QUTB AL-D?N MAHM?D IBN MAS'?D IBN AL-MUSLIH ALSH?R?Z?

(b. Shīrāz, Persia, October/November, 1236; d. Tabriz, Persia, February 1311), astronomy, medicine, philosophy. For the original article on Qutb al-Din alShīrāzī see DSB, vol. 11.

Since the original DSB article first appeared, scholars have learned a bit more about Shīrāzī’s astronomical work, and there have been some new interpretations regarding his overall philosophical positions. As for his astronomy, it has been determined that several models previously attributed to him are actually by an older contemporary, Mu'ayyad al-Dīn al-'Urdī. However, there is still no comprehensive study of his several astronomical books or of his actual contributions. His philosophical works, previously seen as unproblematically mystical or theosophical, have been subjected to a more rigorous analysis that has revealed an interesting and nuanced philosophical outlook. One of the things that awaits study is how this “mystical philosophy” helped shape and was shaped by the mathematical and empirical sciences. Because of the prominent position occupied by Sh?r?z?, whose positions were debated for many centuries, studies of his work promise to reveal a great deal about the intellectual history of post-classical Islam.

Life and Philosophy For an extended and detailed account of Qutb al-Dīn’s career that provides intellectual, social, and political context, see John Walbridge (pp. 7–26), which is based upon a close reading of the primary bio-bibliographical sources. In his study, Walbridge clarifies the meaning of Shīrāzī’s intellectual Sufism, “the philosophy of illumination,” removing it from a “theosophical” framework and placing it squarely within a more straightforward philosophical tradition.

Mathematics It is not entirely clear what it means to ascribe to Qutb al-Dīin Pythagorean tendencies. At present it can be said, based admittedly on limited research, that he seems to subscribe to the Ptolemaic view that the mathematical sciences can provide more insight into physics and metaphysics than the philosophical/a priori approach of Aristotle (see his Nih?ya, preface). How this might fit in with Sh?r?z?’s illuminationist views that give priority to what Walbridge has called (p. 46) the “primacy of the concrete” (as opposed to Aristotelian metaphysical substrates) has yet to be explored.

Optics There is little to recommend the opinion in the original article that Qutb al-D?n al-Sh?r?z? was the first to have explained the rainbow correctly. This seems to be based on a series of misunderstandings in the secondary literature, beginning with Eilhard Wiedemann (see Roshdi Rashed, p. 213). It is true that Kam?l al-Din alF?ris? who did provide a reasonably accurate account of the rainbow phenomenon based upon experiments, was inspired by his teacher Qutb al-Din to pursue his optical researches. And Sh?r?z? did obtain a copy of Ibn al-Haytham’s great work on optics for his eager student “from a distant land.” But there is little evidence in the Nihaya, the Tuhfa, or any other work by Sh?r?z? of any great understanding of the type of advances made by Ibn al-Haytham or Kam?l al-D?n in optics or visual theory (A.I. Sabra, pp. lxix–lxxi, esp. nn. 110–111).

Astronomy Thanks to the work of George Saliba and Robert Morrison, considerably more is known about ShiR?z?’s astronomical models, though much more needs to be done before a proper assessment can be arrived at. The model for the upper planets and Venus that E. S. Kennedy attributed to Sh?r?z? turns out to be that of an older contemporary, Mu'ayyad al-D?n al-'Urd?. However, models for the Moon and Mercury from the Tuhfa are his own (Saliba [1996], pp. 96–100, 104–108, 118–120). There Sh?r?z? creatively used what are now known as the 'Urd? lemma and the T?s? couple to achieve combinations of uniform, circular motions (as required by ancient physics for motions in the heavens) that resolve the irregular motions resulting from Ptolemy’s equant for Mercury and from his choice of the center of the universe as the reference point of motion for the Moon’s eccentric orb. For a valuable study of Sh?r?z?’s hypotheses (basic models) for celestial motion, and an edition and translation of the relevant section of the Tuhfa (Bk. II, Chap. 8), see Robert Morrison.

