List of pre-modern Iranian scientists and scholars

Photo taken from medieval manuscript by Qutb al-Din al-Shirazi. The image depicts an epicyclic planetary model.

The following is a list of Iranian scientists, engineers, and scholars who lived from antiquity up until the beginning of the modern age.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

A

• Abdul Qadir Gilani (12th century) theologian and philosopher
• Abu al-Qasim Muqane'i (10th century) physician
• Abu Dawood (c. 817–889), Islamic scholar
• Abu Hanifa (699–767), Islamic scholar
• Abu Said Gorgani (10th century) ^[1]
• 'Adud al-Dawla (936–983), scientific patron
• Ahmad ibn Farrokh (12th century), physician
• Ahmad ibn 'Imad al-Din (11th century), physician and chemist
• Alavi Shirazi (1670–1747), royal physician in Mughal India
• Amuli, Muhammad ibn Mahmud (c. 1300–1352), physician
• Abū Ja'far al-Khāzin (900–971), mathematician and astronomer ^[2]
• Ansari, Khwaja Abdullah (1006–1088), Islamic scholar
• Aqa-Kermani (18th century), physician
• Aqsara'i (?–1379), physician
• Abu Hafsa Yazid, physician
• Arzani, Muqim (18th century), physician
• Astarabadi (15th century), physician
• Aufi, Muhammad (1171–1242), scientist and historian
• Albubather, physician and astrologer ^[3]
• Ibn Abi al-Ashʿath, physician
• Abu al-Hassan al-Amiri, theologian and philosopher
• Abu al-Hasan al-Ahwazi, mathematician and astronomer ^[4]

B

• Brethren of Purity^[5]
• Bahmanyār, philosopher
• Al-Baghawi (c. 1041–1122), Islamic scholar
• Bahāʾ al-dīn al-ʿĀmilī (1547–1621), poet, philosopher, architect, mathematician, astronomer
• Baha Al-Dowleh Razi (died c. 915), physician
• Al-Baladhuri (?–892), historian
• Abu Ali Bal'ami (10th century), historian
• Abu Ma'shar al-Balkhi (787–886), known in Latin as Albumasar, astrologer ^[6]
• Abu Zayd al-Balkhi (850–934), geographer and mathematician ^[7]
• Banū Mūsā brothers (9th century)^[8]
• Abu'l-Fadl Bayhaqi, historian
• Abu'l-Hasan Bayhaqi, historian and Islamic scholar
• Al-Bayhaqi, faqih and muhadith
• Muhammad Baqir Behbahani (1706–1791), theologian
• Bubares (died after 480 BC), engineer
• Ibn Bibi (13th century), historian of the Seljuks of Rum
• Biruni (973–1048), astronomer and mathematician ^[9]
• Muhammad al-Bukhari (810–870), Islamic scholar
• Sahl ibn Bishr (c. 786–845 ?), astrologer, mathematician
• Bukhtishu (8th century?), Persian Christian physician of Academy of Gundishapur
• Bukhtishu, Abdollah ibn (c. 940–1058), Christian physician in Persia
• Jabril ibn Bukhtishu (9th century), Christian physician
• Bukhtishu, Yuhanna (9th century), Christian physician
• Borzuya (6th century), a.k.a. Borzouyeh-i Tabib, physician of Academy of Gundishapur
• Birjandi (?–1528), astronomer and mathematician ^[10]
• Muhammad Bal'ami, historian
• Abu Bakr Rabee Ibn Ahmad Al-Akhawyni Bokhari, physician ^[11]
• Abu'l-Fadl al-Bal'ami

D

• Abu Hanifa Dinawari (815–896), astronomer, agriculturist, botanist, metallurgist, geographer, mathematician, and historian ^[12]
• Ibn Durustawayh (872–958), grammarian, lexicographer and student of the Quran and hadith
• Ibn Qutaybah Dinwari (828–885), historian and theologian

E

• Abubakr Esfarayeni (13th century?), physician

F

• Al-Farghani (d. 880), astronomer, known in Latin as Alfraganus ^[13]
• Al-Farabi (872–950) (Al-Farabi, Pharabius), philosopher ^[14]
• Fazari, Ibrahim (?–777), mathematician and astronomer
• Fazari, Mohammad (?–796), mathematician and astronomer
• Feyz Kashani, Mohsen (?–1680), theologian
• Firishta (1560–1620), historian
• Ibn al-Faqih, historian and geographer
• Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr al‐Farisi (d. 1278/1279), astronomer
• Fazlallah Khunji Isfahani (1455–1521), religious scholar, historian and political writer

