FIMA Year Book 2009 - Federation of Islamic Medical Associations

ِهّ‏ هّ‏Teaching Medical Professionalism3.2 Human Psychology and DivineEnlightenmentComponents of human psychology are:• The cognition (al-‘aql) which canbe divinely enlightened and has thediscerning ability to differentiateright from wrong, truth fromfalsehood; and• Emotion (al-qalb) which is theinnermost feeling and essence of thehuman heart that has the spiritualcapacity to be the receptacle fordivine light, thus enabling it toperceive correctly this fleeting lifeand not be ensnared by it.To gain the Pleasure of Allah, one’sheart must be sincere. This principle isfound in a well known Hadith narratedby ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA) whoheard it from the Prophet Muhammad(PBUH) who stated in part“Verily, all deeds are according tothe intentions and everyone (will berewarded) according to what he hasintended…” (3)The sincerity that is sustained and wellmaintained brings tranquillity to theheart. It must be emphasised too thatthe emotional-spiritual heart that istranquil is the one that remembers andis close to Allah.الَّذِينَ‏ آمَنُواْ‏ وَتَطْ‏ مَئِنُّ‏ قُلُوبُهُ‏ م بِذِكْ‏ رِ‏ ِ الل أَالَ‏ بِذِكْ‏ رِ‏ اللتَطْ‏ مَئِنُّ‏ الْقُلُوبُ‏“Those who believe, and whose heartsfind tranquillity in the remembranceof Allah; for in the remembrance ofAllah do hearts find tranquillity.” (4)The direct opposite of the tranquil andhealthy heart is the diseased heart. Itspathology is the result of the deceitfulowner’s own doing.فِي قُلُوبِهِ‏ م مَّرَضٌ‏ فَزَادَهُمُ‏ اللهّ‏ ُ مَرَضاً‏ وَلَهُ‏ م عَذَابٌ‏أَلِيمٌ‏ بِ‏ ‏َا كَ‏ انُوا يَكْ‏ ذِبُونَ‏“In their hearts is a disease; and Allahhas increased their disease; and grievousis the penalty they (incur), because theyare false (to themselves).” (5)In brief, the basic state of the cognition(mind) is sanity, while its excellent statewould be maturity. The basic state forthe emotion (heart) is sincerity, while itsexcellent state would be tranquillity. (6)There would be times too, duringmoments of supreme enlightenment,that both the cognition (al-‘aql) andthe emotion (al-qalb) become one asevident from the following verse:أَفَلَمْ‏ يَسِ‏ يرُوا فِي الْ‏ ‏َرْضِ‏ فَتَكُ‏ ونَ‏ لَهُ‏ مْ‏ قُلُوبٌ‏ يَعْقِلُونَ‏بِهَ‏ ا أَوْ‏ آذَانٌ‏ يَسْ‏ مَعُ‏ ونَ‏ بِهَ‏ ا فَإِنَّهَ‏ ا الَ‏ تَعْمَى الْ‏ ‏َبْصَ‏ ارُ‏ وَلَكِ‏ نتَعْمَى الْقُلُوبُ‏ الَّتِي فِي الصُّ‏ دُورِ‏“Do they not travel through the land,so that their hearts gain understandingand causing their ears to hear? Trulyit is not their eyes that are blind, butblind have become their hearts whichare in their breasts.” (7)3.3 The Quranic Principles ofProfessionalism.The basic principle of Islamic medicineis the concept of the Oneness of Allah(tawhid). It is on this sound principlethat the whole edifice of Islamicmedicine is built. Every Muslimmedical science student or practicingphysician must have the followingFIMA YearBook 200961