There is also a better understanding of Sh?r?z?’s attitude toward cosmological issues emerging. He gave high praise to astronomy in his introduction to the Nih?ya and echoed Ptolemy who, in his introduction to the Almagest, referred to physics and theology as guesswork as opposed to the true knowledge offered by the mathematical sciences. Indeed, it would seem that Sh?r?z? somewhat disagreed with his mentor Tusi on this point. This manifested itself in the question of the Earth’s motion: T?s? had held that the matter had to be left to the natural philosophers because there was no decisive observational or mathematical proof, whereas Sh?r?z?, not wishing to leave such an important matter to guesswork, insisted that there could be devised an observational test. This test took the form of two rocks of different weights thrown straight up in the air; T?s? had said that in such a case a rotating Earth could carry the air and whatever was in it at the same speed, but Sh?r?z? thought that objects of different weights would be carried with different speeds. Because one does not observe such an effect, the Earth must be at rest (Ragep, pp. 152–153, 155

Physics For an extended discussion of Qutb al-Din’s metaphysics of light, see Walbridge.

The following supplements and corrects the list of Sh?r?z?i’s scientific and philosophical works found in the original article. For longer inventories of works attributed to Sh?r?z?, including spurious ones, see Walbridge, pp. 175–191 and Rosenfeld/Ihsano?lu, pp. 233–235.

1. Tarjamah-i tahr?r-i us?l-i Uql?idis : translation from Arabic into Persian of Nas?r al-D?n al-T?s?’s 15-part “Recension” of Euclid’s Elements; completed in November/December 1282 and dedicated to the vizier Am?r Sh?h ibn T?j al-Din Mu'tazz ibn T?hir, to whom Sh?ir?az?’s al-Tuhfa al-Sh?hiyya was also dedicated.
2. Ris?la f?i harakat al-dahraja wa-'l-nisba bayn almustawi wa-'l-munhan? (Treatise on rolling motion and the relation between the straight and the curved), in Arabic. This work has been translated into German (partially) and Russian, and subject to several studies; see Rosenfeld/Ihsano?, p. 234 (M5).
3. Nih?yat al-idr?ak f? dir?yat al-afl?k (The highest attainment in comprehending the orbs), in Arabic; dedicated to the vizier Shams al-D?in al-Juwayn? and completed in November 1281.
4. Ikhtiy?r?t-i muzaffar? (Selections for M?zaffar alD?n), in Persian; dedicated to Muzaffar al-D?n Y?luq Arslan, the Ch?p?nid ruler of Kastamonu, who died in 1304 or 1305.
5. al-Tuhfa al-sh?hiyya f? al-hay'a (The royal gift on astronomy), in Arabic; dedicated to the same vizier, Am?r Sh?h ibn T?j al-D?n, to whom (1) is dedicated, in Sivas in July/August 1285.
6. Fa'alta fa-l? talum (You’ve done it so don't blame [me]), in Arabic; a supercommentary on the Tiby?n maq?sid al-Tadhkira(Exposition on the intent of the Tadhkira) by Muhammad ibn 'Al? ibn al-Husayn al-Munajjim al-Him?dhi, which itself is a commentary on the Tadhkira fi 'ilm al-hay'a by Nas?r al-D?n al-T?s?. Sh?r?z?, who according to Walbridge completed the work in Tabriz in 1304 or 1305, severely criticized Him?dh? and accused him of having plagiarized the Tuhfa.
7. Kit?b al-tabsira fi al-hay'a. Erroneously attributed to Sh?r?z?; actually by Shams al-D?n Ab? Bakr Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Kharaq? (d. 1138 or 1139).
8. Sharh al-Tadhkira: actually the Fa'alta, no. 6.
9. Khar?dat al-'aj?'ib: most likely not authentic.
10. Khul?sat isl?h al-majist?: unable to ascertain whether this is authentic.
11. Hall mushkilat al-majist?: most likely not authentic.
12. Tahr?r al-z?j al-jad?d al-ridw?n? most likely not authentic.
13. al-Z?j al-sult?n? most likely not authentic.
14. Kit?b nuzhat al-hukam?' wa-rawdat al-atibb?', in Arabic; according to Walbridge, there were three editions of this major work. The first two, published in 1283 and in 1294 or 1295, most likely went under the title Sharh kulliyy?t al-q?n?n. The third and last edition, published 23 November 1310 just before his death, carried the title al-Tuhfa al-sa'diyya fi al-tibb to indicate its dedication to Sa'd al-D?n Muhammad S?wuj?.
15. Ris?la f? al-baras, in Arabic; according to Walbridge it is a short work in four folios.
16. Sharh al-Urj?za: unable to ascertain whether this is authentic.
17. Ris?la f? bay?n al-h?ja ila al-tibb…: unable to ascertain whether this is authentic.
18. Durrat al-t?j li-ghurrat al-dub?j (The pearly crown for Dub?j’s brow), in Persian; completed 18 January 1306; cf. Walbridge, pp. 175–178.
19. Sharh Hikmat al-ishr?q, in Arabic; completed April 1295 and dedicated to the Grand Vizier Jam?l alDin 'Al? ibn Muhammad al-Dastjird?n?.

