List of pre-modern Iranian scientists and scholars

Photo taken from medieval manuscript by Qotbeddin Shirazi. The image depicts an epicyclic planetary model.

The following is a non-comprehensive list of Iranian scientists and engineers who lived from antiquity up until the beginning of the modern age. For the modern era, see List of contemporary Iranian scientists, scholars, and engineers. For mathematicians of any era, see List of Iranian mathematicians. (A person may appear on two lists, e.g. Abū Ja'far al-Khāzin.)

A

• Abd al-Hamid al-Katib (?–756), founder of Arabic prose along with fellow Persian Ibn Muqaffa
• Abu al-Qasim Muqane'i:(10th century) physician
• Abu Dawood (c. 817–889), Islamic scholar
• Abu Hanifa (699–767), Islamic scholar
• Abu Said Gorgani (9th century)
• 'Adud al-Dawla (936–983), scientific patron
• Ahmad ibn Farrokh (12th century), physician
• Ahmad ibn 'Imad al-Din (11th century), physician and chemist
• Alavi Shirazi (1670–1747), royal physician to Mughal Empire of South Asia
• Amuli, Muhammad ibn Mahmud (c. 1300–1352), physician
• Abū Ja'far al-Khāzin (900–971), mathematician and astronomer
• Ansari, Khwaja Abdullah (1006–1088), Islamic scholar
• Aqa-Kermani (18th century), physician
• Aqsara'i (?–1379), physician
• Abu Hafsa Yazid, physician
• Arzani, Muqim (18th century), physician
• Astarabadi (15th century), physician
• Aufi, Muhammad (1171–1242), scientist and historian
• Albubather, physician and astrologer
• Ibn Abi al-Ashʿath, physician
• Abu al-Hassan al-Amiri, theologian and philosopher
• Abu al-Hasan al-Ahwazi, mathematician and astronomer

B

• Brethren of Purity
• Bahmanyār, philosopher
• Al-Baghawi (c. 1041–1122), Islamic scholar
• Bahai, Sheikh (1547–1621), poet, mathematician, astronomer, engineer, designer, faghih (religious scientist), and architect
• Al-Baladhuri (?–892), historian
• Abu Maʿshar (787–886), a.k.a. Albumasar, astrologer
• Abu Zayd al-Balkhi (850–934), geographer and mathematician
• Balkhi, Ibn, geographer
• Banū Mūsā brothers (9th century)
• Khalid ibn Barmak (705–782), Buddhist from Khorasan in the court of al-Mansur, initiated the Greek translation movement of the Abbasid House of Wisdom
• Abu'l-Fadl Bayhaqi, historian
• Abu'l-Hasan Bayhaqi, historian and Islamic scholar
• Al-Bayhaqi, faqih and muhadith
• Muhammad Baqir Behbahani (1706–1791), theologian
• Ibn Bibi (13th century), historian of the Seljuks of Rum
• Al-Biruni (973–1048), astronomer and mathematician
• Muhammad al-Bukhari (810–870), Islamic scholar
• Sahl ibn Bishr (c. 786–845 ?), astrologer, mathematician
• Bukhtishu (8th century?), Persian Christian physician of Academy of Gundishapur
• Bukhtishu, Abdollah ibn (c. 940–1058), Christian physician in Persia
• Jabril ibn Bukhtishu (9th century), Christian physician
• Bukhtishu, Yuhanna (9th century), Christian physician
• Borzuya (6th century), a.k.a. Borzouyeh-i Tabib, physician of Academy of Gundishapur
• al-Birjandi (?–1528), astronomer and mathematician
• Muhammad Bal'ami, historian
• Abu Bakr Rabee Ibn Ahmad Al-Akhawyni Bokhari, physician
• Abu'l-Fadl al-Bal'ami

D

• Abu Hanifa Dinawari (815–896), polymath
• Ibn Qutaybah (828–885), historian

E

• Abubakr Esfarayeni (13th century?), physician

F

• Farghani (?–880), a.k.a. Alfraganus, astronomer
• Al-Farabi (872–950) (Al-Farabi, Pharabius), philosopher
• Fazari, Ibrahim (?–777), mathematician and astronomer
• Fazari, Mohammad (?–796), mathematician and astronomer
• Feyz Kashani, Mohsen (?–1680), theologian
• Firishta (1560-1620), historian
• Ibn al-Faqih, historian and geographer
• Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr al‐Farisi (d. 1278/1279), astronomer
• Fazl b. Ruzbihan Khunji (1455–1521), religious scholar, historian and political writer

