Butl.tnd.lnet.Hist.Med. Vol. XXVII. 1997. pp. 147 10 153

PROMOTIVE AND PROPHYLACTIC HEALTHASPECTS BASED ON ISLAMIC TEACHINGS.

K.A.SHAFQAT AZMI*

ABSTRACTHealth is basic need of human being and everybody intends to remain healthy.

As far Islam is concerned, its faith is not merely upon spirit, but also it has givenproper place to the physical health. It is a fact that the revaluation in the preservingand restoring health of psychic as well as physical is a gift of Islam. clearcutguidelines have been given not only for correction of spiritual life, but promotivehealth aspects have also been prescribed at length. In this way the glimpses ofpromotive and prophylactic health aspects based on Islamic teachings have beengiven in this article.

Health is basic need of human being followers quoting prophet's (PBUH)and everybody intends to remain heal- saying "the strong believer is betterthy. Consequently search of effective and more loveable to allahtherapeutics and promotiveJprophylac- than the feable believer."tic health measures became main Clearcut guidelines have been givenobjective of medicine rightfrom begining. not only for correction of spiritual life, butEffort in this regard is continued and promotive health aspectshave been alsodefinitely will remain continue. As for described at length. We can maintain notIslam is concerned, its faith is not merely onIyour personal cleanliness, but also weupon spirit, but also it has given proper may keep clean all of ourenviroment. Asplace to the physical health. No doubt if such a healthy and pollution freethe angel of thinking is proper, the physi- environment may be arrived easily. Thecal health may play important role forthe following are glimpses of promotive andupliftment of the spirit. Need not to prophylactic Health aspects based onmention that Prophet Mohammad Islamic teachings.(P.B.U.H.) gave immense stress to the Sanitation and Personal Hygiene:health care. These teachings are rich Clear cut instructions and significantwith the hygienic fundamentals. It is a guidelines have been given particularlyfact that the revaluation in the preserving regarding the following main categories:and restoring health of psychic aswell as 1. Cleanliness of the body in generalphysical is a gift of Islam. Almighty Allah and of even the minute parts e.g. teeth,has given noblest creative status to the nails and hairs in particular.human being on the global level with the 2. Cleanliness of the fabrics, foodaim to build an ideal and healthy society and bewarages.in the universe which become model 3. Cleanliness of roads, houses andthrough practical demonstration of its cities .• Asst. Director Incharge Literary Research Institute of Unani Medicine, Jamia HamdardCampus, New Delhi - 110062. (India)

148 Promotive And Prophylactic Health Aspects - Azmi

4. Cleanliness ofthe sources of wateri.e. river, ponds and wells in order tocheck pollution.

As for a cleanliness of the body isconcerned, priority has been given inIslam quoting the following verse fromSurat Baqara:

"Allah loves those whoturn to him consequently andreloves those who, keepthemselves pure and clean"Theobjective of cleanliness and purity

in Islam is to keep the human being neatand clean conciously or unconciously.Consequently the cleanliness becomespart and parcel of the human life. Wazooat least for five times of salat, bath, tokeep clean the cloth and body and tokeep neat and clean the place of salat,are not merely worship or part of worship.The aim is to keep the individual neat andclean every thime. Stress has been alsogiven to keep the teeth neat and clean.Hundreds of physical and spiritual bene-fits regarding the use of Miswak has beengiven in Islamic teachings, which are selfexplanatory, cutting of nails particularlyon Friday and cleanliness andmaintenance of hairs have been also

< covered by islamic teachings.Cleanliness of the dress is also must,

quoting the following verse, from HolyOuran.

"Keep your clothes cleanand leave all kind ofdirt and filths."As for as beverages and nutrients is

concerned, the guidelines and instruc-tions described in the books of Hadis andFiqh are of high significant. It is noteworthythat the mode of utilisation of these lifebased articles as per Islamic teachingsare but natural and quite scientific. Few

examples as follows.Water: It is well known fact, that theimportance of water is next to oxygen. Itschemical value also has one molecule ofoxygen. Islam has also given it greatimportance, that is why stress has beengiven on cleanliness and purification ofwater.

As Prophet Mohammad (PBUH)restricted to utilise the water of weilloca-ted in ruin condition in the area of sincelong depopulated. It is established factthat the water of such type of wellsbecomes poisonous and number ofpeople reportedly succumed soon aftergetting down in the well located in theruined area. Subsequent medical reportsconfirmed the presence of poisonous gasin the well (carbon monoxide).

Theologians have described at leng-th the conditions of pure and impurewater. According tothem, if the colourofthe water has been altered due to mixingup the impurity, the same may not beutilised for the purpose of cleanliness.13

Likewise He (PBUH) warned hispeople not to leave their vessels open,for that would lead to pollution. This isclearly evident that muslims did thinkabout microbes.Diet:

Food has been given third grade inhygiene and health, clean and hygienicdiet also plays important role in· theimprovement / maintenance of health.There are numerous verses in Holy Ouranwhich instruct us towards the holy I andright direction of health e.g.

o mankind! Eat of that which islawful and! wholesome in the earth."

"0 ye messengers enjoy(All) things good and pure.and work righteousness:

Bult.Ind.Inst.Hist.Med. Vol. XXVI/' 1997

for I am well-acquintedwith (all) that ye do."The Islamic recommendation and

restriction rules have firm medical ground;some rules are clear and others maybecome clear with the development ofmedical science. Some reasonsconfirmed so far may be concluded asfollowing:

(a) Promotive and Prophylacticaspects are most common, reasons maybe clearly evident through the following:

i) Exhortation to eat clean andwholesome food, but in moderation

ii) Avoidance of the following; harm-ful and toxic food.

alcohol and otherintoxicants, carrionand blood that flows out (because of theirgreater liability to deteriorate and carryharmful contaminations).

b) Extension of anti idiolatorymeasures into food rules which prohibitthe consumption of food dedicated toidols and to anyone other than Allah.

c) avoidance of fratemization andclose social mixing with non believers,apostates and others who may exertundesirable influence on believers.

