Ali ibn Ridwan
Encyclopedia
Abu'l Hasan Ali ibn Ridwan Al-Misri (c. 988 – c. 1061) was an Egyptian
Muslim physician
, astrologer and astronomer
, born in Giza.
He was a commentator on ancient Greek medicine, and in particular on Galen
; his commentary on Galen's Ars Parva was translated by Gerardo Cremonese. However, he is better known for providing the most detailed description of the supernova
now known as SN 1006
, the brightest steller event in recorded history, which he observed in the year 1006. This was written in a commentary on Ptolemy
's work Tetrabiblos.
He was later cited by European authors as Haly, or Haly Abenrudian. According to Alistair Cameron Crombie
he also contributed to the theory of induction
. He engaged in a celebrated polemic against another physician, Ibn Butlan
of Baghdad.
Egyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
Muslim physician
Islamic medicine
In the history of medicine, Islamic medicine, Arabic medicine or Arabian medicine refers to medicine developed in the Islamic Golden Age, and written in Arabic, the lingua franca of Islamic civilization....
, astrologer and astronomer
Islamic astronomy
Islamic astronomy or Arabic astronomy comprises the astronomical developments made in the Islamic world, particularly during the Islamic Golden Age , and mostly written in the Arabic language. These developments mostly took place in the Middle East, Central Asia, Al-Andalus, and North Africa, and...
, born in Giza.
He was a commentator on ancient Greek medicine, and in particular on Galen
Galen
Aelius Galenus or Claudius Galenus , better known as Galen of Pergamon , was a prominent Roman physician, surgeon and philosopher...
; his commentary on Galen's Ars Parva was translated by Gerardo Cremonese. However, he is better known for providing the most detailed description of the supernova
Supernova
A supernova is a stellar explosion that is more energetic than a nova. It is pronounced with the plural supernovae or supernovas. Supernovae are extremely luminous and cause a burst of radiation that often briefly outshines an entire galaxy, before fading from view over several weeks or months...
now known as SN 1006
SN 1006
SN 1006 was a supernova, widely seen on Earth beginning in the year 1006 AD; Earth was about 7,200 light-years away from the supernova. It was the brightest apparent magnitude stellar event in recorded history reaching an estimated -7.5 visual magnitude...
, the brightest steller event in recorded history, which he observed in the year 1006. This was written in a commentary on Ptolemy
Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy , was a Roman citizen of Egypt who wrote in Greek. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology. He lived in Egypt under Roman rule, and is believed to have been born in the town of Ptolemais Hermiou in the...
's work Tetrabiblos.
He was later cited by European authors as Haly, or Haly Abenrudian. According to Alistair Cameron Crombie
Alistair Cameron Crombie
Alistair Cameron Crombie was an Australian historian of science who began his career as a zoologist. He was noted for his contributions to research on competition between species before turning to history....
he also contributed to the theory of induction
Inductive reasoning
Inductive reasoning, also known as induction or inductive logic, is a kind of reasoning that constructs or evaluates propositions that are abstractions of observations. It is commonly construed as a form of reasoning that makes generalizations based on individual instances...
. He engaged in a celebrated polemic against another physician, Ibn Butlan
Ibn Butlan
Ibn Butlan was an Iraqi Christian physician of the Islamic Golden Age.He wrote the Taqwim al-Sihhah . The work treated matters of hygiene, dietetics, and exercise. It emphasized the benefits of regular attention to the personal physical and mental well-being...
of Baghdad.
Works
- A commentary on PtolemyPtolemyClaudius Ptolemy , was a Roman citizen of Egypt who wrote in Greek. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology. He lived in Egypt under Roman rule, and is believed to have been born in the town of Ptolemais Hermiou in the...
's Tetrabiblos (the pseudo-Ptolemaic Centiloquy and its commentary, which is sometimes attributed to Ali, is actually the work of Ahmad ibn Yusuf ibn al-Daya) - De revolutionibus nativitatum (The Revolutions of Nativities), edited by Luca GauricoLuca GauricoLuca Gaurico was an Italian astrologer, astronomer, and mathematician. He was born to a poor family in the Kingdom of Naples, and studied judicial astrology, a subject he defended in his Oratio de Inventoribus et Astrologiae Laudibus...
, printed in VeniceVeniceVenice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
(1524) - Tractatus de cometarum significationibus per xii signa zodiaci (Treatise on the Significations of Comets in the twelve Signs of the Zodiac), printed in Nürnberg (1563)
- On the Prevention of Bodily Ills in Egypt: a treatise written to refute Ibn al-JazzarIbn Al-JazzarAhmed Ben Jaafar Ben Brahim Ibn Al Jazzar Al-Qayrawani , was an influential 10th-century Muslim physician who became famous for his writings on Islamic medicine. He was born in Qayrawan in modern-day Tunisia...
's claim that Egypt was a very unhealthy place. Ibn Ridwan also argues that air (together with other environmental aspects) was fundamental to the health of a population.