Avicenna - Father of modern medicine celebrated

Iran’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Mohammed Zaeri Amirani said that there was an active plan and paradigm shift to distance the new generation from their cultural history and identity, in order to impose western hegemony on them.

Addressing a ceremony to commemorate the birth anniversary of Abu Ali Sina or Avicenna as he is known in English, at Al Mustafa University, Colombo, last week, Ambassador Amirani said that Abu Ali Sina, regarded as the father of modern medicine was born on August 23rd, 980.

Among the guests present were diplomats from Indonesia, Afghanistan and Palestine, University lecturers and students.

Ambassador Amirani said that Abu Ali Sina was a man of wisdom, mystics, piety, thought and a physician. "August 23rd is designated as the day of Ibn Sina, the wise man of the millennia and also as Doctors Day on Iranian national calendar. Abu Ali Sina is regarded as the father of modern medicine and one of the most significant physicians, philosophers, astronomers and writers in the history.

After the wise man of the millennia, the evolution of medical science gained momentum and even today after 1000 years the works of this Iranian scholar is used in world’s great universities as references.

Ibn Sina’s most important book is Qanun which is on medicine and was written by him at the age of 35. Physician, mathematician, astronomer, chemist, phycologist, geologist, poet and philosopher are a few of his titles. He had mastery over jurisprudence, literature, poetry, music and astronomy as well. He wrote more than 100 books and treatise on various subjects. His book, Shafa which was written on logics and philosophy is written in 18 volumes.

Iran’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka,
Mohammed Zaeri Amirani 

Ibn Sina suffered a severe disease during the last years of his life but, he didn’t stop research and writing and wrote another book named Eastern Philosophy. He gave his wealth to the poor before his death.

Needless to mention that a common historical and cultural responsibility lies on us to bridge between the new generation and the historical and cultural heritage of our countries and make them familiarize with such scientific, literary and cultural figures.

I do believe that an active plan and paradigm shift is underway to distance the new generation from their cultural history and identity in order to impose western hegemony on them.

One of the reasons behind the Middle East disputes and contested issues is that U.S regardless of history and culture of the countries including Iran, tries to make them surrender through force, threats and sanctions.

As Farid Zakaria, CNN analyst said, the U.S doesn’t understand that Iranian civilization has been the major player in the Middle East for thousands of years. Iran’s population is double that of Iraq, has a more strategic location and enjoys rich social, ethnic, religious and nationalism customs with a long history of being a nation state and resistance against foreign domination.

Iran wants to be independent and expects respect for its civilization and dignity and believes that the security of the region must be maintained by the countries of the region", Amirani said.