Jabir ibn Hayyan 8 (An Islamic Scientist)

It is therefore difficult at best for the modern reader to discern which aspects of Jabir’s work are to be read as symbols and what is to be taken literally. Because of his writing, which sometime became incomprehensible, the term gibberish is believed to have evolved in Europe. To Aristotelian physics, Jabir added the four properties of hotness, coldness, dryness, and moistness. Each Aristotelian element was characterized by these qualities: Fire was both hot and dry, earth cold and dry, water cold and moist, and air hot and moist. Jabir also made important contributions to medicine, astronomy and other sciences too numerous to mention here. The writings of Jabir Ibn Hayyan can be divided into several categories.