Memory of the World: The treasures that record our history from 1700 BC to the present day. UNESCO
is the largest collection of manuscript copies, some of them dating back to the 11th century, of the surviving works by Ibn Sina, often known in the West by the Latin name of Avicenna. The manuscripts are unique and some are rendered more precious because of their calligraphic style, illuminations, miniatures, illustrations and bindings.
Why was it inscribed
Ibn Sina, the great physician, scientist and philosopher of Islam during the 11th century made a major contribution to learning and was an important figure in the transfer and mutual contact between Arab and European cultures.
Where is it
Süleymaniye Manuscript Library, Istanbul, Turkey
Ibn Sina (980–1038) was born in Afshana, a village near Bukhara, now in Uzbekistan, and died in Hamadan, now in Iran. He was the most eminent scientist, philosopher, pharmacologist, theorist, poet and politician of his time. He is often known as a physician under the Latin name of Avicenna. He also wrote a large number of books, essays and treatises. Ibn Sina was so famous that he was entitled al-Shaikh al-Rais (‘The Chief Teacher’) by his compatriots or just ‘Shaikh’ by his disciples. His works gradually filtered to Europe where they were received with the same enthusiasm. Al-Qanun Fi’l Tıbb (‘The Canon of Medicine’)is the work that inspired European scholars to call him the Medicorum Principes.
Though there is no dispute about where Ibn Sina was born or where he died, his background is debated. However, according to his own words in Al-Qanun Fi’l Tıbb, it is reasonable to accept him as a Turk from Central Asia. The fact that he wrote mostly in Arabic is due to his desire to abide with the unwritten rule of the era: the language of religion was the language of science since both aimed to be understood universally. Consequently, Latin was used for scholarly works in the Christian World, while Arabic was the common language used by Muslim scholars.
The Süleymaniye Manuscript Library houses perhaps the richest collection of Ibn Sina manuscripts in the world, totalling 263 separate titles (with some multiple copies, reaching a total of nearly 600 volumes). All are manuscripts; some contain illuminations, some have thematic drawings and some have unique gilded bindings. The subjects covered include philosophy, logic, philosophy of religion, mysticism, linguistics, literature, mathematics, physics, chemistry, medicine, politics, geography and astronomy. Most of the works that carry a copy date were written between 1022 and 1728. One of the copies of Al-Shifa (‘The Book of Remedy’) is believed to have the authorization signature of Ibn Sina himself. This collection also includes his correspondence with the world famous philosopher al-Biruni.
Many of his books, especially the medical encyclopedia, Al Qanun Fi’l Tıbb, were translated into Latin and other Western languages. The ‘Canon’ was used between 1400 and 1600 as the main medical text in various medical schools in Europe, and by this route, much classical Greek medical knowledge was reintroduced into Europe, having been lost during the Dark Ages. There are fifty-eight copies of the ‘Canon’ in the collection as well as translations into Ottoman Turkish and Latin. The Latin version carries the date 1510 and includes a picture of a crowned Ibn Sina, between the great Roman and Greek physicians Galen and Hippocrates, which proves the importance given to this great scientist at that time.
A decorated chapter opening of a work by Ibn Sina
The first page of a copy of Al-Qanun
A decorated chapter opening of a work by Ibn Sina;
A gilded binding of an edition of Al-Qanun;
The title page from a copy of Ibn Sina’s Al-Qanun, better known to Renaissance Europe as ‘Avicenna’s Canon’, the great medical textbook;
A decorated page from a copy of Al-Qanun
Inscribed 2011
What is it
The manuscript, written in Persian in the 11th century, is one of the world’s oldest scientific works on mathematics and astrology.
Why was it inscribed
Using precise mathematical calculations, it brought astronomical rigour to traditional astrology and contributed towards the astronomy revolution during the Renaissance.
Where is it
Library of the Islamic Consultative Assembly in Tehran, Iran
Al-Tafhim li Awa’il Sana’at al-Tanjim is a Persian language work by the renowned Iranian scientist, abu-Rayhan al-Biruni (973–1048). It is the oldest Persian text on mathematics and astrology and was written when Iranian scientists and scholars used Arabic to write their scientific works. By composing his book in Persian, al-Biruni contributed to the creation of scientific Persian. He also composed an Arabic version simultaneously.
This book was written at the request of Rayhanah, the daughter of Hussein or Hassan Khwarizmi, in 1029. As a self-study text on astrology for a Persian-speaking girl, it is an important example of the ancient Persian vernacular and offers a wealth of insight into the history, traditions and chronology of Iranian culture of that era.
To aid his readers in their comprehension of a complex subject, al-Biruni begins with the principles of geometry and arithmetic; he then proceeds to astronomy and chronology, and after introducing the use of the astrolabe for astronomical and astrological purposes, he explains the principles of astrology. The book is logically structured into 530 questions and answers. Each new topic starts with a question posed by an imaginary student and ends with an answer by an imaginary professor. It is illustrated with clear and elegant figures in red and black inks and the text is also coloured, with bright red questions and black answers.
Leaves of the manuscript
The book is a concise compilation of al-Biruni’s knowledge of mathematics and astrology and is a treasury of scientific and literary wisdom. At the time it was written, political leaders and ordinary people searched for guidance in their lives and found the systemic links between the stars and human activities useful and believable. It is still cited today as an example of how scientific instruction can be presented in a simple and easy-to-understand way.
Al-Biruni wrote many volumes in Arabic, but this is his only remaining work in Persian. Its historical authenticity, scientific merits and literary significance have made this rare book one of the most famous in the Persian language. It has been reprinted in many formats and translated into English, Italian, German and Russian.
The oldest Arabic manuscript of this book dates back to 1177 and is preserved in Chester Beatty Library in Dublin; this Persian manuscript was transcribed in 1143, less than 100 years after al-Biruni ’s death.
Arabian astrolabe, 11th century
Inscribed 2011
What is it
The 11th century Ostromir Gospel, written less than 80 years