G

• Gardizi (?–1061), geographer and historian
• Ghazali (Algazel, 1058–1111), philosopher
• Gilani, Hakim (?–1609), royal physician
• Kushyar Gilani (971–1029), mathematician, geographer, astronomer
• Zayn al-Din Gorgani (1041–1136), royal physician
• Rostam Gorgani (16th century), physician
• Al-Masihi (?–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
• Hamadani, Mir Sayyid Ali (1314–1384), poet and philosopher
• Harawi, Abolfadl (10th century), astronomer of Buyid dynasty
• Harawi, Muwaffak (10th century), pharmacologist
• Harawi, Muhammad ibn Yusuf (d. 1542), physician
• Hasani, Qavameddin (17th century), physician
• Ibn Hindu (1019–1032), man of letters, physician
• Haji Bektash Veli, mystic
• Ayn al-Quzat Hamadani, jurisconsult, mystic, philosopher, poet and mathematician
• Haseb Tabari, astronomer
• Hammam ibn Munabbih, Islamic scholar
• Hamza al-Isfahani (ca. 893–after 961), philologist and historian
• Abu Ja'far ibn Habash

I

• Ibn Abi Sadiq (11th century), "The Second Hippocrates", Avicenna's disciple
• Ibn Isfandiyar (13th-century), historian
• Ibn Khordadbeh (c. 820–912), geographer
• Ibn Rustah (9th century), explorer and geographer
• Ilaqi, Yusef (11th century), Avicenna's pupil
• Mansur ibn Ilyas (14th century), physician
• Ibn Sina (Avicenna, 980–1037), philosopher and physician
• Isfahani, Imad al-Din (1125–1201) historian and rhetorician
• 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 Abu Bakr al-Razi
• Al-Isfizari (11th–12th century), mathematician and astronomer

J

• Jabir ibn Hayyan (9th century), alchemist, pharmacist, philosopher, physicist, astronomer
• Jaghmini (14th century), physician
• Juwayni (1028–1085), philosopher, theologian
• Juzjani, Abu Ubaid (?–1070), physician
• Jamal ad-Din Bukhari (13th century), astronomer
• Jamasp, sage and philosopher
• Al-Abbās ibn Said al-Jawharī (800–860), geometer

K

• Karaji (953–1029), mathematician
• Jamshid-i Kashani (c. 1380–1429), astronomer and mathematician
• Kashfi, Jafar (1775/6–1850/1), theologian
• Sadid al-Din al-Kazaruni (14th century), physician
• Kermani, Iwad (15th century), physician
• Kermani, Shams-ud-Din, Islamic scholar
• Al-Khazini (c. 1130), physicist
• Khayyam, Omar (1048–1131), poet, mathematician, and astronomer
• Khorasani, Sultan Ali (16th century), physician
• Al-Kharaqī, astronomer and mathematician
• Khujandi (c. 940–c. 1000), mathematician and astronomer
• Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi (a.k.a. Al-Khwarazmi, c. 780–c. 850), creator of algorithm and algebra, mathematician and astronomer
• Najm al-Dīn al-Qazwīnī al-Kātibī, logician and philosopher
• Shams al-Din al-Khafri, astrologer
• Abū Sahl al-Qūhī, mathematician and astronomer
• Kubra, Najmeddin (1145–1220)
• Abu Ishaq al-Kubunani (d. after 1481), mathematician, astronomer
• Abu Zayn Kahhal, physician

M

• Al-Mada'ini (752/753–843), historian
• Mahani (9th century), mathematician and astronomer
• Majusi, Ibn Abbas (?–c. 890), physician
• Marvazi, Abu Taher (12th century), philosopher
• Habash al-Hasib al-Marwazi, mathematician, astronomer, geographer
• Masawaiyh (777–857), or Masuya
• Mashallah ibn Athari (740–815), of Jewish origins, from Khorasan who designed the city of Baghdad based on Firouzabad
• Miskawayh (932–1030), philosopher
• Sharaf al-Zaman al-Marwazi, physician
• Hamdallah Mustawfi (1281–1349), geographer
• Mulla Sadra (1572–1640), philosopher
• Ibn al-Muqaffa' (?–756), founder of Arabic prose along with Abdol-Hamid
• bin Musa, Hasan (9th century), astronomer, mathematician
• bin Musa, Ahmad (9th century), astronomer, inventor
• bin Musa, Muhammad (9th century), astronomer, mathematician
• Muhammad ibn Muhammad Tabrizi (13th century), philosopher
• Abu Mansur al-Maturidi, Islamic scholar
• Muqatil ibn Sulayman, mufassir of Quran
• Ibn Manda, Hadith scholar
• Abu Ahmad Monajjem (241/855-56–in 13 Rabi' I 300/29 October 912), music theorist, literary historian
• Masarjawaih (7th century), physician
• Muhammad Abdolrahman, physician