G

• Gardezi, Abu Said (?–1061), geographer and historian
• Ghazali (Algazel, 1058–1111), philosopher
• Gilani, Hakim (?–1609), royal physician
• Kushyar Gilani (971–1029), mathematician, geographer, astronomer
• Zayn al-Din Gorgani (1041–1136), royal physician
• Abu Said Gorgani (9th century), astronomer and mathematician
• Rostam Gorgani (16th century), physician
• Al-Masihi (?–999), Avicenn'a master

H

• Hakim Ghulam Imam, physician
• Hakim Muhammad Mehdi Naqi (18th century), physician
• Hakim Muhammad Sharif Khan (18th century), physician
• Hakim Nishaburi (933–1012), Islamic scholar
• Hallaj (858–922), mystic-philosopher
• Hamadani, Mir Sayyid Ali (1314–1384), poet and philosopher
• Hanbal, Ahmad Ibn (780–855), Islamic scholar
• Harawi, Abolfadl (10th century), astronomer of Buyid dynasty
• Harawi, Muwaffak (10th century), pharmacologist
• Harawi, Muhammad ibn Yusuf (died 1542), physician
• Hasani, Qavameddin (17th century), physician
• Ibn Hindu (1019–1032), man of letters, physician
• Haji Bektash Veli, mystic
• Ayn al-Quzat Hamadani, jurisconsult, mystic, philosopher, poet and mathematician
• Haseb Tabari, astronomer
• Hammam ibn Munabbih, Islamic scholar
• Hamza al-Isfahani (ca. 893–after 961), philologist and historian
• Abu Ja'far ibn Habash

I

• Ibn Abi Sadiq (11th century), "The Second Hippocrates", Avicenna's disciple
• Ibn Khordadbeh (c. 820–912), geographer
• Ibn Rustah (9th century), explorer and geographer
• Ilaqi, Yusef (11th century), Avicenna's pupil
• Mansur ibn Ilyas (14th century), physician
• Ibn Sina (Avicenna, 980–1037), philosopher and physician
• Isfahani, Jalaleddin (19th century), physician
• Isfahani, Husayn (15th century), physician
• Estakhri (?–957), geographer, gives the earliest known account of windmills
• Iranshahri (9th century), philosopher, teacher of Muhammad Zakaria Razi
• Al-Isfizari (11th-12th century), mathematician and astronomer

J

• Jabir ibn Hayyan (721–815), polymath, considered the father of chemistry, emphasized systematic experimentation, and did much to free alchemy from superstition and turn it into a science
• Jaghmini (14th century), physician
• Jaldaki (?–1342), physician
• Ismail_al-Jazari (12th century), polymath, mathematician, inventor
• Juvayni (1226–1283), historian
• Juwayni (1028–1085), philosopher, theologian
• Juzjani, Abu Ubaid (?–1070), physician
• Jamal al-Din, astronomer
• Jamasp, philosopher
• Al-Abbās ibn Said al-Jawharī (800–860), geometer

K

• Karaji (953–1029), mathematician
• Jamshid-i Kashani (c. 1380–1429), astronomer and mathematician
• Kashfi, Jafar (1775/6–1850/1), theologian
• Sadid al-Din al-Kazaruni (14th century), physician
• Kermani, Iwad (15th century), physician
• Kermani, Shams-ud-Din, Islamic scholar
• Al-Khazini (c. 1130), physicist
• Khayyam, Omar (1048–1131), poet, mathematician, and astronomer
• Khorasani, Sultan Ali (16th century), physician
• Al-Kharaqī, astronomer and mathematician
• Khujandi (c. 940–c. 1000), mathematician and astronomer
• Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi (a.k.a. Al-Khwarazmi, c. 780–c. 850), creator of algorithm and algebra, mathematician and astronomer
• Najm al-Dīn al-Qazwīnī al-Kātibī, logician and philosopher
• Shams al-Din al-Khafri, astrologer
• Abū Sahl al-Qūhī, mathematician and astronomer
• Kubra, Najmeddin (1145–1220)
• Abu Ishaq al-Kubunani (d. after 1481), mathematician, astronomer
• Abu Zayn Kahhal, physician

