Uyun al-Anba fi Tabaqat al-Atibba

What it is

This is a biographical encyclopedia of physicians compiled by Ibn Abi Usaybi'a around 1245, covering Greek, Roman, Indian and Muslim doctors from ancient times up to his own day. It includes a section on al-Razi among other notable physicians and philosophers.

Why it matters

Written centuries after al-Razi's death, this work preserves traditions about his career, including his work in hospitals and his later blindness. It shows how later Arab scholars like Ibn Abi Usaybi'a, himself a physician from Damascus, worked to record and honor the achievements of earlier medical figures.

Look closer

• Why might a physician-historian like Ibn Abi Usaybi'a want to compile biographies of earlier doctors?
• What qualities does the book say a good physician should have, and why might that matter when judging al-Razi?
• How might stories written centuries later differ from an eyewitness account?