Father of Modern Medicine

Al-Zahrawi (936-1013) -Abū al-Qāsim Al-Zahrawi was born in the city of El-Zahra, six miles northwest of Córdoba, Andalusia. He was descended from the Ansar Arab tribe who settled earlier in Spain. He lived most of his life in Córdoba. It is also where he studied, taught and practiced medicine and surgery until shortly before his death in about 1013, two years after the sacking of El-Zahra. Abū al-Qāsim was a court physician to the Andalusian Caliph Al-Hakam II. He devoted his entire life and genius to the advancement of medicine as a whole and surgery in particular.

His best work was the Kitab al-Tasrif completed in the year 1000. It is a medical encyclopedia spanning 30 volumes which included sections on surgery, medicine, orthopedics, ophthalmology, pharmacology, and nutrition. He covered a broad range of medical topics, including dentistry and childbirth, which contained data that had accumulated during a career that spanned almost 50 years of training, teaching and practice. In it he also wrote of the importance of a positive doctor-patient relationship He encouraged the close observation of individual cases in order to make the most accurate diagnosis and the best possible treatment. Al-Tasrif was later translated into Latin by Gerard of Cremona in the 12th century, and illustrated. For perhaps five centuries during the European Middle Ages, it was the primary source for European medical knowledge, and served as a reference for doctors and surgeons. Not always properly credited, Abū Al-Qāsim's al-Tasrif described both what would later became known as;

 "Kocher's method" for treating a dislocated shoulder & "Walcher position" in obstetrics.
 described how to ligature blood vessels
 developed several dental devices
 explained the hereditary nature of hemophilia
 described a surgical procedure for ligating the temporal artery for migraine
 Described the use of forceps in vaginal deliveries.
 invented and described the surgical needle

Abū al-Qāsim was therefore the first to describe the migraine surgery procedure that is enjoying a revival in the 21st century, spearheaded by Elliot Shevel a South African surgeon. In pharmacy and pharmacology, Abū al-Qāsim al-Zahrawī pioneered the preparation of medicines by sublimation and distillation. His Liber Servitoris is of particular interest, as it provides the reader with recipes and explains how to prepare the "simples" from which were compounded the complex drugs then generally used. He introduced his famous collection of over 200 surgical instruments. Many of these instruments were never used before by any previous surgeons such as scalpels, curettes, retractors, spoons, sounds, hooks, rods, and specula. His use of catgut for internal stitching is still practiced in modern surgery. The catgut appears to be the only natural substance capable of dissolving and is acceptable by the body. Abū al-Qāsim also invented the forceps for extracting a dead fetus, as illustrated in the Al-Tasrif. Abū al-Qāsim specialized in curing disease by cauterization. He invented several devices used during surgery, for purposes such as inspection of the interior of the urethra, applying and removing foreign bodies from the throat, inspection of the ear, etc. He is also credited to be the first to describe ectopic pregnancy in 963, in those days a fatal affliction.

Source: Hijamah Nation Unit Study Materials

Islam and Medicine

Excerpts from the acclaimed book "The Road to Mecca" by Leopold Weiss (Muhammad Asad), pp. 190-193.

"It was obvious to me that the decline of the Muslims was not due to any shortcomings in Islam but rather to their own failure to live up to it.

"For, indeed, it was Islam that had carried the early Muslims to tremendous cultural heights by directing all their energies toward conscious thought as the only means to understanding the nature of God's creation and, thus, of His will. No demand had been made of them to believe in dogmas difficult or even impossible of intellectual comprehension; in fact, no dogma whatsoever was to be found in the Prophet's message: and, thus, the thirst after knowledge which distinguished early Muslim history had not been forced, as elsewhere in the world, to assert itself in a painful struggle against the traditional faith. On the contrary, it had stemmed exclusively from that faith. The Arabian Prophet had declared Striving after knowledge is a most sacred duty for every Muslim (Ibn Majah)): and his followers were led to understand that only by acquiring knowledge could they fully worship the Lord. When they pondered the Prophet's saying, God creates no disease without creating a cure for it as well (Al-Hakim), they realized that by searching for unknown cures they would contribute to a fulfillment of God's will on earth: and so medical research became invested with the holiness of a religious duty. They read the Koran verse [sic], We create every living thing out of water (Al-Qu'ran, 21:30) - and in their endeavor to penetrate to the meaning of these words, they began to study living organisms and the laws of their development: and thus they established the science of biology...And in the same way they took to chemistry and physics and physiology, and to all the other sciences in which the Muslim genius was to find its most lasting monument. In building that monument they did no more than follow the admonition of their Prophet that Whoever treads a path in search of knowledge , God will make easy for him the path to paradise (Muslim); That the student of knowledge walks in the way of God (at-Tirmidhi); that the superiority of the learned over the mere pious is like the superiority of the full moon over the stars (Abu Dawud)"...

