Dissemination of Medical Knowledge: The Role of al-Qanun Abridgements in the Muslim East

Avicenna’s monumental medical encyclopedia “The Canon of Medicine” was a hugely influential work but its sheer size consisting of five extensive books were too large for daily use by physicians and students. To solve this problem, a crucial tradition of writing abridgements began in the mid-eleventh century. This practice was vital in making the vast knowledge contained within “The Canon” more accessible to a wider audience, thereby ensuring its ideas could be applied more easily in medical practice and education. The abridgements were not simply summaries. They were often enriched with the authors’ own new ideas and clinical observations, transforming them into new, dynamic texts. This shows that Avicenna’s influence was not static; it led to a living body of knowledge that was continually adapted and expanded upon. This article highlights key abridgements such as al-Fusūl al-Ilāqiyya fī kulliyāt aṭ-ṭibb by al-Īlāqī (d. ۱۰۶۸), Mu‘jaz al-Qānūn by Ibn al-Nafīs (۱۲۰۷–۱۲۸۸) and Qānūncha fī-ṭibb by Maḥmūd ibn Muḥammad al-Chaghmaynī (fourteenth century).

کلیدواژه ها:

Avicenna ، Canon of medicine ، Medical Abridgments ، al-Īlāqī ، Ibn al-Nafīs ، al-Chaghmaynī ، Medical Literature ، History of medicine ، Medical Manuscripts ، Knowledge Transfer