Ibn Al-Qayyim’s ‘Prophetic Medicine’
19-1-2009 | IslamWeb
Question:
As Salamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu In a Sisters Discussion Forum it was brought to our notice that the Book Healing with the Prophet’s (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) medicine is based mainly on Greek medicine and as such the title of the book is misleading as people will attribute the four types of degrees (hot, cold, wet and dry) which ibn Qayyim (Rahimahullah) mentions to the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam). I am sure there must be some better explanation as such an eminent scholar will not choose a misleading title for his book. Can you clarify this for us, and also how authentic is this book? Since the major part of this Books describes the various substances as either hot, cold, wet and dry. Can the book be used as a reference book despite the fact that there are no authentic Hadith from the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) describing substances as hot, cold etc. Jazakallahu Khairan May Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala reward you for your efforts Ameen! Salams
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
It is not permissible to say that what Ibn Al-Qayyim 
wrote in "The Prophetic Medicine" is based on the Greek Medicine; rather, it is founded on what is mentioned in the guidance of the Prophet in the matter of treatment. The narrations of the Prophet which are reported about medical treatment are general, like the narration which reads: "O Slaves of Allaah! Seek treatment. Indeed Allaah has not sent down an illness without sending down a cure for it." [Abu Daawood]
There is no doubt that some texts about details of some medicines were reported but they are few, but the principle of medicine is based on experiments. Therefore, if it is confirmed that there is a cure with a particular medicine, then seeking treatment with it becomes permissible even if no evidence is reported in its regard, because in principle all things are permissible [unless the contrary is proven]. Therefore, it is correct to say that this book is about the Prophetic Medicine and it is possible to benefit from it and consider it as a resource book in its field.
As regards what Ibn Al-Qayyim mentioned about the Greek Medicine or else, he mentioned this as a way of explaining and detailing some matters, and he did not attribute this to the Prophet .
Allaah Knows best.