8. Al-Razi
(251-313H/865-925AD) 

He is Muhammad Ibn Zakariya al-Razi, Abu Bakr, known by Europeans as Rhazes. He was a celebrated Muslim physician, alchemist and philosopher. Historians agreed to consider him as the greatest physician of the Islamic world and the most famous physicians of the Middle Ages. "And one of the world renowned physician of all time … He had an extensive knowledge to the extent that he was versed in all fields of science and arts."(42) Ibn Khalkan described him as "the expert and the reference in medicine in his time. He was excelled in this practice and knew all its aspects and rules. People used to come from everywhere to study under him"(43).

Al-Razi was born in Ray in the south of Teheran. Initially, he studied mathematics, astronomy, chemistry and philosophy, logic and literature. Later, he learnt medicine from Ishaq Ibn Hunayn, who was well versed in Greek, Persian and Indian schools of medicine. Though he studied medicine well after his 40(44), he was able to make significant achievements in the field, which earned him fame. After serving as chief physician in a Ray hospital, he was appointed in a similar position in Baghdad Hospital, build by order of the Abbasid Caliph al-Muqtadir(45).

Ar-Razi Contributions to Medicine

In medicine, his contribution was so significant and varied, hence only some of them will pinpointed. He had an interest in clinical observation, involving the evolution of the disease in reaction to the treatment and the development of the patient's state and the result of the treatment(46). He also relied on the psychological state in the diagnosis of diseases. He considered that some stomach diseases were primarily caused by psychological reasons. The diagnosis of Small Pox and Measles constituted one of al-Razi's greatest medical achievements. He gave a precise description of the two diseases, particularly their first symptoms and their treatment. He used to stress the importance of practice, expertise and experimentation in the treatment of patients. He also compounded new medicines and experimented them on animals before prescribing  them to human beings.

Westerners recognize the innovations of Al-Razi in the fields of gynaecology, obstetrics, MST, and eye surgery(47). He also studied face palsy and its causes and distinguished  between palsy resulting from a central cause in the brain and localized palsy. He described the complexity of nerves in the thorax. Al-Razi was among the first to apply their knowledge in chemistry to medicine and who attributed the recovery of patient to chemical reaction in the body.

Contributions to Chemistry

Al-Razi was not only a great physician, but also an alchemist of top level stature(48). He was among the leading scientists who made of chemistry a true science. Some researchers consider him as the founder of modern chemistry. He undertook important chemical experiments, such as the preparation of acids. His methods continue to be used up to now. He was the first to have mentioned sulfuric acid and called it "oil of vitriol" or "green vitriol". He extracted alcohol by the distillation of fermented starchy and sugary materials. He used it in pharmacy as a compound to prepare medicines(49). The merit of al-Razi in chemistry was most evidently his classification of chemistry elements into three categories : vegetal, animal and mineral. This very classification still exists in modern science(50).

Major Works

Al-Razi was a prolific author, who left an important number of treatises. According to some historians, they exceeded 220 books, most of them were lost.

In medicine, al-Razi wrote several valuable books, which in addition to his innovative research papers, included Greek and Indian science. His most famous books are :

- Al-Hawi was by far the most famous of all his books. It is the largest Arabian medical encyclopedia in which al-Razi gathered abstracts taken from Greek and Arab physicians and added to them the results of his experiments as well as his own views. It was translated into Latin by the Jewish physician Faraj Ibn Salim, commissioned by the King of Sicily Charles I. The word "al-Hawi" was changed by its Greek equivalent "Continens"(51). The book was also translated several times in Europe until year 1542AD. Eminent European scholars relied considerably on this book which remained a reference book in their schools and universities until the 12th century.

- Kitab al-Judari wa al-Hasabah (Treatise on Small Pox and Measles) : This book contains a detailed and accurate description of the two diseases and their treatment. It was translated in Latin in Venice in 1565 then in various European languages. It was published in Europe forty times between 1498 and 1866(52).

- Tib al-Fukara (Medicine of the Poor) : A popular dictionary in which al-Razi describes all the known diseases, symptoms and their treatment using cheap foodstuffs instead of expensive medicines and rare compounds.

- Kitab al-Mansuri, which was named after the Governor of Khurassan, al-Mansur ibn Ishaq. He covered in this book several medical subjects, such as surgery, eye diseases. The book was published for the first time in Milano in year 1481AD and was translated in Latin. It remained a reference book for physicians in European universities until the 17th century.

Among its most famous books in chemistry, the following can be cited :

- Kitab al-Asrar fi al-Kimiya (Secrets of Chemistry) : Al-Razi describes in this book the way he conducted his experiments and the preparation of chemical materials and their utilization as well as the instruments and tools used.

In astronomy, the most famous of al-Razi's books was :

- Kitab Hay'atu al-Alam (Attitude of the Universe) : In this book, he demonstrates that "Earth evolves around two axes, that the Sun is bigger than the Earth and that the Moon is smaller than Earth"(53).

Al-Razi had several other books in medicine, pharmacy, astronomy, mathematics, physics, logic, philosophy and religious science.

In brief, we can say that al-Razi made a considerable contribution through his books and inventions to the progress of medicine and chemistry and the development of research in both fields. His books remained a reference in medicine in European universities until the 17th century.