Natural Therapeutics Of Medicine In Islam (Part-1)

Zyed Ahmed Ali, M.D., Dr. Sadiq H. Hussain , Ahmed H. Sakr, Ph.D.

1.INTRODUCTION

Medicine is both an art and a science. It encompasses prophylaxis or prevention, diagnosis, and finally treatment (both curative and palliative).

Preventive medicine is especially important and has been neglected as a major factor in health care. In fact, it is well documented but little known that most of the health gains (expressed as life expectancy, morbidity, and mortality) attributed to modem medicine are principally due to advancements in diet and sanitation, rather than to the more complex technologies. Preventive medicine as a natural measure of therapeutic stresses the involvement of the individual in his own health care. This is accomplished by educating the patient as to proper nutrition, hygiene and physical activities. Equally important are the psychologic and spiritual factors as these can greatly influence the disease.

Curative medicine is as important as the preventive one. In the process of healing, natural approaches have been used. The natural art of therapeutics is not a new approach in the filed of medicine, rather it is as old as people have been the inhabitants of this planet. Man has done his best in protecting himself from diseases and in preventing himself from sickness.

Preventive and curative approaches have been used by man to keep himself healthy, happy and strong. Some of these so-called "primitive" measures have been shown to be scientifically sound and have this been added to the "modern" therapeutic regimens. Some approaches were considered to be natural (e.g. herbs, natural foods, etc.) while others were oriented towards the use of drugs and synthetic remedies.

Anyone studying or practicing medicine realizes that be is at best providing therapy to impede the disease process so that the body can take over and effect a cure with the mercy of Allah. In an lslamic sense, the health care practitioner must be viewed as an agent through which Allah acts. He must not delude himself into a position of exaggerated self-importance.

In this paper the authors wish to approach the subject of natural therapeutics in medicine vis-a-vis the Islamic approach of good and sound health. The paper will also include some aspects of the following: types of natural therapeutics, diet as an approach to natural healing and colleges that deal with natural therapeutics. The paper does include some recommendations related to natural approaches in medicine for the Muslim world.

Such a paper is helpful to all those concerned about sound health of the individuals including those, groups dealing with the allopathic and the natural medicine. This research is of great help to all those colleges teaching medicine and especially those colleges teaching natural therapeutics. It is a source of help to the physicians, patients, hospitals, grocery stores, health food stores and the like. This paper is of great assistance to the Third World, i.e. the emerging nations whose technological resources are meager, and whose health delivery approaches are more or less still oriented towards the natural therapeutic methods.

It is the hope of the authors that an eclectic approach be adopted by the Third World, i.e. to pick up the best of every discipline. It is hoped that the Third World nations will establish an INSTITUTE OF HEALTH CARE DELIVERY which will catalogue the entire spectrum of medical approaches including the "natural" methods. If the Third World nations establish such a health institute based on the natural approaches, they will undoubtedly help save themselves money, time, effort and the more expensive technology. This will lead to better healing and finally faster and better results.