Zakaria Al-Razi better known as Rhazes in the West, is universally recognized as the most outstanding scientist of the medieval times, who influenced the course of thought in diverse branches of knowledge. He was an alchemist, chemist, physician, philosopher and scholar. He was recognized as a polymath (a person whose expertise spans a significant number of subject areas).
He is often reffered as probably the greatest and most original of all the Muslim physicians, and one of the most prolific as an author. He was undoubtedly the greatest physician of the Islamic World and one of the greatest physician of all times. He wrote several remarkable manuals of medicine which are characterized by striking originality and brilliance. A number of his works were translated into several European languages and according to Encyclopedia of Islam, "down to the seventeenth century A.D., the authority of Razi was undisputed ...... In the field of medical practice he surpasses the knowledge of the ancients."
Together with Ibn Sina (Avicena), Razi forms the two most brilliant luminaries on the fermament of Islamic Medicine. While Ibn Sina excelled on the theoraticle side of the medicine, Razi surpassed on the clinical side, and the influence of both on Western Thought was equally great.
He was born at Rayy near modern Tehran. He studies mathematics, philosophy, astronomy and alchemy at Baghdad under a disciple of Humayun ibn Ishaq who was well versed in Greek., Persian and Indian medicines.
In his early life he could have been a musician or singer who shifted his interest from music to alchemy. At the age of 30 he stopped his study of alchemy because his experimentation had caused an eye-disease, obliging him to search for physicians and medicine to cure it. Al-Biruni and others, say this was the reason why he began his medical studies.
We will discuss what happened after this change in profession in our coming posts
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