Taqi al-Din Muhammad ibn Ma'ruf, an Ottoman engineer, astronomer, and mathematician, described a practical steam turbine-like device for rotating a roasting spit in his book Al-Turuq al-saniyya fi al-alat al-ruhaniyya. This device, developed in Ottoman Egypt, used steam jets to turn a wheel, representing one of the first documented applications of steam to perform useful work. While it remained a curiosity, it demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of steam power outside Europe.

Taqi al-Din's encyclopedic work showcases the breadth of Islamic scientific knowledge in the 16th century. Although not widely known in the West at the time, his writings are now recognized as an important precursor to the steam engine, offering a counterpoint to the predominantly Western narrative of technological progress in literary and historical studies.