Al-Dakhwar

Al-Dakhwar was born and brought up in Damascus,[1] the son of an oculist.[2] Initially, he too was an oculist at the Nuri Hospital of Damascus,[4] but afterward he studied medicine with Ibn al-Matran.[2]

In 1208, al-Adil, the Sultan of Egypt, told his vizier al-Sahib ibn Shukur, that he was in need of another physician with the equivalent skill of the chief of medicine at the time, Abd al-Aziz al-Sulami. Al-Adil believed that al-Sulami was busy enough serving as physician of the army. Ibn Shukur recommended al-Dakhwar for the post and offered him 30 dinars a month. Al-Dakhwar turned him down, citing that al-Sulami receives 100 dinars a month and stating "I know my ability in this field and I will not take less!"[5] Al-Sulami died on June 7 and soon after al-Dakhwar himself came into contact with al-Adil,[4] and the latter was greatly impressed by him. He not only appointed him as his personal physician, but also as one of his confidants.[1]

When al-Adil died, his son and successor in Damascus, al-Mu'azzam, made him chief superintendent of the Nasiri Hospital. There he wrote books and gave lectures on medicine to his students. Later, when al-Adil's other son al-Ashraf annexed Damascus after al-Mu'azzam died, al-Dakhwar was promoted as chief medical officer of the Ayyubid state.[3]