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SCIENTIFIC AND SPIRITUAL HERITAGE OF ABU BAKR
MUHAMMAD ZAKARIYA RAZI
Akhmedov Rifat Pirmatovich
Researcher of Bukhara State University
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13340327
Annotation:
This article delves into the rich scientific and spiritual legacy
of Abu Bakr Muhammad Zakariya al-Razi, a distinguished figure in philosophy.
It highlights his contributions to the fields of science and ethics, illustrating
how his groundbreaking work in medicine and his profound spiritual insights
have shaped intellectual and cultural history. The article examines how al-
Razi’s scientific discoveries and philosophical reflections continue to influence
modern thought, showcasing the enduring impact of his dual heritage on
contemporary science and spirituality.
Keywords:
development, moral, historians, philosophy, books, literature,
human behavior, nature, ethics
One of the great thinkers who significantly contributed to the
development of philosophical and moral thought in the East is Abu Bakr
Muhammad ibn Zakariya ar-Razi, who also played a crucial role in advancing
the science and culture of the Near and Middle East. Unfortunately, little is
known about his life and work, and even the exact years of his birth and death
remain unknown.
Iranian researchers have different opinions regarding the years of Razi’s
birth and death. For example, Mahdi Muhaqqiq stated the following about the
thinker’s birth in the chapter “The Way of Life” of the book “The Philosopher of
Ray Muhammad ibn Zakariyya Razi”: He was born in the month of Sha’ban in the
year 201 AH (860 CE) in the city of Ray, and he died in the month of Sha’ban in
the year 313 AH. Based on the birth and death dates of the thinker mentioned
above, it can be said that Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariya ibn Yahya al-Razi
lived and worked in the second half of the 9
th
century and the first quarter of the
10
th
century. As is known from Mahdi Muhakkik’s monograph, the thinker’s
name was Muhammad, his father’s name was Zakariya, his grandfather’s name
was Abu Bakr, and his name “Razi” comes from the city of Rey (Ray). Ray is one
of the oldest cities in Iran, referred to as “Rogo” in the monuments of the
Achaemenid dynasty and “Rogist” in ancient Greek sources. In ancient Persia,
the city was known as “Kent”. Those who translated the works of Abu Bakr Razi
into European languages initially, mainly Greek referred to him as “Rhares” or
“Razi”.
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In his youth, al-Razi engaged in jewelry craftsmanship and worked as an
appraiser (possibly assessing jewelry items). According to some historians and
translators, al-Razi studied sciences only in his youth, while others believe that
he devoted himself to the sciences only after the age of 40. He began studying
writing, medicine, and philosophy, dedicating all his energy to this work.
In our view, al-Razi had a special affection for studying science and
literature in his youth, reading books, and participating in various circles,
debates, and discussions. His curiosity and desire for knowledge never left him.
In his book titled “The Philosophical Way of Life”, al-Razi wrote: “My connection
with knowledge and the emotions that consumed me in studying the sciences
were evident to those who interacted with me. From my youth until now, I have
lived my life in such a way that I never moved on to another activity without
reading a new book or conversing with a sage. I did not abandon my work until
I had read a new book or engaged in a discussion with a wise person, even if it
did not benefit me in any significant way”.
One of Razi’s contemporaries and compatriots said the following about his
pursuit of knowledge: “He was never without pen and paper and was always
ready to write. He would place a candle on the wall, prop the book against it,
and read. If he suddenly fell asleep, the book would fall from his hand, and he
would wake up and continue reading”.
In his youth, al-Razi became interested in alchemy, searching for an elixir
that could turn any metal into gold. However, his experiments did not yield the
desired results, instead, he suffered from poor health and nearly lost his
eyesight. As a result, he redirected all his intellect and talent toward the study
of medicine, philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, and literature, where he
achieved great heights.
Muhammad Zakariya al-Razi is considered a prolific scholar who created
numerous valuable works in various fields of science. According to some
sources, the scholar began his creative activities later in life. His thorough study
of societal and worldly events and mysteries transformed al-Razi into a
profound expert in various scientific fields of his time. He presented all his
knowledge in precise and philosophical sciences in numerous treatises. In his
book “The Philosophical Way of Life” (“Sirat-ul-Falsafa”), as mentioned above,
he wrote works comprising 20,000 pages (that is, 40,000 sheets) on a single
field of science in fine script and spent 15 years of his life writing the “Great
Compilation”. As a result, his eyesight and the muscles in his hands weakened,
causing him to lose the ability to read and write.
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Nevertheless, he did not stop seeking knowledge; he continued to read
constantly with the help of various individuals. Unfortunately, the thinker does
not mention anything about his works, including those written in “The
Philosophical Way of Life”. There is no information about his disciples or
contemporaries in this regard. Researchers who have analyzed al-Razi’s works
up to the present day have not reached a definitive conclusion about the
number of his treatises. The facts they present are highly contradictory, and the
exact number of his works remains undetermined.
The scholar wrote many works on philosophy, medicine, theology, ethics,
astronomy, physics, and chemistry. Unfortunately, most of these works have
not survived. According to some sources, today we have 61 works of the great
physician and philosopher. Only the books “Spiritual Medicine” and “The
Philosophical Way of Life” have survived in full to the present day. The
philosopher’s views had a profound impact on the scholarly world. Some of the
prominent philosophers of that time debated various scientific issues with him,
writing critical articles and major works. Among them was Abu Nasr al-Farabi.
Only two of the philosopher’s philosophical works, “Spiritual Medicine”
and “The Philosophical Way of Life”, have survived to the present day. The
exact year of the writing of “Spiritual Medicine” is not known. According to
some sources, this book was written at the request of Amir Mansur, the
governor of Rey, between the years 903 and 905.
According to Razi, the main theme of this work is devoted to healing and
morals of the soul. The book consists of 20 chapters, each of them is dedicated
to one of the main concepts of morality, character, human behavior. Razi
structured the chapters of his book as follows: “On the value of the mind and its
praise”; “On the control of passion and its control and the main ideas of the
wise Plato in this regard”, “About the general judgments sent separately about
the bad signs of the soul, the need for a person to know the vices of love and
affection”, “General thoughts on enjoyment, rejection of envy”; “On Excessive
Harmful Anger”; “On rejection of lies”; “On Rejecting Greed’; “On eliminating the
harm of unproductive thoughts and sorrows”; “On getting rid of grief”; “On
rejecting the desire to drink wine”; “Rejection of sexual misconduct”; “On
Rejecting Mindless Enthusiasm”, “About meaningless habits, unnecessary
entertainment”, “On fanaticism”; “On the norm of costs and needs”; “On
rejecting and striving for titles and worldly degrees, and on the difference
between what is agreeable to passion and what is agreeable to reason”; “On
nobility”; “About fear of death”.
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In this book, al-Razi places particular emphasis on identifying and
condemning the causes of moral corruption and abomination. According to the
philosopher, condemning evil is clear in its purpose of praising goodness and
exemplary behavior, because if a person abandons their bad deeds, they will
inevitably fall into the whirlpool of good deeds and conduct. “The Philosophical
Way of Life” is al-Razi’s second philosophical book, which was mentioned by al-
Biruni in his works. This treatise primarily discusses philosophical views, the
philosopher’s biography, and some details about Socrates’ life and beliefs. The
work addresses human behavior, nature, and ethics.
In conclusion, the study of al-Razi’s scientific legacy shows that, during his brief
but productive creative life, he made profound contributions to various fields of
science, resulting in his recognition as a great scholar with encyclopedic
knowledge.
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