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<Home> <Health An Islamic Perspective> <Health and Medicine in the West from an Islamic Perspective> HEALTH
AND MEDICINE IN THE WEST INTRODUCTION Medicine as practiced in the West has several failings. These stem from either ethical or moral issues, or more largely because it is based on a homocentric foundation, and because it is materialistic and often atheistic. One example of the progress made by the West is in South Africa, where the economy and the society is at a very advanced level. However, the indigenous people, the Blacks lead a very primitive existence both economically and socially and there exists in South Africa, therefore, a unique situation regarding disease patterns. The white or more affluent class suffers from different disease to that suffered by the poverty-stricken blacks. Whatever diseases there are amongst both the affluent and the poor can be alleviated by following Islamic principles in both their prevention and treatment. South Africa is the most industrialised country in the continent of Africa, producing 25% of the total gross national product of the whole of Africa, 50% of its electricity, 20% of its agricultural products, and 60% of its industrial output. South Africa produces more energy than Italy, as much crude steel as France, more corn than Canada, more wool than the United States and more fish than Britain. South Africa produces more gold, vanadium, aluminium, silicate and platinum than the world, and it has the largest reserves in the world of gold, manganese ore, chrome vanadium & flouspar. It occupies a strategic position in the world because of these minerals which are vital to the space technologies of both Russia and the West, and also because every 15 minutes a supertanker leaves the Gulf to cross the Cape sea route with oil for Europe. Its medical service is the best in the continent and certain of its divisions like Vaccine production and Cardiac surgery are foremost in the world. TABLE 1
The number of Pharmacists is 5,920; and Nurses classified according to race group are as follows: This also indicates a high degree of development, as the ratio of nurses to population is 1:408. TABLE 2
TABLE 3
Baragwanath Hospital is the largest in Africa, with 2,344 beds, 1,000 nurses in training, a staff of over 400 doctors and 110 specialists, and one of the largest hospitals in the world. It is situated near Johannesburg and caters for Blacks exclusively. Its running costs annually amount to R61 million and admits 119,501 patients -compared to the most modern hospital for Whites, the Johannesburg Hospital, the cost of which is R56 million annually, but has only 33,784 patients. This disparity is evident when population figures are analysed. The ratio of black to white is 4:1 but there are 8,000 beds for Whites and 13,000 for Blacks. Black hospitals are allocated far less money than White Hospitals, which have fewer patients. The White Boksburg-Benoni hospital received R7.9 million for 9,339 admissions whilst its equivalent, the Tembisa Hospital received a million more for almost 25,000 more patients. In Pretoria at the White H.F. Verwoed Hospital it cost R45.5 million to treat 28,042 patients whilst its Black counterpart the Kalafong received R18.6 million to treat 47,223 patients. Baragwanath Hospital alone treats 1,727,270 patients whilst the 38 White hospitals treated 1,840,745 patients. At Baragwanath Hospital 26,952 babies were born whilst at the White hospitals in the whole province there were 29,910 deliveries! The bed occupancy rate in the black hospitals ranges from 92.5% to 125% whilst the occupancy rate for Whites is 16% to 65%. There is thus a curious anomaly which could only be present in a society ridden with colour prejudice and inequality where, whilst white hospitals are standing virtually empty and deserted, black hospitals are overcrowded and patients have to sleep under the beds on the floor! The total Annual Budget for health is 1,165,722,000 rands. TABLE 4
One method of judging the affluence of South Africa is to note the number of swimming pools, where there are 270,000, the highest in the world. On the otherhand, this affluence leads to destructive life styles, and South Africa leads the world in having the highest motor cycle mortality rate in the world, as well as the highest incidence of Ischaemic Heart Disease (IHD) and 60% of all deaths amongst Whites are due to what is termed 'destructive lifestyles' and which are totally preventable. The destructive lifestyles resulting from an affluent society result in the following mortality rates:- TABLE 5
Compared to other countries, the deaths from I.H.D. disease in South Africa, is rising whereas it is dropping in the United States. Deaths from motor vehicle accidents rank second in the U.S.A., South Africa and Australia whereas in England, Wales and Scotland, cancer of the Lung ranks second. In the U.S.A, the Calung ranks second and exceeds the number killed in Motor Vehicle Accidents. The death rates from CVA are dropping in England, Wales and Scotland by 10% and 29% in the U.S.A. Chronic Respiratory Diseases accounted for a smaller proportion of all deaths in South Africa and the U.S.A. compared to the U.K. The number of suicides is greater in S.A. than in Scotland and Wales but in the U.S.A. the incidence is almost double. Death from cirrhosis of the liver was much higher in the U.S.A. than England or South Africa. In South Africa, amongst the Black