Ali Ibn Ridwan Mesri

Abul Hasan Ali Ibn Ridwan (Rezwan) Mesri, renowned Egyptian astronomer, physician and philosopher, known as “Ibn Ridwan” (998-1061). From the age of 6 started learning, at the age of 10 went to Cairo and at 14 studied medicine. He lost his parents in his youth, but never stopped learning. At the age of 32, he was an expert physician and was appointed as the Head of Egypt Physicians. Ibn Ridwan did not study medicine by teacher, but by studying medical books, especially the writings of Greek physicians and astronomers, and wrote ####explanations for most of these books. He also studied Iranian physicians’ works. Ibn Ridwan had relationship with his contemporary physicians such as: Jurjis Ibn Yuhanna who was a student of Ibn Tabib. Ibn Ridwan was a medical author and polemicist, his commentaries on Ptolemy and Galen were translated into Latin, Turkish and Hebrew.

Works:
Most of his works were written on medicine and a few on philosophy and mathematics. The following are some of them:
1) commentary on four discourses of Ptolemy
2) Gloss on the first Almagest’s discourse
3) Treatise on Soul Eternity After Death
4) Treatise on Paralysis

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