An Evaluation on Ibrahim Madkur’s Critical Text

Edition of Ibn Sina’s Ash-Shifa’

Ahmad Fathan Aniq
Mcgill University
[email protected]

Abstract
Ibn Sina (d. 428/1037), also known as Avicenna, is one of the most outstanding
Muslim scholars. Kitab Ash-Shifa’ (the Book of Healing) is one of his magnum
opuses, contributing significantly to science and philosophy. However, there is no
original manuscript of ash-Shifa’, the one written by the author or by his secretary,
Abu-ʿUbayd al-Juzjani (d. 463/1070). Therefore, this article is devoted to
evaluating the textual edition of Ibn Sina’s ash-Shifa’, specifically Kitab al-Hayawan,
which is one of ash-Shifa’ themes, edited by Ibrahim Madkur and published in
Cairo. Furthermore, this article seeks to answer how the Cairo edition of Ibn
Sina’s ash-Shifa’ was critically edited. It evaluates how Madkur conducted editorial
principles to get as close as possible to the Ibn Sina’s words and meaning.

Keywords: Ash-Shifa’, Ibn Sina, text edition, manuscripts, Ibrahim Madkur.

Introduction
Ibn Sina is one of the prominent scholars in the Muslim scientific world. In the
West, he is well known as Avicenna. As a polymath, he wrote many books in a
broad range of sciences. Al-Qanun fi at-Tibb (the Canon of Medicine) and Kitab
Ash-Shifa’ (the Book of Healing) are considered to be his magnum opuses. While
the former is his most remarkable work on medicine, the latter is his monumental
contribution to science and philosophy. Kitab Ash-Shifa’ is concerned with four
main subjects: logic (al-mantiq), natural sciences (at-tabi’iyat), mathematics (ar-
Riyadiyat), and metaphysics or theology (al-Ilahiyat).
Since there is no original manuscript of ash-Shifa’, the one written by the
author or his secretary, it is necessary to establish a stemma. Jan Just Witkam states
that stemma is a way to approach the so-called “lost manuscript of the author,” or
it is the way back into history, the path along which the philologist tries to find his
144 Ahmad Fathan Aniq

author, or expressed more carefully to the archetype.1 Therefore, by considering

the stemmatic approach and using Rosenthal’s methods and principles of textual
criticism,2 this article is devoted to evaluating the textual edition of Ibn Sina’s ash-
Shifa’, specifically Kitab al-Hayawan which is one of ash-Shifa’ themes. The book
was edited by Ibrahim Madkur and published in Cairo. The Cairo edition of ash-
Shifa’, consists of twenty-two volumes and was published from 1952 to 1983.
Therefore, this article seeks to address the question of how the Cairo edition of
Ibn Sina’s ash-Shifa’ was critically edited. It argues that Madkur has carried out a
series of critical and academic editorial processes to bring ash-Shifa’ closer to the
original language and intent of the author.

Ibn Sina’s Life

The account of Ibn Sina’s life can be acquired from his autobiography and from
his biography, which was written by his disciple and secretary, Abu-ʿUbayd al-
Juzjani (d. 1070). Ibn Sina, whose complete name was Abu ʿAli al-Husayn bin
ʿAbdullah ibn al-Hasan ibn ʿAli ibn Sina al-Balkhi al-Bukhari, had documented
his life until 30 years of his age and then al-Juzjani continued writing the
biography until the death of his master.3 Ibn Sina was born in 370/980 in
Afshana, a village near Bukhara, and died in 428/1037 in Hamadan. His native
language was Persian, and his father, an official of the Samanid dynasty, had
provided him with an outstanding education in Bukhara.4
Ibn Sina was a fast learner. Although he had no teacher in natural sciences
and medicine, many physicians were working under his direction when he was
only sixteen. At the age of eighteen, he had mastered all known branches of
sciences in his time. Goichon states that since the ʿamir of Khurasan was cured of
a severe illness by Ibn Sina, he was allowed to use the splendid library of the
Samanid princes. When he was twenty-one, he wrote his philosophical book. He
preferred to follow his own philosophical intuition and acknowledged only Abu
Naṣr al-Farabi (d. 950) as a significant influence on his intellectual career. He also
mastered Aristotle’s thoughts, which he criticized later, from al-Farabi’s book.5
Ibn Sina’s works differ from Aristotle’s. Ibn Sina’s independence of mind
led him to present his own personally worked-out thought rather than repeating

