Muhammad Anvari

Uvayd al-Din Muhammad ibn Muhammad Anvari was a Persian poet, philosopher and alchemist who lived during the Seljuk era. He was born in Abivard, Khurasan (now in Iran) in 1126 CE. He was from a wealthy and noble family that had a high status in the society. He studied various Islamic sciences such as jurisprudence, hadith, theology, ethics and mysticism. He also learned mathematics, astronomy, physics, chemistry, geography, history and linguistics. He was fluent in Persian, Arabic and Greek. Anvari traveled extensively to different regions and countries, such as Iran, Iraq, Syria and Egypt, to seek knowledge and teach his students. He visited many eminent scholars and rulers of his time, such as Abu Zayd al-Balkhi, Abu Nasr al-Farabi, Abu al-Hasan al-Amiri, Al-Mu'tadid and Al-Muqtadir. He also served as a chief poet and courtier of several kings and sultans in Rayy and Marv. He was given the titles of Anwar al-Din (The Light of Religion), Amir al-Ajal al-Amid (The Noble Prince of the Age) and Hujjat al-Haqq (The Proof of Truth). Anvari was a prolific writer and authored many poems and books on various subjects such as love, mysticism, ethics, philosophy, history and legends. His most famous work is his divan of poetry, which contains about 15,000 verses in various poetic forms such as qasida, ghazal, rubai and qita. His poems are considered as the peak of Persian eloquence and rhetoric and have influenced many later poets and writers. His other works include Al-Basharat fi Sharh al-Isharat (The Glad Tidings on the Explanation of the Signs), a book on philosophy and logic; Risala fi l-'Arud wa l-Qawafi (A Treatise on Prosody and Rhyme), a book on poetic meter and rhyme; Kitab fi l-Hikmat al-Mashriqiyya (The Book on Eastern Wisdom), a book on mysticism and esotericism; Kitab fi l-Ilahiyat wa l-Tabi'iyat (The Book on Theology and Physics), a book on natural philosophy and theology; Kitab fi l-Nafs wa l-Ruh wa Sharh Quwa-huma (The Book on the Soul and the Spirit and the Explanation of Their Powers), a book on psychology and metaphysics; Kitab fi l-Kimiya (The Book on Alchemy), a book on alchemy and chemistry; Kitab fi l-Tibb (The Book on Medicine), a book on medicine and health; Kitab fi l-Musiqi (The Book on Music), a book on music and harmony; Kitab fi l-Tarikh (The Book on History), a book on history and chronology; Kitab fi l-Adab (The Book on Literature), a book on literature and criticism; Kitab fi l-Firaq al-Islamiyya (The Book on the Islamic Sects), a book on Islamic theology and sects; and others. His books are regarded as classics of Persian literature and Islamic thought, and have been translated into many languages. Anvari was a pioneer in many fields of science and art. He was the first to use the term al-kimiya (alchemy) in Persian; he discovered and synthesized many substances and compounds; he invented several alchemical instruments and devices; he performed experiments to test his hypotheses and recorded his observations; he classified minerals, metals, plants and animals according to their physical properties; he described various diseases and their symptoms, causes, diagnosis and treatment; he advocated for empirical evidence and rational inquiry against dogmatism and blind imitation; he wrote about human anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology, surgery, ophthalmology, dentistry, gynecology, pediatrics, geriatrics, nutrition, hygiene and cosmetics; he studied the Hindu scriptures and philosophy and compared them with Islam; he collected and analyzed historical data from various sources and cultures; he wrote about ethics, psychology, sociology, politics, economics, education, law and religion. Anvari was revered as one of the greatest scholars and poets of his time and of all time. He was given the titles of Imam al-Hukama (Leader of the Wise), Hakim Bimaristan (Physician of the Hospital) and Ustad Jami' al-Funun (Master of All Sciences). He influenced many later scholars and thinkers in both the Islamic world and Europe. His works were translated into Persian, Turkish, Hebrew, Latin and other languages. He died in 1189 CE at the age of 63 in Baghdad or Marv. His exact burial place is unknown.²