The Method Which Ḥuneyn b. İsḥâḳ, Who Made A Breakthrough In Science In The Abbasid Period, Used In Translation, Together With His Success In Translation Work And Medicine

Abstract

Born in the Iraqi city of Ḥire, Ḥunayn b. Ishaḳ had a Christian family of Arab descent. While the majority of the citizens of this community were attracted to trade, Ḥunayn developed an interest in medicine at a young age, which his father associated with the profession of pharmacist. This interest encouraged him to become more involved in the science of medicine. He received his first medicine education Yûhannâ b. Mâseveyh who was one of the leading scholars of his time on medicine. Huneyn was dismissed from his primary education by his tutor because of incompatibility with his tutor’s temperament. Ḥunayn b. Ishaḳ travelled to the Byzantine cities to complete the preparations for the medical-scientific translations he wanted to carry out in the future. There he learned Greek well enough to translate medical works. As a qualified translator, he translated several books published in Greek into Arabic, mainly in the field of medicine. His works separate the two parts as translation and compilation. Upon hearing of Hunayn's accomplishment, the Abbasid caliph Ma'mûn elevated him to the position of the translator of Bayt al Hikma, which was the academy of science of his time. The present article summarises the methods pursued by Ḥunayn b. Ishaḳ within the framework of the principles that guided his scientific personality, as well as his achievements in the fields of medicine and translation.