Part 4

First, the firey part could either descend from the air and be mixed with the watery and solid parts (of the human body), or it could exist within the watery and solid matter.

The first assumption is not plausible, because fire naturally ascends and does not descend, otherwise it would depart from its center and descend to the earth. In addition, if in fact fire descends, it would have to pass through spheres of bitter cold that exist on earth and it would still have to remain intact. However, what we in fact observe in this world is that a great fire is extinguished with a littie amount of water. Thus if the fire were to descend from its center, it would certainly be

—— The Prophetic Medicine

extinguished due to the bitterly cold spheres it would pass through.

The second assumption is that fire is formed inside the solid and watery bodies. This is even less plausible, because the body that has turned to fire must have been watery, earthly, or composed of air beforehand, along with being surrounded by such elements. In this case, the element that is surrounded and interconnected with the watery or solid elements would not turn to fire on its own, because it is not produces heat, the body would be cold. If the nature of the body is susceptible to coldness and the surrounding environment does not have the opposite effect, the body will reach the coldest degree there is. In this state, the body would not feel the coldness because it would have reached such coldness that it would be in fact frozen. Therefore, the state of coldness and the body would be in the same cool degree and thus the body would not feel the cold nor would it feel any pain because of the extreme cold. The same argument can be said when the body is in a lower temperature than the cold substance itself. Thus, if the body did not have any fiery part, it would not normaliy feel the cold nor be affected by it.

They In addition say that, "Your proofs only serve to refute the opinion that the fiery parts remain as fire within the bodies. We do not support this statement. Rather, we say that fire changes when it is mixed with

Those who oppose this idea reply, "Why not say that the heat of the sun blends the earth, water and air? Then, when the resulting mixture reaches maturity, it would be ready to take new shapes whether these shapes are plants, animals or minerals, with the heat as the medium. Why not say that the inner heat and warmth that exist in the body are the result of certain qualities and powers that Allah brings into existence upon blending the mixture, not that they actually contain fiery parts? You have no way of denying this possibility, as some of the best medical authorities agree.”

In addition, the fact that the body feels the cold only indicates that there is an inner heat in body. Who denies this fact anyway? But, what is the evidence that this heat is only produced by fire? Yes, the fire radiates heats, but not every type of heat is the result of fire. Rather, the correct statement in this regard is that some types of heat are produced by fire.

In addition, the statement that the fire's essence changes when it mixes with the body is not supported by the opinions of the best doctors, or by fact. In addition, some of your (those who say that the body is part fire) best supporters (i.e. Ibn Sina, the misguided philosopher) has admitted in his book Ash-Shifaa (The Cure) that the four essential elements (water, fire, earth and air) retain

their essential qualities when blended in a compound.

The Prophet b used three types of remedies for various ailments: natural, divine and a combination of both natural and divine

We will mention the three types of remedies that the Prophet bprescribed and used, starting with the natural medicines, then the divine remedies and lastly those composed of the two types.

The Prophet s& was sent as a guide and a caller to Allah and to His Paradise. He acquainted the people with Allah. He In addition informed them of what pleases Him and commanded them to implement these actions, and informed them of what angers Allah and ordered them to avoid these actions. He told them stories of the Prophets and Messengers b and what occurred between them and their nations. He In addition acquainted the people with the creation of the world, its beginning, Resurrection and how and the reasons why souls will either acquire misery or happiness.

As for the remedies of the bodies, this is a part of the Prophet's Law that completes it and makes it whole. The remedies of the body should be used when needed, Other than that, it is better to spend the time and energy curing the ills of the heart and soul, preserving their health, and preventing any harm from touching them. This

is the ultimate goal that the Prophet's mission seeks to achieve. It is a fact that curing the ills of the body without curing the heart does not work or benefit anyone. However, curing the heart while the body is ill does not Cause extensive harm since soon after, this harm will be removed and will be replaced with the ultimate, eternal benefit. All success comes from Allah.

It has been narrated in the Sahihan that the Prophet said:

"Verily Feveror severe feveris a breath of the Hell Fire, so cool it using water."

