Over a thousand years ago, the Persian physician and chemist Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi presented his students with a book of alchemy instructions called the Kitab al-Asrar or Book of Secrets. For over seven hundred years this systematic text on managing chemicals, equipment, and procedures was copied and imitated throughout Europe. Using historian Julius Ruska's authoritative German translation, this book presents al-Razi's Book of Secrets in English for the first time and analyzes it from the perspective of a modern scientific laboratory. The Kitab al-Asrar offers a view into the understanding of chemistry and procedure organization in the tenth-century Islamic world. Yet a careful reading yields even more than that. As a laboratory manual, it gives intriguing clues into Persian culture under the Abbasid caliphate: the relationship of teacher and student; attitudes toward safety, labor, and quantification; tools and logical problem-solving; commerce and the availability of luxury goods; and the value of the written word. This is the Kitab al-Asrar.

"This book introduces readers to Abū Bakr al-Rāzī (known as Rhazes in Latin), one of the most innovative and divisive figures of the early philosophical tradition in the Islamic world. It attempts to reconstruct his notorious theory of "five eternals" which posited four principles alongside God for the creation of the world, which led Razi to be charged with heresy by other authors. Other topics discussed in depth include his medical works, his alchemical theories, his works on ethics, and his controversial views on religion and prophecy"--

Modern society owes a tremendous amount to the Muslim world for the many groundbreaking scientific and technological advances that were pioneered during the Golden Age of Muslim civilization between the 7th and 17th centuries. Every time you drink coffee, eat a three-course meal, get a whiff of your favorite perfume, take shelter in an earthquake-resistant structure, get a broken bone set or solve an algebra problem, it is in part due to the discoveries of Muslim civilization.

PIONEER SERIES presents an illustrative book for elementary school aged children introducing them to the great 9th century scientist, Al-Razi. Beautifully composed, the story begins with a group of friends finding a treasure chest while playing in the park. The content inside of the chest takes them on an adventure into the past where they learn about Al-Razi and his contributions to the various fields of science. Additionally, this one of a kind story book introduce children to some scientific concepts in a simplistic way and provide them with lessons on the importance of learning and helping others. The second part of the book is filled with fun activities. This section of the book includes; 1: Word Search, 2: Maze, 3: Science experiment (Become a Scientist using household items), 4: Multiple choice Q&A, 5: Be a Dr. Identify items. and 6: Coloring Sheets. (Activities are only included in the Paperback format). About The PIONEER SERIES: Nurturing courage, confidence and love of knowledge in young minds through stories on great individuals and leaders that transformed the world through their wisdom, inventions, discoveries and exploration. Al Razi was a genius of his time. His contributions to various fields of science are tremendous. He was a philosopher, musician, mathematician, chemist and a physician, who wrote over two hundred books during his lifetime and is considered one of the best physicians ever lived. He strongly believed in the idea of patient-physician relationship, and the importance of diet in treating illnesses. Al Razi was the first in the world to write on mental illness, and Psychotherapy. He promoted the idea that mental well being plays an important role in physical health, and further promoted that mental illness has medical basis. In chemistry, he successfully purified Ethanol and introduced its use in medicine, along with discovering sulfuric acid and its uses.

In this publication, the extensive but cautious use of opium in a variety of remedies by Baghdad physicians in the ninth century shows an amazing awareness of the therapeutic usefulness and potential dangers of the opiate.

Using hitherto unstudied sources, this monograph provides a comprehensive interdisciplinary study of the ethical theory of al-Rāzī, one of the most complex and influential medieval philosophers and theologians. It reveals remarkable and previously unidentified aspects of ethical thought in Islam.