List of Persian scientists and scholars

Photo taken from medieval manuscript by Qotbeddin Shirazi. The image depicts an epicyclic planetary model.

Pre-modern Era

The following is a non-comprehensive list of Persian scientists and engineers who lived from antiquity up until the beginning of the modern age.

A

• Abdol-Hamid (?–756), founder of Arabic prose along with fellow Persian Ibn Muqaffa
• Abhari (?–1262/1265), mathematician
• Abu Dawood (c. 817–889), Islamic scholar
• Abū Ḥanīfa (699–767), Islamic scholar
• Abu Nasr e Mansur (c. 960–1036), mathematician
• Abu Sa'id al-Darir al-Jurajani (9th century)
• Abu Wafa Buzjani (940–998), mathematician
• Azod al-Dowleh (936–983), scientific patron
• Ahmad ibn Farrokh (12th century), physician
• Ahmad Ibn Imad ul-din (11th century), physician and chemist
• Alavi Shirazi (1670–1747), royal physician to Mughal Empire of South Asia
• Amuli, Muhammad ibn Mahmud (c. 1300–1352), physician
• Abū Ja'far al-Khāzin (900–971)
• Ansari, Khwaja Abdullah (1006–1088), Islamic scholar
• Aqa-Kermani (18th century), physician
• Aqsara'i (?–1379), physician
• Arzani, Muqim (18th century), physician
• Astarabadi (15th century), physician
• Aufi, Muhammad (1171–1242), scientist and historian
• Avicenna (Ibn Sina, 980–1037), physician, philosopher
• Azophi (903–986), a.k.a. Abdorrahman Sufi, astronomer from Ray who invented the meridian ring
• Ghiyāth al-Dīn Jamshīd ibn Masʾūd al-Kāshī (c. 1380–1429), astronomer and mathematician

B

• Baghawi (c. 1041–1122), Islamic scholar
• Bahai, Sheikh (1547–1621), poet, mathematician, astronomer, engineer, designer, faghih (religious scientist), and architect
• Baladhuri (?–892), historian
• Balkhi (787–886), a.k.a. Albumasar, mathematician
• Balkhi, Ibn Sahl (850–934), geographer and mathematician
• Balkhi, Ibn
• Banū Mūsā brothers (9th century)
• Barmak, Khaled (705–782), Buddhist from Khorasan in the court of al-Mansur, initiated the Greek translation movement of the Abbasid House of Wisdom
• Bayhaqi (994–1066), historian
• Behbahani, Vahid (1706–1791), theologian
• Ibn Bibi (13th century), historian of the Seljuks of Rum
• Biruni (973–1048), astronomer and mathematician
• Bukhari (810–870), Islamic scholar
• Bukhtishu (8th century?), Persian Christian physician of Academy of Gundishapur
• Bukhtishu, Abdollah ibn (c. 940–1058), Christian physician in Persia
• Bukhtishu, Gabriel ibn (9th century), Christian physician
• Bukhtishu, Yuhanna (9th century), Christian physician
• Burzoe (6th century), a.k.a. Borzouyeh-i Tabib, physician of Academy of Gundishapur
• Birjandi (?–1528), astronomer and mathematician

D

• Dīnawarī, Abū Ḥanīfa (815–896), polymath
• Dinawaree, ibn Qutaybah (828–885), historian

E

• Esfarayeni (13th century?), physician

F

• Farghani (?–880), a.k.a. Alfraganus, astronomer
• Farabi (872–950) (Al-Farabi, Pharabius), philosopher
• Kamal al-Din Farisi (1267–1319), mathematician
• Fazari, Ibrahim (?–777), mathematician and astronomer
• Fazari, Mohammad (?–796), mathematician and astronomer
• Ferdowsi (934–1027), poet
• Feyz Kashani, Mohsen (?–1680), theologian

G

• Geber; Jaber ibn Hayan (721–815), chemist, known as Geber in English
• Gardezi, Abu Said (?–1061), geographer and historian
• Ghazali (Algazel, 1058–1111), philosopher
• Gilani, Hakim (?–1609), royal physician
• Gorgani, Zayn al-Din Isma‘il ibn (1041–1136), royal physician
• Gorgani, Abu Saeed (9th century), astronomer and mathematician
• Gorgani, Rostam (16th century), physician
• Gorgani e Masihi, see Masihi Gorgani (?–999), Avicenn'a master