N

• Nagawri (14th century), physician
• Nahavandi, Benjamin, Jewish scholar
• Nahavandi, Ahmad (9th century), astronomer
• Nakhshabi (14th century), physician
• Narshakhi (899–959), historian
• Nasir Khusraw (1004–1088), scientist, Ismaili scholar, mathematician, philosopher, traveler and poet
• Natili Tabari (10th century), physician
• Naubakht (9th century), designer of the city of Baghdad
• Naubakht, Fadhl ibn (8th century), astronomer
• Nawbakhty (4th Hijri century), Islamic scholar, philosopher
• Nizam al-Din Nishapuri, mathematician, astronomer, jurist, exegete, and poet
• Nawbakhti, Ruh (10th century), Islamic scholar
• Nayrizi (865–922), mathematician and astronomer
• Naqshband, Baha ud-Din (1318–1389), philosopher
• Abu al-Qasim al-Habib Neishapuri (18th century), physician
• Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj (c. 815–875), Islamic scholar
• Nurbakhshi (16th century), physician
• Abu Hafs Umar an-Nasafi, theologian, mufassir, muhaddith and historian
• Al-Nasa'i, hadith collector
• Shihab al-Din Muhammad al-Nasawi, historian and biographer
• Abu Nu`aym, Islamic scholar

O

• Ostanes, ancient Persian alchemist

P

• Paul the Persian (6th century), philosopher

Q

• Qazwini, Zakariya (1203–1283), physician
• Qumi, Qazi Sa’id (1633–1692), theologian
• Qumri (10th century), physician
• Ali Qushji (1403–16 December 1474), mathematician, astronomer and physician
• Ali al-Qari, Islamic scholar
• Ali Ibn Ibrahim Qomi, jurist and Shia scholar
• Al-Quda'i (d. 1062), judge, preacher and historian in Fatimid Egypt

R

• Fakhr al-Din al-Razi (1150-1210), islamic theologian, physician, astronomer
• Razi, Amin (16th century), geographer
• Razi, Zakariya (Rhazes) (c. 865–925), chemist, physician, and philosopher
• Razi, Najmeddin (1177–1256), mystic
• Rumi, Jalal ad-Din Muhammad (1207–1273), Muslim poet, jurist, Islamic scholar, theologian, and Sufi mystic
• Rashid-al-Din Hamadani (1247–1318), historian, physician and politician
• Abu Hatim Ahmad ibn Hamdan al-Razi, Ismaili philosopher
• Rudaki (858–941), Persian poet

S

• Sabzevari, Mulla Hadi (1797–1873), poet and philosopher
• Saghani Ostorlabi (?–990), astronomer
• Sahl, Fadl ibn (?–818), astronomer
• Sahl, Shapur ibn (?–869), physician
• Samarqandi, Najibeddin (13th century), physician
• Samarqandi, Ashraf (c. 1250–c. 1310), mathematician, astronomer
• Samarqandi, Dawlatshah (1438–1495/1507) biographer
• Sarakhsi, Ahmad ibn al-Tayyib (9th century) historian and philosopher
• Sarakhsi, Muhammad ibn Ahmad (?–1096), Islamic scholar
• Ahmad ibn al-Tayyib al-Sarakhsi, historian, traveller
• 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
• Ibn Babawayh (923–991), theologian
• Ibn Sahl, mathematician, physicist
• Abu ul-Ala Shirazi (d. 1001 CE), physician
• Shaykh Muhammad ibn Thaleb, physician
• 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
• Sibawayh, linguist and grammarian
• Sijzi (c. 945–c. 1020), mathematician and astronomer
• Sijzi, Mas'ud (14th century), physician
• Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi (903–986), astronomer from Ray who invented the meridian ring
• Mūsā ibn Shākir, astronomer
• Suhrawardi, Shahab al-Din (1155–1191), philosopher
• Abu Sulayman Sijistani, philosopher
• ‘Abd ar-Razzaq as-San‘ani, Islamic scholar
• Zayn al-Din Omar Savaji, philosopher and logician
• Zeynalabdin Shirvani, geographer, philosopher and poet
• Abu Yaqub al-Sijistani, Ismaili philosopher
• Abu'l-'Anbas Saymari, astrologer

T

• Tabarani, Abu al-Qasim (873–970), Islamic scholar
• Tabari Amoli (839–923), historian
• 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
• Tirmidhi (824–892), Islamic scholar
• Tunakabuni (17th century), physician
• Tughra'i (c. 1061–1122), physician
• Tusi, Nizam ol-Molk (1018–1092), Persian scholar and vizier of the Seljuq Empire
• Tusi, Nasireddin (1201–1274), Persian polymath, architect, philosopher, physician, scientist, and theologian
• Tusi, Sharafeddin (?–1213/4), mathematician
• Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Tha'labi, Islamic scholar
• 'Abd al-Hamīd ibn Turk, Persian or Turkish mathematician

