Medicine in the Qur’an and Sunnah. An Intellectual Reappraisal of the Legacy and Future of Islamic Medicine and its Represent

342 Pages·2012·3.39 MB·English

by  Umar Faruk Adamu

MEDICINE
IN THE
QUR’AN AND SUNNAH
An Intellectual Reappraisal of the Legacy and Future
of Islamic Medicine and its Representation in the
Language of Science and Modernity

MEDICINE
IN THE
QUR’AN AND SUNNAH
An Intellectual Reappraisal of the Legacy and
Future of Islamic Medicine and its Representation
in the Language of Science and Modernity
Umar Faruk Adamu
Safari Books Ltd
Ibadan
Published by
Safari Books Ltd
Ile Ori Detu
1 Shell Close
Onireke Ibadan.
Email: [email protected]
© Umar Faruk Adamu
Publisher: Chief Joop Berkhout, OON
Deputy Publisher: George Berkhout
Published 2006
New edition, 2012
All rights reserved. This book is copyright and so no part of it
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted,
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, electrostatic,
magnetic tape, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the
prior written permission of the author.
ISBN: 978-978-8431-14-5
DEDICATION
TO
THE ALMIGHTY ALLAH
THEMOST MERCIFUL, THE MUNFICENT, THE OMNIPRESENT
THE GIVER OF LIFE, HEALTH AND WISDOM
v

Contents
Dedication v
Foreword I xiii
Foreword II xvi
Preface xix
Acknowledgements xxv
List of Reviewers and Editorial Advisers xxvii
List of Definitions and Abbreviations xxix
Introduction 1
Chapter One
Seeking for Knowledge 13
1.1 The Concept of Knowledge 13
1.2 The Importance of Knowledge 15
1.3 The Diversification of Knowledge 22
1.4 The Promotion of Medical Education and
Health Services 25
Chapter Two
Preventive Medicine 33
2.0 Introduction 33
2.1 Personal and Environmental Hygiene 33
2.2 Oral Hygiene 35
2.3 Circumcision 36
2.4 Other Forms of Personal Hygiene 39
2.5 Drinking Clean and Pure Water 39
2.6 Manners of Eating 42
2.7 Diet 45
vii
2.8 Physical Health – Sport, Amusement and
Recreation 47
2.9 Social Health 50
2.10Mental Health 54
2.11The Control of Communicable Diseases and
Epidemics 57
2.12Passing Urine in Stagnant Water 59
2.13Medical Benefits of Ablution and Salat 60
Chapter Three
Curative Medicine 63
3.0 Introduction 63
3.1 Treatment with Honey 65
3.2 Fever, Sore Throat and Tonsilitis 72
3.3 The Control of Bleeding and Treatment of
Wounds 74
3.4 Cupping and Cauterisation 75
3.5 Remedy With Dates 78
3.6 Remedy with Nigella Seed (Habba-tus-Sawda) 80
3.7 Diseases of and Antidotes to the Housefly 82
3.8 Remedy with Milk 83
3.9 The Treatment of Pain and Malaise 84
3.10The Management of the Unconscious Patient 85
3.11The Management of Burns and Dehydration 88
3.12Nutritional Rehabilitation in Patients’ Care 89
3.13The Treatment of Mental Illnesses and
Other Diseases 90
3.14The Treatment of lnsomnia or Sleep Disorder 92
3.15Medical and Genetic Counselling 93
viii
3.16Psychotherapy 95
3. 17 Conclusion 103
Chapter Four
Health Policies 107
4.1 Family Health and Breast Feeding 107
4.2 The Provision of Adequate and Potable Water 109
4.3 Legislation on Foods, Drinks, Recreation and Sex 111
4.4 The Wisdom in the Prohibition of Eating Pigs
and Dogs 112
4.5 Noise as Pollution 121
4.6 The Promotion of Medical Ethics 121
4.7 Magic, Witchcraft, Enchantments and Charms 123
4.8 Euthanasia (Mercy Killing) 124
4.9 Suicide 125
4.10Healthcare Delivery and Administration 126
4.11The Promotion of Health Services 126
4.12The Rehabilitation of the Sick and the Needy 127
4.13The Promotion of International Health 128
Chapter Five
Research and Development 131
5.0 Introduction 131
5.1 The Source of Human Creation 134
5.2 Embryonic and Fetal Development 137
5.3 Sex Differentiation and Determination 141
5.4 The Acquisition of the Soul 143
5.5 The Completion of Creation, Labour and Delivery146
ix