Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Ask A (Born Again) Muslim

Home
Muslim
Islamic Golden Age- A Brief Review of Contributions to Today’s World

Islamic Golden Age- A Brief Review of Contributions to Today’s World

Last updated on: May 6, 2018 at 9:37 am by Ejaz Naqvi, MD

Islamic Golden Age- A Brief Review of Contributions to Today’s World 2018-05-06T09:37:09-07:00 Ejaz Naqvi, MD

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Al- Razi (Rhazes): Considered one of the brightest physicians, he was a philosopher, alchemist and musician. His most notable writing is The Comprehensive Book on Medicine (Kitab al-Hawi fi al-tibb)- a large notebook with extracts from earlier authors regarding diseases and therapeutics. In addition he recorded clinical cases of his own experience. The material comprising the Hawi is arranged under headings of different diseases, with separate sections on pharmacological topics.

From National Library of Science:

His Comprehensive Book on Medicine, the Hawi, was translated into Latin in 1279 under the title Continens by Faraj ben Salim, a physician of Sicilian-Jewish origin employed by Charles of Anjou to translate medical works. Even more influential in Europe was al-Razi’s Book of Medicine Dedicated to Mansur, a short general textbook on medicine in ten chapters which he had dedicated in 903 (290 H) to the Samanid prince Abu Salih al-Mansur ibn Ishaq, governor of Rayy. The treatise was translated into Latin in Toledo by Gerard of Cremona (d. 1187) and was known as Liber ad Almansoris. It became one of the most widely read medieval medical manuals in Europe, and the ninth chapter, on therapeutics, frequently circulated by itself under the title Liber nonus ad Almansorem. In the Renaissance many editions of it were printed with commentaries by the prominent physicians of the day, such as Andreas Vesalius.

(Al Razi picture: courtesy of historyofalchemy.com)

Ibn Sina (Avicenna 980-1037)

Probably the most well known from the era, he was born in Afshana, Bukhara (currently Uzbekistan and lived in Persia in his early life. He was a polymath, a physician, a theologian, astronomer and a mathematician-among others. He was a prolific writer and is believed to have written over 450 books, of which about 250 have survived. His most influential book is Al-Qanun fi al-Tibb, or Code of Laws in medicine, commonly known as the Canon of Medicine. It is a 5-volume encyclopedia that covers the principles of Medicine, diseases of various parts of the body, general diseases and fractures. It remained in use in medical schools in Europe until the 17th century.

Here is a small excerpt from the National Library of Medicine.

The Canon of Medicine was widely read by Europeans in the Latin translation of Gerard of Cremona made in the 12th century. So great was the interest in this mammoth medical textbook that late in the 15th century Girolamo Ramusio attempted to improve upon Gerard of Cremona’s Latin translation by comparing it with an Arabic manuscript, and in 1527 a new Latin version was published that had been made by Andrea Alpago (d. 1522), who had resided in Damascus for thirty years as a physician in the service of the Venetian Republic and had used his fluency in Arabic not only to translate it but also to append an Arabic-Latin glossary of terms. Between 1500 and 1674 some sixty editions of part or all of the Canon were published in Europe, mostly intended for use in university medical training.

When he died in 1037 he was known as one of the greatest philosophers of Islam, and in medicine he was so highly regarded that he was compared to Galen.

In honor of his immense contributions, especially in Medicine and Philosophy, UNESCO celebrated the thousand year anniversary of his birth in 1980.

Al-Zahrawi (936-1013)

Born in Cordoba, Andalusia, he is probably the most famous surgeon from the medieval and Middle ages. He is best known for revolutionizing surgical procedures and surgical instruments. His principal work is the Kitab al-Tasrif, a thirty-volume encyclopedia of medical practices, covering Surgery, Medicine, Pharmacology, pathology, Ophthalmology and Obstetrics, among others. The surgery volume in this encyclopedia was later translated into Latin where it received popularity and became the standard textbook in Europe for the next 500 years.

