Tibb-e-Nabawi, also known as Prophetic medicine, is a compilation of Prophet Muhammad’s health, medical, and hygiene recommendations. It takes both physical and mental well-being into account. It is based on the notion that disease is from Allah and He only provides the remedy. The use of individual foods as treatments, such as honey, black seeds, dates, and herbs (fenugreek, basil, lemongrass, and cress) was emphasized.

The recommended medical therapy to clean the infected blood was cupping (hijamah). Some of the things used as cures included the following:

Black seed :

Regarding black seeds the Prophet advised, “Use the black seed since it has a cure for everything but death.” The effectiveness of black seeds in maintaining and restoring health is well-established as they are rich in many beneficial nutrients. It supports heart health and has antioxidant, anticancer and other therapeutic properties.

Honey :

The Quran mentions honey as a therapeutic substance. According to the Quran (16:69), “There comes forth from their (bees’) bellies a drink of varying colours wherein is healing for men.” In the hadith, honey is frequently referred to as a remedy. The antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidative effects of honey are widely known in the modern world.

Olive oil :

Olive oil was applied topically and used in food. “Eat the olive oil and use it as an ointment because it is produced from a blessed tree”, said the Prophet. Olive oil helps to reduce LDL (bad cholesterol) supporting heart, brain, and vascular health. Olive oil has a variety of medicinal effects as shown by research.

Vinegar :

“Vinegar is such a great food.” The Prophet regarded vinegar as a wonderful meal. It should come as no surprise that vinegar has health benefits as an antibacterial, antioxidant, and treatment for disorders of the gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular system, and other conditions.

Diet as a cure :

It was suggested to eat meat, dates, beets, barley, figs, and other foods to stay healthy.

The prophet provided guidance on how to prevent contamination in relation to contagious diseases by establishing the idea of quarantine (“If you hear about it on the land, refrain from going to it, and if it falls on the land while you are on it, do not leave it”).

As Islam spread to the East and West, the influence of Greco-Roman medicine was felt. The humoral theory of Hippocrates became the conceptual foundation of Arabian medicine. The concept of humours divides the body fluids into four humours i.e., blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. Individuals were categorized as sanguine, phlegmatic, or choleric temperaments depending on the combination of humours. According to this view, disease results from an imbalance between these humors and can be treated by rebalancing them using purgatives or dietary changes.

Several books were written by Arab scholars on medicine, surgery, pharmacology, physiology as well as medical ethics. Translations of Greek and Roman medical materials were done under the caliphs’ rule. Caliph Harun-al Rashid formed a house of wisdom where the translation of ancient medical writings was done.

The madrassa served as the most significant institution for disseminating knowledge about medicine and other fields. Many madrassas evolved into highly specialized academies, frequently linked to hospitals. There were notable hospitals in Cairo, Harran (in modern-day Turkey), and Baghdad where students would frequently visit patients to witness their treatment by experienced doctors, similar to medical interns and residents nowadays.

One of the oldest hospitals, Bimaristan (hospital), which was founded in 638 A.D in the Iranian province of Khuzestan, withstood the change of dynasties and has since been transformed into a public hospital with a medical school.

Al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik was one of the first caliphs to establish a hospital in Damascus in 707 A.D for treating patients with disabilities like blindness and contagious diseases like leprosy. The hospital had skilled and specialized medical staff, nurses, and a well-established infrastructure. The first free public hospital in Baghdad was established by caliph Haroon Al-Rashid, who also created a system for teaching individuals how to practice medicine. He hired effective professors from around the globe, including doctors and surgeons, for instructing and training medical students.

Caliph Abd Ar-Rahman III in Cordoba, Spain got De Materia Medica (On Medical Material)- translated into Arabic. De Materia Medica is a practical study into the therapeutic properties of plants and herbs including research on cannabis and peppermint written by Dioscorides in the first century A.D. Healthcare developed during the Middle Ages, particularly during the rule of the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphs, whereas advances in healthcare in Europe had been sluggish. Hospitals in Baghdad, Damascus, Cordoba, Sevilla, and Cairo served as educational institutions for the medical field and attracted students from Europe and the Far East.

