By AbdulQudus Abiola Ojomo
• Prophetic medicine, traditional healing not same: Abu Mazeedatul Khayr
Experts and practitioners in the alternative medicine have raised concerns over proliferation of quacks in the Prophetic Medical practices in Nigeria, calling on relevant government agencies to work together in stemming the tide.
They made the call at the “Prophetic Medicine Conference” held at the iconic Lekki Central Mosque on Sunday 26th May, 2024, with the theme, “Prophetic Medicine: Formulating a regulatory framework for training and practice”.
Organised by the Lekki Muslim Ummah (LEMU), the conference was graced by seasoned pharmacists, renowned medical doctors, experienced prophetic medical practitioners among other stakeholders in the alternative medicine industry.
The Provost of International Institute of Islamic Therapy (IIIT), Abuja, Shaykh (Dr.) Abu Mazeedatul Khayr, Abdur Rauf Ibn Sa’eed disclosed that there is a difference between Prophetic and traditional healing, adding that what many people practice as Prophetic Medicine in Nigeria is largely traditional medicine.
Explaining that the practice of Prophetic Medicine is not new in Nigeria, he advocated for a redress.
“For instance, many people don’t know the difference between traditional healing and prophetic medicine.
“In Nigeria of today, you will see people doing ruqyah (exorcism) and mixing it with the Yoruba herbs and belief to diagnose their patients that are being afflicted by extra terrestrial forces. This is alien to Islam.”
To ensure proper regulation, Abu Mazeedatul Khayr said relevant government and professional bodies need to understand practice of prophetic medicine, adding that they cannot regulate what they don’t understand.
“When someone practices traditional medicine, Indian Ayurveda, Chinese medicine and calls that prophetic medicine, then that’s a big problem. This is becoming a norm and there is a need to eradicate quackery from prophetic medical practices in Nigeria. Relevant government agencies must work together with the practitioners to put an end to it”, he noted.
When asked if non-Muslims will adopt Prophetic Medicine when it is firmly established in the country, he replied “Just like they are partaking in Islamic banking, they will adopt it. You know it’s about life and death, and for someone who doesn’t want to die and there’s a healthcare system that can take care of him, he will patronise it.”
Ensuring standards
The renowned author revealed that IIIT, the institute he founded in Abuja, has been established to ensure standards in the practice of prophetic medicine in Nigeria.
He said “We run six courses in the Institute namely: Prophetic Herbs, Spiritual Healing, Cupping Therapy, Health Sciences, Dream Analysis and Ethics of the Healing Practice. Our students graduate within six months and do a herbal project in collaboration with NAFDAC.”
Abu Mazeedatul Khayr commended LEMU for organizing the event which he said it’s long overdue, adding, “May Allah reward the organisers. I am supposed to be out of the country by now, but I chose to attend this conference.”
* Prophetic Medicine should be regulated by Traditional Medicine Board: Registrar LSTMB
The Registrar of the Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board (LSTMB), Mr Babatunde Adele, represented by Mrs Aisha Adams said the Board is ready to assist in the regulation of prophetic medicine, advocating that it should be classified as traditional medicine (Islamic traditional medicine).
According to him, “The LSTMB is open to engaging in fruitful discussions, sharing insights, and working collaboratively towards developing a comprehensive regulatory framework that upholds the principles of prophetic medicine while adhering to established guidelines.”
Mrs Adams who read a paper prepared by the Registrar mentioned that there’s a written code of conduct for traditional medical practice in Lagos. This code of conduct can also be adopted by the prophetic medicine practitioners in the regulations of their work.
Muslim News gathered that the Board which was established by the late former Governor of Lagos, Alhaji Lateef Jakande has an onerous task of re-organising and re-positioning the traditional and complementary medical practice sector.
He said, “The National Council on Health already gave a direction to the effect that the 36 states of the federation and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) should establish an agency/board for the development and regulation of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine in their respective domains”.
She continued that traditional medical practitioners can be specialised in different specialities, adding, “Some are skin healers, some are bonesetters and we monitor them. Those who obtain licences (from our Board) and are competent in their practices, we are proud of them and can defend them against other regulatory agencies such as HEFAMAA under the Lagos State Ministry of Health.”
