FAḌL, DA'UD ABU AL-:
Karaite physician; born at Cairo 1161; died there about 1242. Having studied medicine under the Jewish physician Hibat Allah ibn Jami', and under Abu al-Faḍa'il ibnNaḳid, he became the court physician of the sultan Al-Malik al-'Adil Abu Bakr ibn Ayyub, the brother and successor of Saladin. He was also chief professor at the Al-Naṣiri hospital at Cairo, where he had a great many pupils, among them being the historian Ibn Abi Uṣaibi'ah. The latter declared that Abu al-Faḍl was the most skilful physician of the time and that his success in curing the sick was miraculous. Abu al-Faḍl was the author of an Arabic pharmacopœia in twelve chapters, entitled "Aḳrabadhin," and treating chiefly of antidotes.
Bibliography:
- Ibn Abi Uṣaibi'ah, 'Uyun al-Anha' fi Ṭabaḳat al-Aṭibba', ed. Aug. Müller, ii. 118-119, Königsberg, 1884:
- Carmoly, in Revue Orientale, i. 418;
- Steinschneider, Jewish Literature, pp. 195, 366, note 16a;
- idem, Bibl. Arab.-Jud. § 154.
