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A Philological Report of the Theologus Autodidactus of Ibn Al-Nafis by Max Meyerhof and Joseph Schacht

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A Philological Report of the Theologus Autodidactus of Ibn Al-Nafis by Max Meyerhof and Joseph Schacht DOI: 10.24014/jush.v25i1.2176 A PHILOLOGICAL REPORT OF THE THEOLOGUS AUTODIDACTUS OF IBN AL-NAFIS BY MAX MEYERHOF AND JOSEPH SCHACHT Maulana,1 Khotimah,2 dan Imron Rosidi2 1Universitas Islam Negeri Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Indonesia 2Universitas Islam Negeri Sultan Syarif Kasim Riau, Indonesia [email protected] Abstract Ibn al-Nafis is a monumental figure in Islamic scholarship. He wrote a fictional novel entitled “Al-Risalah al-Kamiliyah fi’l Sira al-Nabawiyah” which is translated as “Theologus autodidactus”. This article does not focus on the content of this book but on the philological persepctive of how this book is edited by Joseph Schacht and Max Meyerhoff. Therefore, the question is whether this book which is edited by these two scholars is based on academic standards or not. Another question is how the editors study this text, particularly their main basis of editing this text. Keywords: Ibn al-Nafis, manuscript, and Perfect Man. Abstrak Ibn al-Nafis merupakan salah satu tokoh Islam yang monumental dalam tradisi kesarjanaan Islam. Dia mengarang sebuah novel fiksi yang terkenal Al-Risala Al-Kamiliya fi’l Sira al- Nabawiyya yang oleh sarjana Barat di sebut “theologus autodidactus”. Dalam tulisan ini, tidak difokuskan pada detail isi buku tersebut, tetapi lebih pada kajian filologi tentang bagaimana teks karangan Ibn al-Nafis tersebut diedit oleh Joseph Schacht dan Max Meyerhoff. Karena itu, pertanyaan yang diajukan adalah apakah teks karya Ibn al-Nafis yang diedit oleh dua sarjana Barat tersebut sudah sesuai dengan kaidah-kaidah ilmiah atau tidak. Pertanyaan lainnya yang akan dicari dalam tulisan ini adalah bagaimana editor mengkaji teks Ibn al-Nafis tersebut, khususnya basis utama mereka dalam mengedit teks tersebut. Keywords: Ibn al-Nafis, manuskrip, and Manusia Sempurna. Introduction was edited. As a result, one will understand its This paper deals with a text edition of the weaknesses and strengths. Also, it is important to Theologus Autodidactus of Ibn al-Nafis written know how the editors deal with the manuscripts, by Joseph Schacht and Max Meyerhof. It aims to especially their main basis of the text edition. know whether this text edition is academic text Ibn al-Nafis’ life and works are presented so edition or not based on philological study. that one can know other works produced by him. To answer this question, it is very important to Another reason of providing Ibn al-Nafis’ life and understand its collations and editorial principles. works in this article is to construct his biography It is because one will knows how the text edition based on other sources, not based on the text JURNAL USHULUDDIN Vol. 25 No.1, Januari-Juni 2017 101 edition. Next, the text edition of Theologus and jurisprudence, he moved to Egypt8 and Autodidactus and its manuscripts are described. worked in al-Nasiri Hospital then in al- After that, the collation and editorial principles Mansouri hospital where he became Chief of are explained. And finally, a conclusion in the Physicians and the sultan’s personal physician, end of this paper is provided. namely Sultan Baybars I.9 Therefore, he became attached to the well-known al- Ibn al-Nafis’ Life and Works Mansouri medical and hospital. Here he A. Ibn Nafis’ Life became actively involved in teaching, in Ibn al-Nafis is short name of ‘Ala’ al- writing and in medical practice. Consequently, Din Abu ‘l-‘Ala’ ‘Ali b. Abi ‘L – Haram Ibn al-Nafis was to become more famous than Al-Kurashi al-Dimaskhi.1 He was born in his teacher al-Dakhwar.10 1213 A.D/607 A.H. in or near Damascus.2 He taught a number of students. One of According to Encyclopaedia of Islam, except them is Ibn al-Kuff. Also, he wrote a book for the date of his death only few facts of his about surgery. Besides that he also taught on life have been recorded.3 Hussain F. Nagamia Shafii law at the Masruriyya madrasa. Abu wrote that “Ibn al-Nafis is described by Safadi Hayyan al-Gharnati, a famous grammarian, is as a tall, thin, smooth cheeked and chivalrous one of his students who praised his teaching. man.”4 While Ibn al-Nahhas, the philologist, praised Ibn al-Nafis studied medicine at one his style in Grammar.11 medical college hospital in Damascus under He became rich and had a luxurious house Muhadhdhib al-Din ‘Abd al-Rahim b. ‘Ali built for himself in Cairo. Before he died on known as al-Dakhwar (d. 628/ 120)5. His 21 Dhu’l-Ka’da 687 / 18 december 1288 at the medical college was called Nuri Hospital. age of about 80 (lunar) years, he donated his This famous hospital was built by the Turkish