population this ranks as the highest killer due to a variety of factors. Amongst the Whites cirrhosis is due to alcoholism, whilst amongst the Blacks it is mainly due to malnutrition. In he European-Active range of 16-64 years over the period of 1968 to 1977 some 60% of all deaths amongst males, and 40-50% of all deaths amongst females were from such causesas IHD, CVA, lung cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, motor vehicle accidents, suicide and cirrhosis of the liver. Of these IHD can be considered as the most common cause of death, according to Prof. Wyndham, and accidents were next (cerebro-vascular accidents) with motor vehicle accidents being third in frequency. Whilst the general health of the populations of the U.S.A., Australia and the U.K. improved, during the period, there was no change in the figures, for S.A. implying that the mortality rate of leading destructive lifestyles continued. Prof. Wydham makes the following observations according to an editorial in 'The S.A. Medical Journal': Islamic Heart Disease: Remains the most serious affliction of the White population! This is far more serious amongst the Whites in S.A. than other populations with a MR of 220/100,000. The other most frequent cause of death, CVA, which is linked to Hypertension also did not decline in South Africa, as did the incidence of IHD and CVA in the rest of the world due to preventative measures being instituted. These two together account for 30% of deaths in South Africa amongst the Whites. Motor Vehicle Accidents: White South African males have the worlds highest rate for deaths from MVA and suicides. Annually S.A. loses some 1000 whites in the prime of the lives and some 200 females due to road accidents. This deprives the country, like IHD, of its most active and qualified people - the former death age being 35 and under whilst IHD is over 35. The high suicide rate amongst White males requires urgent attention according to Prof. Wyndham. Lung Cancer and Respiratory Disease: South Africa had a lesser incidence of CRD than the developed countries, and whilst the MR are dropping there, South Africa has increasing MRs due to increasing in smoking. Prof. Wyndham concludes his paper by stating that the MRS for the most prevalent of causes can be reduced significantly by vigorous involvement of the communities concerned, and a change in direction of medical effort away from hospital based curative medicine into the fields of promotion and disease prevention. Some peculiarities of medicine in South Africa: Poverty is the prerogative of the Blacks according to Pro. Ali Moosa, Professor of Pediatrics. This statement is based on his findings a preponderance of 'poverty diseases' in his department of Pediatrics like Malnutrition, Kwashiokor, gastroenteritis, Bronchitis. Disease patterns differ in the different race groups according to their degree affluence: e.g. Indian have 10 times the incidence of diabetes and heart disease compared to their compatriots in India. Whilst Whites suffer from IHD, the rate of valvular disease due to Rheumatic Disease is abnormally high in the Blacks. Rheumatic Heart Disease: This is amongst the first ten of all causes of death in the age group 15-24 years for all races in South Africa. The incidence ranges from 6.9/1000 in later years. It is a disease of poor socio-economic conditions associated with rapid urbanization and industrialization. One observer remarked that because of the high incidence of rheumatic fever and its ravages, South African surgeons (cardiac) were the most experienced in the world in prosthetic, heterograft and tissue cardiac valve replacement. Cirrhosis of the Liver: A recent study found that alcohol is the most common cause of cirrhosis in the liver of Johannesburg Blacks and that a third show signs of primary Cancer. Alcoholism: This is costing the country millions and many lives at the peak of their careers are being destroyed by the stresses gendered by an affluent society, with all its incongruities of poverty, and injustice side by side with 'hovel and shanties' and malnutrition on the one side and luxurious mansions, overeating and indulgence on the other. At a recent conference on Alcohol and Drug Dependence, the Director-General of Health for South Africa made the following observations: "That 75% of all Whites between the ages of 20 and 59 years used alcohol, and that increasing numbers of Blacks were also becoming consumers, as increased urbanization and industrialization amongst Blacks made them consume more alcohol. There are also other socio-economic factors which is the cause of this. In 1969 the per capita consumption of alcohol was 3.67 litres whilst the figure for 1980 was 6.92 litres! The consumption was increased by 69 million litres between the period 1969 and 1980. The excise duty, which was paid on alcohol was R600 million which amounted to almost two thirds of the Health Budget of South Africa. South Africans spent nearly 5 million rand per day on alcohol and on the negative side it costs the State R237 million a year due to alcohol abuse amongst Whites and Coloureds alone. In the U.S.A. this cost to the State runs to $15 billion and in the UK this amounts to £1000 million annually. It cost the State from R300 to R748 a day to treat each of the 700 institutionalised alcoholics. Almost 10,000 accidents a day take place in South Africa in which alcohol plays a part, and majority of accidents of all types are caused by alcohol abuse: Car 56%, cycle 62% and pedestrian 65%. In 1980, 7,500 died, 24,077 were seriously injured and 57,142 were less injured. According to Prof. Retief, alcohol is the fourth largest cause of death in South Africa with Cancer, Heart illness, Venereal Disease STD being the three other foremost causes. SOCIAL FACTORS Divorce: Divorce amongst the Whites: South Africa has the worlds highest divorce rate, with alcohol playing a major role in this; (33% in Johannesburg). With the 16,000 registered divorces almost 4,000 were directly due to alcohol, and the resulting damage to children was that 5,000 children were placed in foster homes. 