In the
history of medicine,
Islamic medicine or
Arabic medicine refers to
medicine developed in the
medieval Islamic civilization and written in
Arabic, the
lingua franca of the Islamic civilization. Despite these names, a significant number of scientists during this period were not
Arab. Some consider the label "Arab-Islamic" as historically inaccurate, arguing that this label does not appreciate the rich diversity of Eastern scholars who have contributed to science in this era.
[1] Latin translations of Arabic medical works had a significant influence on the development of modern medicine.
Islamic medicine was a genre of medical writing that was influenced by several different medical systems, including the traditional Arabian medicine of Muhammad's time, ancient Hellenistic medicine such as Unani, ancient Indian medicine such as Ayurveda, and the ancient Iranian Medicine of the Academy of Gundishapur.
The first Muslim physician is believed to have been Muhammad himself, as a significant number of hadiths concerning medicine are attributed to him. Several Sahaba are said to have been successfully treated of certain diseases by following the medical advice of Muhammad. The three methods of healing known to have been mentioned by him were honey, cupping, and cauterization, though he was generally opposed to the use of cauterization unless it "suits the ailment." According to Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Muhammad disliked this method due to it causing "pain and menace to a patient" since there was no anasthesia in his time.[2] Muhammad also appears to have been the first to suggest the contagious nature of leprosy, mange and sexually transmitted disease;[3] and that there is always a cause and a cure for every disease,[2] according to several hadiths in the Sahih al-Bukhari, Sunan Abi Dawood and Al-Muwatta attributed to Muhammad, such as
"There is no disease that Allah has created, except that He also has created its treatment."[4]
