A slide for ISL7211 Contribution of muslims in public health

1. Muslim contribution in
Public Health
Prof. Dr. Jamalludin Ab Rahman
B.Med.Sc. MD MPH FPHM
Department of Community Medicine
Kulliyyah of Medicine

2. Health is a state of complete
physical, mental and social well-
being and not merely the absence
of disease or infirmity.
ISL7211 | Muslim contribution in public health | Jamalludin AR 2
Preamble to the Constitution of WHO as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York,
19 June - 22 July 1946; signed on 22 July 1946 by the representatives of 61 States (Official Records
of WHO, no. 2, p. 100) and entered into force on 7 April 1948. The definition has not been amended
since 1948.

3. You will not be given anything after
the word of sincere faith like wellness,
so ask Allah for wellness
ISL7211 | Muslim contribution in public health | Jamalludin AR 3
‫ي‬َ‫ل‬َ‫ع‬ ُ ‫ه‬‫اَّلل‬ ‫ى‬‫ه‬‫ل‬َ‫ص‬ ِ ‫ه‬‫اَّلل‬ ُ‫ل‬‫و‬ُ‫س‬َ‫ر‬ َ‫ل‬‫ا‬َ‫ق‬ َ‫ل‬‫ا‬َ‫ق‬ ‫الصديق‬ ‫بكر‬ ‫أبي‬ ‫عن‬َ‫م‬‫ه‬‫ل‬َ‫س‬ َ‫و‬ ِ‫ه‬
ِ‫ص‬ َ‫َل‬‫خ‬ِ‫اْل‬ ِ‫ة‬َ‫م‬ِ‫ل‬َ‫ك‬ َ‫د‬‫ع‬َ‫ب‬ ‫ا‬ً‫ئ‬‫َي‬‫ش‬ ‫ا‬‫و‬َ‫ت‬‫ؤ‬ُ‫ت‬ ‫م‬َ‫ل‬َ ‫ه‬‫اَّلل‬ ‫وا‬ُ‫ل‬ََ‫اس‬َِ ِ‫ة‬َ‫ي‬ِِ‫ا‬َ‫ع‬‫ال‬ َ‫ل‬ِْ‫م‬َ‫ة‬َ‫ي‬ِِ‫ا‬َ‫ع‬‫ال‬
Shahih Ahmad: Narrated Abu Bakar Siddiq RA, Prophet SAW said
Also quoted by Gezairy, Hussein A, Regional Director EMR WHO for the foreword of
Health: An Islamic Perspective. Muhammad Haytham Al Khayat. WHO 1997.

4. Maslaha was God's general purpose in revealing
the divine law, and that its specific aim was
preservation of five essentials of human well-
being: religion, life, intellect, offspring, and
property.
ISL7211 | Muslim contribution in public health | Jamalludin AR 4
A purpose (maqasid) is not valid unless it leads to the
fulfilment of some good (maslahah) or the avoidance of some
mischief (mafsadah)

5. ISL7211 | Muslim contribution in public health | Jamalludin AR 5

6. Areas of concern
1. Reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health
2. Infectious diseases
3. Noncommunicable Diseases (NCD) and mental health
4. Injuries and violence
5. Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and health systems
6. Environmental risks
7. Health risks and disease outbreaks
ISL7211 | Muslim contribution in public health | Jamalludin AR 6

7. What is Public Health?
“The science and art of preventing disease,
prolonging life and promoting health
through the organized efforts and
informed choices of society, organizations,
public and private, communities and
individuals."
Charles-Edward Amory Winslow, 1920
ISL7211 | Muslim contribution in public health | Jamalludin AR 7

8. No disease Asymptomatic disease Clinical course
Primary Prevention Secondary Prevention Tertiary Prevention
Manage the risk factors.
Prevent the onset of disease
Reduce complication &
disability
Early diagnosis & prompt treatment.
Onset of
disease
Clinical
diagnosis
Primordial
Prevention
Prevent the development of risk
factors
Level of Prevention
ISL7211 | Muslim contribution in public health | Jamalludin AR 8

9. There is no disease that Allah
has created, except that He also
has created its treatment
ISL7211 | Muslim contribution in public health | Jamalludin AR 9
Shahih Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 71, Number 582: Narrated Abu Huraira RA

10. What is the most important
muslim’s contribution in Public
Health?
ISL7211 | Muslim contribution in public health | Jamalludin AR 10

11. The Prophet Muhammad
“He taught that the body had rights and had to be cared for.
He also taught that the intestine was the abode of disease
and prevention was the head of all medicine. He taught a lot
about personal and environmental hygiene. He practiced
medicine and urged his companions to seek cures for their
diseases.”
ISL7211 | Muslim contribution in public health | Jamalludin AR 11
Omar Kasule 2004

