The Flowering of Islamic Medicine during the Fatimid Caliphate in Egypt

Abstract

The Fatimid era(358-567 AH /968-1171AD) was one of the most brilliant historical periods due to its intellectual and cultural achievements and successes. influencing an area beyond its boundaries. Due to their attempts, Cairo turned into one of the artistic, cultural, and scientific Islamic centers and it became the focus of research and science. During this period, there were numerous debates among doctors which led to the flowering of this science Different gifts were dedicated to the scholars’ tuition fees and physicians’ salaries. Whenever caliph identified a physician as qualified in his career, he was empowered and favored by the caliph, and became his close friend.Medicine was in the hands of Jewish and Christian physicians in Fatimid territory during Moez and Aziz caliphs, until the mid-fifth century. . This continued up to Alhakem period during which Sunni people attempted to challenge their authority and seize their position. Some specific diseases were more common in Egypt; including eye diseases, cholera, and plague which got epidemic successively because of the ongoing famine in Egypt. This study is a piece of library research which makes use of Arabic, Persian, and Latin sources regarding the development of Islamic medicine during the Fatimid period in Egypt.