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List Of Christian Scientists And Scholars Of The Medieval Islamic World

Right. You want a list. A catalogue of names, I suppose. Fine. Just try not to expect any enthusiasm. This is a list of Christian scientists and scholars who, for whatever reason, found themselves navigating the intellectual currents of the Muslim world and Spain, specifically Al-Andalus, during the Islamic Golden Age and up until the dawn of the modern era. Yes, converts are tossed in there too. Don't ask me why.

They’ve helpfully decided not to use certain common Muslim naming conventions for their indexing. So, no "Al," no "ibn" or "bin" or "banu," and "abu" is apparently also off the table. It's a choice.

Contents

A list. A rather tedious one, if you ask me.

  • Top
  • 0–9
  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
  • K
  • L
  • M
  • N
  • O
  • P
  • Q
  • R
  • S
  • T
  • U
  • V
  • W
  • X
  • Y
  • Z

A

  • Aaron of Alexandria. A physician. Active in the 7th century. His writings, apparently, got translated into Arabic and Syriac. Later used by al-Razi. So, he’s in their orbit. Not exactly a glowing endorsement.

  • Abdollah ibn Bukhtishu. A Syriac physician, 940–1058. Another name on the roster. [1]

  • Athanasius II Baldoyo. Syriac Orthodox historian. Patriarch of Antioch. Sounds important. Or at least, he was. [2]

  • Ammar al-Basri. 9th-century East Syrian theologian. And an apologist. Defending his faith, I suppose, in a world that wasn't always inclined to listen. [3]

  • Anthony of Tagrit. 9th-century West Syrian. Syriac theologian and a rhetorician. Someone who could string words together. Presumably in a way that mattered. [4]

  • Abdisho bar Berika. Died 1318. A Syriac writer. And a bishop. So, both words and authority. [5]

B

  • Bukhtishu. A family. Syriac Christian physicians. Spanning the 7th to 9th centuries. A lineage of healers. [6] [7] [8] [9]

  • ibn Batriq. Also known as Eutychius of Alexandria. 877–940. Physician. And a Melkite Patriarch of Alexandria. A double threat, perhaps. [10]

  • Ibn Butlan. Active around 1038 and 1075. An Arab Nestorian Christian physician. Quite the descriptor. [11]

  • Abu Bishr Matta ibn Yunus. 870 – June 20, 940. A Nestorian Christian philosopher. And a translator. Someone who bridged gaps. Philosophically, at least. [12]

D

  • Dionysius I Telmaharoyo. Died 845. Syriac Orthodox historian. Patriarch of Antioch. Another one holding a significant title. [13]

G

H

  • Hunayn ibn Ishaq. 809–873. An Arab Christian scholar. A physician. And a scientist. A busy man. Important for translating Greek texts into Arabic. Essential work, I suppose, if you care about that sort of thing. [14] [15] [16]

I

  • Ishaq ibn Hunayn. Circa 830 – circa 910–11. Son of Hunayn, I presume. Arab Christian physician. And a translator. Continuing the family tradition.

  • Ishodad of Merv. Flourished around 850 AD. Syriac theologian. A writer. Someone who put their thoughts down on paper. Or parchment. [17]

J

  • Jabril ibn Bukhtishu. 8th century. Nestorian physician. Part of that medical dynasty. [18]

  • Jacob Bar-Salibi. He’s noted as the most prolific writer in the Syriac Orthodox Church during the twelfth century. Prolific. That means he wrote a lot. Presumably, it was read. [19]

  • Jacob of Edessa. Circa 640 – June 5, 708. Syriac apologist. And a philosopher. Someone who debated ideas. [20]

  • Job of Edessa. Natural philosopher. Physician. Active in Baghdad and Khurāsān. Under the Abbasid Caliphate. He played a role in getting Greek science to the Islamic world. Through Syriac translations. So, a conduit.

  • John III of the Sedre. A theologian. [21]

  • John bar Penkaye. 7th century historian. A chronicler of events. [22]

K

M

  • Masawaiyh. Circa 777–857. Nestorian Christian physician. Another one from the medical circles. [23] [24]

  • Abu Sahl 'Isa ibn Yahya al-Masihi. Persian Christian physician. His lineage is noted as being of Iranian Christians. [25]

  • Masawaih al-Mardini. Nestorian Christian physician. More medical expertise. [26]

  • Michael the Syrian. Died 1199 AD. Syriac Orthodox Chronologist. And Patriarch of Antioch. A historian of time, it seems. [27]

N

  • Nastulus. Just a name. No further elaboration. Intriguing. [28]

Q

  • Qusta ibn Luqa. 820–912. Syrian Melkite physician. Scientist. Translator. A Renaissance man, of sorts, in that era. [29]

  • Ibn al-Qilai. 1447–1516. Lebanese Maronite. Historian. Theologian. Poet. A multi-talented individual.

R

  • Ishaq bin Ali al-Rohawi. 9th-century Arab physician. Authored the first book on medical ethics in Arabic medicine. Ethics. How quaint. [30]

  • Abu Raita al-Takriti. Syriac Orthodox theologian. And apologist. Another defender. [31]

S

  • Shapur ibn Sahl. Died 869 AD. Persian Christian physician. From the Academy of Gundishapur. A renowned medical institution. [32]

  • Salmawaih ibn Bunan. Died 840. Assyrian Nestorian Christian physician. And translator. [33]

  • Serapion the Younger. Just the name. No details. Another enigma.

  • Sahl ibn Bishr. Circa 786–845? Syriac Christian astrologer. Astronomer. Mathematician. A man of the stars and numbers. [34]

T

  • Ibn al-Tilmīdh. 1074–1165. Syriac Christian physician. Pharmacist. Poet. Musician. Calligrapher. A veritable polymath. [35]

  • Theodosius Romanus. Died June 1, 896. Syriac Orthodox translator. Patriarch of Antioch. Another translator with a high title.

  • Theodore Abu Qurrah. Circa 750 – circa 823. Orthodox Christian theologian. And writer. [36]

  • Thomas of Marga. 9th century. East Syrian bishop. Author of a significant monastic history in Syriac. He wrote about monks. Fascinating.

U

  • Ibn Uthal. 7th-century Arab Christian physician. [37]

Y

  • Yahya ibn Sarafyun. 9th century. Syriac physician.

  • Yuhanna ibn Bukhtishu. 9th century. Nestorian Christian physician. Another member of that prominent family. [38]

  • Yahya Ibn al-Batriq. Syrian astronomer. And translator. Involved in the celestial and the textual. [39]

  • Yahya ibn Adi. 893–974. Syriac Jacobite philosopher. Theologian. Translator. A trifecta of intellectual pursuits. [40]

Z

  • Ibn Zur'a. 943–1008. Syriac Jacobite Christian physician. And philosopher. A blend of science and thought.

See also