Al-FarabiReferred to as the “Second Teacher” (after Aristotle) among Islamic philosophers,little is known for certain of the life of Abu Nasr al-Farabi.He was probably born in Farab (modern-day Otrar, Kazakhstan) in around 870, and went to school there and in Bukhara, now in Uzbekistan, before traveling to Baghdad to continue his studies in 901. In Baghdad, he studied alchemy and philosophy with both Christian and Islamic scholars. He also became a renowned musician and noted linguist. Although he spent most of his life in Baghdad as a qadi(judge) and teacher, Al-Farabi also traveled widely, visiting Egypt, Damascus, Harran, and Aleppo. It is believed that he wrote most of his works in his time in Aleppo, working for the court of Sayf al-Dawla, ruler of Syria.