Thursday 7 February 2008

Ibn Sina ( Aviccena)

Abu Ali Al-Hussain Ibn Abdallah (Aviccena) was born in 980 A.D at Afshana near Bukhara, a part of Iran. The young Abu Ali received his early education in Bukhara, and by the age of 10 had become well versed in the study of the Qur'an and various sciences. He started studying philosophy by reading various Greek, Muslim and other books on this subject and also learnt logic and some other subjects from Abu Abdallah Natili, a famous philosopher of the time. While still young, he attained such a degree of expertise in medicine that his fame spread far and wide. At the age of 17, he was fortunate in curing Nooh Ibn Mansoor, the king of Bukhara, of an illness in which all the well-known physicians had given up hope. On his recovery, the king wished to reward him, but the young physician only desired permission to use his uniquely stocked library.

On his father's dea th, Abu Ali left Bukhara and traveled to Jurjan, where Khawarizm Shah welcomed him. There, he met his famous contemporary Abu Raihan Al-Biruni. Later, he moved to Ray and then to Hamadan, where he wrote his famous book Al-Qanun Fi Al-Tibb. Here he treated Shams Al-Daulah, the king of Hamadan, for sever colic. From Hamadan, he moved to Isfahan, where he completed many of his monumental writings. Nevertheless, he continued traveling and the excessive mental exertion as well as political turmoil spoilt his health. Finally, he returned to Hamadan where he passed away in 1037 A.D.

He was the most famous physician, philosopher, encyclopaedist, mathematician and astronomer of his time. His major contribution to medical science was his famous book Al-Qanun, known as the 'Canon' in the west. The Qanun Fi Al-Tibb is an immense encyclopedia of medicine extending over a million words. It surveyed the entire medical knowledge available from ancient and muslim sources. Due to its systematic approach, " formal perfection as well as its intrinsic value, the Qanun superseded Razi's Hawi, Ali Ibn Abbas's Maliki, and even the words of Galen, and remained supreme for six centuries. " In addition to bringing together the then available knowledge, the book is filled with the authors original contribution. His important original contribution includes such advances as recognition of the contagious nature of Phthisis and tubrculosis; distribution of diseases by water and soil, and interaction between psychology and health. In addition to describing pharmacological methods, the book described 760 and became the most authentic materia medica of the era. He was also the first to describe meningitis and made rich contributions to anatomy, gynecology and child health.