONTEIL – Specialist on Islam in Africa.

(JAPAN) ALI MUHAMMAD MORI – Social worker and preacher.

(SOUTH AFRICA) ADAM NCANYWA – Former Christian actor who starred in such movies as `My adventures in Africa`, embraced Islam in 1989.

(USA) UMAR ABDUR-RAHIM OCASIO – Puerto-Rican American who is an Islamic author.

(HOLLAND) FAUZUDDIN AHMED OVERING – Preacher and social worker.

(SWITZERLAND) ROGER (ABDUL KARIM) DU PASQUIER –well- known journalist and author.

(SRI LANKA) FATHER ATHONY PERERA, O.M.I. (NOOR QASIM)- Born in a Catholic family, he received training in a seminary in central Sri Lanka from 1962 –1971. He served as a parish priest in his native village of Mutuwal. He is now an associate of the Sri Lanka Islamic Centre, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

(U.K) WILLAM BURCHELL (BASHYR) PICKARD, B.A (Cantab), L.D. (London) – is an author, poet and novelist of wide repute.

AMERICAN –BORN CANADIAN) BILAL PHILIPS—Teacher, author and speaker.

(U.K) MARMADUKE (MUHAMMAD) PICKTHALL – well known translator and Muslim scholar.

(U.K) DAVID MARK(DAUD MUSA) PIDCOCK- Leader of the Islamic party of Britain.

(THAILAND) SURIN PITSUWAN, Ph.D – Islamic author and social scientist.

(U.K) ABDULLAH QUILLIAM –Lawyer in Liverpool, England in the 1800`s and 1890`s who inaugurated Britain`s first Islamic community.

(JAPAN) ABDUL-KHALIL T. RAMADA –He was the first known Japanese Muslim. He embraced Islam in 1893.

(U.K) HAJI SALEEM ROBERTSON—A military man who served in the Leicestershire Regiment in 1928. He embraced Islam while serving in Ceylon (Sri Lanka).

(USA) COL.DONALD S.ROCKWELL – Poet, critic and author.

(U.K) HUSSAIN ROFE – Social reformer who was raised by parents representing the Jewish and Catholic faiths. He later embraced Islam.

(JAPAN) ABDUL KARIM SAITHOH – Islamic author.

(GERMANY) MUHAMMAD SIDDIQ – In charge of the House of Islam in Lutzelbach, Germany.

(U.K) CAT STEVENS (YUSUF – ISLAM) – Former world – renowned pop singer. Founder of Islamic School – London . widely travelled speaker.

(JAPAN) MUHAMMAD SULEIMAN TAKEUCHI—Associate, Japanese Society of Ethnology.

(USA) IMAM SIRAJ WAHAJ – Afro- American Islamic speaker.

(USA) ALEXANDER (MUHAMMAD) RUSSEL WEBB (1846-1916) -- was born in Hudson, N.Y. As an adult he became an essayist, short – story writer, journalist and editor of two newspapers. In 1887 he was appointed United States Counsul in Manila, Philippines. It was during this assignment that he studied Islam. After becoming Muslim, he toured various Islamic countries and devoted the rest of his life to Islamic missionary work. He also became the Head of the Islamic Propaganda Mission in the USA. Mr. Webb is considered to be the first ``Anglo`` to embrace Islam in North America.

(U.K) JOHN (MUHAMMAD) WEBSTER – President of the English Muslim Mission.

(AUSTRIA- POLAND) LEOPOLD WEISS (MUHAMMAD ASAD) –Was born in Livow, Austria in 1900, (which later became a part of Poland). As a young Jewish man, he became an outstanding foreign corespondent for the ``FRANKFURTER ZEITUNG``, and after embracing Islam, he travelled throughout the Muslim world. After years of devoted study, he became one of the foremost Muslim scholars of our age, and has written numerous Islamic books. Mr. Asad has also served in the past at the United Nations as Pakistan`s Alternate Representative.

(USA) CLAUDE (AHMED) WINTERS—Afro – American anthropologist and writer of Islamic books, from Chicago.

(POLAND) WIESLAW (ISMAIL) ZEJIERSKI – Sociologist, reformer and social worker, was born in Kraskow, Poland in 1900 to a Roman Catholic family, which belongs to the polish nobility. He embraced Islam around 1950.

(JAPAN) KOTARO AL- HAJJ OMAR M. YAMAOKA – He was the first Japanese Muslim to perform the Hajj. The year was 1909.

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#39 freethinker

There`s a recent biography of Ramanujan: ``the man who knew infinity`` by Robert Kanigel. It`s actually quite well written.

fozia---46

I visited your web page & I liked it.As a muslim I am immesely proud of you.Born & raised in Canada you could teach a thing or two to the kurrak murghees(cackling hens)here, who by pretending to know english/canadian/american languge,try to impress the poor dehatees(villagers) of Pakistan & India.

What these matrons do not know is that even the so called lowliest burqua-clad from Pakistan & Afghanistan is more cultured & sophisticated than these bumbusts or bustbums.

Is Urooj Z. & alia arshia on your list?How are you related to them--if!

Mohammed,

Prior to reading your article, I had never heard of John Nash or had any interest in viewing his movie. It was this submission of yours that piqued my interest on Mr. Nash. I spent some time reading more on his life and research over the next couple of days. And this last weekend I watched the movie ``A Beautiful Mind``.

It was a deeply moving movie and I really enjoyed watching it.

I`d like to thank you for introducing Mr. Nash to myself. I pray that one day your son will emerge from his shell as Mr. Nash did inshallah.

Regards,

Fozia Zaidi

http://www.geocities.com/zaidif786/