Concept of the Human Body & Human Rights in Islam

Islam invokes respect for the body as a gift from Allah; a Muslim does not assume absolute “ownership” of his or her body, but only cares for it as a precious gift while he/she lives until it is returned to its Creator upon death. Muslims are required to take good care of their health and that of other Muslims as much as humanly possible. They’re also required to respect nature, the environment, and the physical well being of all living things, including humans of other faiths. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) conveyed to Muslims that they will be asked in front of Allah on Judgment Day about how they used the gift of healthy bodies in life. Contrary to some other faiths, a Muslim is prohibited from terminating his own life, is not allowed to abuse or destroy his body, nor is he required to humiliate it to achieve excellence in worship or closeness to the Creator. The Qur’an says what means:

*{And spend of your substance in the cause of Allah, and make not your own hands contribute to [your] destruction; but do good; for Allah loveth those who do good.}* (Al-Baqarah 2:195)

Islam teaches that every living being has an equal right to life-sustaining elements, and humans get the greatest share of respect as the deputies of Allah on earth. Muslims are instructed to study the functions of their own bodies in order to appreciate Allah’s magnificence and to be able to save precious lives. The Qur’an says what means:

*{As also in your own selves: will ye not then see?}* (Adh-Dhariyat 51:21)

For example, in the Qur’an, Allah speaks about the stages of man’s embryonic development to invoke curiosity for learning among Muslims. The Qur’an says what means:

*{We created Man from an extract of clay. Then We made him as a drop in a place of settlement, firmly fixed. Then We made the drop into a `alaqah [leech, suspended thing, or blood clot], then We made the `alaqah into a mudghah [chewed substance]...}* (Al-Mu’minun 23:12-14)

According to these rules, seeking medical help to “repair” affected or impaired physical functions becomes a priority for a good Muslim to maintain a body healthy enough to fulfill his Islamic duties on earth.

Islam, a Religion of Healing

Islam is a religion of healing for humans on all levels of their being: mind, body, and soul. Seeking medical help is advised in many prophetic traditions asserting that “there is a remedy for every malady and it’s excellent to get treatment.” (Narrated by Muslim.)

In addition to seeking medical assistance from a professional to cure the body on emergencies or chronic cases, Islam offers the sick and the ailing cure for their souls and minds through an array of Qur’anic verses and supplications called ruqyah. A Muslim believes that Allah is the Creator of everything in the universe, including germs, illness, accidents, natural disasters, etc. So, after seeking medical assistance, Muslims are instructed to turn to Allah to seek complete and comprehensive healing for the marvelous miracle that is the human body.

The healing philosophy is taken a step further as Islam looks at the Muslim nation as one healthy human body; if one member is sick, the rest of the body suffers, as Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) teaches in his tradition. Consequently, Muslims worldwide are supposed to offer assistance, first aid, and life sustenance to their Muslim brethren in other lands affected with natural disasters or epidemics—thus the creation of international organizations such as Islamic Relief and the Red Crescent.

Islamic Ethical System Refines Arabs’ First Aid Skills

Before Islam, Arabs lived in a very rough environment. Desert life resulted in an array of accidents and injuries that required all levels of medical skills to treat, whether those injuries were from domestic chores, child rearing, work, travel, hunting, war, or contracted diseases and infections. Cuts, burns, bruises, bone fractures, dehydration, sunstrokes, animal and insect bites, wounds and infections were all common problems for the native Arabs, who had a wide knowledge of the healing properties of animal extracts, medical plants, and various first aid materials suitable for each case.

As Islam spread, a comprehensive ethical system was introduced into all aspects of the daily lives of its followers, capitalizing on existent skills while refining them into a model example for civilized social systems. The Qur’an elaborates on being kind and humane to others, even to prisoners, captives, and enemies during wars. The Qur’an says what means:

*{If one amongst the pagans ask thee for asylum, grant it to him, so that he may hear the word of Allah; and then escort him to where he can be secure. That is because they are men without knowledge.}* (At-Tawbah 9: 6)

Respect was granted to all, even to dead bodies, which were recommended for prompt burial out of protection and respect. Torture, mutilation, dismembering of dead bodies, or any kind of physical humiliation was prohibited. Even hitting the face in fury was prohibited, even between parent and child, to prevent humiliation, which is not suitable for a dignified Muslim.

Even during wars, medical help and first aid was systematically offered to everyone in equal measure, Muslim soldiers as well as prisoners of war. Muslim women volunteered as nurses at war, and Rufaida, the first female doctor in Islam was personally appointed by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). She was given a spacious tent to serve as a makeshift battleground hospital. As a result, many captives embraced Islam after sampling superior humane treatment from their Muslim captors.

Many may not know that the modern international laws of the UN in use today for treating prisoners of war (POWs) were based on the impeccable conduct of the great Muslim conqueror Salah Ad-Din (Saladin) and his armies, who fought to liberate occupied Muslim lands in the Middle East in the Middle Ages.

