PREFACE & ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE TRANSLATOR
{الحمد لله رب العالمين} "Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all beings." {وما توفيقى إلا بالله} "And my success can only come from Allah." To the Sustainer of the worlds, I fall down in prostration. I humbly beg Him to accept my gratitude, although it cannot ever be enough as is due Him, for accomplishing this task, which was not to be done unless His succour was bestowed upon me. May Allah accept this modest work, render it of benefit and preserve for me the reward in the Hereafter.
In a world changing as rapidly as ours, where concepts of harsh materialism leaked into the souls of humans, this book may be a work greatly required by all sectors of the Umma, particularly the health providers. The medical community has experienced fabulous achievements in the technology of patients' treatment. Yet, health providers are in a pressing need for ethical codified rules and established norms, in a way to prevent this noble profession from degenerating into mean ephemeral worldly ends; thus elevating it above the prevailing material concepts of today, and in another create that 'heart-to-heart dialogue between the health provider and the patient', as put forth by Dr. Gezairy of the World Health Organisation. So, the book is a call to deliver Medicine from all contemporary negatives, and display the Islamic medical ethics in its most suitable formulas, ordained by Allah for all human beings.
The book also sheds light on the role of humans as viceroys of Allah, the Almighty Creator, on Earth, as it outlines the fundamental concepts of viceroyalty and its constituents. Such a role is quite ignored by many people, who in the current of material life and the rush to earn living, are swept away from realising this role or achieving it as best it should be. Thus, the reader may find this book enlightening, and satisfying his desire to understand the ideal Islamic view of life and the universe. With the support of a great deal of Holy Quarnic verses and the Honourable Prophet’s Hadiths, the book corrects some misconceptions and deviations which were attributed by some Orientalists to Islamic medical views and practices.
The reader will find the Quarnic verses typed in bold, while the Hadiths (speeches) of the Prophet Mohammed (r)(1) are in Italic. The eulogy (y),(2) traditionally following the names of the Prophet’s companions in Arabic, is not mentioned in this translation, as to avoid distraction. May Allah extend His pleasure on all the Prophet’s companions.
I would beseech Allah to extend His mercy and blessing on the late Professor Tawfik Al Tamimi (former Director of Royal Commission Medical Centre, Yanbu Al Sinaiyah), whose encouragement, ideas and opinions greatly helped and supported me to finalise this translation. My endeavour of translating this book is actually accredited to him. He first initiated the idea, and had been keen to have this book translated, as he greatly admired the contents of the book. His main objective was to have an English book that richly describes the subject of Islamic methodology and ethics, and their application, in particular, to the field of medicine. May Allah make such an effort in the balance of his good deeds.
The translation of this book, though being done with a very lengthy and strenuous effort, was quite enjoyable to the translator, and which will always be a source of relief and joy to him.
Muhammad Abdul Hamid Madi
Royal Commission Medical Center
Yanbu Al Sinaiyah, Saudi Arabia
{الحمد لله رب العالمين} "Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all beings." {وما توفيقى إلا بالله} "And my success can only come from Allah." To the Sustainer of the worlds, I fall down in prostration. I humbly beg Him to accept my gratitude, although it cannot ever be enough as is due Him, for accomplishing this task, which was not to be done unless His succour was bestowed upon me. May Allah accept this modest work, render it of benefit and preserve for me the reward in the Hereafter.
In a world changing as rapidly as ours, where concepts of harsh materialism leaked into the souls of humans, this book may be a work greatly required by all sectors of the Umma, particularly the health providers. The medical community has experienced fabulous achievements in the technology of patients' treatment. Yet, health providers are in a pressing need for ethical codified rules and established norms, in a way to prevent this noble profession from degenerating into mean ephemeral worldly ends; thus elevating it above the prevailing material concepts of today, and in another create that 'heart-to-heart dialogue between the health provider and the patient', as put forth by Dr. Gezairy of the World Health Organisation. So, the book is a call to deliver Medicine from all contemporary negatives, and display the Islamic medical ethics in its most suitable formulas, ordained by Allah for all human beings.
The book also sheds light on the role of humans as viceroys of Allah, the Almighty Creator, on Earth, as it outlines the fundamental concepts of viceroyalty and its constituents. Such a role is quite ignored by many people, who in the current of material life and the rush to earn living, are swept away from realising this role or achieving it as best it should be. Thus, the reader may find this book enlightening, and satisfying his desire to understand the ideal Islamic view of life and the universe. With the support of a great deal of Holy Quarnic verses and the Honourable Prophet’s Hadiths, the book corrects some misconceptions and deviations which were attributed by some Orientalists to Islamic medical views and practices.
The reader will find the Quarnic verses typed in bold, while the Hadiths (speeches) of the Prophet Mohammed (r)(1) are in Italic. The eulogy (y),(2) traditionally following the names of the Prophet’s companions in Arabic, is not mentioned in this translation, as to avoid distraction. May Allah extend His pleasure on all the Prophet’s companions.
I would beseech Allah to extend His mercy and blessing on the late Professor Tawfik Al Tamimi (former Director of Royal Commission Medical Centre, Yanbu Al Sinaiyah), whose encouragement, ideas and opinions greatly helped and supported me to finalise this translation. My endeavour of translating this book is actually accredited to him. He first initiated the idea, and had been keen to have this book translated, as he greatly admired the contents of the book. His main objective was to have an English book that richly describes the subject of Islamic methodology and ethics, and their application, in particular, to the field of medicine. May Allah make such an effort in the balance of his good deeds.
The translation of this book, though being done with a very lengthy and strenuous effort, was quite enjoyable to the translator, and which will always be a source of relief and joy to him.
Muhammad Abdul Hamid Madi
Royal Commission Medical Center
Yanbu Al Sinaiyah, Saudi Arabia