Basic Philosophy

the first word revealed to the Moslems' prophet

Mohammed was "Read"

" The prophet Mohammed stressed learning by

saying. "One hour of teaching is better than a
night of praying."

the Prophet says "For every disease, God

created a cure
Medicine in Islam passed through three
stages:
The first stage is the stage of translation of
foreign sources into Arabic. It extended mainly
during the seventh and eighth centuries.
The second stage is the stage of excellence and
genuine contribution in which the Islamic
physicians were the leaders and the source of
new chapters to medicine. This stage extended
during the ninth through the thirteenth
centuries.
The third stage is the stage of decline where
medicine, as well as other branches of science,
became stagnant and deteriorated. The stage
started mainly after the thirteenth century.
AL-RAZI (RAZES) 841-926 A.D.
His full name is Abu-Bakr Mohammaed Ibn-Zakaria Al-
Razi, known to the Western World as Razes. He was
born in Ray, a suburb of Tehran, the capital of modern
Persia

Name - Arabic: Al-Razi

Name - latin: Razes
Span of Life (A.D.): 841 - 926 (Ray-Tehran)
Speciality and Contribution: Internal Medicine,
Epidemiology, Ophthalmology, Chemistry,
Physics, Philosophy
Special Books: Kitab Al-Mansuri (The Liber Al-
Mansuris), Al-Murshid, Al-Hawi (Continents), Al-
Gudari wa, Al-Gudari (de Peste or de Pestilentia)
City - Country: Kharasan, Baghdad
 he listed seven principles for the preservation of
health:

1. Moderation and balance in motion and rest.

2. Moderation in eating and drinking.
3. Elimination of superfluities.
4. Improvement and regulation of dwelling
places.
5. Avoidance of excessive evil happenings before
they become uncontrollable.
6. Maintenance of harmony in ambitions and
resolutions.
7. Acquisition of reticence through possession of
good habits including exercise.
 AL-ZAHRAWI
(ABULCASIS, BUCASIS, ALZAHRAVIUS)
930-1013 A.D.

His full name is Abu-Al-Qasim Khalaf

Ibn'Abbas Al-Zahrawi. He had been known
in the Western World as Abulcasis, Bucasis
or Alzahravius. He is the famous surgeon
of the Arabs. In 930 A.D., he was born in
Al-Zahra, a suburb of Cordova.
 Name - Arabic: Al-Zahrawi
Name - latin: Abulcasis (Bucasis
Alzahravius)
Span of Life (A.D.): 930 -1013 (al-
Zahra-Cordova)
Speciality and Contribution: Surgery
Special Books: al-Tasrif Liman Ajiz 'an
al' Ta'lif
City - Country: Al-Andalus (Cordova)
IBN-SINA (AVICENNA) 980-1037 A.D.

Ibn-Sina's full name is Abu-Ali Husayn lbn-

Abdullah lbn-Sina, and his titles were Al-
Shaykh Al-Rais (The chief Master) or Al-
Muallim Al-Thani (The Second Teacher),
second to Aristotle (Browne 1962). He is
known in the Western World as Avicenna.
 Name - Arabic: Ibn-Sina
Name - latin: Avicenna
Span of Life (A.D.): 980 - 1037
(Bukhara)
Speciality and Contribution: Medical
Encyclopedia, Philosophy,
Astronomy, Poetry
Special Books: 100 books Al-Qanun
(over million words)
City - Country: Hamazan, Jurjan
 He wrote in philosophy, medicine, named Al-
Qanon fi Al- Tibb (Canon of Medicine). It was an
encyclopedia containing more than one million
words. It was composed of 5 volumes:
- Volume I- described the principles and theories
of medicine.
- Volume II- contained the simple drugs
arranged alphabetically.
- Volume III- described localized diseases of the
body from the head to the toes.
- Volume IV- was addressed to generalized
diseases of the body e.g. fevers.
- Volume V- explained compound drungs.
 IBN-RUSHD (AVERROES)
1126-1198 A.D.
Ibn-Rashid, or Averroes as known in
Europe, was born in Granada in 1126 A.D.
He studied philosophy, medicine and law.
his important contribution to medicine was
"Al- Kulliyat fi Al-Tibb" (Colliyet). It was a
summary of the medical science at that
time and composed of seven parts.
 Name - Arabic: Ibn-Rushd
Name - latin: Averroes
Span of Life (A.D.): 1126 - 1198
Speciality and Contribution: Philosophy,
Medicine, Law
Special Books: Kitab Al-Kulliat
City - Country: Al-Andalus, Granada
In these interpretations he asserted that the
human soul is not independent, but shares a
universal mind. This belief caused a great
controversy and was later declared heretical by
both the Moslems and Christians alike because it
contradicted the doctrine of personal
immortality.
IBN-MAIMON (MAIMONEDES)
1135-1204 A.D.
Name - Arabic: Ibn-Maimon
Name - latin: Maimonides
Span of Life (A.D.): 1135 - 1208 (Granada)
Speciality and Contribution: Philosophy,
Translations- Hebrew, Latin, Poisons,
Hygiene and Public Health
Special Books: Al-Tadbir El-Sihhi, Moushid
El-Hairan
City - Country: Cairo (Saladdin's physician)
 IBN-EL-NAFIS 1208 - 1288 A.D.

In 1208 A.D., Ala'El-Deen Ibn-El-Nafis was born

in a small town near Damascus called Kersh
(Fig. 7) (Ibrahim 1971). He learned medicine
and philosophy in Damascus and spent most of
his life in Cairo. He was a physician, a linguist, a
philosopher, and a historian. He was the first
chief of Al-Mansuri Hospital in Cairo and the
dean of the School of Medicine in 1284 A.D.
 Name - Arabic: Ibn-Al-Nafis
Name - latin:
Span of Life (A.D.): 1208 - 1288
(Damascus)
Speciality and Contribution: Pulmonary
circ., Blood supply to the heart
Special Books: Sharah Tashrih al
Qanun, Al-Mujaz
City - Country: Damascus, Cairo
Hospitals Before Islam:

Hospitals as we know them now probably

were not present. True, there were places
for the sick to stay, but these were mainly
temples or annexes to temples that were
run by priests. Gods were supposed to
play a major role in the art of healing.
Characteristic Features of
Hospitals in the Islamic
Civilization
1. Secular:
2. Separate wards
3. Separate nurses
4. Baths and water supplies
5. Practicing physicians
6. Rather medical schools:
7. Proper records of patients
8. Pharmacy