H

• Hakim Ghulam Imam, physician
• Hakim Muhammad Mehdi Naqi (18th century), physician
• Hakim Muhammad Sharif Khan (18th century), physician
• Hakim Nishaburi (933–1012), Islamic scholar
• Hallaj (858–922), mystic-philosopher
• Haly Abbas (?–c. 990), physician
• Hamadani, Ali, physician
• Hamadani, Mir Sayyid Ali (1314–1384), poet and philosopher
• Hanbal, Ahmad Ibn (780–855), Islamic scholar
• Harawi, Abolfadl (10th century), astronomer of Buyid dynasty
• Harawi, Muwaffak: See Al-Muwaffak (10th century), pharmacologist
• Harawi, Muhammad ibn Yusuf (died 1542), physician
• Harawi, Ali (died 1215), traveller
• Majid Hassanizadeh (born 1952), professor of hydrogeology, theories of porous media (Utrecht University, The Netherlands).^[1]
• Hasani, Qavameddin (17th century), physician
• Hedayat, Habibollah (1927–2013), nutritionist and obstetrician gynecologist
• Hessaby, Mahmoud (1903–1992), scientist, physicist

I

• Ibn Abi Sadiq (11th century), "The Second Hippocrates", Avicenna's disciple
• Ibn Khaseb (9th century), physician
• Ibn Khordadbeh (c. 820–912), geographer
• Ibn Rustah (9th century)
• Ilaqi, Yusef (11th century), Avicenna's pupil
• Mansur ibn Ilyas (14th century), physician
• Isfahani Abol-fath (10th century), mathematician
• Ibn Sina (Avicenna, 980–1037), philosopher and physician
• Isfahani, Jalaleddin (19th century), physician
• Isfahani, Husayn (15th century), physician
• Istakhri (?–957), geographer, gives the earliest known account of windmills
• Iranshahri (9th century), philosopher, teacher of Muhammad Zakaria Razi

J

• Ali Javan (born 1926), inventor of helium–neon laser
• Jābir ibn Hayyān (821–915), polymath, considered the father of chemistry, emphasized systematic experimentation, and did much to free alchemy from superstition and turn it into a science
• Ja'far ibn Muhammad Abu Ma'shar al-Balkhi^[2] (787–886)
• Jaghmini (14th century), physician
• Jaldaki (?–1342), physician
• Juvayni (1226–1283), historian
• Juwayni (1028–1085), philosopher
• Juzjani, Abu Ubaid (?–1070), physician
• Jamasb, philosopher

K

• Karaji (953–1029), mathematician
• Kashani (Kashi) (c. 1380–1429), mathematician
• Kashfi, Jafar (1775/6–1850/1), theologian
• Kazerouni, Masoud (14th century), physician
• Kermani, Iwad (15th century), physician
• Kermani, Shams-ud-Din, Islamic scholar
• Khazeni, Abu Jafar (900–971), mathematician
• Khazeni, Abolfath (c. 1130), physicist
• Khayyám, Omar (1048–1131), poet, mathematician, and astronomer
• Khorasani, Sultan Ali (16th century), physician
• Khujandi (c. 940–c. 1000), mathematician and astronomer
• Khwarizmi (a.k.a. Al-Khwarazmi, c. 780–c. 850), creator of algorithm and algebra, mathematician and astronomer
• Kushyar ibn Labban (971–1029), mathematician, Nasavi's master
• Kuhi, Rostam, mathematician
• Kubra, Najmeddin (1145–1220)

M

• Mahani (9th century), mathematician
• Muhammad al-Fazari (?–796)
• Muhammad Baqir Yazdi (17th century), he gave the pair of amicable numbers 9,363,584 and 9,437,056
• Majusi, Ibn Abbas (?–c. 890), physician
• Marvazi (?–869), astronomer and mathematician
• Marvazi, Abu Taher (12th century), philosopher
• Masawaiyh (777–857), or Masuya
• Mashallah ibn Athari (740–815), of Jewish origins, from Khorasan who designed the city of Baghdad based on Firouzabad
• Masihi Gorgani (10th century), Avicenna's master
• Mirza Ali Hakim (17th century), physician
• Miskawayh (932–1030), philosopher
• Modarressi, architect
• Mostowfi Qazvini (1281–1349), geographer
• Mullasadra (1572–1640), philosopher
• Muqaffa, Ibn (?–756), founder of Arabic prose along with Abdol-Hamid
• bin Musa, Hasan (9th century), astronomer
• bin Musa, Ahmad (9th century), astronomer
• bin Musa, Muhammad (9th century), astronomer
• Muwaffaq, Abu mansur (10th century), pharmacologist
• Muhammad ibn Muhammad Tabrizi (13th century), philosopher

