The body is similar to the earth. It is fertile, but it can be a wasteland as well. If you cultivate it, water it without drowning it, and do not neglect any part of it, it will remain fertile, well irrigated, and lush, and will produce bountiful harvests and crops. But if it is neglected, it will perish and weeds will appear. The same is true for the body; monitoring and taking care of what you eat and drink will contribute to sound health and wellbeing.
Like all traditional forms of medicine, Islamic medicine is holistic and provides various therapeutic means to healing such as dhikr (remembrance of God through repetition of His Name and Attributes), prayers, dietary adjustments, aroma and herbal therapy. This wholeness stems from Islam’s cosmic vision of creation in which all creatures are closely linked.
Ibn Sina, also known as Avicenna, was a Persian polymath born over 1000 years ago in Bukhara (in present day Uzbekistan) and is known as one of the greatest philosophers, astronomers and physicians of what is known as the Islamic Golden Age.
Muslims turn to the Quran and hadith for guidance in all areas of life, including health and medical matters. As collected in the ahadith, the Prophet Muhammad SAW once said that "Allah SWT did not create a disease for which he did not also create a cure." This has led to the development of what is known today as Islamic Medicine, which includes prescriptions regarding health from the Prophet SAW himself but more often, cures derived by world renowned Muslim physicians that have approached the science of medicine from a holistic perspective based on earlier guiding Islamic principles.
Since it’s inception, Islam has prioritized a holistic approach to health. The protection of faith, property, life, progeny and mind are core principals in Islam, the latter three of which cannot be adequately observed without the diligent protection and preservation of health.
