In those days, there were no colleges in many places like Jundi Shahpur where students could go to learn the science of medicine. If someone wanted to work as a physician, they had to serve for decades as an apprentice under an experienced physician. Medical knowledge couldn’t be acquired simply by reading books, as they were not readily available.
Iran made limited contributions to the world of science, medicine, and philosophy. Only one astronomy book is reported to have been translated from Pahlavi into Arabic in AH 198 by al-Fadl ibn Nawbakht, the chief librarian of ar-Rashid. Ibn al-Muqaffa also translated the famous book of fables, Kalilah and Dimna, from Pahlavi into Arabic.
Except in the arts of belles-lettres, Persia did not have much original to contribute. The aesthetic temperament of the Iranian population was a significant influence on the cultural life of Semitic Arabians. Alongside the artistic influence, literary rather than scientific or philosophical ideas were most clearly felt from Persia. (Ref: History of the Arabs by Hitti, p:308 )
Jundi Shahpur in Iran was known for its Academy of Medicine, established by Anusharwan in 555 A.D. Some historians mention that the Greek system of medicine was taught at this institute, with instruction in Aramaic (Syriac). In A.D. 765, Caliph al-Mansur appointed Jurjis ibn-Bakhtishu, the hospital’s dean, as his court physician. Despite being patrons of the Academy, Abbasid caliphs could not find suitable books on philosophy, medicine, or scientific subjects for translation into Arabic.
Imam Ja‘far as-Sadiq did not attend classes at Jundi Shahpur, nor did he serve as an apprentice under any Persian physician. He also did not have access to and study books on medicine written in Pahlavi script during that period.”
It is therefore preposterous to presume that Imam Ja‘far as-Sadiq had learned the science of medicine from the Iranians. The above facts conclusively support the Shia contention that their Imams possessed supernatural knowledge (Ilm-e-Ladunni). Said Ali ibn Abi Talib (A.S.):
“You should know that the knowledge, which came from heaven for Adam and every kind of knowledge which adorned all the prophets of God including Prophet Mohammed (May Allah bestow His Blessings upon him and his progeny), is with his descendants.”
Aristotle, renowned as the teacher of Alexander, was well known to the Arabs, who referred to him as Muellim (the teacher). They were also familiar with the names of Ptolemy, Socrates, Plato, and other Greek and Alexandrian philosophers, but were not acquainted with their writings or teachings.
Imam Mohammed al-Baqir and Ja‘far as-Sadiq foresaw that the Muslim world would be inundated with the works of Greek and Alexandrian philosophers, which Muslims would blindly accept as absolute truth. Consequently, many of their erroneous and misleading theories captivated their imaginations, clouded their minds, and kept them in darkness for centuries, as indeed occurred. For instance, the Ptolemaic theory that the Earth is the center of the universe, with the sun, planets, and stars revolving around it, was widely accepted by Muslims as correct.
The two Imams, as representatives of Allah on earth, instructed their students—who would disseminate their teachings among Muslims—about the theories of these philosophers, identified their errors, and presented their own accurate theories. Likewise, they taught subjects like physics, chemistry, and geography before these disciplines were translated from Indian, Greek, and Persian sources into Arabic.
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