During the course of my medical studies, I discovered through my own reading and from my Anatomy lecturer’s that at Islam’s height, Muslims were leaders in the field of Medicine. After all Al Azhar is the oldest University
in the world. Much of modern medicine owes its history to Islam.Ibn Sina(Avicenna) was known as father of medicine.
After graduation I vowed to learn about Islamic medicine. My aim had been to somehow complement western medicine with Islamic,maybe prescribe medications with appropriate duas.I bought myself a copy of Ibn Qayyims Tibb an Nabawi or Book of Prophetic Medicine.Yet during those junior doctor training days, busy acquiring more new skills and with postgrad studies, I only managed to glance through the book. With lack of knowledge, I would always hesitate when patients asked my opinion on seeking traditional remedies.
So perhaps this is the hikmah(blessing)of being a non practicing doctor now.I finally have time to read Tibb an Nabawi and do internet searches. .
Reading through the works of Harun Yahya,surah An Nahl, books and internet searches, I am convinced that honey, the Black Seed,dates,fenugreek all are natural remedies.Alhamdullilah I have personally used the humble honey,which has antimicrobial properties(the ability to kill germs) as an antidiarrhoeal,as per Sunnah. The cholesterol lowering effect of garlic which many homeopathics are advocating now instead of the prescribed statins( a cholesterol lowering drug with many side effects) was actually known more than 1400 years ago MasyaAllah. Now I am happy to advise friends and family to try natural remedies.
However, I have not abandoned western medicine just yet. I belive there is still much to be known on the matter of Islamic or Prophetic medicine.As in western medicine,even in Islamic medicine,the dosage has to be right.And there are side effects and contraindications too..
InsyaAllah in future articles I will try to combine both western and Islamic medicine.
