The Ruling of Learning Prophetic Medicine: Is At-Tibb An-Nabawi, Revelation, or Ijtihad?

The scholars of Islam differ regarding At-Tibb An-Nabawi as to whether it is considered Wahy (revelation) or Ijtihad from the prophet ﷺ. 

A group amongst the people knowledge hold prophetic medicine and the advices of the messenger ﷺ regarding the methods of treatment such as, for example, Hijamah, drinking honey, or the use of black seeds, to be revelation from Allah. As Allah, the Exalted, has said:

﴿ وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ ۞ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَىٰ﴾

Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination. It is not but a revelation revealed. 

(An-Najm 53:2-3)

It has come on the authority of Al-Miqdam ibn Ma’dikarib, that the messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 

 ألا إني أوتيت القرآن ومثله معه

“Indeed I have been given the Qur’an and along with it that which is similar to it.” [Mishkat Al-Masabih in the Book of Faith 1/246 (no. 163)]

Hasan ibn Atiyah stated, as is with Ad-Darimi within As-Sunan: “Jibril used to descend upon Muhammad ﷺ (teaching him) the Sunnah just as he would descend upon him with the Qur’an.”

These are amongst the evidences which establish that the Sunnah of the prophet ﷺ is divine revelation from Allah. More shall come within its place, in’sha-Allah. From that is the affair of prophetic medicine. 

Therefore, what is the ruling of studying the affair of medicine in general and prophetic medicine specifically? Our Shaykh, Mustafa Mabram, has mentioned that it is Fard Kifayah (a communal obligation). Hence, it is an obligation that someone from the Ummah takes the responsibility to learn this affair due to the benefits that it contains for the Muslims. This has been stated, likewise, by:

• An-Nawawi (d. 676 h.)

• As-Suyuti (d. 911 h.)

And others. 

For this reason, when the messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked regarding the most beloved of the people to Allah, he ﷺ responded:

أحب الناس إلى الله تعالى أنفعهم للناس

“The Most beloved of the people to Allah is the most beneficial of them to the people.” [At-Tabarani within Al-Mu’jam Al-Kabir 12/453 (no. 13646) Graded Sahih by Al-Albani]

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