1. RETHINKING MEDICAL ETHICS IN TERMS OF
PROPHETIC MEDICINE
(AL-TIB AL-NABAWI)
Prof. Dr. İlhan Yıldız

2. Prophetic Medicine (الطب النبوي )
It is possible to categorize verses and hadiths regarding Prophetic Medicine by three different divisions:
General medical issues,
Preventive medicine,
Forms of treatment for patients.

3. Prophetic Medicine (الطب النبوي )
Muhammad (s.a.v.) says that “if you are sick, find a physician, take some good remedies and get proper treatment.” This recommendation led to the development of modern medicine.

4. Prophetic Medicine (الطب النبوي )
What were the main highlights about "Al-Tibb Al-Nabawī”? In the hadith, Prophet Muhammad recommended the use of honey and hijama (wet cupping) for healing and had generally opposed the use of cauterization for causing "pain and menace to a patient".

5. A view from cupping application

6. A view from cauterization

7. Honey Seller

8. Drug Seller

9. Medical ethics
Medical ethics is a system of moral principles that apply values and judgments to the practice of medicine.

10. Medical ethics
Historically, medical ethics may be traced to guidelines on the duty of physicians to ancient times, such as the Hippocratic Oath.

11. Medical Ethics
In the medieval and early modern period, the field is indebted to Islamic scholarship such as Ishaq ibn Ali al-Ruhawi who wrote the Conduct of a Physician, the first book dedicated to medical ethics

12. Medical Ethics in Islam

13. كتاب العهد / Book of Oath
We can easily say that first thing made by Islamic thinkers and physicians was some translation works related to medical ethics in the Islamic world. First, “Hippocratic oath” was translated into Arabic by the name of the book of oath (كتاب العهد ).

14. كتاب العهد / Book of Oath
It was no longer an oath that begins with the name of Allah. It has benefited from this oath in medical education in Islamic countries in the past.

16. Ebu Nuaym / Et-Tıb al-Nabawi
There are many books before Ebu Nuaym’s Et-Tıb al-Nabawi. However this book is one of the important book on medical ethics. Ebu Nuaym refers to the following topics in his book:

17. Ebu Nuaym / Et-Tıb al-Nabawi
There are many books before Ebu Nuaym’s Et-Tıb al-Nabawi. However this book is one of the important book on medical ethics.

18. Ebu Nuaym / Et-Tıb al-Nabawi
According to Ebu Nuaym:
Food, drinks and other substances that do not count halal in Islam should not be used in the treatment.
People who had no medical training should not practice medicine.
Physicians should be aware of plants and other materials used in the construction of drugs.

19. Ruhavi and Edebü't-Tabib/ ادب الطبىب
One of the most famous doctors was İshâk b. Ali er-Ruhâvî, most probably, who lived in the early fourth century AH. Ruhâvî has written a book called Edebü't-Tabib/ ادب الطبىب.

20. Ruhavi and Edebü't-Tabib/ ادب الطبىب
Ruhâvî refers to the following topics in his book:
1. Ethical principles that doctors should know them. 2. Moral priorities that can be demanded of doctors. 3. Professional licenses and certificates that every doctor should have. 4. The rules that shape doctor-patient relationship.

22. Ruhavi and Edebü't-Tabib/ ادب الطبىب
Ruhavi also emphasizes as a basic condition: Doctor must believe Allah and the Prophet Muhammad (a.s.).

23. eş-Şeyzerî / Physicians
The one of the most important resarchers in the 12th century in the Islamic World is Abdurrahman b. Nasr eş-Şeyzerî. Abdurrahman b. Nasr eş-Şeyzerî has a book titled “Nihâyetü’r-rütbe/Last Rank.”

24. eş-Şeyzerî / Physicians
In this book, there is a separate section titled «physicians».
In this section, eş-Şeyzerî mentions about rules that a medical doctor needs to know.

25. eş-Şeyzerî / Physicians
Physicians should emphasize both his/her diagnosis and its drugs in his/her prescription. Patient doesn't know anything about physician, but he/she has to trust physician and if anything happens to patient then patients' relatives can look for their rights with the prescription.

26. Ibn al-Qayyim / Medical Ethic
Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya was an Islamic jurist, commentator of Qur’an and theologian. According to Ibn al-Qayyim, Islam aims to ensure the happiness of the two worlds.

27. Ibn al-Qayyim / Medical Ethic
Ibni Kayyim evaluates Prophet’s hadith about professional ethics through this hadith: «If someone who falsely claims medical knowledge and/or uses unproven and unscientific remedies they will cause enormous harm to patients and public health as a whole then it takes penalty”

28. Treatment of the opposite sex patient
According to Ibni Kayyim, Muslim physicians sometimes refuse to examine females because they believe it is wrong to touch women to whom they are not married or related.

29. Treatment of the opposite sex patient
However, Muslim phisicians can treat a patient of the opposite sex. There is no religious prohibition about it. For example, Aişe (r.a.) even has treated male patients.

31. The Principles of Medical Ethics
The Principles of Medical Ethics include: 1. Honesty 2. Beneficence (beneficence is the only fundamental principle of modern medical ethics) 3. Transparency. 4. Obedience to the law 5. Non-maleficence 6. Proficiency 7. Respectfulness

32. Conclusion
As we learn from the Hadith, The Prophet (s.a.v.) was treated by physicians, He has advised Muslims in the way of treatment and medicines.

33. Conclusion
Prophet’s friends (الصحابة) take the example of the Prophet Muhammad in both religious issues and medical matters. They were strictly applied what he said about medical matters.

34. Conclusion
At least, Al-Tıb Al-Nabawi shows that ordinary people, who had no medical training, could take easy steps to protect themselves from healthcare associated infections.

35. Thank you