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Question :
I heard in a lecture that
medical scientists or doctors claim that many medicines & treatements
have been discovererd&propounded by inferring facts frm the Holy
Quran.
Now my question is, Is that
all regarding medicine is mentioned in the Holy Quran? Or is there more
left which we've to still put into use?
I'm asking this question
with regards to an earnest request frm a friend of mine, a hindu named
Vignesh and he asked me whether there r matters left still in the Holy
Quran to control some of these deadly diseases.
Answer :
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
Allaah sent Muhammad (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) with a religion that covers all
aspects of life, as Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) left us and
no bird flapped its wings in the sky except that he had taught us some
knowledge about it.
(Narrated by Ahmad, 20399. See Majma’ al-Zawaa’id, 8/263.
al-Haythami said: it was narrated by al-Tabaraani and its men are the men
of saheeh apart from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Yazeed al-Muqri’ who is
thiqah (trustworthy)).
Islam came to meet the
needs of people in all aspects of their lives.
Secondly:
What is narrated in the
Sunnah from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
complements what is in the Qur’aan. These two sources are the principal
sources for Muslims. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) has told us that Allaah has not sent down any disease but He has also
sent down a cure for it.
It was narrated from Abu
Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah has not sent down any
disease but He has also sent down a cure for it.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari,
5678.
Thirdly:
What the questioner has
mentioned, that some Muslims say that many remedies were discovered through
the Holy Qur’aan, we say that this is somewhat exaggerated.
The Qur’aan is not a book
of medicine or geography or geology as some Muslims like to say to
westerners. Rather it is a book of guidance for mankind and one of the
greatest of its miracles is its eloquence and the ideas and concepts that
it contains. This is the main aspect of its miraculous nature. Allaah
revealed it to His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) at a
time when eloquence had reached great heights, so this book came to amaze
those people and challenge them in their area of expertise, to prove to
them that it was from Allaah.
This is not strange, and it
is nothing new in religion. The signs of Moosa (peace be upon him) – his
stick and his hand – were of the kind that was prevalent during his time,
which was magic (sihr). The signs of ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) – raising
the dead and healing the blind and lepers – were of the kind that his
people were skilled in and that was widespread among them, which was
medicine.
Hence we say that the
greatest feature of the Qur’aan is its eloquence. Scholars nowadays are
still discovering new aspects of its eloquence through their study of its
verses.
This does not mean that
there is no other miraculous aspects to the Qur’aan. Rather in some verses
Allaah mentions things about the design of the human body, the stages of
its creation and development, some natural phenomena, etc.
But with regard to cures
for various diseases, as the questioner mentions, the Qur’aan is a healing
for the believers. This includes healing the heart (mental or spiritual disease)
and physical healing. Allaah mentions honey in the Qur’aan and says that it
is a healing for mankind. And He mentions the principle of preserving good
health and guarding against sickness. So whoever says that the Qur’aan says
a lot about medicine in this regard is right, but whoever goes beyond that
is exaggerating. Rather this is a kind of exaggeration coined by some
Muslims. The Qur’aan is not a book of medicine. There are some diseases
that did not exist previously, so how could their cure come – according to
what the questioner says – before they appeared?
Fourthly:
(a)
The following are some of the verses which indicate that the Qur’aan
is healing:
Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning):
“And We send down of the Qur’aan that which is a healing and
a mercy to those who believe”
[al-Isra’ 17:82]
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah
have mercy on him) said:
Allaah says “And We send
down of the Qur’aan that which is a healing and a mercy to those who
believe”. The correct view is that the word min (translated here as “of”)
serves to explain the nature of the Qur’aan as a whole, not to refer to
parts of it and not other parts.
Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning):
“O mankind! There has come to you a good advice from your
Lord (i.e. the Qur’aan, enjoining all that is good and forbidding all that
is evil), and a healing for that which is in your hearts”
[Yoonus 10:57]
The Qur’aan is the complete
healing for all mental, spiritual and physical diseases, all diseases of
this world and the Hereafter. But not everyone is guided to use it for the
purpose of healing. If the sick person uses the Qur’aan for healing in the
proper way, and applies it to his disease with sincerity, faith, complete
acceptance and firm conviction, fulfilling all its conditions, then no
disease can resist it.
How can disease resist the
words of the Lord of heaven and earth which, if He had revealed it to the
mountains they would have crumbled and if He had revealed it to the earth
it would have broken it apart? There is no sickness, spiritual or physical,
but in the Qur’aan there is that which indicates its remedy, its cause and
how to protect against it for those who are blessed with understanding of
His Book.