M

• Mahani (9th century), mathematician and astronomer
• Majusi, Ibn Abbas (?–c. 890), physician
• Marvazi, Abu Taher (12th century), philosopher
• Habash al-Hasib al-Marwazi, mathematician, astronomer, geographer
• Masawaiyh (777–857), or Masuya
• Mashallah ibn Athari (740–815), of Jewish origins, from Khorasan who designed the city of Baghdad based on Firouzabad
• Mirza Ali Hakim (17th century), physician
• Miskawayh (932–1030), philosopher
• Sharaf al-Zaman al-Marwazi, physician
• Hamdallah Mustawfi (1281–1349), geographer
• Mulla Sadra (1572–1640), philosopher
• Ibn al-Muqaffa' (?–756), founder of Arabic prose along with Abdol-Hamid
• bin Musa, Hasan (9th century), astronomer, mathematician
• bin Musa, Ahmad (9th century), astronomer, inventor
• bin Musa, Muhammad (9th century), astronomer, mathematician
• Muhammad ibn Muhammad Tabrizi (13th century), philosopher
• Abu Mansur al-Maturidi, Islamic scholar
• Muqatil ibn Sulayman, mufassir of Quran
• Ibn Manda, Hadith scholar
• Abu Ahmad Monajjem (b. 241/855-56, died in 13 Rabi' I 300/29 October 912), music theorist, literary historian.
• Masarjawaih (7th-century), physician
• Muhammad Abdolrahman, physician

N

• Nagawri (14th century), physician
• Nahavandi, Benjamin, Jewish scholar
• Nahavandi, Ahmad (9th century), astronomer
• Nakhshabi (14th century), physician
• Nasir Khusraw (1004–1088), scientist, Ismaili scholar, mathematician, philosopher, traveler and poet
• Natili Tabari (10th century), physician
• Naubakht (9th century), designer of the city of Baghdad
• Naubakht, Fadhl ibn (8th century), astronomer
• Nawbakhty (4th Hijri century), Islamic scholar, philosopher
• Nizam al-Din Nishapuri, mathematician, astronomer, jurist, exegete, and poet
• Nawbakhti, Ruh (10th century), Islamic scholar
• Nayrizi (865–922), mathematician and astronomer
• Naqshband, Baha ud-Din (1318–1389), philosopher
• Abu al-Qasim al-Habib Neishapuri (18th century), physician
• Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj (c. 815–875), Islamic scholar
• Nurbakhshi (16th century), physician
• Abu Hafs Umar an-Nasafi, theologian, mufassir, muhaddith and historian
• Al-Nasa'i, hadith collector
• Shihab al-Din Muhammad al-Nasawi, historian and biographer
• Abu Nu`aym, Islamic scholar

P

• Paul the Persian (6th century), philosopher

Q

• Qazwini, Zakariya (1203–1283), physician
• Qumi, Qazi Sa’id (1633–1692), theologian
• Qumri (10th century), physician
• Ali Qushji (1403–16 December 1474), mathematician, astronomer and physician
• Ali al-Qari, Islamic scholar
• Ali Ibn Ibrahim Qomi, jurist and Shia scholar
• Qushayri, Abd al-Karīm ibn Hawāzin (986–1074), philosopher
• Al-Quda'i (d. 1062), judge, preacher and historian in Fatimid Egypt

R

• Razi, Amin (16th century), geographer
• Razi Amoli, Fakhreddin (1149–1209), philosopher
• Razi, Zakariya (Rhazes) (854–932), chemist and physicist
• Razi, Najmeddin (1177–1256), mystic
• Rumi, Jalal ad-Din Muhammad (1207–1273), Muslim poet, jurist, Islamic scholar, theologian, and Sufi mystic
• Rashid-al-Din Hamadani (1247–1318), historian, physician and politician
• Abu Hatim Ahmad ibn Hamdan al-Razi, Ismaili philosopher
• Rudaki (858-941), Persian Poet

