Medicine in the Qur’an and Sunnah by Umar Faruk Adamu

Summary

Genre: Islamic Studies, Traditional Medicine, Religious Ethics, Medical History

Medicine in the Qur’an and Sunnah: An Intellectual Reappraisal of the Legacy and Future of Islamic Medicine by Umar Faruk Adamu is a comprehensive and scholarly exploration of health principles rooted in the Qur’an and Prophetic traditions, thoughtfully reinterpreted for modern readers.

Synopsis
Adamu aims to clarify misconceptions and highlight the richness of Islamic contributions to medical practice. Across nine detailed chapters, the book examines preventive and curative health framed by the Qur’anic worldview and teachings of the Prophet ﷺ. Topics include hygiene, diet, medicine and healing, public health, ethical dilemmas, and the modern medical challenges facing Muslims.

Key Themes & Topics

• Preventive Health & Hygiene: Discusses oral care, water purity, ablution, careful eating, and social and mental well-being as revealed in the Sunnah.
• Healing Practices: Covers the use of honey, black seed, cupping, cautery, mazigh, and dates, alongside medical ethics and the role of yaqīn-based healing.
• Medical Ethics & Policy: Addresses topics such as euthanasia, reproductive practices, abortion, women in medical professions, and HIV/AIDS, within an Islamic framework of compassion and justice.
• Spiritual & Mental Health: Explores the importance of spiritual healing, dealing with magic or soothsaying, care for orphans and the sick, and the interplay of body and soul as treated in Islamic tradition.

Why Read It?

• Offers a thoughtful merger of Islamic scripture and medical wisdom, making spiritual teachings accessible in a modern health context.
• Written by a medical practitioner, it balances spiritual insight with scientific language and clarity—ideal for religious readers, health professionals, or students.
• Provides a thoughtful response to misconceptions around Islamic medicine—reclaiming its history, ethics, and relevance today.

Medicine in the Qur’an and Sunnah is a foundational resource for understanding how Islamic scripture and spirit converge with medical knowledge—a respectful and modern presentation of the faith’s legacy in preserving human health and dignity.