Al-Zahrawi’s pioneering contributions to the field of surgical procedures and instruments had an enormous impact in the East and West well into the modern period, where some of his discoveries are still applied in medicine to this day. [3]

His contributions include:

First physician to describe abdominal pregnancy ( a type of ectopic pregnancy-meaning fetus growing in sites other than the usual uterus implantation).
First physician to describe the hereditary nature of hemophilia.
On Surgery and instrumentation is the last volume of his encyclopedia, Al Tasrif, which details surgical procedures, how to perform them, and contains the pictures of the surgical instruments that are still in use. He introduced numerous surgical procedure for trauma, neurosurgery, obstetrics and other areas, and over 200 surgical instruments. He introduced catgut for internal stitching, which is still used as a self-dissolving form of suturing. He revolutionized surgical procedures in being the first to perform procedures such as using bone replacement for lost teeth, surgical procedure for sagging breasts, using cotton to control bleeding, performing a tracheostomy and other innovative procedures for renal stones. He described how to remove a dead fetus by using forceps, and designed the vaginal specula. The list goes on but I hope you got the picture.

Next: EDUCATION AND UNIVERSITIES-The first degree-awarding university in the world.

Go back Continue Reading

Previous Post

May 3, 2018

Islamic Golden Age- a Golden Example of Scholarship and Inclusiveness

Next Post

May 9, 2018 Islamic Golden Age-Jewish-Muslim Relations And Its Fall

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category #IStandWithIlhan #ISupportRashidaTlaib #JusticeForZainab #MeToo #shithole Countries #Shitholecountries 1001 Inventions 2017 in review 2019 2nd amendment 4th of July 58 Palestinians 99 names of God Afghanistan Afterlife Al Ma'idah Allah Alms America and Islam American mosque American Muslim American Muslims Animals in paradise Annunciation anti-Semitism Aquatic origin Arafat Arkansas Arrogance Ashura Ashura and Karbala atheism atheism and islam Atheism and Muslim atheist Attacks on places of worship Austin Serial Bomber ave a dream Avicenna Benjamin Corey Beyond rituals Bible Bible and science Biden inauguration Big Bang Black Lives Matter Brett Kavanaugh Burcin Mutlu-Pakdil Burma Caliph Donald Trump Cell phones and mobile devices Chanukah Charity Charlottesville Chastity Child murder Child rape Christchurch mosque attacks Christchurch Mosques shootings Christian Christian Fundamentalism Christian Muslim Dialogue Christian Muslim interfaith Christian Taliban Christian-Muslim Dialogue Christians Christine Blaise Ford Christmas Christmas and Gaza Church Church of Ebgland Civil liberty CNN Explosive Device Coexist Conor Lamb Corona virus Covenant of Muhammad Covid-19 Virus Creation Creation in 6 days Creation in Quran and Bible Creation vs evolution Creationism Cross channel Patheos dialogue Crucifisxion Daily Prayer Services Day of Arafah Dayton shooting Dear Mother Devin Kelley Diamond Rule Domestic terrorism Domestic Violence Domestic Violence in Muslim communities Easter Edhi Eid Eid Al Adha Eid Al Fitr Eid Mubarak El Paso shooting Elohim End of Life care Environment Protection Ethnic Cleansing Evolution Evolution theory Explosive Devices in Mail Fact-Checking Faith and civil liberties Faith and justice Faith and religion Faith and suffering Fake news Fasting and ramadan Fasting in Torah and Gospel Fasting on Ashura Fear Inc fear mongers Fear of God Flat Earth Flat Earther Flu Flu prevention Flu tips Flu vaccine Followers of christ forgiveness forms of interfaith dialogue Freedom of expression Freedom of religion Friday at Kaaba Friday prayer Friday prayer at Kaaba Friday prayer during Hajj Gaza General Wesley Clark Genocide George Floyd Glad Tidings God God Fearing God of Abraham God's Mercy Golden Rule Good Friday Gospel Gospels Gratitude Gun control laws gun safety Gun violence Hagia sophia Hajj Hajj 2020 Hajj 2020 Day of Arafah Hajj 2022 Hajj in review Halal Hanukkah Happy Father's day Happy New Hijri Year Happy New Year Hate crime hate speech Hijab Hijabi scientist Holy Land Holy week Hot takes Humility I have a dream I have a dream in the Quran Ihram ilad un Nabi Ilhan Omar Imam Ali Imam hussain In God we trust