Bull.Ind.Inst.Hist.Med. Vol. XXX - 2000 pp 1I l 10//6

ALAUDDIN QARSHI - A COMMENTATOR OF MANYCLASSICAL TREATISES

S.A. HUSAIN •

ABSTRACT

This article deals with the life and work of a commentator of six authentic

works. He was a discoverer of pulmonary circulation of blood. He described itmore or less accurately, almost three centuries before Harvey (1578-1657). The

views of medical historians about this scholar have been given in this article.

Alauddin Abul Hasan Ali' bin al Hazroal Qarshi is also called by some authors asIbn al Nafis or An Nafis. He is to bedistinguished from Nafis bin Awazal Kirmani, who besides wrote a commentaryon "AI Asbab wal Alamat" of NajeebuddinSamarqandi and gave it the title "SharhMojezul Qanoon". Medical historians havegiven different statements about his place ofbirth. According to Gulam Jeelani he wasborn at Macka while other have mentionedDamascus as his place of birth. He gotmedical education at the hospital ofNooruddin Zangi at Damascus. Among histeachers Mohazzabuddin Dakhwar andImran Israili are the names worth to bementioned. After completion of his medicaleducation he entered in the service ofBimaristan of Cairo and got the post of"Raisul Atibba." There he started to teachmedicine to students. Among his disciplesthe names of the following persons are foundin history books with great praise.

1. Ibn al Quff (The author of "Kitabul-Umda Fil Jarahah," an arabic book onsurgery. This book has already beenpublished from Dairatul Maarif, Hyderabad).2. AI Sadeed al Asyati, 3. Abul Faraj AI-Sikandari 4. Al Badr Hasan al Rais 5. Ibn ulBurhan Jerrai 6. Ibn Abi Useibia. (The welknown author of"Uyoonul Anba Fi tabaqatilAtibba" an authentic arabic work of 13thCentury A.D. containing the biographies ofall world famous physicians including Indianphysicians).

Qurshi died at the age of 78 years atCairo on 16 December 1288 AD. AS he wasnot married he endowed his own house andlibrary to the Shifa Khana mansooria(Mansooria hospital) constructed by SultanQalauddin.

Qarshi had keen sight, research mind andcommand on Arabic language. Admittingthe great value of his literary works someauthors remembered him as Jaleenoos Sani(Galen the Second) also. Qarshi wrotefollowing six commentaries on differenteminent works which have attained classicalstatus:

• Assistant Research Officer, Indian Institute of History of Medicine, Osmania Medical College,Putlibowli, Hyderabad (India).

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1. "Sham Qanoon Ibn Seena"(a commentory on canon of Avicenna).

2. "Sham Fusool Buqrat"(a commentary on "Fusool," a bookwritten by Hippocrate. According toHasan Nigrami this commentary hasalready been printed in 1881 AD).

3. "Sharh Tashreeh Jalinoos"(a commentary on Galen's work onAnatomy). f'

4. "Sham Masael Hunain,bin Ishaq"(a commentary on the' propositionspropounded by a Literary great scholarHunain bin Ishaq).

5. "Sham Taqdeematul Marifa"(a commentary on "TaqdeematulMarifa" Written by Galen).

6. "Sham Isharat Ibn Seena"(a commentary on Isharat (Hints)compiled by Avicenna).

Gulam Jeelani says that "Qarshi wrotetwo commentaries on "Fusool Buqrat"written by Hippocrate. One is called"Sageer" inwhich he wrote the text first thenhis commentary on the same. Another oneis called "Kabir which comprises the real textthen the commentary of the Galen lastlysubmitted his remarks on both, the real textas well as the Galen's commentary.

Alauddin Qurshi wrote the followingbooks in addition to the commentariesmentioned above:

1. "Kitab al Mohazzab Fil Kohl"( a book on Ophthalmology).

2. "Kitab al Shamil Fil Tibb"(It comprises 30 volumes).

3. "Kitab al Mukhtar minal Agzia"(a book on diet).

4. "Taleeq Ala Kitab Ajinna Le Abqarat"(marginal notes or interlinearexplanatary work written by

Bull.lnd.lnst.Hist.Med. Vol XXX - 2000

Hippocrates entitled AI Ajinna whichdeals with semen, featus and formationof the feetal organs etc.).

