--- title: Mühezzebüddîn ibn al-Nakkāsh (d. 574/1178) slug: muhezzebuddin-ibn-al-nakkash-d-5741178-d6399 url: /detay/muhezzebuddin-ibn-al-nakkash-d-5741178-d6399 type: biography language: English entity: primary: Mühezzebüddîn ibn al-Nakkāsh (d. 574/1178) type: biography categories: - name: Literature slug: edebiyat url: /kategori/edebiyat - name: History slug: tarih url: /kategori/tarih tags: - Zengids - Ayyubids - Physician - muhaddis - Baghdad - poetry - literature - poet - Medicine - Abbasids author: Ufuk Alkım Güven created_at: 2025-12-08T08:34:36.789931+03:00 updated_at: 2025-12-08T08:34:36.789947+03:00 image: https://cdn.t3pedia.org/media/uploads/2025/06/14/wuRPgU5EMBaQ1CIe2TmnaYzsl7x4dO2p.png --- # Mühezzebüddîn ibn al-Nakkāsh (d. 574/1178) > Famous physician, hadith scholar, and poet of the Abbasid period (12th century). ## KURE Information Cards ### KURE Information Card: Mühezzebüddin b. en-Nakkash ![kapak 1.png](https://cdn.t3pedia.org/media/uploads/2025/05/26/Mld3d9nnSDW5ATl7vwSdBpoNebxqkb39.png) | Field | Value | |-------|-------| | Place and Date of Birth | Baghdad - 6th/12th century | | Place and Date of Death | Damascus - 12 Muharram 574/25 June 1178 | | Babası | Isa ibn Habatullah an-Nakkash | | Areas of Interest | Medicine, Literature, Hadith, Arabic Language and Literature | | Teachers | Amir al-Dawla Habatullah ibn Sa'id ibn at-Tilmiz, Abu al-Qasim Umar ibn al-Husayn, Umar ibn al-Qurashi | | Positions Held | Physician, Medical Teacher, Munshi (responsible for official state correspondence) | | State Officials Associated with | Nur al-Din Mahmud Zengi, Saladin Yusuf ibn Ayyub | | Cities Resided In | Baghdad, Cairo, Damascus | | Institutions Worked at | Nuri Hospital (Great Hospital), Divan-i Insha | ## Article Content His full name was Abu’l-Hasan Ali ibn Ibn Abi Abdullah Isa ibn Hebetullah an-Nakkaş; he was born and raised in Baghdad. He was a physician, hadith scholar, and poet. ### **His Family** His father, Isa ibn Hebetullah an-Nakkaş, was a man engaged both in textile trade (bezzāzlik) and literature. Mühezzebüddîn praised his father’s scholarly and literary qualities in a lament he composed in his honor. In his poems, he expressed both his devotion to his father and his human emotions in the face of death. ### **Education** He possessed deep knowledge of Arabic language and literature and was also fluent in Persian. After receiving his initial education in these fields, he pursued medical studies. He obtained his foundational medical training under [Emînüddevle](/en/detay/ebheri-eminuddin/llms.txt) Hebetullah ibn Sa‘id ibn at-Tilmiz, a renowned physician and prominent court physician of the Abbasid era, and worked alongside him for many years. In addition, he studied hadith; he attended lectures on hadith from Abu’l-Qasim Umar ibn al-Husayn in Baghdad and transmitted reports from him. He also received hadith transmissions from Judge Umar ibn al-Qurashi. ### **Institutions and Positions Held** After completing his studies and practical training in Baghdad, Mühezzebüddîn moved to [Damascus](/en/detay/suriye-2/llms.txt), where he continued practicing medicine. Particularly during the reign of Sultan [Nureddin Mahmud Zengi](/en/detay/nureddin-zengi-mahmud/llms.txt) (d. 569/1174), he served at the large hospital established in Damascus—the Nuri Bimaristan. In this institution, he not only provided medical care but also organized public lecture sessions for his students. Although he resided in Cairo for a period, he returned to Damascus, where he lived until his death. Beyond medicine, he was involved in diplomatic correspondence and composed official letters and documents sent on behalf of Sultan Nureddin to various regions. In this field, he was regarded as one of the leading experts in the art of “insha” (formal prose composition) of his time. After Nureddin’s death in 569/1174, Mühezzebüddîn entered the service of [Saladin](/en/detay/darulhadis/llms.txt) Yusuf ibn Ayyub (d. 589/1193), the Ayyubid ruler of Damascus. [Saladin](/en/detay/saladin-conqueror-of-jerusalem-and-symbol-of-justi/llms.txt) also held Mühezzebüddîn in high esteem, and he continued his medical duties during Saladin’s reign. ### **Associations with Contemporary Figures** Mühezzebüddîn had a broad scholarly and professional network. He worked for many years alongside the eminent physician [Emînüddevle Ibn at-Tilmiz](/en/detay/ibnut-tilmiz/llms.txt). He was also connected to literary circles, and several of his poems have been preserved in various sources. The famous commander and poet [Usama ibn Munqidh](/en/detay/ibn-munkiz/llms.txt), in a poetic letter addressed to him, emphasized both his medical expertise and professional reputation. The poem from Usama ibn Munqidh’s letter requesting belesan oil: My limbs, in knowledge and all wisdom... Are in the service of Mühezzeb. And under the weight of a long life... I grow weak and complain to time. Now, a belesan oil perfectly suited... To restore strength to my gait is needed. All this is but a vain hope... That an old man past eighty may rise again. The desire for life after a long span... Yet death is the ultimate end of man. ### **Areas of Interest and Character** Medicine was Mühezzebüddîn’s primary field of activity. However, he also accumulated significant knowledge in Arabic language, literature, and insha (formal writing). He composed poetry, some of which has been recorded in biographical sources concerning him. His writings and lifestyle reflect ascetic tendencies. He never married, had no children, and devoted his life largely to scholarship. Sources describe him as generous, of noble character, and deeply committed to professional excellence. [Mühezzebüddîn ibn an-Nakkāsh](/en/detay/muhezzebuddin-b-en-nakkas-v-5741178-aa0d8/llms.txt) died on Saturday, 12 Muharram 574/30 June 1178 in Damascus. His funeral was held at Qasyun Mountain. ## Academic Sources and References 4. Zirikli, Hayreddîn b. Mahmud b. Muhammed. El-A‘lâm. Lübnan 2002. C. IV. 5. Zirikli, Hayreddîn b. Mahmud b. Muhammed. El-A‘lâm. Lübnan 2002. C. IV. 6. el-Ömerî, Şihâbeddîn Ahmed b. Yahya. Mesâlikü’l-Ebsâr fî Memâliki’l-Emsâr. Abu Dabi 1423. C. IX. 7. es-Safedî, Selahaddin Halil b. Aybek. el-Vâfî bi'l-Vefayât. thk. Ahmed Arnavut-Türki Mustafa. Beyrut 2000. C. XXI. 8. İbn Ebî Useybia, Muvaffakuddîn Ebü’l-Abbas Ahmed b. el-Kâsım b. Halîfe b. Yûnus es-Sa’dî el-Hazrecî. Uyûnu’l-Enbâ fî Tabakâti’l-Etıbba. thk. Nizâr Rızâ. Beyrut, 1965. 9. İsa, Ahmed. Tarihu’l-Bimaristânât fi’l-İslâm. Daru’r-Raidi’l-Arabî. Beyrut 1981.