62% of the inmates of these foster homes were there because of family breakdowns due to alcohol. One woman described her life with an alcoholic as a 'living widow' as she had to bear the major burden of looking after the children, providing for them and also for maintaining the home and taxes. It is not only the children, but the unborn child who was also affected: Foetal defects such as brain dysfunction, abnormalities, cardiovascular and musculo-skeletal abnormalities were directly caused by alcohol in 30% of the cases. Alcoholism, concludes Prof. Retief is expensive in terms of integrity, morals and values whose cost cannot be counted in economic terms, but only in socio-economic disintegration. Smoking: The causes of the high mortality rate amongst Whites due to circulatory disorders IHD, CVA, Hypertensive disease - 42% of all Whites smoke older than 16, whilst 16% of all Blacks. The Government earned 250 million rands in revenue from excise duty on Tobacco. Cigarette smoking costs South Africa R3 million a day according to the Department of Health or R1 billion per year. Last year South Africa imported 250,000 tones of wheat whereas land used at present for tobacco cultivation could be used for cultivating other crops as well as relieving the high level of malnutrition, e.g. 27% of children under 2 years in the Ciskei have Kwashiokor, whilst in another study 30% of the children in the Transkei die of malnutrition. Mental Health: South Africa is spending a major part of its health budget on the care and treatment of the mentally ill. There is also increasing incidence of mental illness due to urbanization with its consequent socio-economic problems. In South Africa alone there was a rise of 21% in the prescription of psychotropic drugs last year, and this tendency will repeat itself in all the developing countries. Life styles in the Muslim countries are becoming westernised with consequent rise in mental illness. Malnutrition and Disease: Prof Schoub states that 100,000 black children under 5 die every year from acute infantile gastroenteritis, respiratory infections and measles. The major cause of death in the third world is G.E. which is largely a disease of social deprivation associated with overcrowding, inadequate sanitation, lack of fresh water and early weaning. Tuberculosis: This is South Africa's moexpensive disease costing the country R23,000,000 annually whilst only 5% of patients are receiving therapy. Comparisons of the risk of TB are as follows: South Africa (Blacks) 2.2% risk of infection Kenya, Lesotho, Zaire 2.3% Egypt, Ghana, Maputo 3-4% Algeria, Morocco, Transkei 4-5% Botswana, Swaziland 5-7% It is important to note that separation of the Bantu homelands shows a decreased incidence of TB in South Africa than is actually the case of the estimated 110,000 cases annually only 45,000 are diagnosed. Serious socio-economic problems coupled with nutritional problems are a cause for this high incidence amongst Blacks. Failures of TB treatment is due to a patient-orientated approach, and not a national or global approach. There is a wrong emphasis on control measures, little or no research, control is haphazard with insufficient beds and nurses. Hypertension: Also a major problem in South Africa which if adequately treated would need 6,000 doctors in South Africa alone, according to Prof. Clarence, Principal of the Natal University during the 3rd Congress of the Hypertension Society of South Africa. Prof. Clarence then went on to say that this was an impossible task, and it was clear that a change in lifestyles would have to be advocated. Several authorities in different fields have suggested a new approach to the treatment and prevention of illness in order to reach an ideal solution. One starting point, by an Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the University of Witwatersrand said that the Medical School should rather be called a health school. Is there a solution to the blind meanderings of western authorities regarding what is health and what is treatment? The solution is Islamic Medicine. Islamic medicine is one of the best known of the heritages of the Muslim world to the West, since by the ninth century of the Hijra, the Arab world could boast of sophisticated medical schools, specialized hospitals and wards for the treatment of the different diseases, and for the origin of pharmacology and the introduction of the experimental method in medicine by the use of animals. The profound truths contained in the Qur'an and the Hadith were the impetus to the development of medicine in Islam due to the fact that medicine was regarded as being sacred since it originated from the prophet himself. Since the cultural and intellectual development of a society depends on its political stability, its economic progress and its commitment to an ideological cause, i.e. religious