Necibüddin Samarkand, full name Abu Hamid Necibüddin Muhammed bin Ali bin Ömer es-Samarkandi, was a physician from Samarkand who lived in the early 13th century. He gained an important place in the history of Islamic medicine with his medical book in which he discussed the causes and symptoms of diseases.
His life and works
We have very few details about his life. As his name suggests, he came from Samarkand and lived in the same period as Fahreddin Razi. It is known that he lost his life when the Mongols besieged Herat in 1222, and the people of the city were massacred.
The most well-known work of Samarkandi, who wrote about ten medical works, is el-Esbab ve'l-Alamat. This handbook, which regularly presents the causes, symptoms and treatment methods of diseases, was among the reference sources of physicians in the following centuries and many commentaries were written on it. The influence of the work lasted for about five centuries, and many manuscript copies have been preserved in Turkish libraries.
His work titled al-Akrabazin, which is about pharmaceutical preparations, is also considered valuable in terms of the history of pharmacy and chemistry, as it records more than six hundred substances of plant, animal and mineral origin. In addition, he also wrote short treatises on single drugs, methods of drug preparation, nutrition of patients, and food and beverages.
Although his biography remains largely obscure, Samarkandi is remembered as one of the frequently referenced authors of medieval Islamic medicine, thanks to the collected works he left behind.