20-26. Many of these may not be authentic; see Walbridge, pp. 179–181. In addition, there is another philosophical work by ShiR?z? entitled Ris?la f? tahq?q '?lam al-mith?l wa-ajwibat as'ilat ba'd al-fudal?' (A treatise ascertaining the reality of the world of image and answers to the questions of a certain scholar), in Arabic; completed after 1295; edited and translated by Walbridge, pp. 196–271.

SUPPLEMENTARY BIBLIOGRAPHY

WORKS BY QUTB AL-DIN AL-SHIR?z?

Walbridge, John. The Science of Mystic Lights: Qutb al-Dīin Sh?ir?z? and the Illuminationist Tradition in Islamic Philosophy. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Center for Middle Eastern Studies, 1992. Contains an edition and translation of Ris?la f? tahq?q '?lam al-mith?l wa-ajwibat as'ilat ba'd al-fudal?'.

B?yan al-h?jah il? al-tibb wa-'l-atibb?' wa-?d?bihim wa was?yhum. Edited and commented on by Ahmad Far?d alMazyadi. Beirut, Lebanon: D?r al-Kutub al-'Ilmiyya, 2003.

Morrison, Robert. “Qutb al-D?n al-Sh?r?z?’s Hypotheses for Celestial Motions.” Journal for the History of Arabic Science 13 (2005): 21–140. Contains an edition and translation of Book II, Chap. 8 of al-Tuhfa al-sha?iyya.

OTHER SOURCES

Bakar, Osman. Classification of Knowledge in Islam: A Study in Islamic Philosophies of Science. Cambridge, U.K.: The Islamic Texts Society, 1998. On Sh?r?z?’s classification of knowledge, see pp. 229–262.

Pourjavady, Reza, and Sabine Schmidtke. “Qutb al-D?n alSh?ir?z?’s (634/1236 – 710/1311) Durrat al-T?j and Its Sources (Studies on Qutb al-D?n al-Sh?r?z? I).” Journal Asiatique 292 (2004): 311–330.

Ragep, F. Jamil. “T?s? and Copernicus: The Earth’s Motion in Context.” Science in Context14, nos. 1-2 (2001): 145–163.

Rashed, Roshdi. “Kam?l al-D?n Ab?'l Hasan Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-F?ris?.” In Dictionary of Scientific Biography, edited by Charles Coulston Gillispie, vol. 7, 212–219. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1973.

Rosenfeld, B. A., and Ekmeleddin Ihsano?lu. Mathematicians, Astronomers, and Other Scholars of Islamic Civilization and Their Works (7^th–19th c.). Istanbul: IRCICA, 2003. pp. 233–235.

Sabra, A. I. The Optics of Ibn al-Haytham. 2 vols. London: The Warburg Institute, 1989.

Saliba, George. “The Original Source of Qutb al-D?n al-Sh?r?z?’s Planetary Model.” Journal for the History of Arabic Science 3 (1979): 3–18.

———. “The Height of the Atmosphere according to Mu'ayyad al-D?n al-'Urd?, Qutb al-Din al-Sh?r?z?, and Ibn Mu'?dh.” In From Deferent to Equant: Studies in Honor of E. S. Kennedy, edited by David King and George Saliba. Vol. 500 of The Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1987, pp. 445–465.

———. “Arabic Planetary Theories after the Eleventh Century AD.” In Encyclopedia of the History of Arabic Science, edited by Roshdi Rashed. 3 vols. London: Routledge, 1996. Vol. 1, pp. 58–127.

F. Jamil Ragep