fervour, medicine in Islamic countries suffered the same fate as did the society, i.e. with the decline of political hegmony, there was a period of withdrawal, recession, followed by stagnation which has persisted for the last seven centuries. With progress and industrilisation of the 3rd world countries it is inevitable, that with the modernisation and many of its technological benefits, many of the failures of the western systems will also become manifest. This is particularly evident in the prevalence of disease patterns, which are being inherited by the underdeveloped countries from their more advanced counterparts. Under foreign and colonial rule most of the Muslim countries had to resort to western systems of education and had to rely on foreign systems of training of medical and other personnel. In the field of medical treatment too, it is but natural that therapies will be borrowed by the new countries, many of which would be contrary to the principles of treatment prescribed by the Qur'an and the Sunnah -the Tibb-al-Nabawie. Since most of the medical practioners and health workers are being trained in the modern or western countries, the entire world-view (weltanschauuing) of Western medicine is homocentric, whilst that of Islamic medicine is theocentric, in accordance with the directives contained in the Qur'an and the Prophetic Traditions (Hadith). Medicine It is well recognised that many of the diseases, which lead to the major causes of death in the West are iatrogenic, i.e. produced by man himself. These causes could be classified as follows:
Heart attacks, Strokes, Hypertension, the majority of them due to "destructive lifestyles".
Emphysema and Chronic Bronchitis and cancer of the lung due to environmental pollution occasioned by man himself, mainly smoking and industrial pollution.
Diabetes, Gout, Kidney and Gall Stones, Hyperlipedemia are related to diet.
Cancer has been shown to be caused by external stimuli such as: Cancer of the colon due to lack of fibre in the diet. Stomach cancers predominate in the Japanese probably due to dietary factors, as is cancer of the esophagus in the Transkeins in South Africa. Cancer of the liver has been traced to an aflatoxin in contaminated wheat and maize products. Cancer of the tongue is due to betel chewing in Indians and Pakistanis. Lung Cancer is due to cigarette smoking and air pollution. Cancer of the pancreas has lately been shown as being due to coffee drinking in excess. Cancer of the ovaries has been shown by a South African researcher to have dietary links. Food additives and colouring have also been implicated in cancer causation. Cancer of the bladder is due to opium and coffee drinking in excess. Fasting has been shown to affect the Nitrosomic Reactions in the bowel and thus fasting prevents Cancer.
Infections have been attributed in many countries where there are dietary deficiencies and imbalances to cause a high incidence of respiratory illnesses and deaths due to gastroenteritis as also cirrhosis of the liver. It will be seen that the major causes have a dietary link, which led Imam Zahabi to the state that the entire medicine is contained in half an ayat (verse) of the Qur'an which states: 'EAT AND DRINK BUT NOT TO EXCESS'. (S.7: V.31) The fact that disease is due to faults in nutrition has been mentioned in the six essentials or Prophetic Medicine which was recognized since the earliest of times in Islamic medicine. As late as this decade, the Western definition of a 'balanced diet' is given as follows: A balanced diet is that which consists of foods containing all the essentials for growth and maintenance of sustained good health. This definition was considered unsatisfactory, because it did not refer to either proportions of the various nutrients, which led the author to redefine a balanced diet as follows: 'A balanced diet is one in which all the necessary (and no unwholesome) items of nutrition are present, in proportions and amounts best suited for growth and the maintenance of sustained good health'. This definition, however does not accord with the Sunnah, where the Qur'an lays stress on under eating, and which is confirmed by the Hadith which states that the stomach is divided into thirds, each containing solids, liquids and air, in equal portions. The Hadith also elaborates on this aspect of eating in moderation, by stating that the stomach is a tank of disease that overeating leads to slothfulness and dulls the intelligence, and that meat should not be eaten daily. There remains much work to be done in publicising the dietary rules according to the Sunnah in the prevention of disease, including the posture of eating, i.e. that one should not lean against the wall whilst eating, or in a recumbent position, that one should drink water in sips, etc. that shoes should be removed, and that the saying of Bismillah before eating, whilst acknowledging the bounteousness of Allah, was also to seek protection from the deleterious effects of food! Refinement in eating was brought about by the noble Prophet, since before Islam, the custom was to gulp food and overeat. Fasting was enjoined in the Qur'an in the earliest Surahs, and certain foods were forbidden to humans, e.g. pork, which only lately has been elucidated to contain 'hard fats' which are deleterious to health. (S.2: V.174 & S.5: V.4, 6, 119, 120, 146, 16, 116). Pork also results in the foremost cause of Epilepsy in South African Blacks due to Cysticercous of the brain.
