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Paper presented at the Malaysia-Indonesia-Brunei Scientific Meeting held at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 23-24 July 2008; by Dr Omar Hasan Kasule Sr. MB ChB (MUK), MPH (Harvard), DrPH (Harvard) Professor of Epidemiology and Islamic Medicine Institute of Medicine, Universiti Brunei Darussalam WEB: http://omarkasule.tripod.com
ABSTRACT
The Islamic Input into the Medical Curriculum (IIMC) has become a reality in several medical schools over the past decade. The Kulliyah of Medicine of International Islamic University Malaysia taught medicine with embedded Islamic values was taught at Kuantan from July 1997 to date. IIMC involved integrating Islamic values and Law in the teaching and practice of medicine.
At the Institute of Medicine, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, the Islamic perspective of medicine (Islamic Medicine) has been an integral part of the curriculum since August 2005 until now with IIMC being taught under the theme of Personal and Professional Development (PPD).
IIMC in various forms was adopted by other medical schools at various universities such as the Universiti Sains Islam, Malaysia, Riphah International University Islamabad, Peshawar Medical College, and the 14 schools that are members of FOKI (Forum Kedokteran Islam Indonesia).
IIMC is based on 3 assumptions: (a) that Islam has moral values that are universal and, being found in other religions and belief systems, can be taught to and be appreciated equally well by Muslim and non-Muslim students;. (b) a physician must understand Islamic Law relating to medicine, fiqh tibbi, in order to practice successfully in a Muslim community whose culture and social norms are shaped by the shariah that is a comprehensive code affecting all aspects of the life of the individual and the community; and (c) a successful physician must be equipped with personal, communication, leadership, and management skills based on Islamic teachings and empirical social and managerial sciences.
IIMC teaches the Islamic epistemological perspective of basic medical sciences so that students can appreciate the signs of the Creator, ayat al Allah, from the book of empirical scientific observation, kitaab al kawn, alongside appreciating the signs of the Creator from the book of revelation, kitaab al wahy.
IIMC in the clinical phase teaches students to help patients solve practical problems related to ablution, wudhu, prayer, solat, fasting, puasa, pilgrimage, hajj & umrah; and what is permitted, halal, as medicine, physical activities, nutrition, and other activities of daily living.
IIMC uses the theory of the purposes of the Law, maqasid al shariah, principles of the Law, qawa’id al shariah, specific legal rulings from the Qur’an and sunnat, and comparing with European ethico-legal sources as bases for discussing medical ethico-legal issues such as autonomy, privacy & confidentiality, professionalism, animal and human research, resource allocation, end of life issues, and medical malpractice. Also covered are issues that arise out of modern medical technology such as assisted reproduction, genetic testing, and transplantation. An emphasis is made on a holistic and balanced approach to medicine by reference to Prophetic medicine, tibb nabawi, and traditional / complementary medical systems such as unani, ayurdevic, and Chinese medicine.
The futuristic vision of IIMC is that Islamic medical practice will in the next 20 years grow and reach or even the exceed the achievements of Islamic banking. The Islamic hospitals and clinics that will be established will need medical professionals trained to practice medicine according to the Qur’an, sunnat, and the purposes of the Law, maqasid al shariah.