11.5.1 CURE OF DISEASE

Every disease has a treatment. Allah did not reveal any disease without also creating its cure. Humans are encouraged to seek treatment. Some people may know the cure and others may ignore it but it nevertheless exists. The Qur’an described cure of prophet Ayyub’s disease (21:83-84 & 38:41-44) and how Isa (PBUH) cured chronic diseases (3:49 & 5:11). Humans try, but it is Allah who cures (21:83-84 & 38:41-42). Disease treatment is part of qadar (Tirmidhi K26 B21). Seeking treatment does not contradict qadar or tawakkul. Disease treatment is part of qadr and is reversal of qadar by another qadar, rad al qadr bi al qadr.

11.5.2 PREVENTIVE MEDICINE, tibb wiqa’i:

Preventive medicine, tibb wiqa’i, is covered under the Qur’anic concept of wiqayat. The Qur’an has used the concept of wiqaya in many situations to refer to taking preventive action. Prevention is therefore one of the fixed laws of Allah in the universe and its application to medicine therefore becomes most obvious. The concept of prevention, wiqayat, does not involve claiming to know the future or the unseen, ghaib, or even trying to reverse qadar. The human using limited human knowledge attempts to extrapolate from the present situation and anticipates certain disease conditions for which preventive measures can be taken. Only Allah knows for sure whether the diseases will occur or not. The human uses knowledge of risk factors for particular diseases established empirically to predict disease risk. Preventive action usually involves alleviation or reversal of those risk factors.

11.5.3 CURATIVE MEDICINE, tibb ‘ilaji:

Curative medicine, tibb ‘ilaj, may be spiritual, physical or both. Non-invasive approaches aiming at assisting the body fight disease are preferred to riskier invasive approaches.

11.5.4 MODALITIES OF TREATMENT

Among spiritual approaches to disease management is use of dua from the Qur’an (17:82) and hadith as ruqiy.The formulas for ruqy reported from the prophet, al ruqiy al mathuur, are surat al fatihat, surat al falaq, surat al naas, ayat al kursi, and various supplications by the prophet, dua ma’athurat. Other spiritual cures are reciting the Qur’an (Ibn Majah K31 B28, dua (Ahmad 2:446), asking for protection from Allah, isti’adhat and salat (Ibn Majah K31 B10). Among physical approaches to disease management are: diet, natural agents (chemical, animal and plant products), manufactured chemical agents, surgery, and physical treatment like heat. Physical approaches can reverse disease pathology, mitigate its effects or just stop farther progression. All therapeutic agents and procedures are allowed unless they contravene a specific provision of the law. This provides a wide scope for the practice of medicine. Medicine is bad and is forbidden (Tirmidhi K26 B7) if it causes more harm than benefit. Haram material is not allowed as medicine except in special circumstances where the legal principle of necessity, dharurat, applies. The side effects of medication must be considered alongside the benefits. Choice of what treatment modality to use involves careful weighing of benefits and possible harm or injury. Islamic Law gives priority to preventing harm over accruing a benefit. There should no dichotomy between spiritual and physical modalities of treatment. Both approaches should be used for the same condition; they are complementary. Each cures the disease each using a different pathway. There is no contradiction but there is always synergy. It is a mistake to use one and reject the other.

11.5.5 SHIRK IN SEEKING CURE

Shirk arises when humans seek and expect cure of disease from anything other than Allah. Forbidden shirk practices in disease treatment include: talismans (Muslim K39 H121), amulets (5:3 & 5:90), fortune telling (Muslim K39 H121), divination (Bukhari K76 B17), astrology (Ibn Majah K23 B28)sorcery (Bukhari K76 B17), and worshipping or asking cure from humans called saints by visiting their graves. Other superstitious practices usually associated with shirk are: claiming knowledge of the unseen and claiming supernatural powers by any human. Many people with disease conditions resort to shirk practices due to misguidance by shaitan. These practices nullify ‘aqidat al tauhid because they attribute disease and its cure to other than Allah. They also distract from seeking true treatment based on rational scientific medicine. Jinn possess limited power that is used to misguide and give credibility to shirk and superstition. The jinn do not know the unseen (15:17-18 & 72:8). A good Muslim should not be involved with jinns and should ask Allah for protection against them (3:36 & 114:1-6). Some forms of dream interpretation, tafsir al ahlam, are forms of shirk. Only Allah knows for sure the correct interpretation of dreams. Limited ability to interpret dreams was given to some prophets (12:6 & 12:100-101). Other humans do not this ability. Therefore dreams of ordinary humans should have no role in the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of disease.