Name of the Scientist: Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn
Zakariya al-Razi
Life Period: 865 A.D-925 A.D
Profession: Physician, Philosopher, Medician
He studied medicine under Ali ibn Sahl Rabban al-Tabari, known as Ali ibn Rabban al-Tabari or Ali ibn Sahl, (Cf. al-Qifti, Usaibi'ah), a physician and philosopher born in Merv about 192 AH (808 C.E.) (d. approx. 240 AH (855 C.E.)). Ali ibn Sahl belonged to the medical
He was first placed in charge of the first
Razi wrote on many different subjects. His general medical textbook, Kitab al-Mansuri fi al-tibb (The Book of Medicine for Mansur) was written for the Samanid ruler of Rayy, Abu Salih al-Mansur. His voluminous working files of readings and personal observations were assembled posthumously by his students and circulated under the name Kitab al-Hawi fi al-tibb (The Comprehensive Book on Medicine). Over 1,000 of his case histories are also preserved today, and they provide an important insight into the working life of the greatest medieval clinician. Kitab al-Mansuri, which was translated into Latin in the 15th century C.E., comprised ten volumes and dealt exhaustively with Greco-Arab medicine. Some of its volumes were published separately in
In addiiton to his clinical work, Razi was also a researcher. He portrayed in great detail several chemical reactions and also given full descriptions of and designs for about twenty instruments used in chemical investigations. His description of chemical knowledge was translated into Latin and used for many years as the source for chemistry. He was the first to produce sulfuric acid together with some other acids, and he also prepared alcohol by fermenting sweet products. In the biology area, Razi developed a primitive classification system; dividing substances into plants, animals and minerals, thus in a way opening the way for inorganic and organic chemistry.
Razi was a rationalist and very confident in the power of ratiocination;
he was widely regarded by his contemporaries and biographers as liberal, free
of prejudice, and bold in expressing his ideas.[citation needed]
His eye affliction started with cataracts and ended in total blindness.
During that time he was approached by a physician offering an ointment to cure
his blindness. Al-Razi then asked him how many layers does the eye contain and
when he was unable to answer he refused his services and the ointment stating
"my eyes will not be treated by one who does not know the basics of its
anatomy".[12] One of his pupils from Tabaristan came to look after him,
but, according to al-Biruni, he refused to be treated, proclaiming it was
useless as his hour of death was approaching. Some days later he died in Rey,
on the 5th of Sha'ban 313 AH (27 October 925).