"Throughout the whole creative period of Muslim history - that is to say, during the first five centuries after the Prophet's time - science and learning had no greater champion than the lands in which Islam was supreme."

"Social life was similarly affected by the teachings of the Koran. At a time when in Christian Europe an epidemic was regarded as a scourge of God to which man had but to submit meekly at that time, and long before it, the Muslims followed the injunction of their prophet which directed them to combat epidemics by segregating the affected towns and areas. And at a time when even the kinds and nobles of Christendom regarded bathing as an almost indecent luxury; even in the poorest of Muslim houses had at least one bathroom, while elaborate public baths were common in every Muslim city (in the ninth century, for instance, Cordoba had three hundred of them): and all this in response to the Prophet's teaching that Cleanliness is part of faith (Muslim). A Muslim did not come into conflict with the claims of spiritual life if he took pleasure in the beautiful things of material life, for according to the Prophet, God loves to see the sign of His bounty on his servants (at-Tirmidhi)..."

"Little wonder, then, that as soon as it emerged beyond the confines of Arabia, Islam won new adherents by leaps and bounds. Born and nurtured in the world-contempt of Pauline and Augustianian Christianity, the populations of Syria and North Africa, and a little later Visigothic Spain, saw themselves suddenly confronted with a teaching which denied the dogma of Original Sin and stressed the inborn dignity of earthly life: and so they rallied in ever-increasing numbers to the new creed that gave them to understand that man was God's vicar on earth. This, and not a legendary 'conversion at the point of the sword', was the explanation of Islam's amazing triumph in the glorious morning of its history"

"It was not the Muslims that had made Islam great: it was Islam that had made the Muslims great."

Prophet Muhammad: A True Role Model

As Gentle as Jesus

In the early years of Muhammad’s prophethood there was fierce persecution at the hands of the polytheists of Makkah. Muhammad and the new Muslims suffered terribly from chastisement, ridicule, slander, an unjust boycott and physical torture. In spite of this, Muhammad remained steadfast, patient and took a non-reproachful attitude throughout those 14 years. Even some of his relatives took part in the vanguard of assailants. His uncle, known in the Qur’an as Abu Lahab, threw stones at him and forced his sons to divorce their wives who were two of Muhammad’s daughters. Abu Lahab’s wife, apart from shouting profanities at him, used to tie bundles of firewood and thorns and throw it in Muhammad’s path. Neighbors threw goat dung on his back while he prayed.

In all cases Muhammad (peace be upon him) would never return abusive language, slander or ridicule any of them. He would invoke God for help and justice, and in many cases ask God to guide them to Islam. While the Makkan polytheists were torturing the family of Yasser, Muhammad comforted them. He raised his hand in prayer and said, “Be patient, you will verily find your abode in Paradise.”

Although the voice of Islam was public, Muhammad advised some of his followers, particularly those who didn’t have a tribe or influential family to protect them, to conceal their faith. The Muslims were in a very weak position and it was in their best interests to show restraint from their enemies at all times.

Muhammad taught love, restraint, patience and foreboding to all his Companions. These exemplary qualities formed the foundations of a good character for fellow Muslims.

The Strategic Planner

For the ultimate and long-term success of any mission it is vital to devise and implement a strategy. Despite Muhammad being illiterate and new to leadership, at the onset of his prophethood he got ahead with planning. Just one important example of this is how he and the early Muslims of Makkah made two secret pledges with the people of Madinah to instill peace and understanding between the Muslims of both cities. It was only after the second pledge - namely, the Greater Pledge of Aqabah - that the Prophet assigned 12 people to quietly spread the message of Islam. This was 13 years after receiving his first revelation. It was through this gradual elucidation of Islam to the people of Madinah that mutual support, trust and sacrifice were fostered between them, preparing them for the eventful immigration of the Makkan Muslims to Madinah.

Even the actual immigration of Muhammad was cleverly planned to escape the pagan Arabs’ assassination attempts. It started during the night leaving his cousin, Ali, in his bed as a decoy. Muhammad and his closest friend and supporter, Abu Bakr, at first proceeded south, instead of north, to further dupe their assailants. Trusted persons delivered provisions throughout their route. They where greeted by the people of Madinah more than two weeks later.

