FIMA Year Book 2009 - Federation of Islamic Medical Associations

Ethical IssuesKnowledge and Medical SciencesLearning and teaching has been greatlystressed in the Qur’an in variousrevelations. The very first revelation ofQur’an commanded to read and learn:“Read in the name of your Rabb whocreated, Created man from a leechlikemass. Read, your Rabb is the mostGracious Who taught by pen; taughtman what he knew not. (5) .Right at the time of creation, Allahput all the knowledge in the humanbrain “He taught Adam the names ofall things then he presented to angelsand said: “Tell Me the names of these ifwhat you say is true?” (6) . Man only hasto re-discover all what he has alreadybeen taught and this phenomenonis continuing. Muslims are the onlyUmmah today that possess the firstright to this knowledge provided theystrive for it. The Prophet of Islamstressed the learning and acquiringknowledge in various ahadith “Learnfrom infancy to death (Muslim)” Theimportance of learning for the Muslimscan best be judged from the fact thatwhen prisoners of war were takeninto custody by Muslims in the firstever battle between the Islamic state ofMedina and nonbelievers of Makkah atBader, the Prophet (PBUH) ordered theprisoners of war to educate 10 Muslimsof Medina to get freedom without anyransom (Fidyah). Prophet Muhammad(PBUH) said: “The seeking of knowledgeis obligatory on every Muslim…” (7)“If anyone travels on a road in searchof knowledge, Allah will cause him totravel on one of the roads of Paradise.”“The angels will lower their wings intheir great pleasure with one who seeksknowledge”, “the inhabitants of theheavens and the Earth and the fish inthe deep waters will ask forgiveness forthe learned man”. “The superiority of thelearned man over the devout is like thatof the moon, on the night when it is full,over the rest of the stars”. “The learnedare the heirs of the Prophets, and theProphets leave neither dinar nor dirham(money), leaving only knowledge, andhe who takes it takes an abundantportion.” (8) .The text of the Qur’an is rich with versesinviting man to use his intellect (mind,intelligence), to ponder (contemplate),to think and to know. To Muslims,“the goal of human life is to discoverthe Truth which is none other thanworshiping Allah in His Oneness.”Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in hishadiths provide very rich source ofreferences to the importance of seekingknowledge, from wherever it mightbe found. During most of its history,Islamic civilization has been witness toa true celebration of seeking knowledge.That is why every traditional Islamiccity possessed public and privatelibraries, and some cities like, Qurtobaand Baghdad, boasted of libraries withover 400,000 books. Scholars havealways been held in the highest esteemand respect in Islamic society. (9)There is a famous saying; “Knowledgeis of two types: the knowledge of thereligion and the knowledge of thehuman body”. (10) Therefore studyingFIMA YearBook 200984