Islam also takes into consideration the special conditions of the Muslim sick and wounded when performing acts of worship. They’re given the benefit of special rulings in Islamic fiqh (jurisdiction) to allow for their weakness. Other Muslims are expected to assist them and support them whenever possible. For example, senior citizens and severely ill Muslims can perform their five daily prayers sitting instead of standing, or even lying down in their beds if they can’t get up. Proper food, healthy living conditions, and tender loving care are detailed in many Qur’anic verses and traditions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Muslim ethics and medical knowledge were spread through many other ways besides wars. Travel was required to perform Hajj and to fulfill the duty of da`wah (spreading the word of Allah) to all corners of the earth; thus, all Muslims, both men and women, found it necessary to learn some level of first aid in order to offer life-saving help whenever needed. Men and women excelled in medical practice and could treat each other in emergencies. Even the great Caliph `Umar ibn Al-Khattab on his nightly rounds personally offered first aid to poor people on various occasions—without revealing his identity so as not to intimidate them.

Consequently, Muslims were sought after as skilled first aid and medical experts when they traveled across the world. People came to them for advice and information. Many such stories are recorded in history and travel books in Europe, Asia, and Africa. In a few decades from the dawn of Islam, Muslims built the firm foundations of the science of modern medicine, anatomy, and surgery. The work of the great Muslim scientist Ibn Sina (Avicenna) is still taught at top international universities to this present day.

Spiritual Dimensions in Healing in Islamic Medicine

by Ibrahim B. Syed, Ph. D.
President
Islamic Research Foundation International, Inc.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), is the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) principal component for research on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). NCCAM and the NIH Clinical Center are developing an integrative medicine which is a combination of mainstream medical therapies (Modern Medicine) and CAM therapies for which there is high-quality scientific evidence of safety and effectiveness. NCCAM encourages Homeopathy, Ayurveda, Aromatherapy, Herbal Medicine, Unani Medicine, Acupuncture, therapeutic touch, chiropractic, prayers and other religious practices, and other “alternative” therapies.

Recently there has been a tremendous surge in interest and publications in the field of spiritual medicine in the United States. An abundance of articles, books, and conferences in recent years have addressed the impact of spirituality on patient, physician, and health care. Modern studies indicate that Spiritual healing can help with any problem, mental, physical or emotional.

Due to the advancement of medical technology, modern medicine plays a dominant role in the treatment for acute medical conditions. However, certain forms of alternative medicines do work for certain medical conditions, when compared to the modern or conventional medicines. Many physicians and patients all over the world believe in the spiritual dimension in healing, such as the power of prayer as an adjunct or complementary Medicine to modern or conventional medicine.

Modern medicine and models of care are looking into, not only the fundamental spiritual dimension of care, but also the significance of spiritual development of the individual towards healing. The focus of this paper is to provide an awareness of Islamic health practices, health behaviours, code of ethics and the framework of Islamic perspectives of caring and spirituality. A brief overview of the Muslim world, the historical development in caring and health and the pillars of the Islamic faith provide the context of the paper. The development of a model of care based on the Islamic perspective is suggested.

To understand the Spiritual Dimensions in Healing in Islamic Medicine, we need to understand the articles of faith in Islam. These are: (1) Tawhid or belief in the Oneness of Allah (SWT) (2) Salat or contactual prayer (3) Siyam or Fasting during the month of Ramadan (4) Zakah or charity (5) Hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca.

Recent scientific research indicates that affirming belief in God or Allah (SWT) makes a critical contribution to our physical health. When people call upon faith, they activate neurologic pathways for self-healing. The Muslim prayer consists of contact prayer (salat), Zikr (Dhikr) or remembrance of Allah and recitation of the Qur'an. These elicit the physiologic relaxation response. Hajj and congregational Prayers serve to buffer the adverse effects of stress and anger, perhaps via psychoneuroimmunologic pathways. It is speculated that congregational prayers may trigger a multifactorial sequence of biological processes leading to better health. Studies have shown higher degrees of social connection (through family and friends or congregational prayers in the Masjid) consistently relate to decreased mortality. Zakah is altruism and in sharing the wealth, apart from the socio-economic benefits, the Muslims also garner better health. Doing good to others is also Zakah and those who volunteer their work find marked improvement in their health. Several studies have already documented the health benefits of fasting during the month of Ramadan.

This paper addresses the role of Spiritual Dimensions in healing the Muslim patients and examines the integration of Traditional (Complementary/Alternative) Medicine and Modern (Conventional) Medicine.

