The Development of Galenico-Islamic Medicine: Assimilation of Greek Sciences into Islam

The Development of Galenico-Islamic Medicine: Assimilation of Greek Sciences into Islam

Paradoxically, what is called“Islamic medicine”is not based on the Koran or Islamic religion. Its theoretical or conceptual foundations are rather Greek. The term“Islamic medicine”was never used during the medieval period in the Islamic countries. Except for specific literatures on religious healing or the books of Medicine of the Prophet, the Tebb alNabi, or the Tebb al-a’emma (medicine of the Imams) which are rather traditions (sunnah) of the Prophet and the Shiites Imams, there are no titles of medical treatises written by the Islamic scholars that bear indication of Islam or religion. For example, the major books of Râzi (10th century) were the Kitab al-Mansuri, dedicated to Caliph al-Mansur, or the alHâwi (Comprehensive, or Continent). The book of Majusi, (10th-11th century) was called Kâmel al-Senâ’a (perfect Art) or Tebb al Maleki (Royal Medicine). Avicenna’s master work was the Canon, and the first classical medical treatise written in Persian was the Zakhira (treasure) of Khawrazmi (13th century).