Resources for Healing Today and Foundations for Curing Tomorrow: What Can We Learn from the Islamic Tradition?
Moderator: Ahsan Arozullah, MD, MPH, Member, Board of Directors, Darul Qasim Institute
Panelists: Yasir N. Akhtar, MD, North Knoxville Medical Center, Tennova Heart Institute; Omar Hussain, DO, Clinical Assistant Professor, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine; Akbar M. Ali, MD, Attending Physician, Division of Hospital Medicine, NorthShore University Health System; and Umar M. Shakur, DO, Darul Qasim Institute
This proposed panel discussion aims to address the conference theme by providing resources derived from the Islamic tradition that can support healing by healthcare practitioners and researchers today and serve as foundational frameworks for supporting future research. Following an introduction from the moderator (5 min), the panelists will describe structured frameworks of epistemology, ontology, and metaphysics based on traditional Sunni Islamic intellectual and spiritual understandings. Particularly germane to the application of these frameworks by a medical practitioner/researcher working in a pluralistic society, the panel will also discuss relevant applications of the concept of wilāyah (authority).
Epistemology (12 min) The discussion on epistemology will focus on a traditional Sunni Islamic understanding of the sources of knowledge utilized for understanding the world around us. The first source of knowledge is our sense perception including the five senses of hearing, vision, touch, smell and taste. These senses can yield certainty, not just speculative knowledge. For example, in determining death, one must utilize vision and touch to observe a lack of movement and feel for the sensation of circulation. The second source of knowledge is the intellect which can derive knowledge from the five senses as well as engage in abstract thought. Applying the intellect, one can determine the etiology of a certain disease by discerning patterns of cause and effects. The third source of knowledge is Divine revelation. The two main sources of revelational knowledge for a Muslim are the Qur'an (verbatim revelation) and the Sunnah (non-verbatim revelation; sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that are not part of the Qur'an). Access to this third source of knowledge is facilitated by belief in its Divine origin and expertise in Qur'anic sciences (‘Ulum al-Qur’an), Hadith sciences (‘Ulum al-Hadith), creed and beliefs (‘aqidah), principles of jurisprudence (‘Usul al-fiqh), and Arabic language.
Grounded in a broad epistemology that integrated these three sources of knowledge (divine revelation, intellect, and sense perception), early Muslims appreciated that all knowledge, whether perceived as secular or religious, has been bestowed to humans by God. Therefore, when it came to healing or the practice of medicine, different forms of medicine were readily accepted and practiced including therapies that existed before Islam such as cupping. In essence, different approaches to healing were permitted and utilized by earlier generations of Muslims as long as it did not violate Islamic Law and did not utilize impure materials or unlawful means.
This section will conclude with a discussion of how a deeper appreciation of traditional Islamic epistemology can encourage modern physician scientists to expand their sources of knowledge as they pursue improved treatments and discover newer therapeutics for their patients.
Ontology (12 min) The discussion on ontology will focus on an Islamic ontological schema adopted by scholars from the Deobandi lineage of Islamic theologians. As background, Muslims believe that human beings have three sequential stages of life: a primordial existence (spirit only), a worldly life (spirit enters a physical body at birth; inseparable until ‘death’), and an eternal afterlife (physical body is resurrected and reunited with the spirit). The capability to access and experience each realm of existence changes as a human being moves through each sequential stage of life.
The lahūt (realm of absolute and eternal Divine existence) is the ‘highest’ realm of existence in which Allah (God), the creator and master of all things, exists outside of creation. Three additional realms of existence will also be discussed including the ajsām (world of corporeal bodies), mithāl (world of forms and similitudes), and the malakūt (world of spirits). Healing, like all created things, issues forth from the lahūt. Muslims translated the ontological understanding that healing comes from God into actions that focused on attracting Divine attention to heal and relieve suffering from illness.
This section will conclude with a discussion of how exploring an Islamic ontological schema may allow for interaction among the various realms of existence to promote healing through active reliance and trust in God, making supplications, and giving charity.
Metaphysics (12 min) The discussion on metaphysics will focus on a traditional Sunni Islamic understanding of what holistically constitutes a human being and their existence. Based on theosophists in Muslim history that aspired to understand human existence, the discussion will address the place of human beings in the hierarchy of creation and a schema for understanding the complex relationships between the physical body, spirit (ruh), soul (nafs), heart (qalb), and mind (‘aql) of a human being. This section will conclude with a discussion of how medical practice and research may incorporate a holistic metaphysical understanding of a human being when designing interventions or treatment plans and the potentially damaging consequences of an incomplete appreciation of the human being.
Wilāyah (authority) (12 min) Muslim patients and physician scientists living in a pluralistic society face the future of medicine and scientific discovery without traditional sources of authority or wilāyah upon which to rely. This section will focus on examining the important role of wilāyah, from a Sunni Maturidi perspective, to support decision making that is often difficult for Muslims who have little formal religious training or knowledge. The nature of wilāyah for the Muslim scholar is academic, and thus not legally binding on the one seeking counsel. However, there is a moral obligation on the one seeking counsel to follow the scholar’s opinion as it serves to facilitate avoidance of sin in the hereafter. The nature of wilāyah for believers over other believers is moral as well, and serves as a potential means by which the community of believers may be able to work together to provide a solution to an ethical issue. Thus Muslim physician scientists stand to play an important role in reclaiming wilāyah by working with Muslim scholars and the community of believers to address bioethical issues in a holistic manner. For example, a Muslim scholar may grant permission for the use of porcine insulin to an individual Muslim patient with no other options, but also encourage the community of Muslim physician scientists to pursue the development of non-porcine insulin.