In Islam not only personal but alsoenvironmental hygiene has been givenimportance taking into consideration thepollution control. Physical as well assurrounding cleanliness are desired inIslam. Propht Mohammad (PBUH) says;

"Allah is good and likes goodness,clean and likes cleanliness, generousand likes generosity, munificant and likesmunificence, therefore clean yourentrances and yards and do not simulatethe jews who collect trash in theirhomes."15

Taking into consideration theenvironmental cleanliness, Prophet

149

(PBUH) adopted the parametershimself. Consequently he used to seekisolated places located distant frompopulation for evacuation. He directedhis followers not to evacuate on frequent-ly visited places, like roads and shadyareas. 16,15

Perfumes also play important role inthe environmental cleanliness which isliked by Prophet (PBUH). According toShah Saheb, consequent uponapplication of perfumes, human beingfeels eternal inspiration and he remainprone towards the cleanliness and hefeels strong spiritual awaring andalertness.'Discussion and conclusion:

It is not possible to cover all theProphet's medical sayings in this paper.In Holy Quran too, significant directionshave been given in this regard, which are,no doubt, benificial even inevitable forthe health of human being.

These are few glimpses of healthcare in the light of Islamic teachings. Inbrief even the western scientists are ofthe opinion regarding the medieval Arabs,that "their cities e.g. Makka, MadinaDamascus, Baghdad, Cordova andConstantinople were kept quite neat andclean. This is the main reason why theMuslim World, so long as it implementedthese teachings in health and spirit, werenot affected with serious epidemics ashave occured in different parts of theworld killing large number of people."

Great impact of Islamic teachingsparticularly with regard to the promotiveand prophylactic health aspects may beseen in the legacy of Islamic medicalscience e.g. Firdausul-Hikmat, AI-HaviFit Tib, Kamil us Sanaah, AI-qanoon FitTibb, Mualejat-e-Buqratiya, Kitabuz-

150 Promotive And Prophylactic Health Aspects - Azmi

Zakhira, Kitabut- Tasreef Kitabul-Kulliat,Kitabut Tafseer, Kitabul-Mukhtarat etc.Need not to mention that Islamic teach-ings and medicine became model for allthe subsequent ages of the modernmedicines. This is an universal truth thatif the Islamic teachings as a wholeadopted, natural age of the life along-with improved health may be achievedeasily. These teachings may also provebarrier between human being andailments.

Besides above points, the followingproblems have been also elucidated in

relevant Islamic teachings;1. Epidemics2. Dietetics: Quality and quantity of food.3. Fasting.4. Sex hygiene5. Rest and exercise6. Sleeping and awakening etc. etc.

For discussion of significant pointsunder above headings and thiercorrelation with the modern medicinerequires volumes of work and space oftime. It is not possible even to concludethe Islamic teachings in this paper.

BuIUnd.lnst.Hist.Med. Vol. XXVI/' 1997 151

REFERENCES1- Abdullah Yusuf Ali English translation and commentary of

the Holy Quran (revised and edited bythe presidency of Islamic Research.Ifta and guidance). King Fahad HolyQuran Printing complex, AI-MadinahAI Munawarah.

2- Abdul Ali 1986 Care of Health in Islam, Hamdard -Medicus, Hamdard Foundation,Karachi, Pakistan, Vol - XXIX, NO.4.Oct - Nov. 86.

3- Abdus Salam Islam and Science, Hamdard Medicus,HNF, Pakistan, Karachi, Vol. XXIX, -No.4,53-70

4- Abdus Salam, M. Islamic Rules Governing Food,Hamdard Medicus, HNF, Pakistan,Karachi, Vol. XXXII, No.4, 3-16.

5. Ghani Lutfullah Notes on Pollution in Islamic Heritage,Vol. XXXI, Nos.3,

6. Hashmir, HakimSyed Anwarul Hasan

1949 Sehat ke Lie Roza ki qadrwa Ahmiat,AI - Hakim, Lahore, June, 49, 11-14.

7. Ibn Qaiyim AI-Janzia At- Tibbun Nabawi, EI Nahda EI-HadithaLibrary, Mecca.

8. M.M Pickthall The meaning of the Glorious Koran.

9. Mahmood Akhtar,Dr. Hafiz

1993 Islami Sehat ke Islami Usool Aur JadidTahqiqat, Maarif Azarilgarh, Vol. 151,NO.6 (June '93), 423 - 438 & Vo1.152,No.1, 26-34.

1:)2 Promotive And Prophylactic Health Aspects - Azmi

10. Shahid Akhtar Medical Aspects of Islamic, fasting,Hamdard Medicus HNF Pakistan,Karachi, Vol. XXXI, 436-41.

11. Umari Sayed Jalaluddin 1994 Sehat wa Maraz aur Islami Talimat,ITTI Pan Wali Kothi, Aligarh - 202001 ,

12. Waliullah, Shah Hujjatul - ahil - Baligha (Urdu versionby Maulana Abdur Rahim) Qaumi -Kutub Khana, Lahore.

13. Marghvai, AI-Hidaya, Molvi Musafir Khana, Karachi,VoI.1,17-19.

Bull. Ind. Inst. Hist. Med. Vol. XXVII. 1997 153

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