Zaad al-Ma’aad, 4/352
(b) The
Qur’aan contains the treatment for hearts and souls, and as such it is a
means of expelling all sicknesses from the body. In this regard the Qur’aan
is a healing and a remedy for many diseases.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah
have mercy on him) said:
We and others have tried
this on many occasions and we have seen that it works in ways that physical
remedies do not. Indeed we now regard physical medicine as the doctors
regard folk medicine. This is in accordance with the law of divine wisdom,
not contrary to it, but the causes of healing are many and varied. When the
heart is in contact with the Lord of the Worlds, the Creator of the disease
and the remedy, the Controller of nature Who directs it as He wills, he has
other remedies apart from the remedies that are sought by the heart that is
far away from Him and that turns away from Him. It is known that when a
person’s spirits are high and his body is in good shape, they cooperate in
warding off disease and suppressing it, so if a person is in high spirits
and physical good shape, finds comfort in being close to his Creator,
loving Him, enjoying remembrance of Him (dhikr), devoting all his strength
and power for His sake and focusing on Him, seeking His help, putting his
trust in Him, how can anyone deny that this is the greatest medicine or
that this spiritual power gives him the means to ward off pain and defeat
it completely? No one would deny this but the most ignorant of people,
those who are furthest away from Allaah and the most hard-hearted and
unaware of human nature.
Zaad al-Ma’aad 4/12
(c) In
the Qur’aan there is Soorat al-Faatihah which is a ruqyah to be recited as
a prayer for healing.
It was narrated that Abu
Sa’eed (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “A group of the companions of
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) set out on a
journey and traveled until they stopped in (the land of) one of the Arab
tribes. They asked them for hospitality but they refused to welcome them.
The chief of that tribe was stung by a scorpion and they tried everything
but nothing helped them. Some of them said, ‘Why don’t you go to those
people who are camped (near us), maybe you will find something with them.’
So they went to them and said, ‘O people, our chief has been stung by a
scorpion and we have tried everything but nothing helped him. Can any of
you do anything?’ One of them said, ‘Yes, by Allaah, I will recite ruqyah
for him, but by Allaah we asked you for hospitality and you did not welcome
us, so I will not recite ruqyah for you until you give us something in
return.’ Then they agreed upon a flock of sheep.’ Then he went and spat
drily and recited over him Al-hamdu Lillaahi Rabb il-‘Aalameen [Soorat
al-Faatihah]. (The chief) got up as if he was released from a chain and
started walking, and there were no signs of sickness on him. They paid them
what they agreed to pay. Some of them (i.e. the companions) then suggested
to divide their earnings among themselves, but the one who performed the
ruqyah said, ‘Do not divide them until we go to the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) and tell him what happened, then wait and
see what he tells us to do.’ So they went to the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and told him what had happened. The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) asked, ‘How
did you know that it (al-Faatihah) is a ruqyah?’ Then he added, ‘You have
done the right thing. Share out (the flock of sheep) and give me a share
too.’ And the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) smiled.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari,
2156; Muslim, 2201
Ibn al-Qayyim said
concerning Soorat al-Faatihah:
Whoever is guided by Allaah
and is given good insight to understand the deep meaning of this soorah and
what it contains of Tawheed, understanding of the Divine nature, the names,
attributes and actions of Allaah, the Divine decree, the Resurrection,
rejecting any misconception that undermines the concept of the Oneness of
the Divine Lordship and Divine nature, complete trust in Allaah and
referring all one’s affairs to the One Who has full control of all things –
to Him be all praise, for all goodness is in His hand and to Him all things
return – and feeling in need of Him in seeking guidance that is the root of
happiness in this world and in the Hereafter, will realize the connection
between the contents of this soorah and bringing good and warding off evil.
He will understand that ultimate goodness and blessing is connected to this
soorah and is dependent upon understanding it and acting upon it. Then this
soorah will make him independent of many other kinds of medicine and
ruqyah, and it will open the door to a great deal of goodness and ward off
a great deal of evil.
Zaad al-Ma’aad, 4/347
(d) The
Qur’aan mentions the principle of maintaining good health.
Ibn al-Qayyim said:
The basic principles of
medicine are three: prevention, maintaining good health, and removing
harmful substances from the body.
Allaah has mentioned them
all together, to His Prophet and his ummah in three places in His Book.
He prevented the sick
person from using water lest it harm him, as He says (interpretation of the
meaning):
“And if you are ill, or on a journey, or one of you comes
after answering the call of nature, or you have been in contact with women
(by sexual relations) and you find no water, perform Tayammum with clean
earth and rub therewith your faces and hands (Tayammum)”
[al-Nisa’ 4:42]
Allaah allowed the sick
person to do tayammum to protect him, just as He permitted it to the one
who has no water.
Allaah says concerning the
maintenance of good health:
“and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of
days which one did not observe Sawm (fasts) must be made up] from other
days”
[al-Baqarah 2:185]
The traveller is allowed to
break his fast during Ramadaan, to protect his health lest the combination
of fasting and the difficulties of travel weakens him and affects his
health.
