Contemporary Practice of Islamic Medicine

Islamic Medicine continues to be practiced in many of the Islamic countries today. However western traditional modern medicine has replaced the core of the health care systems in most of these countries. The only countries where it has to some degree enjoyed an official status is the Indian Subcontinent. The three main countries of the Indian subcontinent are India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Thus in India there have been established medical schools where 'Tibb or Unani' medicine (translated as Natural medicine or Greek medicine) continues to be taught. These schools give their students a formal diploma in 'Tibb or Unani' medicine; which enables their students to be licensed practitioner of 'Tibb or Unani' medicine.

These students are instructed in 'Unani' concepts of medicine. They then utilize this knowledge and therapeutics in their practice. Their certification, licensing and supervision is controlled by the Indian Medical Council. In India both in rural and urban communities one finds practitioners of 'Unani or Tibbi' medicine. In Pakistan in the middle sixties the government under the then President Muhammed Ayub Khan ordered the official registration and licensing of the traditional Hakims (much to the chagrin of practitioners of modern medicine)! Tibb also enjoys favor of public popularity in other countries including Afghanistan, Malaysia and countries in the Middle East. In the latter it has recently had a resurgence in practitioners.

Adapted from the book: "Islamic Medicine" by: "Husain F.Nagamia"