Katie GrimesDr. Mohammad KhalilREL 330April 15, 2014Ibn Sīnā's medical masterpiece: al-Qanun and its influence on the history of medicineThe great Muslim philosopher Ibn Sīnā was also a great physician, one of the most influential of his time. As part of his studies, he is the author of the Canon of Medicine, a huge encyclopedia of medical practice. He opens this book with a famous definition, writing: "Medicine is the science by which we learn the different states of the human body when healthy and when it is not, and the means by which health is capable of being restored." 'be lost and, when lost. , is likely to regain health” (Bakhtiar 9). The text that follows this quote is considered by many to be a masterpiece; Ibn Sīnā had no way of knowing that his book would transform the field it defined, having a tremendous impact on the study of health and disease. Ibn Sīnā's al-Qanun has, in fact, acted as a monumental stepping stone in the history and progress of modern medicine. Let's set the scene: the 11th century marked some of the final years of a magnificent Islamic golden age, an era characterized by the construction of elaborate mosques, mathematical innovation among the disciples of algebra, trigonometry and geometry, and the formation of the modern hospital. Crucial ancient Greek writings have been preserved and enhanced, providing future generations with access to invaluable knowledge. It is in the midst of these movements of conservation and progress that a genius will soon emerge. In the year 980 CE, in what is now Iran, Abū 'Alī al-Husayn ibn 'Abd Allāh Ibn Sīnā was born. Ibn Sīnā (known as Avicenna in Europe) was a true Renaissance man; in addition to his main fields of philosophy and medicine, he studied and experimented with...... middle of paper ...... medicines and medicinal recipes, and traces the line of connection between health mental and physical, thus bringing this information to a channel that could be widely distributed throughout Europe and the Middle East. From encouraging the use of the scientific method and developing holistic medicine to diagnosing meningitis, many agree that the Canon has left a lasting imprint on Western medicine. In a world where people have the ability to live to be 90 years old and neurosurgeons can detect tiny tumors hidden in the folds of the human brain, it would be beneficial to return to our roots, to the history of science and of medicine, and pay tribute to the inventors and innovators – of whom Ibn Sīnā is just one example – who have brought us this far. Hopefully this thought will inspire other budding scientists to strive for similar greatness..