U

• Safi al-Din al-Urmawi (c. 1216–1294), musician
• Abu al‐Uqul al‐Tabari (14th century), Yemenite astronomer of Iranian origin

V

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

W

• Waqidi (748–822), historian
• Wassaf, historian
• Al-Wabkanawi, astronomer

Y

• Yaʿqūb ibn Ṭāriq (?–796), mathematician and astronomer
• Yunus ibn Habib, linguist
• Yahya ibn Ma'in, Islamic scholar
• Yunus al-Katib al-Mughanni, musician
• Yahya ibn Abi Mansur (d. 830 CE), astronomer

Z

• Dawud al-Zahiri (815–834) theologian and historian
• Zamakhshari (1074/5–1143/4), scholar and geographer
• Muhammad Zarrindast (11th century), oculist
• Zayn-e-Attar (?–c. 1403), physician
• Zarir Jurjani (9th century), mathematician and astronomer
• Zakariya al-Qazwini (1203–1283) physician, astronomer, geographer, and proto-science fiction writer

See also

• List of contemporary Iranian scientists, scholars, and engineers
• List of Iranian mathematicians
• Nezamiyeh
• Academy of Gondishapur
• International rankings of Iran in science and technology
• List of Christian scientists and scholars of the medieval Islamic world
• List of pre-modern Arab scientists and scholars

Notes

1. Brentjes, Sonja. Jan P. Hogendijk, “The Geometrical Works of Abu Sa’id al-Darir al-Jurjani”. SCIAMVS 2, (2001), pp. 47-74., Abstracta Iranica [En ligne], Volume 26 | 2005, document 324, mis en ligne le 07 décembre 2005, consulté le 05 juin 2021. [1]
2. Calvo, Emilia, “Khāzin,” The Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers, editor-in-chief Thomas Hockey, New York: Springer-Verlag (2014) 1191-1192 | ISBN 978-1-4419-9916-0[2]
3. Vadet, J.-C., “Ibn al-K̲h̲aṣīb”, Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition, Edited by: P. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs. Consulted online on 05 June 2021 [3]
4. Negahban, Farzin, “Abū al-Ḥasan al-Ahwāzī”, Encyclopaedia Islamica, Editors-in-Chief: Wilferd Madelung and, Farhad Daftary. Consulted online on 04 February 2017 [4]
5. Walker, Paul E., “EḴWĀN AL-ṢAFĀʾ,” Encyclopaedia Iranica
6. Pingree, David E., “Abū Maʿshar al-Balkhī,” Dictionary of Scientific Biography, editor-in-chief Charles Coulston Gillispie, New York: Charles Scribner's Sons (1970-1980) vol. 1, pp. 32-39; Idem, Abū Maʿshar Al-Balkhī, Jaʿfar Ibn Muḥammad, Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography. Encyclopedia.com [5]
7. Watt, W. M., “ABŪ ZAYD BALḴĪ,” Encyclopædia Iranica
8. Hamedani, Hossein Masoumi and Esots, Janis, “Banū Mūsā”, Encyclopaedia Islamica, Editors-in-Chief: Wilferd Madelung and, Farhad Daftary. Consulted online on 06 June 2021 [6]
9. (Multiple Authors), BĪRŪNĪ, ABŪ RAYḤĀN – Encyclopaedia Iranica
10. Kusuba, Takanori, “Birjandi,” The Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers, editor-in-chief Thomas Hockey, Springer Reference, New York: Springer-Verlag (2014) pp. 225-226. ISBN 978-1-4419-9916-0
11. Biesterfeldt, H. H., “AḴAWAYNĪ BOḴĀRĪ,” Encyclopædia Iranica
12. Lewin, B., “Al-Dīnawarī,” Encyclopaedia of Islam, second edition, eds. H. A. R. Gibb, J. H. Kramers, E. Lévi-Provençal, J. Schacht, Leiden: Brill (1954–2005) vol. 2, p. 300; Pellat, Charles, “DĪNAVARĪ, ABŪ ḤANĪFA AḤMAD,” Encyclopaedia Iranica [7]
13. Sabra, A. I., “AL-FARGHĀNĪ,” Dictionary of Scientific Biography, editor-in-chief Charles Coulston Gillispie, New York: Charles Scribner's Sons (1970-1980) vol. 4, pp. 541-545; Pingree, David E., “FARḠĀNĪ, AḤMAD,” Encyclopaedia Iranica [8]
14. Druart, Therese-Anne, "al-Farabi", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2020 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), [9]