12. Eat, drink but do not waste
“O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid, and eat and drink, but be not
excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess.” (Quran 7:31)
ISL7211 | Muslim contribution in public health | Jamalludin AR 12
‫ا‬َ‫ي‬‫ي‬ِ‫ن‬َ‫ب‬َ‫م‬َ‫د‬‫آ‬‫وا‬ُ‫ذ‬ُ‫خ‬َ‫ت‬َ‫ن‬‫ي‬ ِ‫ز‬‫م‬ُ‫ك‬َ‫د‬‫ن‬ِ‫ع‬ِ‫ل‬ُ‫ك‬‫د‬ ِ‫ج‬‫س‬َ‫م‬
‫وا‬ُ‫ل‬ُ‫ك‬َ‫و‬‫وا‬ُ‫ب‬َ‫ر‬ْ‫ش‬‫ا‬َ‫و‬‫ا‬َ‫ل‬َ‫و‬‫ا‬ُ‫ت‬‫وا‬ُ‫ف‬ ِ‫ر‬ْ‫س‬ُۚ‫ه‬‫ه‬‫ن‬ِ‫إ‬َ‫ل‬
‫ب‬ ِ‫ح‬ُ‫ي‬َ‫ين‬ِِ ِ‫ر‬‫س‬ُ‫م‬‫ال‬

13. Moderate eating
“No human ever filled a vessel worse than the
stomach. Sufficient for any son of Adam are some
morsels to keep his back straight. But if it must be,
then one third for his food, one third for his drink
and one third for his breath.”
Narrated by Ahmad, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasaa’I, Ibn Majah
ISL7211 | Muslim contribution in public health | Jamalludin AR 13

14. Healthy lifestyle, the sunnah way
A man said to Ibn Umar(RA), “Shouldn’t I bring you some jawarish?”
Ibn Umar(RA) said: What is that?
He said: Something which aids in digesting your food after you eat.
Ibn Umar(RA) said: I have not eaten to being full for four months. That is not because
I am not able to do so, but I was with a group of people who were hungry more than
they were full.
ISL7211 | Muslim contribution in public health | Jamalludin AR 14

15. Wash hands
As recorded by Sahih al-Tirmidhi and Sunan Abu Dawud, God’s Messenger, upon him
be peace and blessings, declares:
“The blessings of food lie in washing hands before and after
eating.”
This is one single most significant hygiene practice in public
health!
ISL7211 | Muslim contribution in public health | Jamalludin AR 15

16. Infectious Disease
Al Razi was aware of air-borne infection when
he made an experiment to determine the site of
a new hospital in Baghdad by putting meat in
the air and waiting to see the site where it
putrefied slowest.
Al Razi in his book, Kitaab al judri wa al hisbat
described the symptoms of smallpox and
measles.
ISL7211 | Muslim contribution in public health | Jamalludin AR 16

17. Infectious Disease….
Ali Ibn Abbaas al Majuusi described contagious diseases like
leprosy, elephantiasis, phrenitis, and trachoma.
Ibn al Khatib and Ibn Khatima described the symptoms of
plague.
Abu Ja'far ibn Khatima had mentioned minute bodies (germ)
causing disease in the 14th century CE i.e. the concept of infection.
ISL7211 | Muslim contribution in public health | Jamalludin AR 17

18. Infectious Disease…
Ibn Sina suggested the communicable nature of
tuberculosis.
Ibn Sina recommended use of wine (alcohol) as the best
dressing for wounds was very popular in medieval practice.
ISL7211 | Muslim contribution in public health | Jamalludin AR 18

19. Quarantine
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 71, Number 608: Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said,
“(There is) no 'Adwa (no contagious disease is conveyed without Allah's permission), nor is there any
bad omen (from birds), nor is there any Hamah, nor is there any bad omen in the month of Safar,
and one should run away from the leper as one runs away
from a lion”
ISL7211 | Muslim contribution in public health | Jamalludin AR 19

20. ISL7211 | Muslim contribution in public health | Jamalludin AR 20
http://www.thewayhome.my/Leprosy.html

21. Outbreak Control
Sahih Bukhari Volume 7, Book 71, Number 624: Narrated Saud: The Prophet said,
"If you hear of an outbreak of plague in a land, do
not enter it; but if the plague breaks out in a place
while you are in it, do not leave that place."
ISL7211 | Muslim contribution in public health | Jamalludin AR 21

22. Prevention
Islam encourages every means of protection from
infectious diseases such as immunisation.
When the prophet (SAW) was once asked whether such
protective measures prevent God's fate, he (SAW) said that
“it is a part of God's will"
ISL7211 | Muslim contribution in public health | Jamalludin AR 22

23. Who else can
contribute to
public health?
 It is YOU
 Practice sunnah, follow syariat
 Personal hygiene – wudhu, bathing
etc
 Food hygiene
 Work hygiene
 Prevention is always better than
cure
 Think about others - community
ISL7211 | Muslim contribution in public health | Jamalludin
AR 23

24. References
 WHO Health Report 2019
 Khayat, M. H. A., & Mediterranean, W. H. O. R. O. f. t. E.
(1997). Health: An Islamic Perspective: World Health
Organization, Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean.
 Omar Kasule 2004. History of Medicine
 Ahmed Shawky Al-Fangary. http://www.islamset.com/hip/Al-
Fangary.html#7
 Sahih Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 71
 Sunan Ahmad Volume 11
ISL7211 | Muslim contribution in public health | Jamalludin AR 24