Al-Dakhwar

Arab physician Al-Dakhwar
Title	Ra'is al-Tibb ("Chief of Medicine")
Born	1170 CE
Died	1230 CE
Ethnicity	Arab
Region	Egypt and Syria
Main interests	Medicine
Influenced	Ibn al-Nafis, Ibn Abi Usaibia,

Muhadhdhabuddin Abd al-Rahim bin Ali bin Hamid al-Dimashqi (Arabic: مهذب الدين عبد الرحيم بن علي بن حامد الدمشقي‎) known as al-Dakhwar (Arabic: الدخوار‎) (1170–1230) was a leading Arab physician in the 13th century where he served various rulers of the Ayyubid dynasty.^[1] He was also administratively responsible for medicine in Cairo and Damascus. Al-Dakhwar educated or influenced most of the prominent physicians of Egypt and Syria in the century,^[2] including writer Ibn Abi Usaibia and Ibn al-Nafis, the discoverer of blood circulation in the human body.^[3]

Early life

Al-Dakhwar was born and brought up in Damascus,^[1] the son of an oculist.^[2] Initially, he too was an oculist at the Nuri Hospital of Damascus,^[4] but afterward he studied medicine with Ibn al-Matran.^[2]

Physician of the Ayyubids

In 1208, al-Adil, the Sultan of Egypt, told his vizier al-Sahib ibn Shukur, that he was in need of another physician with the equivalent skill of the chief of medicine at the time, Abd al-Aziz al-Sulami. Al-Adil believed that al-Sulami was busy enough serving as physician of the army. Ibn Shukur recommended al-Dakhwar for the post and offered him 30 dinars a month. Al-Dakhwar turned him down, citing that al-Sulami receives 100 dinars a month and stating "I know my ability in this field and I will not take less!"^[5] Al-Sulami died on June 7 and soon after al-Dakhwar himself came into contact with al-Adil,^[4] and the latter was greatly impressed by him. He not only appointed him as his personal physician, but also as one of his confidants.^[1]

When al-Adil died, his son and successor in Damascus, al-Mu'azzam, made him chief superintendent of the Nasiri Hospital. There he wrote books and gave lectures on medicine to his students. Later, when al-Adil's other son al-Ashraf annexed Damascus after al-Mu'azzam died, al-Dakhwar was promoted as chief medical officer of the Ayyubid state.^[3]

Books

Medicine

• al-Janinah ("The Embryo")
• Sharh Taqdimat-il-Ma'rifah ("Commentary on the Introduction of Knowledge")
• Mukhtasar-ul-Hawl-il-Razi ("Resume of al-Hawi by al-Razi")

Poetry

• Kitab ul-Aghani (a summarized version of "The Book of Songs" by al-Isfahani)

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Ali, 1996, p.40.
2. ^ ^{a b c} Meyerhof, 1968, p.9.
3. ^ ^{a b} Ali, 1996, p.41.
4. ^ ^{a b} Mahfuz, 1935, p.16.
5. ^ Leiser and al-Khaledy, 2004, p.5.

Bibliography

• Ali, Abdul (1996), Islamic Dynasties of the Arab East: State and Civilization During the Later Medieval Times, M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd, ISBN 8175330082, 9788175330085 
• Meyerhof, Max; Schacht, Joseph (1968), The Theologus autodidactus of Ibn al-Nafīs, Clarendon Publications 
• Mahfuz, Najib (1935), The History of Medical Education in Egypt, Govt. Press, Bulâq 
• Leiser, Gary; al-Khaledy, Nouri (2004), Questions and answers for physicians: a medieval Arabic study manual by ʻAbd al-ʻAzīz Al-Sulamī, BRILL, ISBN 9004136711, 9789004136717 

Persondata
Name	Dak
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1170
Place of birth
Date of death	1230
Place of death