The Jewish Doctor Who Treated Salahuddin Aiyubi

Sultan Salahuddin Ayubi’s personal physician was a Jew named Maimonides, also known as Musa Ibn Maimun.

Maimonides pursued his studies in Cordoba, one of the foremost centers of knowledge in the early world. Andalusia, under Muslim rule, was a hub of intellect and science, attracting scholars from across the globe.

While names like Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Bukhari, Imam Ghazali, and Imam Ibn Taymiyyah are often cited among the greatest Muslim scholars, the Jews also had their eminent figures, with Musa Ibn Maimun being referred to as “Rambam” among Jews.

Born and raised in Muslim territory, Musa Ibn Maimun’s lifestyle was much like that of Muslims.

He studied the Quran, Hadith, and Tafsir, writing all his books in Arabic.

Judaism primarily focuses on law and ethics, with less emphasis on creed.

Maimonides was the first to write a book on creed in Jewish history. People know Maimonides’ book as a guide to beliefs in Judaism, similar to how Muslims have their own guide called ‘Aqida al-Tahawiyya’. Researchers are exploring if Maimonides was influenced by Muslims when he wrote it.

Interestingly, it’s said that Musa Ibn Maimun inadvertently injected Muslim beliefs into Jewish doctrine through his work!

Musa Ibn Maimun was not only a philosopher but also a physician. He moved from Andalusia to Egypt, where he served as the personal physician of Sultan Salahuddin Ayubi until the latter’s demise. Thus, Musa Ibn Maimun remained by Salahuddin’s side even after the conquest of Jerusalem.