Organ Transplantation Source

Organ Transplantation Source: Ebrahim, Abul Fadl Mohsin. Organ Transplantation, Euthanasia, Cloning, and Animal Experimentation. Kano, Nigeria: The Islamic Foundation, 2001. This source gives the reader insight into the Islamic views towards various medical practices, such as euthanasia and animal dissections. I found this book particularly interesting because they note the views of classical Muslim physicians. ***all direct quotes*** 17- classical muslim physicians, such as Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Zakariyya al Razi (865-925) and ibn sina (980-1037) and others were guided by the Koran and the Sunnah of the prophet. For example, in the Koran it is mentioned that the prophet Ibrahim acknowledged that allah is the one who in reality cured him whenever he fell sick: “and when I am ill, it is he who cures me” (al-Shu ‘ara’, 26:80) 17-Thus they as physicians regarded themselves as being in service to allah by extending help to the sick. Moreover, the hadith: “for every ailment there is a cure” prompted them to find cures and remedies which nature provides for the healing of human ills. Furthermore, they were muttaqin (conscious of the presence of allah). This can be deduced from the works of the physician Abu Ja ‘far Muhammad ibn abi al-ash ‘ath and the Egyptian pharmacist, abu muna ibn abi nasr haffaz al ‘attar. In his al-ghidha wa almughtadhi, ihn abi al-ash ‘ath warns the physicians against indeifference: “for you will give an account before allah on what you have done in exercising your profession.” 18- al-Razi of Persia was regarded as the arab galen and the unchallenged chief physician of the muslims. Armong his contributions was the introduction of mercury compounds as purgatives. He treated monkeys with these compounds before prescribing them to his patients. 18-Al-zahrawi, the famous surgeon, wrote a medical encyclopeadia comprising thrity treatises. The ninetheenth treatise is devoted to cosmetology, the art of beautification. 19- al-khawarizimi, (973-1051), the father of Islamic pharmacy and marine biology, wrote a book on pharmacy and material medica, namely al-saydanah. This book is divided into two sections. In its second section, similes of animal origin are discussed. For example, mentions made of the therapeutic value of the meat of Nicolar or rock-dove, a land animal, to help build the blood in anaemic ppl. 19-The science of toxicology was given particular coverage in the writings of classical muslim physicians b/c there always existed the danger of muslim rulers and the rich being poisoned by envious enemies. Thus these physicians would test the effectiveness of a theriatic by giving a toxic dose of poisonous drug to a rooster, a dog, or other animal and therafter administering the theriatic to see whether it was effective.

19-Anatomy was restricted to the dissection of apea since islaimic law ensured the right of the dead to be properly buried. The foumouse islaimic surgeon, al-zahrawi, emphasized the need for and value of teaching anatomy and training in surgery but did not indicate in his al-Tasrif, whether he dissected human bodies