REFERENCE: http://www.islamset.com/ioms/cam/Abstracts/Ibrahim%20Syed.html

Islamic Healing

Islam is one of largest religions in the world. It is known as a way of life which encompasses the Spiritual, Social and Economic way of life. Spiritual healers inherited the methods that God’s messengers were using, and from one generation to another have practiced these methods up to the present time. In the Islamic tradition, healers utilize both medicinal remedies and spiritual means. The spiritual techniques follow scientific principles, which utilize the patient’s latent energy and the power contained in the devotions and supplications and meditations of the prophets, messengers, and "wise men" of God.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was once in a session where he was curing people through spiritual methods when he was asked whether or not remedies should be sought from medicines. He said, "Yes, you must seek remedy from medicine, because whatever disease God has created in this world, He has also created its remedy as well. But there is one disease for which He has not created any remedy, which is old age."
Each and every prescribed Quranic verse has its unique healing property, which differs from those of other verses.

About Energy And How Spiritual Healing Works

Spiritual healing is not at all a mysterious process but is in fact very straight forward, albeit often quite complex. The spiritual healing technique involves the energy field that exists around each of us. Everyone has an energy field or an aura that surrounds and interpenetrates the physical body. This field is intimately associated with the health of the human being.

In different cultures, energy is known by different names. The word "energy" is referred to as:

Ki in Japanese
Chi in Chinese
Prana in Hindi
Qudra in Arabic

Energy is the life breath transmitted to us from the Existing, Everlasting Superpower that overlooks human beings and all creation. Energy regulates our thought patterns and emotions, is the source of our life force and is the animating factor in all living beings. It circulates through our bodies and can be harnessed for healing. It is the source of all movement in the universe. When the human body loses its life breath the original energy (or life force) leaves it, allowing the body to decompose.

The body goes back to its earthen origins and the spirit returns to its angelic origin of spiritual energy. This energy is never lost and exists without the secret of its nature being understood by science and modern medicine.

This unknown spiritual energy is behind the life of every drop of blood in animate beings, the motion behind every living cell, and the driving force of constellations and galaxies. It carries unlimited perfect and complete powers, which are real, active and continuous. The action of this force is genuine because nothing can grow or live in the entire universe without its influence.

This is especially applicable on earth where no trees, grass, vegetation and indeed no life can exist without the intervention of this unknown, unseen energy. It is with this energy that a tiny plant pushes through the middle of a huge desert boulder. This energetic spiritual life force holds the organs, blood vessels, and all body parts in place. When the body’s life force diminishes, the anatomic relations of the body’s organs are altered and disrupted, which leads to pain, organ dysfunction and an overall deterioration of health.
The spiritual energetic life force creates an energy field around itself like a highly charged magnet or electrode. This force reflects its energy throughout the human body and becomes the driving life force behind all of its activities and processes. The life force not only energizes the body but also gives it its identity. As an atom is defined by its constituent electrons, protons, and neutrons--which are also its energy components--so too does the spiritual life force give energy and identity to the physical body.

The healing spiritual energy is analogous to a waterfall. If a waterfall is channeled in the right way, it can be harnessed to produce energy and give light. Similarly, if our blood flow is properly channeled through a balanced, equilibrated system, the driving force of that energy will augment the energy of the weak organs.

In those organs where the life force has been weakened and dissipated, spiritual healing will increase and activate these vital forces. The spiritual healing technique allows the life energies to be exponentially expanded to activate the ill member and heal it.

A similar phenomenon is seen in an atomic reaction, where tremendous power is released from the internal energy of the atom. The energy produced increases geometrically as the activated, energized atom spreads its energy to its neighbors, propagating a chain reaction of energy release. The same principle of the atomic reaction is used by spiritual healers to harness and activate the life force within the patient. Much in the same way that contemporary physicians direct lasers to heal affected areas of the body, spiritual healers access a similar chain reaction of the body’s existing energy, channeling it to the affected areas to heal pain and suffering.

When one organ begins to heal, the other organs use the released energy to activate and release their own inherent energy, which in turn promotes physiological equilibrium and relief from pain.

A healthy heart will sustain a weak body, but when the heart is weak and diseased--even in a young person--the body will not be healthy or live long. Therefore, maintaining the heart is the first priority for spiritual healers. Furthermore, maintaining the brain is also another important priority to keep the flow of messages functioning properly.

Islamic healing can be done through prayers, talismans or the seeking of an Islamic spiritual healer. Muslims believe that every line of the Holy Quran has the ability to heal; the key is your faith and intention. Spiritual healers use an inward approach to healing by applying spiritual techniques and methods to utilize the body’s own energy. The difference between the spiritual healers and the physician healers is that the former is healing from inside-to-outside while the latter is healing from outside-to-in. Each are doing good for their patients and both meet on the common ground of curing disease and relieving pain and suffering.

Before I complete this section I wish to address a tangent topic. Due to recent events i.e. the 9/11 attack in America, Islam has been seen as a destructive force rather than a healing force. I have found a short article while surfing the internet by a unknown writer which I feel makes interesting points about the violence in Islam and Western Cultures.