Bible Encyclopedias
Faḍl, Da'ud Abu al

　　Karaite physician born at Cairo 1161 died there about 1242. Having studied medicine under the Jewish physician Hibat Allah ibn Jami', and under Abu al-Faḍa'il ibn Naḳid, he became the court physician of the sultan Al-Malik al-'Adil Abu Bakr ibn Ayyub, the brother and successor of Saladin. He was also chief professor at the Al-Naṣiri hospital at Cairo, where he had a great many pupils, among them being the historian Ibn Abi Uṣaibi'ah. The latter declared that Abu al-Faḍl was the most skilful physician of the time and that his success in curing the sick was miraculous. Abu al-Faḍl was the author of an Arabic pharmacopœia in twelve chapters, entitled "Aḳrabadhin," and treating chiefly of antidotes.

　　Bibliography : Ibn Abi Uṣaibi'ah, 'Uyun al-Anha' fi Ṭabaḳat al-Aṭibba', ed. Aug. Müller, 2:118-119, Königsberg, 1884: Carmoly, in Revue Orientale , 1:418 Steinschneider, Jewish Literature , pp. 195, 366, note 16a idem, Bibl. Arab.-Jud. § 154. K. M. Sel.