29. Ibn Roshd
(520-595H /1126-1198AD)

His full name was Abu al-Walid Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Ibn Muhammad al-Andalusi, known in the West as Averroes(174). He was a Arab Muslim Philosopher, physician and jurisconsult. He was born in Cordoba and grew up in a family of Islamic scholars. Both his father and grandfather were judges. He learned Islamic sciences under his father, and then learned medicine and philosophy. He was a contemporary of the philosopher and physician Ibn Tufayl and the famous doctor Ibn Zuhr(175).

He visited Marrakech the first time in 1153 AD/548 H at the invitation of the Almohad Sultan Abdalmoumen Ibn Ali who asked his advice about the construction of several schools in Morocco. In his second visit, he was introduced by the philosopher and physician Ibn Tufayl to the Sultan Abu Yaqub Yussef who asked him in 565 H/1169 AD to comment Aristotle’s philosophy and assigned him as a judge in Sevilla and then was as a supreme judge in Cordoba. In 578 H/1182 AD Abu Ya’aqub called upon him in Marrakech to be his private doctor, and then assigned him as a judge in Kordoba. The Caliph Abi Ya’aqub was succeeded after his death by his son Abu Yussef Yaqub who had shown favor to Ibn Rushd. But this did not last for long, as some of his fellow scientists severely attacked him and he was taken to court. His books were burnt, except those on medicine and astronomy. He was banished to Lucena near Cordoba, then was forgiven afterwards. He returned to Morocco in 1198 and died in the same year(176).

Scientific Contributions

He was a medical researcher and a practitioner, but he was actually more interested in research and study than in practice(177). He made a reference in his book “Generalities” to his practice of medicine though it was limited. He emphasized the necessity to rely on observation and experimentation, and to acquire state-of-the-art natural science developments, such as in anatomy and the functions of body organs. As regards ethics, he preached consultation between doctors. Of his medical contributions, his finding that smallpox affects people only once in life, and that rabies is transmitted by the saliva of a rabid dog. He agreed with Ibn Sina about the hereditary nature of some diseases. Sir Stewart Duke Elder pointed out in his encyclopaedia “System of Ophthalmology” that Ibn Rushd was the first to say that, it is the retina that receives light(178).

Ibn Rushd believed that good health is synonymous to a good nutrition, clean water and pure air. He considered medicines as a foreigner substance to the body, capable of causing harm to some organs because of their various negative side effects, particularly to liver and kidneys, the organs in charge of the detoxication of the body. He also described many diseases, their symptoms and their complications. He tackled psychological syndromes such as anger, nervousness and epilepsy. He was also concerned by the medication means and devoted accordingly a big part of his book “Generalities” to the varieties of food and medicines and their effects. He also laid down the basic principles to follow in drug dosage(179).

Major works

- “Al-Kulyat fi Tib” (Generalities in Medicine). It is the foremost of Ibn Ruchd's books in medicine, in which he tackled the general principles of medicine. It was divided into seven thematic sections. This book was translated into Latin in the 13th century AD under the title of “Colliget” and then into Hebrew. It was re-printed a dozen of times during the 15th and 16th centuries. The Arabic version was not published until 1984 in New Delhi. In 1989, the Algerian Higher Council of Culture in Association with the International Union of Academies published it after its verification and annotation by Dr. Said Shiban and Dr. Ammar Talbi.

- Aristotle's “Talkhis Kitab an-Nafs” (Summary of the book of the Psyche)

-  Commentary of “Sharh Kitab an-Nafs”  of Aristotle.

- “Talkhis al-Ilal wa al-Amrad” (Summary of Diseases) by Galen.

- “Massala fi Ilm an-Nafs” (An issue of psychology).

-“At-Tiriaq” (Antidote) where the author indicated the diseases that can be cured by an antidote, and explained further when and how it should be used.

-“Sharh Urjuzat ibn Sina” (Explanation of Ibn Sina’s poem).

In addition to these medical books, Ibn Rushd wrote several books in philosophy, the most important of which is “Tahafut at-Tahafut” (Incoherence of Incoherence) in which he responded to al-Ghazali’s book “Tahafut at-Tahafut” (Incoherence of Philosophers).

In the field of astronomy, he compiled “A treatise on the motion of celestial bodies”.

In summary, it can be said that Ibn Rushd was one of the greatest thinkers and scientists in the 12th century AD, and that he has been an influential figure in the West, until the 16th century(180).

He played a major role in the theoretical development of medicine. He paved the way to the understanding of Greek medical theories by the critical summarizing of Galen’s books and others, and by criticizing their theories and formulating different views(181).