Dietary factors paediatrics have lately been recognised to play a leading role in even the prevention of heart attacks and other related diseases, and breast feeding has acquired a new found status in the West after its advantages had been proven to show a lesser incidence of illness, its immunological role is due to the presence of macrophages, by the presence of IgA which protects the surface of the GI tract from bacterial invasion. Its immunological role is due to the presence of maternal macrophages and antibodies. Cow's milk is high in IgG and low in IgA. Consequently cow's milk does not offer the same protection as mothers' milk does. Because human babies grow slowly compared to the young of other species, human milk is lower in protein than cow's milk. Urbanisation leads to artificial feeding which is detrimental to the health of the baby. Breast fed infants also did better than artificially fed infants both physically and intellectually. The importance of this is stressed in the Qur'an in Surah Baqarah 2:234 where a "child should only be weaned after 2 years and foster mothers were recommended for cases where breast milk was unavailable from baby's own mother. The glut of artificial foods and the advertising that is taking place in the third world should be curbed.
The use of miswak is sufficient indication of the role played by hygienic habits. The Hadith from Ibn Abbas RDA, on the benefits of the miswak which can be summarised as follows: that it perfumes the mouth, strengthens the gums and teeth, dissolves plaque and phlegm, and opens the stomach, i.e. increases appetite. It is an act of ibadah, which pleases the angels as well as Allah, could not be improved upon by modern day dentists. It does not have to be bold to say that the flouridation of drinking water as practiced in the developed countries, with its possible harmful effects, would be entirely unnecessary if proper dental hygiene as enjoined by the Sunnah is practiced. Here we have an ideal example of the West treating symptoms resulting in harmful effects from treatment, and not regarding causes.
The scourge of alcohol and habit forming drugs is all too evident in the West where these have wrought more social havoc and destroyed more lives than any of the wars which plagued mankind, yet the West fails to heed the Qur'anic injuctions that all intoxicants are harmful and should be prohibited. The miracle of the Qur'an as a medium of effecting social change is evident when we consider the circumstances of the ayat prohibiting alcohol. At a single command, the streets of Medina were flowing with spilled wine. This was achieved on the basis of faith alone, whilst the West spends millions in trying to rehabilitate alcoholics, and drug addicts, it does nothing to alter the spiritual condition of the addicts, it does nothing to alter the spiritual condition of the addicts, or the social un-lslamic environment. This latter factor accounts for the large number of relapses amongst alcoholics since no treatment is given for the underlying sociological factors. Muslims can justifiably be proud of this achievement which should serve as a beacon to the entire world on the handling of this problem which is destroying countless lives at the peak of their existence, yet it is tragic that Muslim doctors are still advocating western methods of treatment for the addicted. Calls for bans on smoking in the West are gaining momentum, since it was realised that smoke and pollutants are the cause of severe disabling pulmonary diseases, including cancer of the lung. In a fatwa by the Saudi Sheikh Muhammad bin Ibrahim cigarette smoking is contrary to the Sunnah, and Muslims are falling prey to western media which advertise smoking. Muslim governments should immediately halt the importation and manufacture of cigarettes. E. Geriatrics: Many illnesses amongst the elderly are due to faults in nutrition. Indeed the process of ageing can be considerably influenced by a proper diet. Many of their illnesses can also be caused by their being dumped in old age homes and the lack of a family unit, isolation and loneliness are situations which should not occur in Muslim society if due attention is paid to the injuctions of the Qur'an on the attitude and care of parents and the elderly, that not even a word of anger is to be directed at them, that paradise lies under a mother's feet, etc. S.6: 152, S.17: V.24, 25, S.29: V.9 & S.31:V.15. F. Gynaecology: Cancer of the cervix has been shown in many centres to be less amongst Muslims due to circumcision of males. The Qur'an has also prohibited sexual relations during menstruation. Professor Badri states that the Qur'an is the most advanced manual on Sexology extant and has freed Muslims from many inhibitions which are harmful to the development of a healthy society, as well as curbing licentious and all immoral behaviour. Prof. Ansari states that in the protection of society, Islam regards