Ali Ibn Ridwan | |
|---|---|
.jpg) 14th century painting of Ali Ibn Ridwan (astronomical clock inSt. Nicholas' Church (Stralsund) | |
| Born | 988 |
| Died | 1061 (aged 73) |
| Occupation | Physician,Astrologer,Astronomer |
| Nationality | Arab,Egyptian |
| Notable works | Commentator ofGalen's Tetrabiblos, Commentator of AncientGreek Medicine, De revolutionibus nativitatum, Tractatus de cometarum significationibus per xii signa zodiaci, On the Prevention of Bodily Ills in Egypt, Detailed ofSupernovaSN 1006 |
Abu'l Hassan Ali ibn Ridwan Al-Misri (Arabic:أبو الحسن علي بن رضوان بن علي بن جعفر المصري) (c. 988 - c. 1061) was anArab[1] ofEgyptian origin who was aphysician,astrologer andastronomer, born inGiza.
He was a commentator onancient Greek medicine, and in particular onGalen; his commentary on Galen'sArs Parva was translated byGerardo Cremonese. However, he is better known for providing the most detailed description of thesupernova now known asSN 1006, the brightest stellar event inrecorded history, which he observed in the year 1006.[2] This was written in a commentary onPtolemy's workTetrabiblos.
He was later cited by European authors asHali,Haly, orHaly Abenrudian. According toAlistair Cameron Crombie[3] he also contributed to the theory ofinduction. He engaged in a celebrated polemic against another physician,Ibn Butlan of Baghdad.[4]
In "The Book of Medical Competence" he mentions the traits of the virtuous physician as the one who possesses the following seven characteristics:
1. He should be ethical, intelligent, with good vision, sane, and benevolent.
2. He should be clean and well-dressed.
3. He should treat patients' secrets as confidential, not revealing their illnesses.
4. His desire to cure patients should exceed his desire to profit from them; he should be more willing to cure the needy than the rich.
5. He should be eager to learn and help.
6. He should be pure of heart, honest, and not envious. Nothing about the wealth he has seen or the affairs of women should cross his mind.
7. He must be careful not to prescribe an untested potentially fatal medicine, or one that would cause abortion. He should cure his enemies as he would his loved ones.
According toIbn Abi Usaybi'a’sHistory of Physicians, Ali ibn Ridwan authored over one hundred titles, including letters exchanged with other scholars, the majority of his works appear to be lost.[5] The following list includes some of his extant works:
Media related toAli ibn Ridwan at Wikimedia Commons