She continued, “You see our prophetic medicine, it is enough for us (as a means of healing). It’s as if I should not mention its benefits again because I have even learnt further from Abu Mazeedatul Khayr during his speech.”
“If we don’t come together (organise conferences like this), those who are quacks can mess up the practice of prophetic medicine for us. The Christians formed a different association (FACOBAN) for their TBAs (Traditional Birth Attendants) under faith-based association. Although, when they come to the Board, we still classify them as TBA.” She added.
Explaining how the LSTMB has been striving to achieve standards in traditional medical practices, she said, “The LSTMB wants to differentiate between TBAs, herbalists, medical practitioners because we see that there’s a difference between them. Some, are no longer under LSTMB.”
For example, the Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM) is under a separate body now. We see that there is a clear difference in their operations and they are organised. They are now regulated by the Nigeria Council of Physicians for Natural Medicine (NCPNM).”
She further advocated that prophetic medicine should be classified as traditional medicine (Islamic traditional medicine). She said, “So, for us, we will classify the prophetic medical practice under TCAM because what is traditional to Arab countries is prophetic medicine but because of our own religion, we will not say it’s a complementary medicine. Our religion makes the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW) our own tradition. So, if we stay under TCAM, we are making steps to accredit people who will come under TCAM.”
Need for speciality in Prophetic Medical Practice
Dr. Lateefah Adebola Adeyemi, a certified and licensed naturopathic doctor trained in the UK advocated the need for speciality in prophetic medical practice.
She said “There is lack of clear-cut specialty in prophetic medicine like we have in orthodox medicine. There is a productive value chain in prophetic medical practice. Some are into production, some do imports of herbs and some consultations. When it comes to treatment, we make a treatment plan and make a referral when necessary, but no clear-cut specialty like in orthodox medicine”.
Some prophetic medicine need no NAFDAC certification
Barrister Habeeb Lawal, who is a member of the Research Committee of the Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board and a prophetic medical practitioner mentioned that there’s no need for NAFDAC certifications for some prophetic medicine preparations.
He said “If you’re certified by the LSTMB (which is renewed yearly) and you have a drug or preparation labelled for clinical use, you can obtain permission from your local authority (local government) and as such, you can dispense. So, for example, if I produce a preparation for clinical use in Lekki and I am certified by the Board, I do not need NAFDAC certification. But, the moment the preparation is to be placed on shelves in pharmacies, there will be a need for NAFDAC certification. NAFDAC does have some collaboration with the Board” He concluded.
Barrister Lawal enlightened the audience about the origin of prophetic medicine. He said “The basis of Tibb Nabawiy (prophetic medicine) is that at around 1000 BC, Greek philosophers and medical doctors laid down the practice of medical treatment.”
“However, during the Islamic golden age, Islamic medical practitioners such as Ibn Sinna, Ar-Rhazi, Ibn Qayyim, At-Tabarrani started translating the works of these Greek philosophers (like Gallen, Aristotle etc) into Arabic and they removed things that were alien to Islam. Hence, this is how prophetic medicine started. They established the first general hospital in Baghdad in 806 CE.”
He further buttressed the effectiveness of traditional medicine citing the example of the King of England.
He said, “One of the best examples of the use of alternative medicine is the refusal of King Charles of England to use orthodox means to treat his recently diagnosed cancer. He preferred alternative medicine or traditional medicine for his treatment”
Regulation process
Speaking on the regulation, the host, Chief of Imam of Lekki Central Mosque, Dr. Ridwan Jamiu, disclosed that it comes in three ways.
According to him, the first one is governmental, the second one is association (professionals) and the third religious. As for the first one, the government is right here (referring to the LSTMB).
“The second leg of regulation is professional which refers to the need of an association that will ensure that all those who practice prophetic medicine are under one body. We have identified an association (Islamic and Prophetic Practitioners Association of Nigeria) and they are with us here. We will see how to strengthen them and encourage all those practicing it to come under this association.”
“And lastly, there should be a religious council or Shari’ah council that can guide the practice since it is attributed to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW),” he added.
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