History of Muslim Medicine

8/13/2019 History of Muslim Medicine

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Muslim



Islam: A brief history

• When: 622 CE

• Where: Arabian peninsula

• Who: Muhammad

• How: Revelation of the Quran by

Angel Gabriel



Islam: A brief profile

• Definition: “Surrender”

• Diety: Allah

• Sacred texts: Quran and

Sunnah

• Prophet: Muhammad

• Central teaching: "There

is no god but Allah;Muhammad is his

prophet.“ (Shahadah)

• Core practices: Five

Pillars – Prayer, Fasting,

Pilgrimage, Giving of

alms• Place of worship:

Mosque

• Holy grounds: Mecca

(Ka'bah)





Stages of the development of

medicine within the Islamic

civilization

1. Collection and translation of medical

knowledge from Greeks, Persians, Assyrian

Syrians, Indians and Byzantines

2. Elaboration and expansion of medical

knowledge through experience, exploration,

experimentations, testings and practice

3. Preservation of knowledge through writing







HEALTHY SOCIETY

• Cleanliness

• clarification of harmful things

•

awareness to one’s body and health – considered among the characters of faith

• emphasis on a system of medication and

protection against illnesses



Traditional Islamic Medicine

– known through the Prophet’s narration

• “May Allah send blessings and peace upon him”

– obligation to take care of the sick

– Concept of quarantine

• Quran and the Hadith

- lay down guidelines for holistic approach to health – " Allah did not create a disease for which He did not also create a

cure.“



Alternative Medication

• Black Seed

• Honey

• Olive Oil

• Dates

• Zamzam water

• Siwak

• Moderation in diet

• Adequate sleep



MEDIEVAL ISLAMIC MEDICINE

• integrated with natural science, astrology,alchemy, religion, philosophy and mathematics

• strongly influenced by Galen and Hippocratesclosely followed by the Greek and Romanphysicians and scholars

• produced some of the greatest medical thinkersin history

• made advances in surgery

• built hospitals

• welcomed women into the medical profession



MEDIEVAL ISLAMIC DRUGS AND

REMEDIES

• Mercuric chloride

• Poppy

•

Hemp• Fennel

• Garlic

• Willow



NOTABLE PEOPLE

1. Al Razi (Rhazes)

• Father of Medicine

• wrote over 200 books

• promoting experimentation

and observation

• doctor-patient relationshipbuilt upon trust

• believed in holistic

approach and medicalhistory of patient

• concept of symptoms



NOTABLE PEOPLE2. Ibn Sina (Avicenna)

•started his education with Quran

• become a famous physician by

the age of 17

• wrote The Canon of Medicine

– largest, most famous and most

important of his works

– encyclopedia of medicine



NOTABLE PEOPLE3. Al-Zahrawi (Albucasis)

•considered one of the early leading “plasticsurgeon”

• wrote The Method of Medicine ( At-Tasrif

liman 'Ajiza 'an at-Ta'lif )

• first work in diagramming surgical

instruments



GREAT MUSLIM PHYSICIANS

• status of medical personnel in society is very

high

• closest among their people to the caliph or

ruler

• even became trustworthy ministers and

scholars

• must be well aware of the diseases of the

heart and the soul and how to treat them



BIMARISTAN

• “house of the sick ” hospital – bimar : disease

– stan: place

• Zakat Tax

• educated physicians ontutorage basis

• had record keeping

• did outreach programs to

cure and to study illnesses• female

doctors/midwives/nursesare preferred



MEDICAL PRACTICES

• surgery

– no operations done deep within the body

– from Greek and Roman texts

– not done outside the hospital

• cauterization

– prevent infection and bleeding of wounds

– done using a heated metal rod

• bloodletting

• treatment of cataracts and trachoma



CAUSES OF DISEASES

• according to Muslim physicians

• accumulation of excess substances in the body

•

overeating• improper food choice

• unhealthy habits



TWELVE ISLAMIC MEDICAL DISCOVERIES

THAT CHANGED THE WORLD

• 1. Infectivity of certain diseases

• 2. Anatomical dissection of animals

•

3. Alcohol and anti-septic agents• 4. Anaesthetic sponge and/or opium liquids

• 5. Surgical Instruments (purpose-designed)

• 6. Surgical exploration of abdominalcavity (Laparotomy)



• 7. Midwifery

• 8. Apothecary: Muslims developed the science

of chemistry as applied to medicine

• 9. Physiology of Blood circulation

• 10. Immunisation against smallpox

• 11. Qualifying Medical

Examinations and Clinical Bed-side Teaching

• 12. Arabic Numerals, system of decimal

fractionations, and system of units

Documents

History of Muslim Medicine