Bimaristan
Encyclopedia
Bimaristan is a Persian
word (بیمارستان bīmārestān) meaning hospital, with Bimar- from Middle Persian (Pahlavi)
of vīmār or vemār, meaning "sick" plus -stan
as location and place suffix. In the medieval Islamic world, the word "Bimaristan" was used to indicate a hospital
where the ill were welcomed and cared for by qualified staff.
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
word (بیمارستان bīmārestān) meaning hospital, with Bimar- from Middle Persian (Pahlavi)
Middle Persian
Middle Persian , indigenously known as "Pârsig" sometimes referred to as Pahlavi or Pehlevi, is the Middle Iranian language/ethnolect of Southwestern Iran that during Sassanid times became a prestige dialect and so came to be spoken in other regions as well. Middle Persian is classified as a...
of vīmār or vemār, meaning "sick" plus -stan
-stan
The suffix -stan is Persian for "place of", a cognate to Pashto -tun and to Indo-Aryan -sthāna , a Sanskrit suffix with a similar meaning...
as location and place suffix. In the medieval Islamic world, the word "Bimaristan" was used to indicate a hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
where the ill were welcomed and cared for by qualified staff.
See also
- Dar al-ShifaDar al-ShifaDar Al Shifaa , literally "house of health" or "house of cure" , is the term used in the historical context of Islamic architecture to designate a building constructed for medical purposes, equivalent of a hospital or a clinic of our day....
- Medicine in the medieval Islamic world
- Academy of GundishapurAcademy of GundishapurThe Academy of Gondishapur , also Jondishapur , was a renowned academy of learning in the city of Gundeshapur during late antiquity, the intellectual center of the Sassanid empire. It offered training in medicine, philosophy, theology and science. The faculty were versed in the Zoroastrian and...
Further reading
- Noshwrawy, A.R., The Islamic Biarmistans in the Middle Ages, Arabic Translation by M. Kh. Badra, The Arab Legacy Bul. No. 21, P 202