Abstract
Important achievements were obtained in the fields of mathematics,
medicine, chemistry, astronomy, physics, optics, mechanics, zoology,
botanic, mineralogy, geography and etc. in the Turkish-Islamic world
between the ninth and thirteenth centuries. According to the leading
historians of science, scholars living in different parts of the TurkishIslamic world not only surpassed their Greek and Byzantine
predecessors. They also paved the way for development of these fields
of science for following centuries.
It is possible to mention many physicians that left non-erasable marks in
the medicine history among these distinguished scholars. One of these
names is an Andalusian surgeon-physician called Abul-Qāsim alZahrāwī. He is known for his solid and unique contributions to the
surgical world and regarded as the founder of surgery in the TurkishIslamic world.
al-Zahrāwī wrote many books. One of these books, called al-Taṣrīf (The
Method of Medicine) regarded as a medical encyclopedia has reached
until today. The book attracted more attention in the European countries
than in the Turkish-Islamic world and had an impact on Europe.
Different chapters from the book were translated into languages such as
Hebrew, French, English and especially Latin.
al-Zahrāwī’s scientific heritage has also been discussed with all its
aspects in Russia where scientists in the Turkish-Islamic world have
especially been studied. Even though it was translated at a later period
than Avicenna’s al-Qānūn fī al-Ṭibb (The Canon of Medicine), al-Taṣrīf
was translated into Russian.
The aim of this study is to identify Russian studies on Zahrawi and his
main work, al-Taṣrīf -within the framework of available opportunitiesand to present prominent ones among these.
In conclusion, this article also aims to contribute to the Turkish literature
on al-Zahrāwī and al-Taṣrīf. Therefore, the author wishes to assist the
relevant ongoing studies and the ones to be conducted in the future in
terms of bibliography and material index.