Biology in the Muslim World

Biologists and Scientists

Table of Content

Pg3-Pg7……………………………Ibn Battuta

Pg8-Pg13………………………….Mohammed Samir Hossain

Pg14-Pg19………………………..Avicenna

Pg20-Pg25………………………..Ahmed Ibn Salh al-Balkhi

Ibn Battuta

Born: February 25, 1304 A.D

Died: 1377 A.D

About Ibn Battuta

Travelled through Algiers, Tunis, Egypt, Palestine and Syria to Makkah

One of the most remarkable travelers of all time

Early life

Shortened his name to Ibn Battuta from Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Abdullah Al Lawati Al Tanji Ibn Battuta.

A trained judge

Travels

In nearly 30 years on the road, Ibn Battuta traversed North Africa, Egypt, and the Swahili coast; reached Mecca on the Arabian Peninsula, passing through Palestine and Greater Syria en route; swung through Anatolia and Persia to Afghanistan; crossed the Himalayas to India, then Sri Lanka and the Maldives; and reached the eastern coast of China

Later decided to cross the Sahara

At Life's’ End

Spent most of life discovering land and religion

Published work in Court of Cairo

Died in 1377 A.D in Morocco

Mohammad Samir Hossain

About Him

Born November 28, 1976

Still living (Alhamdulillah)

Education and Career

Studied at Ideal School and College in Dhaka

Studied psychology in Jon Hopkins Medical School, Harvard Medical School and Yale University

Accomplishments

Wrote two books

Quest for a New Death

Human Immortality

Hossain’s Contributions

Teaches at The Medical College for Women and Hospital

Works at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University

Theory

Death and Adjustment Hypotheses is his most noteworthy theory in the death and anxiety research

Facing the Finality was also a theory published as an article

AvicennaBorn: August 980 A.D

Died: June 1037 A.D

Noted for his contributions in the fields of Aristotelian philosophy and medicine.

Avicenna’s Books

He composed two books

Kitab-as-shifa’ and Al-qanun fi al-tibb

Life and Education

Memorized Quran at age 10

Started writing career at age 21

Crossed numerous fields, including mathematics, geometry, astronomy, physics, metaphysics, philology, music, and poetry

Influence in Philosophy and Science

Was described by Edward G. Browne as “more philosophical than medical” and vice versa by al-Rāzī .

Science equated with wisdom

Knowledge “instrumental to philosophy”

Late Life

Was 57 at end of life

Died while severely ill with a case of colic

Was poisoned by a slave of the King of Pontus

Ahmed ibn Sahl al-Balkhi

850-934 CE

Who was he? Balkh

Also known as Abu Zayd al-Balkhi

Born in Shamistiyan in Balkh, Khorasan(present-day Afghanistan)

Student of al-Kindi, who was known as the “Philosopher of the Arabs”

What did he do?

Founded the Balkht School of Terrestrial Mapping

Was the first known medical psychologist

Was the first to differentiate neurosis and psychosis

He recognized that the body could be healthy or unhealthy, balanced or unbalanced

Most Notable Work

Most famous work, "Sustenance for Body and Soul”, was the first to successfully discuss diseases related to both body and soul

Used the term “Tibb al-Qalb” to describe mental medicine

Also wrote “Figure of the Climates”

Influences

His recognition that there are different types of depression, and the terms he used for them are still used today…

Types of Depression Normal depression-sadness

Endogenous depression-chemical imbalance

Clinical depression

1. Fear and anxiety

2. Anger and aggression

3. Sadness and depression

4. Obsession

Sources

"Abu Zayd Al-Balkhi." Prezi.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2015. <https://prezi.com/t7_n24icme4w/abu-zayd-al-balkhi/>.

"Encyclopaedia Islamica." Abū Zayd Al-Balkhī. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2015. <http://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/encyclopaedia-islamica/abu-zayd-al-balkhi-COM_0167#d472545e96>.

"Great Muslim Scientists." : Abu Zayd Al-Balkhi. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2015. <http://www.kufarooq9.blogspot.com/2013/11/abu-zayd-al-balkhi.html>.

