FIMA Year Book 2009 - Federation of Islamic Medical Associations

Inculcating Islamic Inputmentioning items like honey and plantsas a medium of healing,“Then eat of all fruits, and follow theways of your Lord, made smooth (foryou). There comes forth from their belliesa drink divers of hues, wherein is healingfor mankind. Lo! herein is indeed aportent for people who reflect”. (19) .“Then We cast him on a desert shorewhile he was sick; and We caused a treeof gourd to grow above him.” (20) .The spiritual component is described bymentioning the Qur’an as a medium ofhealing,“We send down (stage by stage) in theQur’an that which is a healing and amercy to those who believe... “ (21)“O mankind! There has come unto you anexhortation from your Lord, a balm forthat which is in the breasts, a guidanceand a mercy for believers.” (22)This same philosophy was alsoacknowledged by the Prophet Ibrahim,“and when I am ill, it is He who curesme” (23)God Himself attests to it by saying“If God touches you with an affliction, noone can remove it but He” (24) .“And verily, if you should ask them: whocreated the heavens and the earth? theywill say: Allah. Say: think you then ofthose you worship beside Allah, if Allahwilled some hurt for me, could theyremove from me His hurt; or if He willedsome mercy for me, could they restrainHis mercy? Say: Allah is my all. In Himdo (all) the trusting put their trust.” (25)God has also described the way to getrelief from sufferings,“And your Lord has said: pray unto Meand I will hear your prayer. Lo! thosewho scorn My service, they will enter hell,disgraced.” (26)The Qur’an categorizes the causes ofdiseases into physical, evils, magical andpsychological causes.“Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of thedaybreak: from the evil of that whichHe created; from the evil of the darknesswhen it is intense, and from the evil ofmalignant witchcraft, and from the evilof the envier when he envies.” (27)The Qur’an also describes the basicphilosophy of illness,“Who so does right it is for his soul, andwho so does wrong it is against it. Andyour Lord is not at all a tyrant to Hisslaves” (28)“Whatever of misfortune strikes you; it iswhat your right hands have earned. AndHe forgives much. “ (29) .These verses clearly suggest that certaindeeds of man cause illness and sufferingand thus the Qur’an highlights the roleof preventive medicine because if manknows that certain acts of him can causeillness he can try to avoid those acts andcan prevent illness as well.The Qur’an also describes the basicmechanism which leads to illness i.e. allexcesses.“Know that the life of this world is onlyplay, and idle talk, and pageantry, andboasting among you and rivalry in respectFIMA YearBook 200934