Muslim physicians and their contributions

Many Muslim physicians made significant discoveries in every field of medicine. Many of their works were translated into other languages and used for centuries.

Al Razi (Rhazes) was a physician and pharmacologist from Iran. Al Razi was the pioneer of medical study and is regarded as the father of Islamic medicine. He produced more than 200 works, many of which were later translated into Latin and formed the foundation of Western medical history. He achieved fame through advancing experimentation and observation as key components of the scientific method. His major contributions focused on extensive work on the doctor-patient relationship, a holistic approach to medicine and understanding the nature of illness by identifying the cause of disease. Al Razi ran a hospital in Baghdad. He had produced extensive writings on the nervous system and human physiology.

Ibn Sina (Avicenna), a distinguished physician and author, is credited with giving medicine a solid theoretical foundation. His book ‘Al Qanun fi Al-Tibb’ or ‘Canon of Medicine’ is a remarkable medical masterpiece. It includes an extensive guide for diagnosing and treating ailments. His diagnosis was based on checking the pulse and urine. His other writings included guidance on infant care and instructions for determining the purity of water. The medical field has benefited greatly from his work.

Ibn Al Nafis had written extensively on the respiratory and circulatory systems. He even proposed the structure of the heart, and that pulsation is due to the action of the heart. He addressed plenty of misunderstandings concerning the neurological system, the brain, the gallbladder, and bone structure. He has also made contributions to pharmacology and drug dosage. Since they were not translated into Latin, most of his works are still unknown to Western medicine.

Al Zahrawi was the court physician of caliph Al Hakam II. Abu Al Qasim Al Zahrawi (Abulcasis) compiled a 30-volume encyclopaedia ‘Al Tasrif’ (‘The Method of Medicine’) on his experiences of treating the sick, surgical techniques and instruments, pharmacology, procedures of midwifery, cauterizing and treatment of headache. Translated into Latin, this book became the foundation for medical texts in Europe. He has made a great contribution to surgery by inventing a variety of surgical instruments like scalpels, forceps, catheters, lancets, cauteries and specula. One of his great discoveries is the use of catgut to stitch the wound which is still being used today. He also introduced pain reduction techniques which were used in western medicine for a long time.

Ali ibn Sahl Rabban al-Tabari, a Persian scientist wrote ‘Firdous al-Hikmah’ (‘Paradise of Wisdom’). It was considered the first encyclopaedia of medicine in the Arabic language, written in seven parts.

Al Mawsili developed a hollow syringe to remove cataracts through suction.

Ibn Isa wrote ‘The Notebook of the Oculist’ detailing about 130 conditions of the eye in the 10th century. This book was translated into Latin in 1497 and remained a great work of reference for centuries.

Sharfuddin Sabuncuoglu was a surgeon and scholar in the 15th century. He provided the medical atlas ‘Imperial Surgery’ to the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, which comprises 140 miniatures of surgical techniques such as incisions, setting fractures, and cauterizations.

IDuring the authority of the caliphs and the period of the Prophet Muhammad, Muslim women have

contributed to healthcare by taking care of the sick, attending the wounded at the battlefield, performing surgeries, and working at hospitals. Rufaidah Al-Aslamiyyah has a strong presence in history as the first nurse in Islamic history. She was the first woman to have a mobile military clinic. She even trained many women to provide nursing aid to the wounded at the battlefield. During the battle of the trench, she treated the injured companions at the medical tents set up in the courtyard of masjid-e-Nabawi. Another female companion, Laila-bint-Abdullah (famous as ‘Al-Shifa’ for her medical skills) was known for her expertise in treating dermatological conditions like eczema, ulcers, and ant bites. The same goes for Nusaybah bint Harith, Umm Ammarah, and several more companions who actively participated in providing healthcare services. Similarly, in the times of caliphs, women have shown active participation in the field of medicine. Zainab from baniAwd, Faridah Al-Kubra, Kharqa’a Al-Amiriyyah, Bint Shihab Al-deen ibn Al-Sa’egh and numerous others have their names documented in the rich history of medicine.