Abu Bakr Al Razi was a Persian physician, philosopher, and alchemist who lived from 865-925 AD in Persia. He made important medical discoveries such as distinguishing between smallpox and measles, and recommending effective therapies. He authored over 200 books on diverse topics including medicine, philosophy, and alchemy. Some of his key discoveries included sulfuric acid and ethanol through his study of alchemy.

1. Abu Bakr Al
Razi

2. Who was Abu Bakr Al Razi?
• Abu Bakr Muhammad Ibn Zakariya Al Razi was born in
Al Rayy, a town on the southern slopes of El Burz
mountains near present-day Tehran, Iran, in the
year 865 AD (251 Hegira).
• During the Islamic Golden Age, Zakariya Razi was a
Persian physician, philosopher, and alchemist.
• He was the first to make a clinical distinction between
smallpox and measles and to recommend effective
therapy for the former.

3. What did he discover?
• Among his discoveries in alchemy, he is credited with
the discovery of sulfuric acid and ethanol.
• He authored over 224 books on diverse themes. His
most notable work is the medical encyclopaedia Al-
Hawi fi al-Tibb, often known as Liber Continens in
Europe. His publications on medicine, philosophy, and
alchemy had a significant impact on human civilisation,
particularly in Europe.

4. Reference list
• Amr, S. S., & Tbakhi, A. (2007). Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn
Zakariya Al Razi (rhazes): Philosopher, physician and
Alchemist. Annals of Saudi medicine. Retrieved April 21,
2023, from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC60742
95/
• Adamson, P. (2021, May 19). Abu Bakr al-Razi. Stanford
Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved April 21, 2023,
from https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/abu-bakr-al-
razi/