immorality, and more particularly sexual immorality as being greater in magnitude than murder or theft. G. Venerealogy: New diseases like AIDS and the scourge of venereal diseases can be entirely prevented by Islamic norms of behaviour. This is greatest boon given to mankind by Allah in the numerous verses dealing with sexual behaviour in the Qur'an. H. Thanatology: This is a subject which has received scant attention in medical schools in the West whereas the Prophetic medicine and Muslims have centuries ago prescribed proper care, and preparation of the dying and the terminally ill. I. Dermatology: Personal hygiene and cleansing of the skin is considered to be of such importance that it is mentioned in the Book of Allah from the earliest of Revelations, since it is the largest organ in the body. Ibn Qayyam states that the act of wudu is for the removal of external impurities, and the face or skin is the mirror of man, whilst the salaat is for the removal of internal disorder. J. Exercise and Rest: In the Sittah Durruriah, (the six principles) exercise and rest have been mentioned in the causation or disease and its prevention:
Centuries ago, the ulama (doctors) knew of the physical benefits of the salaat and the various postures of the salaat were analysed and commented upon: The ruku and sajda have an effect upon the venous return to the heart and thus stimulate the heart, whilst the spinal and abdominal muscles which were used during the qiyam, gave tone to the blood vessels. The sajda served to cure headaches (by assisting drainage) and this principle is still used in the treatment of congestive sinusitis. However, the main benefits of the salaat are psychological and will be shown in this paper to contribute to a very large extent to the mental well-being of Muslims. Imam Zahabi states that prayer was to 'remove bad thoughts, put out the fire of anger, frustration and conflict and calls upon one to submit in humbleness to one's Creator'. Prayer submerges ones ego with all its subhuman or evil tendencies, i.e. it assists in erasing the 'programmed memories of stress stimulus-response' situations which if repeated often enough, and given no opportunity of erasure cause a permanent chemical reaction to be set up in the body, which has been shown to cause raised blood pressure, excess insulin is secreted and abnormal demands on the body are effected. Prayer thus will not only prevent physical illness, but by achieving 'homeostasis' or stability leads to the creation of developing positive attitudes: i.e. one has to depend upon Allah to solve ones problems, to ask Him for assistance. These positivistic attitudes remove most of the negative attitude of helplessness, of isolation, uncertainty and mental confusion, which are the major factors in the causation of neuroses and later depression - the most common of the milder mental illnesses afflicting mankind. That the emotions have a profound effect upon heawas well known to the Prophet Muhammad, which is evident from the Hadith, that when a man came to the Messenger for advice, he was told never to be angry. This is also confirmed in the Qur'an where those 'who restrain their anger' are promised the reward of Paradise (S.3: V.134). A Hadith also states that anger is Satanic, and in since the Devil is created from fire, the antidote is water. Thus the performance of a 'wudu' is prescribed for the treatment of anger, a most effective and cheap remedy, available to all for resolving nervous tension without resorting to drugs, which in themselves cause immense harm. It was a prophetic principle that the remedy of any illness was firstly by diet, by following the Sunnah, then by drugs and lastly but not exclusively by prayer. The act of the wudu and the salaah, plus the mental preparation and participation, leads to the development of one's personality since it entails forbearance, forgiveness and nobility. Resorting to tranquillisers, so prevalent in the West, for the resolution of minor problems, only creates further problems, and does not solve the situation at all. Indeed drug addicts are being produced and doctors are guilty of having an inadequate and uninformed response to the whole problem of the minor mental illnesses. The Prophet also prescribed unique remedies for the treatment of sorrow, apprehension and fear, two of the major causes of neuroses. He prescribed that the reading of the two Surahs, the Mu'awwaidhatan which teaches man how to seek refuge in Allah and to ask for His protection. These are anchors in the present day treatment of neuroses, whose base is insecurity and helplessness. The Qur'an states that the rememberance of Allah lends tranquillity to the heart: FOR WITHOUT DOUBT IN THE REMEMBRANCE OF GOD DO HEARTS FIND SATISFACTION. (S.13: V.28) However, the greatest role of the Qur'an would be in the prevention and treatment of psychoses, the major form of mental illness. To enable us to appreciate