1
Jan Just Witkam, 1988. Manuscripts of the Middle East 3. Ter Lugt Press, Leiden, 88.
2
Franz Rosenthal, The Technique and Approach of Muslim Scholarship. (Analecta Orientalia,
24.) Rome, Pontificium Institutum Biblicum, 1947.
3
Al-Juzajani continued the account down to Ibn Sina death, including details about his
manner of work and study much as the master himself had sought. Look at L.E. Goodman,
Avicenna, Routledge, New York, 12.
4
A. M. Goichon, 1971, Encyclopaedia of Islam, E.J. Brill, Leiden, Vol. III, 941.
5
Ibid, 941; H. Landolt, 1998, Encyclopedia of Arabic Literature, Routledge, London, Vol.
1, 373.

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 An Evaluation on Ibrahim Madkur’s Critical Text Edition of Ibn Sina’s Ash-Shifa’ 145

the works of others. Aristotle’s logic seemed to him insufficient because it could
not be applied in a way that was sufficiently close to life. Ibn Sina is placed in the
Neo-Platonist and Augustinian traditions.6
Ibn Sina was appointed as a minister several times. His advice was always
listened to by the prince. In addition, the prince not only consulted him on
medical matters but also on political issues. Because of his close relationship with
the prince, he became an object of envy. He was sometimes even persecuted by his
enemies. He was never safe and was frequently compelled to move. He wrote his
books on horseback and even in prison. His only reference for writing was his
memory.7 During the expedition of the prince ‘Ala’ al-Dawla, Ibn Sina died and
was buried at Hamadan in 428/1037. A monument was built to commemorate a
thousand years of his birth.8

Ibn Sina’s Works

Ibn Sina composed works and essays on theology, philosophy, medicine,
astronomy and natural science. His universal reputation was mainly due to his two
great works, Kitab ash-Shifa and al-Qanun fi at-Tibb. In these two works, he
summarized and systematically expounded all the scientific results of his age.9
G. C. Anawati lists 276 works of Ibn Sina, including text noted as doubtful
and some apocryphal works, in his bibliography (1950), while Madavi lists 131
authentic, and 110 doubtful works in 1954.10 Ibn Sina’s philosophical works have
come down to us in a mutilated condition, whereas ash-Shifa is complete. Ibrahim
Madkur states that there are more than 100 manuscripts of ash-Shifa’, but the
complete manuscripts are not more than 10.11 The translation of ash-Shifa’ was
done at a moment when Aristotle was narrowly known, and that was only through
the “posterior analytics” (analytica posteriora), Aristotle’s terms from his Organon.
Ibn Sina has been known primarily as a philosopher and a physician, but
actually, he contributed also to the advancement of all the sciences that were

6
Jon McGinnis in the introduction of Interpreting Avicenna’s Science and Philosophy in
Medieval Islam, 2004, E.J. Brill, Leiden, xii; In his ash-Shifa’, Ibn Sina contradicted Aristotle.
See Fr. Rosenthal, 1947, The Technique and Approach of Muslim Scholarship, Pontificium
Institutum Biblicum, Roma, 50.
7
A. M. Goichon, 1971. Encyclopaedia of Islam, E.J. Brill, Leiden, Vol. III, 941; For his
autonomous works, see also Franz Rosenthal, ibid, 41.
8
Carl Brockelmann, Geschichte Der Arabischen Litteratur (GAL) in Arabic Edition: Tarikh
al-Adab al-‘Araby, translated by Mahmud Fahmi Hijazi, 1995. Vol. 5. al-Hai’ah al-Miṣriyyah
al-‘Ammah lil-Kutub, 12.
9
Ignaz Goldziher, A Short History of Arabic Literature, Deccan, 74.
10
A. M. Goichon, 1971, Encyclopaedia of Islam, E.J. Brill, Leiden, Vol. III, 941.
11
Ibrahim Madkūr in preface of Ibn Sina. 1952. Ash-Shifa’. Al-Mantiq 1: al-Madkhal. Ed.
A. Qanwani, Mahmud al-Khudairi, Fuad al-Ihwani. Mathba`ah al-Amiriyah. Cairo, 39.

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146 Ahmad Fathan Aniq

accessible in his day. His works can be traced following al-Juzjani indications and
based on internal evidence:
- Ar-Risalah al-Adwiyah fi al-Maʿad (The Letter of Medicine in the Hereafter)
- Al-ʿArus (The Wedding)
- Fi Asrar aṣ-Ṣalat (The Secret of Prayer)
- Fi Haqa’iq ‘Ilm at-Tauhid (The Fact of Theology)
- Fi Taṣdiq an-Nubuwwah (The Proof of the Prophet)
- Hikmat al-Maut (The Philosophy of Death)
- Ar-Risalah fi Ahwal an-Nafs (The Letter in Conditions of the Soul)
- Maqalah fi an-Nafs (A paper about the Soul)
- Al-Mabda’ wa al-Maʿad (The Beginning and the Hereafter)
- Kitab an-Najat (The Book of Salvation)
- Al-Qanun fi at-Tibb (the Canon of Medicine)
- Kitab ash-Shifa’ (the book of Healing)

Ibn Sina’s medical and scientific works, both text and translations into Latin,
Hebrew, Persian and modern European languages, have been published since
1497 AD.12 His two masterpieces, ash-Shifa’ and Al-Qanun fi at-Tibb, made him an
undisputed master in medicine, natural sciences and philosophy. From the 12th to
the 16th century, the teaching and practice of medicine were based on him.

The Text Edition of Kitab ash-Shifa’

Ash-Shifa’ is divided into four major themes, namely: al-Mantiq (logic), at-Tabiʿiyat
(nature), ar-Riyadiyat (mathematic), and al-Ilahiyat (theology). Each of the four
major themes is divided again into smaller topics:
Al-Mantiq : al-Khitabah (speech), ash-Shiʿr (poem).
At-Tabiʿiyat : al-Harakah wa at-Taghyir (movement and changing), ‘Ilm
an-Nafs (psychology), al-Hayawan (animals), an-Nabat
(plants), al-Jiulujia (geology).
Ar-Riyadiyat : al-Handasah (mechanical engineering), al-Hisab
(calculation), al-Musiqi (music), ‘Ilm al-Hai’ah (form).
Al-Ilahiyat : al-Falsafah al-Ula (philosophy), as-Siyasah (politic), al-
Akhlaq (morals).

Al-Hayawan is the eighth volume of ash-Shifa’. It is the ultimate theme in ash-Shifa.

Generally, it explores outlooks and histories of animals, parts of animals, and the
survival of animals. From the structure of the chapters that Ibn Sina wrote, it
seems that he followed Aristotle’s work of “Animals”. Aristotle divided his
“Animals” book into: Historie des Animaux, Les Parties des Animaux, and De la

12
A. M. Goichon, 1971, Encyclopaedia of Islam, E.J. Brill, Leiden, Vol. III, 945.

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 An Evaluation on Ibrahim Madkur’s Critical Text Edition of Ibn Sina’s Ash-Shifa’ 147

Generation des Animaux.13 In response to this statement, Madkur states that Ibn
Sina’s al-Hayawan is quite different from Aristotle’s Animals.14 The content of Ibn
Sina’s al-Hayawan stresses more on human body analysis than Aristotle’s Animals.
The description of the manuscripts which are used by Madkur and the
ways he established the text edition of ash-Shifa’ are written in the preface of the
first volume of ash-Shifa’. Meanwhile, in the prefaces of the other volumes,
Madkur only depicts the contents of each volume. For instance, in the preface of
the eighth volume of ash-Shifa’, al-Hayawan, Madkur makes a note on the
introduction to biology. Furthermore, he compares Aristotle’s biology and Ibn
Sina’s biology as well as their books of al-Hayawan. It is because Ibn Sina’s al-
Hayawan is accused of plagiarism from Aristotle’s. Madkur emphasizes that the
two books are different. The prefaces of ash-Shifa’ written by Madkur are adequate
to be preliminary information of ash-Shifa’.
In addition, there is no bibliography in this edition. However, Madkur, in
the prefaces of ash-Shifa’, quotes some books and puts them in footnotes.
Introductions and indexes are provided in each volume. The introductions are
written both in Arabic and French. The indexes are divided into the index of
names, index of terms, and term of isagogic.

Ash-Shifa’ Manuscripts
There is no original manuscript of ash-Shifa’, written by the author was found by
Ibrahim Madkur.15 What we can see today are ash-Shifa’ manuscripts written a
couple of hundred years after the death of Ibn Sina. The manuscripts (MSS) of ash-
Shifa’ were found in Cairo, Istanbul, Tehran, London, Paris, Leiden and Berlin.
The British Museum’s manuscript of ash-Shifa’ is the first manuscript which was
found by Ibrahim Madkur, the editor of ash-Shifa’.16
Madkur combined and compared the manuscripts of Egypt, Istanbul and
London as the basis for his edition. The following is the MSS used by Madkur. In
each manuscript, he puts signs, locations where the manuscripts were found, titles

13
Ibrahim Madkūr in preface of Ibn Sina. 1970. Ash-Shifa’. Aṭ-Ṭabi`iyat 8: al-Ḥayawan.
Ed. Abd al-Halim Muntasir, Said Zaid, and Abdullah Ismail. Mathba’ah al-Haiah al-
Mishriyyah al-Ammah li at-Ta’lif wa an-Nasyr, Cairo, ‫م‬.
14
Ibid, ‫ف‬.
15
The case of ash-Shifa’ manuscripts is seems similar to the case of Irshad al-Qaṣid ila
Asna al-Maqaṣid (The guidance for him who aspires to the highest aims) of Ibn al-Akfani
which is edited by Witkam. See Jan Just Witkam, 1988. Manuscripts of the Middle East 3. Ter
Lugt Press, Leiden, 94.
16
Ibrahim Madkūr in preface of Ibn Sina, 1952, Ash-Shifa’. Al-Manṭiq 1: al-Madkhal, Ed.
A. Qanwani, Mahmud al-Khudairi, Fuad al-Ihwani. Maṭba`ah al-Amiriyah, Cairo, 67.

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148 Ahmad Fathan Aniq

of the manuscripts, and copyists of the manuscripts, as well as the time and place
when and where the manuscripts were copied:17

1. Bakhit, with the sign (‫)ب‬, and Bakhit (hamish), with the formula (‫)بخ‬, is
located in al-Azhar Library, Egypt. Written in various scripts, the MSS
entitled “Kitab ash-Shifa’ li Abi ‘Ali ibn Sina Mukmil wa Mutmim la
Naẓira Lahu” (The Book of Healing of Abi ‘Ali ibn Sina which is
complete and final and which has no equal). Syaikh Bakhit owned the
MSS, but then he endowed them to people of knowledge in 1328
(Hijri). The name of the copyist, the place and the time of the copy are
unknown. Perhaps, it is from the 7th century (Hijri). In the footnotes of
Bakhit manuscript, there are some remarks from the copyist himself.
The remarks were taken from another manuscript which is so-called
Bakhit (hamish) MS.
2. Dar al-Kutub, with the sign (‫)د‬, is located in Dar al-Kutub, Egypt. The
MS entitled “Kitab ash-Shifa’ lish-Shaikh Abu ‘Ali Sina” (The Book of
Healing of Shaikh Abu ‘Ali Sina). The owner of the MS is unknown.
The name of the copyist is mentioned, but the place and time of the
copy are not mentioned. Perhaps, it is from the 11th century (Hijri).
3. Dar al-Kutub (A), with the sign (‫)دا‬, is located in Dar al-Kutub, Egypt.
The owner of the MS is unknown. It is from Dar al-Kutub copy and
copied by various copyists. The MS refers to 1337 (Hijri), and copied
from another copy which refers to 992 (Hijri).
4. Sulaimaniyah, with the sign (‫)س‬, is located in Damada. The MS
entitled “Awwal fi Shifa’ Ibn Sina fi Qism al-Mantiqiyat” (The first of
Healing of Abi ‘Ali ibn Sina in the Logic subject). There are many
owners of this MS. However, the name and place of the copyist are
unknown. It refers to 834 (Hijri).
5. ‘Asyir, with the sign (‫)ع‬, is located in ‘Asyir’s collection. The MS is
entitled “al-Awwal min ash-Shifa’ li Abi ‘Ali” (The first of Healing of Abi
‘Ali). The MS was owned by ‘Abd Qadir Muṣtafa ‘Ashir. The copyist's
name is mentioned, but the place of the copy is not mentioned. The
MS refers to 680 (Hijri).
6. ‘Ali Amiri, with the sign (‫)عا‬, is located in Ali Amiri’s collection. The
MS entitled “Kitab Mantiq ash-Shifa’ li Abi ‘Ali ibn Sina” (The book of
Logic of Healing by Abi ‘Ali ibn Sina). It refers to 674 (Hijri). However,
the name and place of the copyist are unknown.
7. British Museum, with the sign (‫)م‬, is located in British Museum, The
United Kingdom. The MS was owned by a man who confessed as

17
Ibid, 68-74.

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 An Evaluation on Ibrahim Madkur’s Critical Text Edition of Ibn Sina’s Ash-Shifa’ 149

‘Aṣim ibn Ibrahim ibn Haidir. The copyist’s name, the place and the
time of the copy are unknown. Perhaps, it is from the 11 th century
(Hijri).
8. Nur ‘Uthmaniyah, with the sign (‫)ن‬, is located in Nur ‘Uthmaniyah
collection. The copyist’s name, the place and the time of the copy are
unknown. Perhaps, it is from the 10th century (Hijri).
9. India Office, with the sign (‫)هـ‬, is located in the India office. It is
written that the owner is Ibn Sina. The MS was copied by a copyist in
Kashmir in 1148 (Hijri), and copied from another copyist that is from
891 (Hijri).
10. Yani Jami‘, with the sign (‫)ي‬, is located in Yani Jami‘’s collection. The
MS (the side of the MS) is entitled “Kitab Mantiq ash-Shifa’” (The book
of Logic of Healing). The name and place of the copyist are unknown.
The MS refers to 628 (Hijri).

In addition, Madkur puts notes on measures, types of calligraphy, colours of ink,

opening sentences, closing sentences, and conditions of each manuscript. He
provides comprehensive information about the conditions of manuscripts which
he uses.
Carl Brockelmann in his masterpiece, Geschichte Der Arabischen Litteratur
(GAL), mentions some similar manuscript locations as what Madkur mentions.18
Both of them find ash-Shifa’ manuscripts in Leiden, Berlin, India Office, British
Museum, Yani Jami‘, Istanbul, Tehran, and Paris. In addition, Brockelmann
mentions some other places which Madkur does not. They are Manchester, Ergin,
Peshaur, Aligarh, Meshad, Buhar, Rampur, Bankibur, As. Soc or al-Jam‘iyah al-
Asiwiyah.19 Surprisingly, Madkur does not refer to Brockelmann’s GAL as a hint to
finding the manuscripts. He prefers to use Qanwati’s book of Mu’allifat Ibn Sina as
his reference.
Fuat Sezgin also mentions ash-Shifa’ and Ibn Sina many times in his
Geschichte Des Arabischen Schrifttums (GAS). However, he writes specifically about
Ibn Sina only twice in his GAS, firstly, when he puts Ibn Sina in a group of

18
Carl Brockelmann, 1943, Geschichte Der Arabischen Litteratur (GAL), E. J. Brill,
Leiden, Supplement 1, 815.
19
Ibid, see also Carl Brockelmann, Geschichte Der Arabischen Litteratur (GAL) in Arabic
Edition: Tarikh al-Adab al-‘Araby, translated by Mahmud Fahmi Hijazi, 1995, Vol. 5. al-
Hai’ah al-Miṣriyyah al-‘Āmmah lil-Kutub, Cairo, 18-19.

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150 Ahmad Fathan Aniq

Arabische meteorologen (Arab meteorologists),20 and secondly when he includes him

in a group of Arabische astronomen (Arab Astronomers).21

Collation and Editorial Principle

Ibrahim Madkur, as previously mentioned, uses three manuscripts as the primary
source of his editorial text. In choosing the manuscripts, he makes a sequence of
manuscript validity. He states that the MS of Bakhit is the most valid manuscript
he found since it has complete volume and undoubted data. The MS of
Sulaimaniyah is the second valid manuscript he uses. The least valid manuscript is
the MS of Dar al-Kutub (A). The sequence is based on the time when the
manuscripts were written. It is also based on the clearness of the scripts, which are
the easiest to read.
Furthermore, in the preface of ash-Shifa’, Madkur states that he combines
and compares the several manuscripts in order to get the united ideas of ash-Shifa’.
For this aim, he uses the following ways:22

1. Selecting the manuscript by looking at an accurate and safe meaning.

2. Selecting the manuscript by looking at Ibn Sina’s style of writing and
dictions.
3. Selecting the manuscript which strengthens other works of Ibn Sina.
4. Selecting the manuscript whose content is the most important.

When Madkur finds dissimilar texts among the manuscripts, he writes the
differences in footnotes. He conducts the above ways to select the most valid text,
and then he writes other texts or variant readings as footnotes by mentioning the
abbreviation of manuscripts as the sources. For example, when he finds the
dissimilar words ‫عند المح‬, ‫ غذاء أملح ط‬،‫ غذاء المح س‬،‫غذا المح د‬, he chooses one of them
which is ‫( عند المح‬within the egg yolk).23 The phrases actually have a similar
meaning, “the nutrition of or within the egg yolk”. Therefore, Madkur put the
unchosen words of these variant readings in the footnotes. The letters ‫ س‬،‫ د‬and ‫ط‬
at the end of each variant reading are the abbreviations of the MS places or signs

20
Fuat Sezgin, 1979, Geschichte Des Arabischen Schrifttums (GAS), E. J. Brill, Leiden,
Band VII, 292.
21
Sezgin states that Ibn Sina wrote 10 books in this field of science. Fuat Sezgin, Ibid.
Band VI, 276.
22
Ibid, 41.
23
Ibrahim Madkūr in Ibn Sina’s Ash-Shifa’. Aṭ-Ṭabi’iyat 8: al-Ḥayawan, 1970, Ed. Abd al-
Halim Muntasir, Said Zaid, and Abdullah Ismail. Mathba`ah al-Hai’ah al-Miṣriyyah al-
`Ammah li at-Ta’lif wa an-Nashr, Cairo, 81.

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 An Evaluation on Ibrahim Madkur’s Critical Text Edition of Ibn Sina’s Ash-Shifa’ 151

of each MS. On each page, Madkur puts the numbering of lines to make word
searching easier.

Conclusion
This article evaluates Ibrahim Madkur’s critical text edition of ash-Shifa’, a highly
influential book not only in the Islamic world but also in the West. In editing the
book, Madkur faced some challenges. To cope with the issues, Madkur conducted
editorial principles to get as close as possible to the Ibn Sina’s words and meaning.
He collected at least ten ash-Shifa’ manuscripts and made the sequence validity of
the manuscripts. The sequence is based not only on the ages of the manuscripts
but also on the clarity of the scripts. Out of the ten manuscripts, he chose Egypt,
Istanbul and London manuscripts as the basis of his edition. Overall, Madkur
has conducted academic and critical principles in establishing the text
edition of Kitab ash-Shifa’.

References
Goichon, A. M. 1971. Encyclopaedia of Islam. E.J. Brill. Leiden. Vol. III.
Brockelmann, Carl. 1943. Geschichte Der Arabischen Litteratur (GAL). E. J. Brill.
Leiden.
Carl Brockelmann, Geschichte Der Arabischen Litteratur (GAL) in Arabic Edition:
Tarikh al-Adab al-‘Arabi, translated by Mahmud Fahmi Hijazi, 1995. Vol.
5. al-Hai’ah al-Miṣriyyah al-‘Ammah lil-Kutub.
Fuat Sezgin, 1979, Geschichte Des Arabischen Schrifttums (GAS). E. J. Brill. Leiden.
Fr. Rosenthal, 1947, The Technique and Approach of Muslim Scholarship, Pontificium
Institutum Biblicum, Roma
H. Landolt, 1998. Encyclopedia of Arabic Literature. Routledge, London. Vol. I.
Ibrahim Madkur in preface of Ibn Sina. 1952. Ash-Shifa’. Al-Mantiq 1: al-Madkhal.
Ed. A. Qanwani, Mahmud al-Khudairi, Fuad al-Ihwani. Matba‘ah al-
Amiriyah. Cairo.
Ibrahim Madkur in preface of Ibn Sina. 1970. Ash-Shifa’. At-Tabi’iyat 8: al-
Hayawan. Ed. Abd al-Halim Muntasir, Said Zaid, and Abdullah Ismail.
Matba‘ah al-Haiah al-Miṣriyyah al-‘Ammah li at-Ta’lif wa an-Nasyr. Cairo.
Ignaz Goldziher, A Short History of Arabic Literature, Hyderabad: Islamic Culture
Board, 195-?.
Jan Just Witkam, 1988. Manuscripts of the Middle East 3. Ter Lugt Press. Leiden.
Jon McGinnis in the introduction of Interpreting Avicenna Science and Philosophy in
Medieval Islam. 2004. E.J. Brill. Leiden.
L.E. Goodman, 1992, Avicenna. Routledge. New York.

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