N

• Nagawri (14th century), physician
• Nahavandi, Benjamin, Jewish scholar
• Nahavandi, Ahmad (9th century), astronomer
• Nakhshabi (14th century), physician
• Nasir Gebelli (born 1957), computer scientist and video game developer
• Nasir Khusraw (1004–1088), scientist, Ismaili scholar, mathematician, philosopher, traveler and poet
• Nasavi (c. 1010–c. 1075), mathematician
• Natili Tabari (10th century), physician
• Naubakht (9th century), designer of the city of Baghdad
• Naubakht, Fadhl ibn (8th century)
• Nawbakhty (4th century), Islamic scholar, philosopher
• Nawbakhti, Ruh (10th century), Islamic scholar
• Nayrizi (865–1022), mathematician
• Naqshband, Baha ud-Din (1318–1389), philosopher
• Neishaburi (18th century), physician
• Neishaburi (c. 815–875), Islamic scholar
• Nizami Ganjavi (1141–1209), romantic poet
• Nurbakhshi (16th century), physician

P

• Paul the Persian (6th century), philosopher

Q

• Qazwini, Zakariya (1203–1283), physician
• Qumi, Qazi Sa’id (1633–1692), theologian
• Qumri (10th century), physician
• Qushayri, Abd al-Karīm ibn Hawāzin (986–1074), philosopher

R

• Razi, Amin (16th century), geographer
• Razi Amoli, Fakhreddin (1149–1209), philosopher
• Razi, Zakariya (Rhazes) (854–932), chemist and physicist
• Razi, Najmeddin (1177–1256)
• Rumi, Jalal ad-Din Muhammad (1207–1273)
• Rashid-al-Din Hamadani (1247–1318), historian, physician and politician

S

• Sabzevari, Mulla Hadi (1797–1873), poet and philosopher
• Saghani Ostorlabi (?–990), astronomer
• Sahl, Fadl ibn (?–818)
• Sahl, Shapur ibn (?–869), physician
• Salman the Persian, religion commentator, companion of Muhammad
• Samarqandi, Najibeddin (13th century), physician
• Samarqandi, Ashraf (c. 1250–c. 1310), mathematician, astronomer
• Sarakhsi, Muhammad ibn Ahmad (?–1096), Islamic scholar
• Seifzadeh, Hossein (born 1950), political scientist, Iranian studies
• Shahrastani (1086–1153), historian of religions
• Shahrazuri (13th century), philosopher and physician
• Shahrazuri, Ibn al-Salah (1181–1245), Islamic scholar
• Shaykh Tusi (996–1067), Islamic scholar
• Shaykh Saduq (923–991), theologian
• Shirazi, Imad al-Din Mas'ud (16th century), physician
• Shirazi, Muhammad Hadi Khorasani (18th century), physician
• Shirazi, Qutbeddin (1236–1311), astronomer
• Shirazi, Mahmud ibn Ilyas (18th century), physician
• Shirazi, Najm al-Din Mahmud ibn Ilyas (?–1330), physician
• Shirazi, Qurayshi (17th century), physician
• Shirazi, Sultan Waezin (1894–1971), theologian
• Sijzi (c. 945–c. 1020), mathematician
• Sijzi, Mas'ud (14th century), physician
• Soleiman ibn Hasan (17th century), physician
• Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi (903–986): see Azophi
• Suhrawardi, Shahab al-Din (1155–1191), philosopher

T

• Tabarani, Abu al-Qasim (873–970), Islamic scholar
• Tabari Amoli (839–923), historian
• Tabari, Natili Amoli: See Al-Natili
• Tabari, ibn Farrukhan (?–815), astrologer and architect
• Tabari, Abul Hasan (10th century), physician
• Tabari, Ibn Sahl (c. 783–c. 858), Jewish convert physician, master of Rhazes
• Tabrizi, Maqsud Ali (17th century), physician
• Taftazani (1322–1390), theologian, linguist
• Tayfur, Ibn Abi Tahir (819–893), linguist
• Tāriq, Yaqub ibn (?–796)
• Tirmidhi (824–892), Islamic scholar
• Tunakabuni (17th century), physician
• Tughra'i (c. 1061–1122), physician
• Tusi, Nizam ol-Molk (1018–1092), the great vizier
• Tusi, Nasireddin (1201–1274), mathematician, philosopher
• Tusi, Sharafeddin (?–1213/4), mathematician

V

• Amin al-Din Rashid al-Din Vatvat (13th century), scholar and physician

W

• Waqidi (748–822), historian

Y

• Yaqūb ibn Tāriq (?–796)
• Yumn, Nazif ibn (?–990)

Z

• Zamakhshari (1074/5–1143/4), scholar and geographer
• Zarrin dast (11th century), oculist
• Zayn-e-Attar (?–c. 1043), physician

See also

• List of contemporary Iranian scientists, scholars, and engineers
• Nizamiyyah
• Academy of Gundishapur
• International rankings of Iran in science and technology

References