This Hadith has caused confusion for many ignorant doctors as they thought it contradicts the common method of treating fever. We will explaim this Hadith in detail, Allah willing.

When the Prophet sg issues a statement, it is either general for all people or for specific people and conditions. The majority of the Prophet's statements are of the first type. As for the second type, it is similar to the Prophet's statement:

"Do not face the Qiblah with urine or feces, nor leave it directly behind. you. Rather, face either the East or

This statement (facing the East or the West) is not for those who reside in the East, the West or Iraq, but for those residing in Al-Medina and Ash-Sham (Syria). It is the same case with the Prophet's statement:

"What is between the East and the West is a Qib!'ah."

Understanding this fact, we can realize that what the Prophet s, said regarding fever is particularly for the people of Hijaz (Western Arabia), for the people in this area are susceptible to a type of fever that results from sunstroke. This type of fever requires cold water, either by drinking it or taking a bath. Fever causes rising temperatures in the body that emanates from the heart and which spreads throughout the entire body via the blood vessels and the soul, which disrupts the proper functioning of the body.

There are two types of fever, accidental that is a result of tumors, sunstroke, movements, or intense heat and another type that results from an ailment that usually starts at a particular organ and then heats up the entire body. When the fever is of the first type, it ends in one to three days. If the fever is a result of harmful mixtures, it is called septic (or toxic) fever, which is divided into four types: bilious, melancholic, phlegm and sanguinary. If the

fever originated in the basic organs of the body, it is called hectic fever, which has many types In addition.

The body benefits from the fever more so than it benefits from taking medicine. This is because; the fever heats up and matures harmful substances, which it could not have done without the fever. In addition, the fever causes various biockages to open especially those that medicines can not reach.

As for simple and chronic conjunctivitis, fever helps cure most of its types quickly, as well as, helping against facial paralysis, hemiplegia, paralysis affecting only one side of the body, spasms and many other ailments that result from thick substances or excesses.

Some of the best doctors feel a bit relieved when fever breaks out in an ailing body, just as the sick person rejoices upon recovering from illness. This is because fever is more efficient than medication in some cases, since it matures the spoiled and septic substances that harm the body. When such substances reach maturity, the medicine will reach it, as the substances are ready to be discarded out of the body, concluding this process. Thus, the fever becomes a part of the cure.

Based on these facts, it appears that the Hadith is talking about the accidental type of fevers that are relieved by being submerged into cold water or by

drinking cold water. In this case, the sick person does not need any other medicine, because this type of fever is composed of heat that is connected to the soul. When a cold substance is introduced, the heat produced by the fever will be eliminated without having to get rid of any mixtures of substances or to wait for these substances to mature.

Galinus, one of the renowned doctors, admitted that cold water helps relieve this type of fever. He stated in the tenth article in his book, Healing Methods, "If a young, healthy man, who does not suffer from an internal tumor, took a bath in the heat of the day or swam in it, he will gain a benefit," He In addition stated that he used to prescribe this remedy on a regular basis.

In addition, Ar-Razi said in his book, Al-Kabir:

"If the strength is normal, but the fever is very intense and the maturity (of the harmful substances) is apparent, while not suffering from any internal tumors or any type of ruptures, then drinking cold water becomes beneficial. If the ailing person is fat, the weather is hot and the person is used to taking cold showers, let him do just that."

In the Prophet's statement: "The fever is a breath inferno's fire." There are two possible meanings.

First, the fever is a breath that was released from Hell so that the slaves are aware of it and thus learn a lesson from this fact. Therefore, Allah has created reasons and causes for the fever to appear and breakout. Similarly, comfort, joy, enjoyment and elation are a part of Paradise's joys that Allah has allowed to appear in this world as an example and a lesson, and He has allowed such feelings to be connected to reasons and causes behind their appearance.

Secondly, the Hadith equated fever and the heat of day, to the intense heat of Hellfire, so that our hearts could imagine the intense torment of the Fire and the heat that emits from it.