better this statement regarding the scope of Western psychology, the domain of abnormal psychoses, one would have to obtain the structure of the Consciousness, according to Islamic derivations. K. Psychology and Psychiatry: The Prophet was the first to observe mental illness objectively in a Jewish youth and Muslims have the credit for establishing the first mental hospital in the world where music was played for those confined to these wards. Muslims were also the first to discard the demonological theories of concerning mental illness and therefore lifted the study of these two disciplines to a scientific level. It would suffice to review briefly the theories of Western psychology to better understand the Islamic viewpoint, which is in complete contrast. Originating from the Greek word 'psyche' which was equated to the soul, to the modern definition of psychology which is the study of human behaviour, one can perceive that modern psychologists have deviated from earlier views which were more in accord with the Islamic conceptions, to the latter views which are materialistic. Freud derived most of his views from the Talmud, and 'consciously or unconsciously secularised Jewish mysticism' since it is beyond dispute that it played a decisive role in his thought. Research in this field is of utmost importance, since the treatment of the mentally ill according to Western concepts has not resulted in much success. Treatment of the mentally ill is confined to the masking of symptoms by the prescribing of sedative drugs, and other drastic measures, such as ECT (Shock) have been largely abandoned due to the unequivocal results obtained. Western psychotherapy has also been criticised in a book published in the U.S.A. Based on fifteen years of research by a US clinical psychologist Dr. B. Zilbergeld, reveals many misconceptions about psychotherapy and counseling. He concludes that professional therapy in the United States is 'overpromoted, over used and overvalued' and challenges eight myths about therapy. According to the Sunnah, Muslims have a far superior mode of therapy of the mentally ill, which results in not only relieving the patient of his symptoms, but also of redirecting the centres of energy contained in the nafs to its higher levels in the Ruh. The qalb-ruh circuit requires that the individual ennoble himself with the actualisation of the Hadith: "Imbibe yourself with the qualities of the Divinity". i.e. that he should direct all activity according to the dictums of the Noblest Exemplar according to the Quranic injunction: YOU HAVE IN THE NOBLE MESSENGER OF ALLAH, THE BEST EXAMPLAR. (S.33: V.21) and in doing to act in harmony with the rest of creation, to radiate peace and goodwill, and to serve others rather than crave attention to himself and his symptoms. A mumin operating on the proper Ruh-Qalb circuit will not overeat, thus his health will be safeguarded, to enable him to save his fellow men in the removal of injustices, want, poverty and hunger. The verse in Surah Bani Israel, in which Allah states that: WE REVEAL THE QUR'AN OF WHICH THERE ARE PARTS WHICH ARE A HEALING AND MERCY TO THE MUMINS. (S.17: V.82) (i.e. a higher status than Muslims) proves that the Qur'an is the Book of Healing. According to the injunctions contained in Surah almaidah, V.35, it is incumbent on Muslims to save life, and whoever gives life to one, it is as if he has given life to all mankind'. Muslim medical men and women have thus also the Hadith to inspire them to greater efforts: 'For every disease there is a cure'. Dr. Muti-al-amin Kilaji states that it is this statement which led to the search for new medicines after which the foundations were laid down by Muslims for pharmacology, and it should still serve to stimulate the present and future generations to greater efforts. Similarly more effort is needed in propagating the wisdom contained in the six prophetic principles of medicine, which will lead to better and more complete therapies of illnesses, as well as their prevention. Finally, mental illness is bound to increase as the underdeveloped countries advance technologically and adopt western norms, and it is a unique challenge for all Muslims to alleviate the sufferings of all humanity for which the Qur'an and the Sunnah are destined to playa leading role, inshallah. The Qur'an repeatedly enjoins the feeding of the hungry, and it evoked the greatest social revolution in the history of mankind when it urged man to unite in calling others to the Truth, for the suppression of evil, and for lowering the wing of forebearance and mercy to those who cannot see the light. The Sunnah and the Qur'an should serve to initiate a revolution in medical care as an example for all the world! This is the
task, which the Islamic Medical Associations should strive for, inshallah. REFERENCES
9a. SCOUB "SAMAJ. Viral disease in SA" (in print)
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