And Allaah said concerning
the removal of harmful things by shaving the head of the person in ihraam
(for Hajj or ‘Umrah):
“And whosoever of you is ill or has an ailment in his scalp
(necessitating shaving), he must pay a Fidyah (ransom) of either observing
Sawm (fasts) (three days) or giving Sadaqah (charity — feeding six poor
persons) or offering sacrifice (one sheep)”
[al-Baqarah 2:196]
So if a person has an
ailment in his scalp when he is in ihraam, he is permitted to shave his
head and remove the harmful thing or the bad substance that is causing lice
to develop – as happened to Ka’b ibn ‘Ajrah – or if it is causing sickness
to develop.
These three matters are the
basic principles of medicine. We have mentioned an example of each one in
order to point out the blessing of Allaah to His slaves in preventing
sickness, protecting their health and removing harmful substances from
them, as a mercy and kindness towards His slaves, for He is the Most Kind,
Most Merciful.
Zaad al-Ma’aad, 1/164, 165
Ibn al-Qayyim said: On one
occasion I discussed this with one of the chief doctors of Egypt, and he
said: By Allaah if I had to travel to the west to obtain these benefits
that would not be too much – or words to that effect.
Ighaathat al-Lahfaan, 1/25
(e)
Mention of honey in the Qur’aan, and that it is a healing for
mankind.
Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
“There comes forth from their [bees’] bellies, a drink of
varying colour wherein is healing for men”
[al-Nahl 16:69]
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah
have mercy on him) said:
With regard to the
Prophet’s guidance concerning drinking, it is the most perfect guidance
that maintains good health. He used to drink honey mixed with cold water.
This is very healthy and no one can understand how healthy it is except the
most prominent doctors. For drinking honey on an empty stomach dissolves
phlegm, cleanses the stomach, reduces its viscosity, washes away waste
matter, warms it up a little and opens its inlet and exit. It has a similar
effect on the liver, kidneys and urethra. It is more beneficial to the
stomach than any other kind of sweet that enters it. However it may cause
side effects in people who are suffering from jaundice because it is hot
and jaundice is hot, so it may aggravate it; in order to avoid this effect
vinegar may be added, then honey will become beneficial and drinking it
will be more useful than many or most of the drinks that are made from
sugar, especially for those who are not used to these drinks, for if they
drink them they will not suit them as well as honey does, or even come
close.
With regard to drinking it
when it is collected and well-prepared, this is one of the most beneficial
things for the body, and one of the greatest means of preserving health; it
is very refreshing and energizing, and it is good for the liver and heart.
If it is well-prepared it provides nutrition and makes food reach all parts
of the body in the most effective manner.
Zaad al-Ma’aad, 4/224, 225
And he said (may Allaah
have mercy on him):
Honey contains great
benefits, for it cleanses impurities from the veins and stomach etc,
whether it is eaten or applied to the skin. It is good for the elderly, the
phlegmatic and those whose humours are cold and wet. It is nourishing, aids
digestion, energizes, makes unpleasant medicine palatable, is good for the
liver and chest, is a diuretic and helps to ease coughs caused by phlegm.
If it is drunk warm mixed with rosewater it is beneficial for one who has
been bitten by a scorpion or who has consumed opium. If it is drunk on its
own mixed with water, it is good for the one who has been bitten by a rabid
dog or eaten poisonous mushrooms. If fresh meat is placed in honey, it will
stay fresh for three months, as will cucumbers, pumpkins and eggplants.
Many fruits can be kept in it for six months. It will also preserve a dead
body, and it is known as the trustworthy preserver. If the body of one who
is afflicted with lice is painted with honey, it will kill the lice and
their eggs. It makes the hair long, beautiful and smooth. If used on the
eyes like kohl it clears the vision. If the teeth are brushed with it, it
whitens the teeth and makes them bright, and keeps the gums healthy. It
opens the veins and induces menstruation. If taken on an empty stomach it
takes away phlegm and cleanses the stomach, clearing away waste matter and restoring
the correct temperature. It does likewise to the liver, kidneys and
urethra.
As well as all
this, it has no side effects and causes little harm. It may cause side
effects in one who is suffering from jaundice, but that may be counteracted
by vinegar and the like, in which case it becomes very beneficial for him.
It is a kind of
nourishment, a kind of medicine, a kind of drink, a kind of sweet, a kind
of cream. There is nothing that has been created for us for a similar
purpose that is better than it, or even comes close. The ancient peoples
relied on it, and in most of the books of the ancients there is no mention
of sugar at all and it was unknown to them, for it is something that is
very new. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to
drink honey mixed with water on an empty stomach, and this is the secret of
maintaining good health that no one can understand except one who is
intelligent and blessed.
Zaad al-Ma’aad,
4/33, 34.
Location: Islam Q&A
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