S

• Sabzevari, Mulla Hadi (1797–1873), poet and philosopher
• Saghani Ostorlabi (?–990), astronomer
• Sahl, Fadl ibn (?–818), astronomer
• Sahl, Shapur ibn (?–869), physician
• Samarqandi, Najibeddin (13th century), physician
• Samarqandi, Ashraf (c. 1250–c. 1310), mathematician, astronomer
• Sarakhsi, Muhammad ibn Ahmad (?–1096), Islamic scholar
• Ahmad ibn al-Tayyib al-Sarakhsi, historian, traveller
• Shahrastani (1086–1153), historian of religions
• Shahrazuri (13th century), philosopher and physician
• Shahrazuri, Ibn al-Salah (1181–1245), Islamic scholar
• Shaykh Tusi (996–1067), Islamic scholar
• Ibn Babawayh (923–991), theologian
• Ibn Sahl, mathematician, physicist
• Abu ul-Ala Shirazi (d. 1001 CE), physician
• Shaykh Muhammad ibn Thaleb, physician
• Shirazi, Imad al-Din Mas'ud (16th century), physician
• Shirazi, Muhammad Hadi Khorasani (18th century), physician
• Shirazi, Qutbeddin (1236–1311), astronomer
• Shirazi, Mahmud ibn Ilyas (18th century), physician
• Shirazi, Najm al-Din Mahmud ibn Ilyas (?–1330), physician
• Shirazi, Qurayshi (17th century), physician
• Shirazi, Sultan Waezin (1894–1971), theologian
• Sibawayh, linguist and grammarian
• Sijzi (c. 945–c. 1020), mathematician, astronomer and astrologer
• Sijzi, Mas'ud (14th century), physician
• Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi (903–986), astronomer from Ray who invented the meridian ring
• Mūsā ibn Shākir, astronomer
• Suhrawardi, Shahab al-Din (1155–1191), philosopher
• Abu Sulayman Sijistani, philosopher
• ‘Abd ar-Razzaq as-San‘ani, Islamic scholar
• Zayn al-Din Omar Savaji, philosopher and logician
• Zeynalabdin Shirvani, geographer, philosopher and poet
• Abu Yaqub al-Sijistani, Ismaili philosopher
• Abu'l-'Anbas Saymari, astrologer

T

• Tabarani, Abu al-Qasim (873–970), Islamic scholar
• Tabari Amoli (839–923), historian
• Tabari, ibn Farrukhan (?–815), astrologer and architect
• Tabari, Abul Hasan (10th century), physician
• Tabari, Ibn Sahl (c. 783–c. 858), Jewish convert physician, master of Rhazes
• Tabrizi, Maqsud Ali (17th century), physician
• Taftazani (1322–1390), theologian, linguist
• Tayfur, Ibn Abi Tahir (819–893), linguist
• Tirmidhi (824–892), Islamic scholar
• Tunakabuni (17th century), physician
• Tughra'i (c. 1061–1122), physician
• Tusi, Nizam ol-Molk (1018–1092), Persian scholar and vizier of the Seljuq Empire
• Tusi, Nasireddin (1201–1274), Persian polymath, architect, philosopher, physician, scientist, and theologian
• Tusi, Sharafeddin (?–1213/4), mathematician
• Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Tha'labi, Islamic scholar
• 'Abd al-Hamīd ibn Turk, Persian or Turkish mathematician

U

• Safi al-Din al-Urmawi (c. 1216–1294 AD), musician
• Abu al‐Uqul al‐Tabari (14th century), Yemenite astronomer of Iranian origin

V

• Amin al-Din Rashid al-Din Vatvat (13th century), scholar and physician

W

• Waqidi (748–822), historian
• Wassaf, historian
• Al-Wabkanawi, astronomer

Y

• Yaʿqūb ibn Ṭāriq (?–796), mathematician and astronomer
• Yunus ibn Habib, linguist
• Yahya ibn Ma'in, Islamic scholar
• Yunus Al-Katib Al-Mughanni, musician
• Yahya ibn Abi Mansur (d. 830 CE), astronomer

Z

• Zamakhshari (1074/5–1143/4), scholar and geographer
• Muhammad Zarrindast (11th century), oculist
• Zayn-e-Attar (?–c. 1403), physician
• Zarir Jurjani (9th century), mathematician and astronomer
• Zakariya al-Qazwini (d. 1283) physician, astronomer, geographer, and proto-science fiction writer

See also

• List of contemporary Iranian scientists, scholars, and engineers
• Nizamiyyah
• Academy of Gundishapur
• International rankings of Iran in science and technology
• List of Arab scientists and scholars
• List of Turkic scholars