5. "Tafaseer allIal wal asbab"(a detailed discussion on causes andsymptoms of the disease).

6. "Kitab al Shifa" (a book on cure).7. Kitab al Mawaleed Salasa

(a book on three humours).8. "Risala Awarizul Atfal" (OnPaediatrics).9. "Sharh Hidaya" (a treatise on logic).10. "Jameul Daqaeq Fil Tibb"

( a comprehensive medical book).II. "Mojizul Qanoon" (practical work

which became popular through out themedical world. The work originallyin Arabic, has been translated intoPersian).

Medical historians have praised Qurshivery much for his talents and medical works.Such as: Dr.Usman Khan a historian in hisarticle writes "Upon the whole earth therewas not his equal nor had his equal beenseen since Avicenna (according to hiscontemporaries). "

Sham suI Atibba Gulam Jeelani theauthor ofTareekhul Atibba says "No one wasparalled to him at that time." M.Z.Siddiquiin the introduction of his book "Studies inArabic and persian medical literature" writes"An Egyptian Physician (Taufiq Susa) hasshown that ibn. n Nafis (Alauddin Abul AlaAli bin Abi Hazm al Qurshi al Dimashqui)an Arab physician of the thirteenth century(607-687A.H., 1210-1288 AD), in hiscommentary on the anatomy of Avicenna, instriking contrast with him and Galen,described the lesser or pulmonary circulationalmost correctly nearly three centuries beforeits discovery by Willam Harvey, who isregarded as the father of modern medicine."

Alauddin Qarshi - Husain

Siddiqui under the footnote of his workmentioned above, gives a very good accountof another scholar's statement which runs asfollows "The sunday times (London) of theninth June, 1557, reported that Dr.J.Blathamof the University of manchester wrote inconnection with the tercentenary of the deathof William Harvey, the discoverer ofthe factof the circulation of blood, that Ibn, n Nafis,an Arab Physician, had discovered theessential principle of the pulmonarycirculation, which he described more or lessacurately, almost three centuries before anyEuropean." The Doctor said that Ibn Nafis"recognised the fallacy of Galen's theory ofinvisible chennels between the ventricles andalso refuted Avicenna's supposition positionthat there was some visible link between

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these two chambers. He similarly explainedthat blood was purified in the lungs where itwas refined on contact with the air hailed infrom the outer atmosphere .•... it should notbe assumed too readily that great discoveriesin medicine were made only in Europe (Dailynews paper the states men of Calcutta the11th June, 1957)."

Nigrani says "The commentators ofCanon usually support the ideas stated by theShaik (A vicenna). Nobody gave any newidea or never tried to contradict Shaik exceptQurshi, whose unbiased criticism is found onevery page of his commentary on Canon."

These opinions show us the greatness ofQurshi and improve our zeal to go throughthe works compiled by him.

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REFERENCES1. Edward Bilter 1960 Hamdar Medical Digest under "The influen-

ce of Ibn Nafis, a Linkage in MedicalHistory." Hamdard Publications Karachi,Page Nos. 4-14.

2. Gulam Jeelani, 1912 Tareequl Atibba (Urdu), published by Tibbikutub khana shamsul Atibha, Lahore,Page Nos. 362,489,646 and 647.

3. Hasan Nigrami 1989 Tareeq Tibb, published by UrduPromotion Beauru, Page Nos. 325-332.

4. M.Z. Siddiqui 1959 Studies in Arabic and Persian MedicalLiterature, published by CalcuttaUniversity, Page No. XV.

5. O.P. Jaggi 1981 Medicine in Medieval India,published by Arma Ram & Sons Delhi,Page No. 55.

6. S.A. Rahman 1956 Hamdard Medical Digest "The discoveryof blood circulation", Hamdard PublicationsKarachi, Page Nos. 45-62.

7. S.Elgood. 1951 Medical history of Persia, published byCambridge University Press, Page No. 335

8. T.W. Beal 1971 An Oriental Biographical Dictionary byT. W. Beal, published by Ramesh ChandraJain, - New Delhi, Page No. 50.

9. Osman Khan 1959 Distinguished physicians and authors ofwestern caliphate, Hamdard Medical Digest,Hamdard Publications, Karachi, Page Nos.2, 11 & 12.

Bull. Ind. Inst. Hist, Med. Vol. XXX - 2000 115

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