Overthrowing the Ancients: Ibn al-Nafis

In the tumultuous thirteenth century, as the Mongol threat reshaped the medieval world, one physician in Cairo dared to question a thousand years of established medical truth. Ibn al-Nafis (1213–1288) was the Chief Physician of the greatest hospital of his age, but his true legacy lies in a revolutionary act of anatomical critique. Decades before the European Renaissance, al-Nafis used rigorous logic and observation to shatter the dogma of Galen, becoming the first person in history to accurately describe the pulmonary circulation—the path of blood through the lungs. This comprehensive biography traces al-Nafis's extraordinary life: from his meticulous training in Damascus and his administrative reign in Mamluk Cairo, to his parallel career as a master jurist and radical philosopher. It delves into his extensive writings, including his philosophical novel, which championed pure, unassisted reason over blind imitation (taqlid). Discover the mind of the man who risked his entire career to prove that reason, not tradition, is the only true guide to scientific discovery, securing his place as one of the most unjustly forgotten pioneers in the history of science. Approx.155 pages, 31600 word count