house, library, and clinic to the al-Mansouri Sultan Nur al-Din Mahmud ibn Zengi or hospital. This hospital was founded by known as Noor al-Diin al-Zanki in Damascus, sultan Kalawun and only recently completed after its conquest in 1154.6 He did not only (683/1284).12 His life was entirely devoted to study medicine, he also learned grammar, medical practice. Therefore, he never married logic and Islamic religious science.7 and remained a bachelor until his death.13 After acquiring his expertise in medicine B. Ibn al-Nafis’ Works The literary activity of Ibn al-Nafis 1Max Meyerhof and Joseph Schacht, “Ibn al-Nafis”, in was important and extensive. Some of his Encyclopaedia of Islam, Jilid III, 897. works dealt with commentatory on medical 2Max Meyerhof is not sure about the exact place of Ibn al-nafis’ birth. He says “ …presumably in the village of al-Kurashiyya…” works of the Greek and Islamic periods.14 See, Ibid. He wrote in his works, as far as they are not 3Ibid., 897. It was stated that “... because Ibn Abi Usaybi’a, although his contemporary, does not mention Ibn al-Nafis commentatories, very few of references he in his history of physicians; but al-‘Umari and al-Safadi give detailed though anecdotal accounts of him and his personal habits...” 8Ibid., it is not stated the exact year. It is only stated that “At 4Husain F. Nagamia MD, “Ibn al-Nafis: A Biographical Sketch unknown date he moved to Cairo…” see, Ibid. of the Discover of Pulmonary and Coronary Circulation”, in 9Ibid. Journal of International Society of Islamic Medicine 1, no. 3 10Husain F. Nagamia, 23. (2003), 22. 11Encyclopaedia of Islam, 897. 5Encyclopaedia of Islam, 897. 12 Ibid. 6Husain F. Nagamia, 23. 13Husain F. Nagamia, 27 . 7Encyclopaedia of Islam, 897. 14Ibid. 102 Maulana, Khotimah dan Imron Rosidi: A Philological Report of the Theologus Autodidactus of Ibn Al-Nafis used. It is common in Islamic scholarship 3. His original contributions to medical texts at that time that memory is an important of his time: technique on the methodology of learning.15 a. Kitab al-Shamili: The Comprehensive Husain F. Nagamia divided Ibn al-Nafis’ book on the art of medicine. works into five categories.16 However, here I b. Kitab Al-Mukhtarmin al-Aghdiya: The summarize into four categories. It is because book of Selections Nutrition. the last category has already included in other c. Kitab Al-Muhazzab f’il Kuhl: The well categories. The last catogory of Ibn al-Nafis’ arranged book on Opthalmology. works is description of the pulmonary or d. Kitab Jame’ Al-Daka’ik fil tibb: lesser circulation. One of his works describing The Compositive of Exactitudes in the pulmonary or lesser circulation is Sharh Medicine. Tashrih al Qanun and this work has already e. Kitab al-Shafii: Book of The Healer. included in the second category. Therefore, I f. Kitab Mawalid Al-Thalash: Book of do not mention the fifth category in this paper the Triple Born. since it is only recurrence. g. Risalah fi Awia’ al-Atfaal: Dissertaion 1. His commentaries on ancient Greek texts: on diseases of children. a. Sharh Fusul al-Buqrat: Commentary 4. His writings on non-medical subjects: on Hippocratic Aphorism. a. Al-Risala al-Kamiliya fi’l Sira al- b. Sharh Taqdimat al-Ma’rifa: Nabawiyya. Commentary on Hippocratic Prognostic. b. Al-Isharat and al-Hidayah: c. Ibidimiyya li Buqrat Watafsiruhu Commentaries on two works of Ibn Sina. l’Amrad al-Wafideh: Commentary on c. Al-Wuraiqat (the little papers): A the Epidemology of Hiprocates. Summary of Aristotle’s Organon and d. Commentary on Hippocates’ De Rhetoric. Natura Hominis. d. Tareeq al-Fasaha (Road to eloquence) e. Commentary on Galen’s Anatomy. explanation of ‘Al Fusus’ (The 2. His commentaries on early Islamic texts: segments) by Said Hassan bin Al- a. ‘Mujiz al-Qanun: Commentary on Ibn Rabbi al-Baghdadi. Sina’s Qanun fil Tib. e. Al-Mukhtasar fil Ilm Ushulil Hadith b. Sharh al-Qanun: Commentary on the (A short account of Methodology of Canon. Hadith). c. Sharh Tashrih al-Qanun: Commentary f. An Axplanation of ‘Al Tanbih’ on the Anatomy of the Canon. (Exhortation) by al-Shirazi. d. Sharh Masa’il Hunain: Commentary on the questions of Hunayn ibn Ishaq. C. Al-Risala Al-Kamiliya fi’l Sira al- e. Sharh al-Hidaya fii Tibb: Commentary Nabawiyya (Epistle on the Perfect Man) on Ibn Sina’s Guide to Medicine. The intention of Ibn al-Nafis in this treatise f. Sharh Mufradat al-Qanun: is to relate what Fadil bin Natiq transmitted from Commentary on the simple medicines the man called Kamil concerning the life story of of Canon. the Prophet of Islam.17 Ibn al-Nafis told the tenet of Islam; the ethics, the prophecies, decay of this 15George Makdisi, The Rise of Colleges; Institutions of Learning world and physical resurrection. in Islam and the West (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1981), 99-103.
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