"Balkhi, Abu Zayd (235H/ 849CE-322H/934CE) أب٠زÙد � �اÙبÙØ®Ù." � � � - Islamic Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2015. <http://islamicencyclopedia.org/public/index/topicDetail/id/196/page/4>.

Abu al-Qasim al-Zahrawi

936-1036 CE

Who was he?

Also known as Albucasis(Western name)

Born in El-Zahra near Cordoba, Andalusia

Considered the greatest medieval surgeon from the Islamic World

Thought of as the father of modern surgery

Contributions to Science and Medicine

Wrote Kitab al-Tasrif, a 30 chapter book consisting of various medical topics

1. translated into Latin and used for five centuries as a reference in Europe

2. Wrote about what became “Kocher’s method” when dealing with a dislocated shoulder

3. Explained the hereditary nature of hemophilia

4. Described migraine surgery

Documented several dental instruments

Introduced over 200 surgical instruments

Wrote “ On Surgery and Instruments” which told which instrument to use in each surgery

Source: www.muslimheritage.com/article/abu-al-qasim-al-zahrawi-great-surgeon

Source: www.muslimheritage.com/article/abu-al-qasim-al-zahrawi-great-surgeon

Ali Ibn Sahl Rabban al-Tabari

(838 AD-870 AD)

Ali Ibn Sahl Rabban al Tabari

A Muslim scholar, physician, scientist, and philosopher.

Produced Firdous Al Hikma, one of the first encyclopedias of medicine.

From a Persian family but moved to Tabaristan, the southern coasts of Caspian Sea.

Tutored Zakariya al-Razi

His Works

1.His Firdous al-Hikmah ("Paradise of Wisdom"). In Arabic, was a system of medicine in seven parts. He also translated it into Syriac. The transformation in Firdous al-Hikmah has it was not edited until the 20th cent

2.Tuhfat al-Muluk ("The King's Present")

3.A work on the proper use of food, drink, and medicines.

4.Hafzh al-Sihhah ("The Proper Care of Health"), following Greek and Indian authorities

5.Kitab al-Ruqa ("Book of Magic or Amulets")

6.Kitab fi al-hijamah ("Treatise on Cupping")

7.Kitab fi Tartib al-'Ardhiyah ("Treatise on the Preparation of Food")

A Few of His Books

Source :http://www.islamicity.com/Science/Scientists/Al-Tabari.shtml

AverroesPhilosopher and Phycologist

(1126-1198)

Born in 1126 in Cordoba, Spain.

Studied Islamic Theology, Mathematics, Philosophy, Medicine, Astronomy, and Physics.

Throughout his life he wrote extensively on Philosophy and Religion, attributes of God, origin of the universe, Metaphysics and Psychology.

About Averroes

Contributions His works spread over 20,000 pages covering a variety of different

subjects such as early Islamic philosophy, logic in Islamic philosophy, Islamic medicine, mathematics, astronomy, Arabic grammar, Islamic theology, and

Averroes wrote a medical encyclopedia called Kulliyat (Colliget).

Averroes also authored three books on physics namely: Short Commentary on the Physics, Middle Commentary on the Physics and Long Commentary on the Physics.

Accomplishments  He wrote at least 80 original works, which included 28 works on

philosophy, 20 on medicine, 8 on law, 5 on theology, and 4 on grammar, in addition to his commentaries on most of Aristotle's works and his commentary on Plato's The Republic.

He wrote over 60 books in his lifetime

Influences Aristotle

 Alexander of Aphrodisias

Philoponus

Al-Farabi

Ibn Bājja

Ibn Zuhr

Ali ibn Abbas al-Majusi

Persian Physician and Phycologist

(925-994 AD)

He was born in Ahvaz, Southwestern Persia 925 AD.

He studied under Shaikh Abu Maher Musa ibn Sayyār.

He was considered one of the three greatest physicians of Eastern Caliphate of his time.

He also became a physician to Emir Adud al-Daula Fana Khusraw of Buhaywid dynasty.

Contributions Medical ethics and research methodology Neuroscience and psychology Psychophysiology and psychosomatic

medicine Contributions to modern medicine

Accomplishments

He completed his book of Kitāb Kāmil aṣ-Ṣināʿa aṭ-Ṭibbiyya which he later called The Complete Art of Medicine.