In God's image infidels Intelligent design Inter religious relations Interfaith Interfaith Dialogue Interfaith Iftar Intra Faith Dialogue Intra-Faith dialogue Islam and Jesus Islam and racism Islam in America Islam Judaism and Christianity Islam One Religion Islam- way of Abraham Islam-Facts Islam-one religion Islamberg Islamic Comamndments Islamic golden age Islamic jesus Islamic Mannerism Islamophobia ISNA Israel's capital Jerusalem Jeruslam Jesus Jesus and end of times Jesus and Gaza Jesus Christ Jewish-Muslim dialogue Jewish-Muslim Relations Jews Jews Christians and Muslims Jihad Joe Biden Joseph son of Jacob Just Muslim Justin Trudeau Kaaba Karbala Kashmir Kavanaugh confirmation Killings of Palestinians Kind and Loving God Kind God and sufferings Kobe Bryant Kosher Labor Day Las vegas shooting Las vegas terror Last Sermon of Prophet Muhammad Last Supper Law of Moses Leaving religion Lent Life lessons Linda Sarsour lllegal immigrants Loving God Make America Great aagain Malala Mannerism lessons Marijuana Mark anthony Conditt Martin Luther King Martin Luther King Day Mary Maryam Masjid Nabawi Mass shooting Mawlid Mawlid un nabi Mecca Medical Marijuana Medina Medina AlQiblatayn mosque Medina Baqih meditation Merciful God Merry Christmas Mike Pompeo mindfulness Miracles of the Qur'an Mitzvah MLK Day Mosque Most Forgiving God mother of Jesus Mother's day Mount Sinai Monastery Muhammad Muharram Muharram and Karbala Muslim Muslim Americans Muslim Christian Dialogue Muslim contribution to Science Muslim gatekeeprs Muslim Jesus Muslim Nobel prize winners Muslim Review Year 2022 Muslim scientists Muslim Unity Muslim Women in Congress Muslim-Atheist dialogue Muslim-Christian relations Muslims-Facts Muzdalifah My Hajj My Jihad Myanmar Myths about Islam Myths about Muslims Nativity Nativity of Jesus New Year New Year resolution New Year Wishes Nobel prize Nones Northern California fires not flu Nuns Occupied Kashmir OJ Simpson One nation under God Onjil Original Sin osque of prphet Muhammad Palestine Parkland school shooting Pew Research center Pilgramage Pilgrims Pillars of Islam Pious Pittsburgh Synagogue shooting Plastic Platinum Rule Police racism Pope Francis meeting with Ayatollah Sistani Pot Prayers Prophet Muhammad Prophets of Islam Protestant Proud American Pulpit Purpose of creation Quba mosque Qur'an Quran Quran and Jesus Quran and Science Quran commandments Quran is easy to understand racism Racism and Diversity Ramadan Ramadan Fasting Ramadan Kareem Rashida Tlaib Rashida Tlaib Cursing Rebuttal to Hemant Mehta Religion and science Religion is the solution Religion vs science Religiosity Religious scientists Removing life support Republicans and Christianity Retirement Riazul Jennah Rick Saccone Righteousness Rohingya Roman Catholic Round Earth Roy Moore defeat Safa and Marwa Salah Salat Saudi exported extremism Saudi Oil filed attack Science and Faith Science and religion scientist and atheism Secretary of state Senate hearing Sermon on the Mount Sexual abuse Sexual harassment Sharia Sharia Law Shia Shia Sunni Unity Social Justice and Islam Sri Lanka Terror Attacks on Easter St. Catherine Monastery Stand with Kashmir Straight Path Submission to God Sunni Sunni-Shia unity Supplications supremacists Supreme court judge Supreme court nomination synagogues and churches Talbiya Taliban Ten Commandments Terror plot against Islamberg Terrorism Texas church shooting Thank God Thankfulness Thanksgiving Thanksgiving celebration Thanksgiving Day the mother of Jesus Torah Tree of Life Tree of Life Synagogue True Christians Trump Trump and misogyny Trump's decision for recognition of Jerusalem Trump's threat to Sanctuary cities Trusting God Tzedekah Uhad Umrah UN resolution Uncategorized Unchristian Republican behavior UnChurched United Ummah UnMosqued US Embassy in Jerusalem US war with seven countries Uyghurs Vatican on Eid Violence in Gaza Wahhabisim War on Christmas wellness What Would Jesus Do? What would Muhammad do? white supermacist White supremacists White Supremacy Why were we created Women's march WWJD Yemen Zakat Zamzam well

Select a Month April 2024 March 2024 December 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 December 2022 August 2022 July 2022 May 2022 April 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 November 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz