Avicenna's legacy is global – so why has the Arab world forgotten him?

04-05-2025

His work shaped our understanding of medicine and philosophy, while his books were studied from Spain to India. So why do so many Arab students today have little understanding of who Avicenna was? The question was at the heart of Saturday's panel at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, where the 11th-century polymath, known in Arabic as Ibn Sina, is designated as the Focus Personality of the event. Born in 980 CE and raised in what is now Uzbekistan, Avicenna is heralded as a totemic figure in Islamic philosophy and medicine. He authored the seminal Canon of Medicine – used as a foundational medical text until the 18th century – alongside influential works on astronomy, music and theology. His philosophical treatises – particularly The Book of Healing (Kitab al-Shifa') and The Book of Salvation (Kitab al-Najat), with their focus on logic, metaphysics and the natural sciences – went on to shape the thinking of major medieval western thinkers such as Thomas Aquinas, Maimonides and Descartes. Yet despite these achievements – commemorated through tributes such as the Avicenna Hospital in Paris and Unesco's official recognition – his legacy in the region remains distorted or, at best, a faint echo. 'Avicenna didn't write for Muslims alone. He wrote for all of humanity,' said Muheeb Al Mubaidin, historian and former Jordanian government official. 'And perhaps that's one reason why he continues to be viewed with unease in some parts of the Arab world. He's often seen not as a figure of knowledge and healing, but as someone who strayed from the faith. 'So when I reference The Canon of Medicine or cite his views on music and mental well-being, the reaction isn't always about the content. Often, it's about the fact that I dared to invoke his name at all.' Al Mubaidin pointed to the public backlash that followed a previous government effort to reintroduce philosophy and the arts into Jordanian school curricula – a controversy sparked, in part, by a proposal featuring a passage from Avicenna on the healing power of music. 'I included a quote by Ibn Sina on the therapeutic effects of music in the school curriculum,' he said. 'The response was immediate – someone said, 'So now you're bringing us the one who strayed from the faith?'' For Al Mubaidin, the episode was revealing. 'It made it clear to me that the reaction wasn't really about the music – it was about the man, and the fact that I dared to treat him as a source of insight. It was disappointing, but it showed me the disconnect between his historical stature and how he's viewed today.' It wasn't always this way, according to professor Mustafa Al-Nashar – a distinguished Egyptian philosopher – who noted how Avicenna's work as both physician and philosopher was once widely studied in hospitals and universities from Baghdad to Cordoba. His medical innovations, including his theories of contagion and the importance of quarantine – helped shape both practice and ethics, training generations of doctors and scholars. The rupture, Al-Nashar said, occurred gradually in the centuries that followed, driven by what he described as theological and ideological misunderstandings of Avicenna's work. 'The problem began when some people started saying that philosophy contradicts religion. This is not true. Avicenna believed that reason and revelation complete each other. But when certain ideologies took over education, they removed philosophy – they said it was foreign, even sinful," he said. "In Europe, they taught Avicenna. They studied him for centuries – in Paris, in Italy and in Spain. He shaped how they understood medicine, how they thought about the soul. They built on his work while we forgot his name.' It is partly for this reason that French-Egyptian author Gilbert Sinoue has dedicated parts of his career to bringing Ibn Sina's impact back into view. His most recent book, The Golden Age of Arab Civilisation, highlights Avicenna's contributions alongside other towering figures. It follows 1989's Avicenna: The Road to Isfahan – a fictionalised biography that traces the philosopher's life and legacy. "I've always tried to be a sort of bridge between Avicenna's thought – the Muslim world in general – and the West,' Sinoue said. 'Especially now, when anything that represents 'Muslim' carries a rather dark image in the West. For me, it was both a need and a duty to transmit the humanist and cultural dimension of Avicenna.' Al-Nashar described reclaiming Avicenna's legacy, through the study of philosophy and the arts, as central to the region's cultural and educational advancement. He called it a 'disgrace' that some educational institutions in the Arab world had removed these disciplines entirely. At the same time, he commended the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair for spotlighting Avicenna and praised Fujairah's House of Philosophy for sparking renewed interest. 'It is a disgrace that philosophy was removed from our schools,' Al-Nashar said. 'We are in dire need of it. How can philosophy disappear from our Arab world, especially when we are in such desperate need of clear thinking and vision?" The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair is running at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre until Monday

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'You can see his bones': In Gaza, parents struggle against child starvation and Israeli war crimes denial

Middle East Eye

2 days ago

Middle East Eye

'You can see his bones': In Gaza, parents struggle against child starvation and Israeli war crimes denial

The photo of an 18‑month‑old Palestinian infant from Gaza, his body resembling a "skeleton" with ribs and spine clearly visible, spread rapidly across the internet over the past week. Widely shared by international media outlets, including the BBC, CNN and The New York Times, the image sparked global outrage. It also created controversy. Israel and its supporters argued that the infant had "pre‑existing health problems." That has been the basis of claims by supporters of Israel to claim that starvation in Gaza is a "lie." Middle East Eye visited the child and his mother in their makeshift tent in western Gaza City. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters The child's mother Hidaya recalled her story from her home in a makeshift tent in what was once a wedding hall looking out to the sea. "When the war on Gaza began, I was seven months pregnant with Mohammed," she said, referring to her child, Mohammed al-Mutawaq, whose image has become a symbol of the human cost of Israel's tactic of starving civilians. "He was born in December 2023, at the height of the attacks and during the second month of the first starvation campaign. No, a Gaza toddler having cerebral palsy does not mean Israeli starvation is a 'lie' Read More » "When I gave birth to him, he suffered from a lack of oxygen that caused slight muscle weakness," she added. Despite those early issues, Mohammed was treated by a physiotherapist and showed promising signs of good health. "He began showing remarkable improvements that the doctors were astonished by," Hidaya said. When Mohammed was two months old, Hidaya began to suffer from malnutrition and the child stopped breastfeeding on his own, and a new struggle began to get milk and baby formula. "We managed to secure milk through hospitals during the first months and throughout the first starvation campaign." Hidaya said. "Back then, his father was still alive, he used to bring us milk before he was killed in an Israeli attack. Mohammed's health was still slowly improving in this period and he was reaching a number of milestones. "He even began to speak, saying 'amma' and 'abba'," Hidaya said, using the Arabic words for "mummy" and "daddy." He had even started crawling and standing by early 2025, but then the family were again forced out of Jabalia. Since then, Mohammed's health has rapidly deteriorated. His weight has fallen from nine kilograms to less than six, and the progress he had made in muscle strength and mobility has reversed. Hidaya says her son, Mohammed al-Mutawaq, can no longer hold his head up due to the effects of starvation (MEE/Hani Abu Rezeq) "When I began noticing the changes in my son's body and face, I took him to several hospitals, but they told me his only treatment at that time was food," Hidaya said. "They said he needed proper nutrition. "A child like him needs milk, eggs, cheese, vegetables and fruits. "But since he came into this world, he has never even known what fruit is. He came into life in the midst of starvation and deprivation of resources." 'Severe acute malnutrition' Doctors told Hidaya that Mohammed now suffers from severe acute malnutrition (SAM), the most severe form of malnutrition. They warned that without urgent and consistent access to proper nutrition and medical care, his life will remain at constant risk. But Hidaya has already begun noticing alarming changes in her toddler. At the start of July, he was taken to hospital, where he was diagnosed with severe dehydration. Israeli starvation death toll approaches 150 as formula shortage threatens babies in Gaza Read More » "I reached a point where I thought he was dead. I used to press my head to his chest, hoping to hear his heartbeat. He wouldn't move, and he had severe diarrhoea. "I believe he was poisoned by the unclean soup kitchen food we relied on as a substitute for proper meals," Hidaya said. Mohammed was taken to a hospital where he was diagnosed with dehydration and given medication that improved his health slightly. Still, Hidaya was told by doctors that there would be no real improvement in his health until he had access to proper food. Despite his vulnerability, the hospital discharged Mohammed so it could make room for other children. Like Mohammed, hundreds of children are currently lying ill and famished in Gaza's hospitals, diagnosed with severe malnutrition. According to Unicef, from the start of 2025 until May, an average of 112 children were diagnosed daily with acute malnutrition. The UN agency reported that over 6,500 children were diagnosed with acute malnutrition in June, and 5,000 children received the same diagnosis in the first two weeks of July alone. Widespread food insecurity Unicef warned that the entire population of the Gaza Strip was food insecure, while all children under five, which amounts to more than 320,000 children, are at risk of becoming acutely malnourished. "Mohammed learned to walk (but) now he can no longer even sit up on his own. "He can't hold his head steady, and he barely moves his legs. Right now, he's barely able to move his arms," Hidaya told MEE. "If I hadn't seen him crawl and stand before, I might have thought his current condition was due to other health issues. 'If I hadn't seen him crawl and stand before, I might have thought his current condition was due to other health issues' - Hidaya, mother of Mohammed al-Mutawaq "His condition was mild, and he was making progress. Only after we couldn't secure him milk and food did he start to deteriorate like this." Today, when Mohammed wakes Hidaya up crying for milk at night, she soothes him with water. "There are days we go to bed without eating anything. Sometimes, we go four days in a row without food. "There is no baby food, milk, or nutritional supplements available at all. And if they are found in the market, the prices are unimaginably high because they are very scarce," she added. "I became the sole provider for two children after my husband was killed, so it is incredibly difficult to afford food at such prices. "My son has literally become a skeleton. You can see his bones, his ribcage, and his spine through his skin, all because of the lack of food." In addition to the struggle of securing milk, Hidaya now faces the challenge of finding nappies for her toddler, as Israel also blocks hygiene products from entering the besieged territory. As a last resort, she uses plastic bags. "I wrap him in two plastic bags to prevent leakage. You can imagine, in the blazing summer heat, especially while living in a tent, the pain this causes him, and the rashes and skin problems the nylon inflicts on a baby's sensitive skin," she said. "I don't know what kind of life he was brought into. I cannot even secure the bare minimum that the rest of the world takes for granted. "The occupation is fighting us through starvation. They are fighting our children."

Middle East Eye

2 days ago

Middle East Eye

‘You can see his bones': In Gaza, parents struggle against child starvation and Israeli war crimes denial

The photo of an 18‑month‑old Palestinian infant from Gaza, his body resembling a 'skeleton' with ribs and spine clearly visible, spread rapidly across the internet over the past week. Widely shared by international media outlets, including the BBC, CNN and The New York Times, the image sparked global outrage. It also created controversy. Israel and its supporters argued that the infant had 'pre‑existing health problems'. That has been the basis of claims by supporters of Israel to claim that starvation in Gaza is a 'lie'. Middle East Eye visited the child and his mother in their makeshift tent in western Gaza City. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters The child's mother Hidaya recalled her story from her home in a makeshift tent in what was once a wedding hall looking out to the sea. 'When the war on Gaza began, I was seven months pregnant with Muhammed,' she said, referring to her child, Muhammed Mutawwaq, whose image has become a symbol of the human cost of Israel's tactic of starving civilians. 'He was born in December 2023, at the height of the attacks and during the second month of the first starvation campaign. No, a Gaza toddler having cerebral palsy does not mean Israeli starvation is a 'lie' Read More » 'When I gave birth to him, he suffered from a lack of oxygen that caused slight muscle weakness,' she added. Despite those early issues, Muhammed was treated by a physiotherapist and showed promising signs of good health. 'He began showing remarkable improvements that the doctors were astonished by,' Hidaya said. When Muhammed was two months old, Hidaya began to suffer from malnutrition and the child stopped breastfeeding on his own, and a new struggle began to get milk and baby formula. 'We managed to secure milk through hospitals during the first months and throughout the first starvation campaign.' Hidaya said. 'Back then, his father was still alive, he used to bring us milk before he was killed in an Israeli attack. Muhammed's health was still slowly improving in this period and he was reaching a number of milestones. 'He even began to speak, saying 'amma' and 'abba',' Hidaya said, using the Arabic words for 'mummy' and 'daddy'. He had even started crawling and standing by early 2025, but then the family were again forced out of Jabalia. Since then, Muhammed's health has rapidly deteriorated. His weight has fallen from nine kilograms to less than six, and the progress he had made in muscle strength and mobility has reversed. Hidaya says her son, Muhammed Mutawwaq, can no longer hold his head up due to the effects of starvation (MEE/Hani Abu Rezeq) 'When I began noticing the changes in my son's body and face, I took him to several hospitals, but they told me his only treatment at that time was food,' Hidaya said. 'They said he needed proper nutrition.' 'A child like him needs milk, eggs, cheese, vegetables and fruits. 'But since he came into this world, he has never even known what fruit is. He came into life in the midst of starvation and deprivation of resources.' 'Severe acute malnutrition' Doctors told Hidaya that Muhammed now suffers from severe acute malnutrition (SAM), the most severe form of malnutrition. They warned that without urgent and consistent access to proper nutrition and medical care, his life will remain at constant risk. But Hidaya has already begun noticing alarming changes in her toddler. At the start of July, he was taken to hospital, where he was diagnosed with severe dehydration. Israeli starvation death toll approaches 150 as formula shortage threatens babies in Gaza Read More » 'I reached a point where I thought he was dead. I used to press my head to his chest, hoping to hear his heartbeat. He wouldn't move, and he had severe diarrhoea. 'I believe he was poisoned by the unclean soup kitchen food we relied on as a substitute for proper meals,' Hidaya said. Muhammed was taken to a hospital where he was diagnosed with dehydration and given medication that improved his health slightly. Still, Hidaya was told by doctors that there would be no real improvement in his health until he had access to proper food. Despite his vulnerability, the hospital discharged Muhammed so it could make room for other children. Like Muhammed, hundreds of children are currently lying ill and famished in Gaza's hospitals, diagnosed with severe malnutrition. According to Unicef, from the start of 2025 until May, an average of 112 children were diagnosed daily with acute malnutrition. The UN agency reported that over 6,500 children were diagnosed with acute malnutrition in June, and 5,000 children received the same diagnosis in the first two weeks of July alone. Widespread food insecurity Unicef warned that the entire population of the Gaza Strip was food insecure, while all children under five, which amounts to more than 320,000 children, are at risk of becoming acutely malnourished. 'Muhammed learned to walk (but) now he can no longer even sit up on his own. 'He can't hold his head steady, and he barely moves his legs. Right now, he's barely able to move his arms,' Hidaya told MEE. 'If I hadn't seen him crawl and stand before, I might have thought his current condition was due to other health issues. 'If I hadn't seen him crawl and stand before, I might have thought his current condition was due to other health issues' - Hidaya, mother of Muhammed Mutawwaq 'His condition was mild, and he was making progress. Only after we couldn't secure him milk and food did he start to deteriorate like this.' Today, when Muhammed wakes Hidaya up crying for milk at night, she soothes him with water. 'There are days we go to bed without eating anything. Sometimes, we go four days in a row without food. 'There is no baby food, milk, or nutritional supplements available at all. And if they are found in the market, the prices are unimaginably high because they are very scarce,' she added. 'I became the sole provider for two children after my husband was killed, so it is incredibly difficult to afford food at such prices. 'My son has literally become a skeleton. You can see his bones, his ribcage, and his spine through his skin, all because of the lack of food.' In addition to the struggle of securing milk, Hidaya now faces the challenge of finding nappies for her toddler, as Israel also blocks hygiene products from entering the besieged territory. As a last resort, she uses plastic bags. 'I wrap him in two plastic bags to prevent leakage. You can imagine, in the blazing summer heat, especially while living in a tent, the pain this causes him, and the rashes and skin problems the nylon inflicts on a baby's sensitive skin,' she said. 'I don't know what kind of life he was brought into. I cannot even secure the bare minimum that the rest of the world takes for granted. 'The occupation is fighting us through starvation. They are fighting our children.'

UAE and Jordan conduct new air drops to Gaza as Emirati aid convoy arrives

The National

3 days ago

The National

UAE and Jordan conduct new air drops to Gaza as Emirati aid convoy arrives

The UAE and Jordan air dropped critical aid into the Gaza Strip for a fourth day on Wednesday as an Emirati convoy of 58 lorries brought more humanitarian supplies into the enclave. Jordan's Petra news agency said the airdrops were carried out by two C-130 Royal Jordanian Air Force planes and an Emirati counterpart. It added that 16 tonnes of food and baby formula were delivered to various areas of Gaza Strip, bringing the total cargo dropped over the past few days to about 73 tonnes of essential supplies. The fleet of lorries arrived in Gaza through border crossings to support broader relief operations in support of Palestinians, state news agency Wam reported. Meanwhile, Belgium will take part in a multicountry operation in co-ordination with Jordan to air drop aid to Gaza, Brussels has announced, as UN agencies warn the Palestinian territory is slipping into famine. A Belgian aircraft carrying medical supplies and food worth €600,000 ($690,000) will "soon" fly to Jordan and remain on stand-by to conduct air drops, said the defence and foreign ministries in Brussels. Gaza's hospitals have recorded seven new deaths from malnutrition and starvation in the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry said. This takes the death toll from starvation during the conflict to 154 – including 89 children – the ministry said. At least 60,138 Palestinians have been killed and 146,269 wounded since the Gaza war began, the ministry said.