Discussion (20 min) The session will conclude with a question/answer session and a case example applying these frameworks to broaden the understanding of ‘healing’ from an Islamic perspective by addressing the following questions: what sources of knowledge would one access to understand healing (epistemology)? From what realm of existence does healing come forth (ontology) and what does a human being require to heal (metaphysics)? Who has the authority to determine the appropriateness of the means of healing (wilayah)?
Epistemology (12 min) The discussion on epistemology will focus on a traditional Sunni Islamic understanding of the sources of knowledge utilized for understanding the world around us. The first source of knowledge is our sense perception including the five senses of hearing, vision, touch, smell and taste. These senses can yield certainty, not just speculative knowledge. For example, in determining death, one must utilize vision and touch to observe a lack of movement and feel for the sensation of circulation. The second source of knowledge is the intellect which can derive knowledge from the five senses as well as engage in abstract thought. Applying the intellect, one can determine the etiology of a certain disease by discerning patterns of cause and effects. The third source of knowledge is Divine revelation. The two main sources of revelational knowledge for a Muslim are the Qur'an (verbatim revelation) and the Sunnah (non-verbatim revelation; sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that are not part of the Qur'an). Access to this third source of knowledge is facilitated by belief in its Divine origin and expertise in Qur'anic sciences (‘Ulum al-Qur’an), Hadith sciences (‘Ulum al-Hadith), creed and beliefs (‘aqidah), principles of jurisprudence (‘Usul al-fiqh), and Arabic language.
Grounded in a broad epistemology that integrated these three sources of knowledge (divine revelation, intellect, and sense perception), early Muslims appreciated that all knowledge, whether perceived as secular or religious, has been bestowed to humans by God. Therefore, when it came to healing or the practice of medicine, different forms of medicine were readily accepted and practiced including therapies that existed before Islam such as cupping. In essence, different approaches to healing were permitted and utilized by earlier generations of Muslims as long as it did not violate Islamic Law and did not utilize impure materials or unlawful means.
This section will conclude with a discussion of how a deeper appreciation of traditional Islamic epistemology can encourage modern physician scientists to expand their sources of knowledge as they pursue improved treatments and discover newer therapeutics for their patients.
Ontology (12 min) The discussion on ontology will focus on an Islamic ontological schema adopted by scholars from the Deobandi lineage of Islamic theologians. As background, Muslims believe that human beings have three sequential stages of life: a primordial existence (spirit only), a worldly life (spirit enters a physical body at birth; inseparable until ‘death’), and an eternal afterlife (physical body is resurrected and reunited with the spirit). The capability to access and experience each realm of existence changes as a human being moves through each sequential stage of life.
The lahūt (realm of absolute and eternal Divine existence) is the ‘highest’ realm of existence in which Allah (God), the creator and master of all things, exists outside of creation. Three additional realms of existence will also be discussed including the ajsām (world of corporeal bodies), mithāl (world of forms and similitudes), and the malakūt (world of spirits). Healing, like all created things, issues forth from the lahūt. Muslims translated the ontological understanding that healing comes from God into actions that focused on attracting Divine attention to heal and relieve suffering from illness.
This section will conclude with a discussion of how exploring an Islamic ontological schema may allow for interaction among the various realms of existence to promote healing through active reliance and trust in God, making supplications, and giving charity.
Metaphysics (12 min) The discussion on metaphysics will focus on a traditional Sunni Islamic understanding of what holistically constitutes a human being and their existence. Based on theosophists in Muslim history that aspired to understand human existence, the discussion will address the place of human beings in the hierarchy of creation and a schema for understanding the complex relationships between the physical body, spirit (ruh), soul (nafs), heart (qalb), and mind (‘aql) of a human being. This section will conclude with a discussion of how medical practice and research may incorporate a holistic metaphysical understanding of a human being when designing interventions or treatment plans and the potentially damaging consequences of an incomplete appreciation of the human being.
Wilāyah (authority) (12 min) Muslim patients and physician scientists living in a pluralistic society face the future of medicine and scientific discovery without traditional sources of authority or wilāyah upon which to rely. This section will focus on examining the important role of wilāyah, from a Sunni Maturidi perspective, to support decision making that is often difficult for Muslims who have little formal religious training or knowledge. The nature of wilāyah for the Muslim scholar is academic, and thus not legally binding on the one seeking counsel. However, there is a moral obligation on the one seeking counsel to follow the scholar’s opinion as it serves to facilitate avoidance of sin in the hereafter. The nature of wilāyah for believers over other believers is moral as well, and serves as a potential means by which the community of believers may be able to work together to provide a solution to an ethical issue. Thus Muslim physician scientists stand to play an important role in reclaiming wilāyah by working with Muslim scholars and the community of believers to address bioethical issues in a holistic manner. For example, a Muslim scholar may grant permission for the use of porcine insulin to an individual Muslim patient with no other options, but also encourage the community of Muslim physician scientists to pursue the development of non-porcine insulin.
Discussion (20 min) The session will conclude with a question/answer session and a case example applying these frameworks to broaden the understanding of ‘healing’ from an Islamic perspective by addressing the following questions: what sources of knowledge would one access to understand healing (epistemology)? From what realm of existence does healing come forth (ontology) and what does a human being require to heal (metaphysics)? Who has the authority to determine the appropriateness of the means of healing (wilayah)?