Equality

Pre-Islamic Arab culture was fraught with racism. Arabic poetry, the pride of the Arabs, boasted of their perceived superiority as a race. When Muhammad (peace be upon him) began to preach Islam to his fellow Arabs there was fierce opposition to most of his teachings including Islam’s egalitarianism between races, tribes and nations. The essence of this concept was embedded in the Qur’anic verse: “We have made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another.”

Muhammad, however, did more than talk about equality between races. He never showed favoritism towards any tribe, and he befriended many of those who did not belong to a high-ranking tribe.

Two of his closest friends were both former slaves. Bilal was from Abyssinia and Salman was from Persia. It is important to take the historic details into context. South Saharan Africans were commonly used as slaves and Persians at that time were a declining superpower vehemently hated by the Arabs. Muhammad cherished the companionship of both men. Bilal, who was one of the first Muslims, was given the honor of chanting the call to prayer, or Adhan: the same chant that we hear from mosques all around the world today. Salman was known as a member of the Prophet’s household, although this was a title only given to the Prophet’s kin. Salman was an exception due to his close friendship with him.

Braving the Storm

Although prophets throughout time held extraordinary characteristics, it must not be forgotten that they were prone to all forms of human suffering.

The first revelation of the Qur’an descended upon Muhammad when he was privately meditating in a cave in the desert. He had no previous warning that he was to be a prophet. When the Angel Gabriel appeared squeezing his chest telling him to read, he was exhausted and terrified. Muhammad replied that he could not read and yet still Gabriel told him to read. After a third time he recited the words: “Read, in the name of your Lord Who created…” Muhammad ran shaking to his wife for comfort and some sense of the matter. He asked her to cover him with his mantel as he shivered from fear. It was after speaking to a Christian monk, familiar with the scriptures, that he learned he was to be a prophet. It took several months before he received the subsequent revelations and then became informed of his duty as God’s last messenger on earth.

For Muhammad, delivering the message of the Qur’an was a daunting task, as he knew too well how his fellow people would react. He knew about their greed, violence, idol worshipping and pagan tendencies. He expected that they would chastise him and consider him an enemy. He needed exemplary courage and guts to stand before his tribesmen and women and tell them that their concept of God and that of the forefathers will only destroy them.

Unquestionable allegiance to one’s tribe and family was sacrosanct. Never, in the history of pre-Islamic Arab tradition, written or unwritten, in conversation or poetry, did one publicly voice anger at a member of his tribe. Yet, in the Qur’an, there is the mention of the prophet’s uncle and his wife who will be thrown into hell for their denial of God’s Oneness and their aggressive ploys to stop Muhammad from delivering his message.

Muhammad (peace be upon him) was not the type to voluntarily cross red tape, nor break the sacred taboos of his tribesmen. He actually respected many of the traditions of his people and held to them as long as they did not go against Islam. His character was considered flawless even among the most uncouth of them. Considering this public rejection of his family and people was so unprecedented and yet out of Muhammad’s character, the Prophet’s people should have seen that these were not the words of their humble tribesman, but only of God.

This well-respected man, nicknamed ‘The Trustworthy’, suddenly had to challenge all the laws and customs of his people that went against the Oneness of God. This required tremendous courage even if it meant cutting ties with his kinsmen.

Model Father Figure

Despite Muhammad’s duties as a Prophet and later as a statesman, his responsibilities at home remained within his priorities. Of his seven children only his four daughters survived, as his sons died in infancy. Although his daughters lived long enough to marry and have children of their own, only Fatima, his youngest, outlived him.

Muhammad’s paternal emotions stretched beyond his own children and grandchildren. He fostered an orphan boy named Zaid and treated him as if he was his own son to the extent that he was called Zaid ibn Muhammad. It was some time later after a revelation from God that he was told that only one’s natural child had the right to take the father’s name. Henceforth, Zaid was known as Zaid ibn Harith. But that didn’t diminish Muhammad’s love for him.

Anas Ibn Malik, the famous narrator of hadith, used to do errands for the Prophet when he was a young boy. When asked about his work with the Prophet, Anas said that the Prophet never asked him: why did he do this and why did he not do that. He never scolded or shouted at Anas.

When Muhammad used to pass by young children, they would gather round to greet him. The Prophet would pass his hand over the cheek of every child making sure not to exclude any of them.

According to all the Hadith, the Prophet was known never to have chastised, beat or ridiculed any child - nor any adult for that matter. So many of the aspects of nurturing children found in good parenting books today are embedded in the skills of Muhammad himself.

Source: Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him

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