Biology in the Muslim World
Biologists and Scientists
Table of Content
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Pg3-Pg7……………………………Ibn Battuta
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Pg8-Pg13………………………….Mohammed Samir Hossain
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Pg14-Pg19………………………..Avicenna
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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
Avicenna
Born: 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 alBalkhi

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
Types of Depression
His recognition that
there are different
types of depression,
and the terms he
used for them are
still used today…

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/abuzayd-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) أبوزيد ال
بل
خي." 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

1.
2.
Wrote Kitab al-Tasrif, a 30 chapter
book consisting of various medical
topics
translated into Latin and used for
five centuries as a reference in
Europe
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 alHikmah 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
Averroes
Philosopher and Phycologist
(1126-1198)
About Averroes

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.
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 aṭṬibbiyya which he later called The Complete Art of
Medicine.