Al-Asmai was a philologist who made important contributions to Zoology, Botany, and Animal Husbandry.

Abd al-Malik ibn al-Quraib al-Asmai was born in Basrah in 740 C.E. He was a pious Arab and a good student of Arabic poetry. Al-Asmai is considered as the first Muslim scientist who contributed to Zoology, Botany and Animal Husbandry. His famous writings include Kitab al-Ibil, Kitab al-Khalil, Kitab al-Wuhush, Kitab al-Sha, and Kitab Khalq al-Insan. The last book on human anatomy demonstrates his considerable knowledge and expertise on the subject. Al-Asmai died in 828 C.E.

Interest in breeding of horses and camels was responsible for systematic scientific work by the Arabs as early as the seventh century. During the Umayyad Caliphate, behaviour and classification of animals and plants were studied and recorded by several scientists. Al-Asmai’s work was very popular among scientists of the ninth and tenth century.