By the time he was twelve he had become proficient in...

By the time he was twelve he had become proficient in jurisprudence and religious law and became capable to deliver religious edicts (Fatawa).[1] Umar Abu Abdullah Nayli was the foremost scholar of that time. Once when he came to Bukhara , the father of Ibn Sina invited him to their residence and kept him as a guest for some days during which Ibn Sina studied under him the books of logic and philosophy.

It is apparent that how much Ibn Sina must have gained from the knowledge of this scholar can only be known to the teacher. This much however is known that after the study he posed such questions to his teachers and raised such points and doubts that even the teacher was unable to solve them. After that, the teacher went towards Khwarizm and during this time Ibn Sina was busy in the study of natural and divine sciences and other areas of research, especially medicine.

He collected many books of philosophy and medicine and he made such a deep and vast study that he became the most accomplished and expert physician of his time. During this period many researchers from far-off places began to come to him. They used to study under him and learn the knowledge he had obtained through his own experiments. By the time he was eighteen, Ibn Sina had mastered all the sciences of his age.

In spite of this he used [1] Ali Duali: Kitab Darakhshan to be engrossed in studies and did not waste a single moment. Whenever he was confronted with a difficult problem he used to perform ablution, go to the Jame Masjid of Bukhara , pray two units of prayer and invocate Allah for the solution. In that period Nuh ibn Mansur, the Samanid ruler, fell ill. He summoned Ibn Sina for his treatment.

The treatment provided by this youthful physician cured the illness and the Sultan accorded him a permanent place in his court. The Samanid dynasty had a huge library having all the books on every subject prevalent in that period. Some of the books were priceless and very rare. Ibn Sina used them to further his knowledge and even committed to memory the most important treatises. When this library was burnt to ashes all the rare manuscripts perished but they were safe in the memory of Ibn Sina.

When he was twenty-one, he began writing and compilation. When he was twenty-two, his father passed away and the same year he was appointed as the Diwan (Prime Minister) of the Samanid Kingdom .