Dr. Mohammed Iftekaruddin, Director, MESCO, Hyderabad; Dr. Mahmoud Al-Haj Kasim Mohammed, President, Iraq Medical Association, Scholar and Writer of Arab and Muslim’s Medical History, Iraq; Prof. Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman, Founder President, Ibn Sina Academy of Medical Medicine and Sciences, Aligarh; Prof. Saud Alam Qasmi, Dean, Faculty of Theology, AMU, Aligarh; Prof. M. Amanullah Khan, Dept. of Surgery, J.N. Medical College, A.M.U., Aligarh and others
 

Day-2

The second day of the conference, December 14, 2013, began with the inauguration of poster presentation. While the first session of the second day was chaired by Dr. Syed Farooq from Delhi, Dr. Shahnaz Sheikh, professor of physiology, Mumbai co-chaired the session. The experts touched upon topics like, history of medicine, Tibb-e-Unani, Islamic perspective, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, dentistry, surgical procedures, instruments, cauterisation, pharmacology and cupping therapy. While Mrs. Saba Anjum, Dept. of Islamic Studies, AMU, Aligarh presented her paper on history of medicine, Dr. Bilal Ahmed, Research Officer (Unani) SL-II, LRIUU, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi spoke on Tibbi-Unani. Dr. Ataullah Fahad, Asstt. Professor, AKTC, AMU, delivered his talk on dentistry and Dr. Nazmeen, Asstt. Professor, A & U Tibbia College, New Delhi spoke on surgery procedure. While instruments was the topic dealt with by Mr. Vasiur Rahman, AIIMS, New Delhi. Prof. Altaf Ahmed Azmi, ex-head, Centre for History of Medicine & Science, Jamia Hamdard, Dr. Mohd. Usman, guest faculty, AKTC, AMU, Aligarh and Abdus Salam Hamid Ghalib Yemeen, research scholar, AMU presented their papers on cauterisation. The session had Mohd. Asalam and team, and M.A. Iqbal Rasheed from MESCO College of Pharmacy as speakers on pharmacology. General Secretary, CUIBT, Chennai, Dr. Syed M.M. Ameen shed light on cupping therapy.
 

Parallel Session-I on Al-Zahrawi’s contribution to Ophthalmology at Hall-I
 

The second day of the conference was divided between business session and parallel sessions. The number of sessions, and parallel sessions stood at four each. The first business session with the theme “The relevance of al-Zahrawi’s clinical methods and surgical procedures and instruments to modern medicine and surgery”, was chaired by Dr. Syed Farooq, D.Sc., New Delhi whereas the second session with the theme “al-Zahrawi’s holistic vision of health and disease and its relevance in the contemporary medical discourse: Islamic concept of physical health”, was chaired by Prof. Omar Hasan Kasule, Sr. Faculty of Medicine, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, KSA. The first business session was co-chaired by Prof. M. Amanullah Khan, Deptt. of Surgery, J.N. Medical College, AMU, Aligarh. The speakers at the session included Dr. Mahmoud al-Haj Kasim Mohammed, President, Iraq Medical Association, scholar and writer of Arab and Muslims medical history, Iraq; Prof. Dr. Maher Abdel Kader Mohamed Ali, professor of history, Alexandria University, Egypt; Dr. S.M. Hassan, ex-deputy director, Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine, Lucknow; Dr. Mohsin Raza, senior consultant, general d-surgeon, Aligarh; Prof. Iqbal Aziz, department of surgery, Faculty of Unani Medicine, Ajmal Khan Tibbia College, AMU, Aligarh; Hakeem Zillur Rahman, New Delhi and Dr. Mohd. Fazeel, asstt. director (Unani), Dept of AYUSH, Ministry of Health, Govt. of India, New Delhi. The second business session was co-chaired by Dr. M. Yousuf Azam, professor of surgery, Hyderabad. The speakers at the session were Prof. M. Amanullah Khan, Dr. Abdul Karim Abshwereb, faculty of medicine, Tirpoli, Libya, M.S. Bukhari, managing director, SATCO, INTL, Qatar and Dr. Abu Waris Jamil, associate professor, faculty of Unani Medicine, AMU.
 

Parallel Session-II on Al-Zahrawi’s contribution to Cupping (Hijama) at Hall-II
 

The third session with the theme, “al-Zahrawi’s contribution to orthopaedics and its contemporary relevance”, was chaired by Dr. M. Farooq of the Al-Shifa Multi-Speciality Hospital, Delhi co-chaired by Dr. Mamoud al-Haj Kasim Mohammed, it had Dr. Rashid Qazi, HoD, Dept. of Surgery, Dr. M.I.J. Tibbiya College, Mumbai, Mufti Syed Baqar Arshad Qasmi from Bangalore and Hafiz Iqtidar Ahmed, P.G. scholar, faculty of Unani Medicine, AMU as speakers. The fourth business session was devoted to the theme “Al-Zahrawi’s contribution to Obstetrics and Gynaecology and its enduring significance”. While Dr. Fahmida Banoo MRCOG director, Feme Care, Hyderabad chaired the session, Dr. Nayyar Ferozan, from Hyderabad was its co-chairperson. The speakers at the session included, Dr. Yasmeen M. Ali, asstt. professor, Dr. MIJT Unani Medical College, Mumbai, Dr. Nikhat Shaikh, research officer (Unani), R.R.I.U.M, Chennai and Dr. Azma, research officer, LRIUM (CCRUM), Department of AYUSH, New Delhi.
 

A demonstration of treatment through cupping (hijama)
 

There were four parallel sessions on the second day. While the first two parallel sessions focused on the themes, “Al-Zahrawi’s contribution to opthamology” and “Al-Zahrawis contribution to cupping (hijama)” respectively.
 

L-R: Maryam Gamal El Deen Mohammed Kotb, Asst. Lecturer of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Modern University for Technology & Information, Cairo, Egypt and her father Shaikh Gamal El Deen Mohammed Kotb; Prof. M. Amanullah Khan, Dept. of Surgery, J.N. Medical College, A.M.U., Aligarh; Dr. Ahmad Abdul Hai, MD & Chief Consultant, Hai Medicare & Research Institute, Patna
 

The last two parallel sessions revisited Al-Zahrawi’s contribution to surgery and dentistry respectively. While the first parallel session was chaired and co-chaired by Dr. Talal Aziz, director, MESCO Diagnostic, New Delhi and Prof. Ishtiyaque Danish, finance secretary, IOS respectively. The second parallel session was chaired and co-chaired by Ms. Shaikh Nowhere from Mumbai and Dr. Azmat Kareem, Metro Hospital, New Delhi respectively. Those who presented their papers at the first parallel session included Dr. Safiya Lakhande, reader, Z.V.M. Unani Medical College, Pune, Dr. Abdul Moiz Shama, ophthalmologist, Aligarh, Dr. Mansoor A. Qureshi, RRI of Unani Medicine, Mumbai, Dr. Abdul Lateef, co-ordinator, DRS-I, AKTC, AMU and Dr. Umar Jahangir, faculty of Unani Medicine, Jamia Hamdard. The speakers at the second parallel session were, Dr. Syed M.M. Amin, general secretary, CUIBT, Chennai, Dr. S.M. Ahmer, P-G scholar, faculty of Unani Medicine, AMU and Dr. Nazim Saifi, P-G scholar, A & U Tibbia College, New Delhi. While the third parallel session was chaired and co-chaired by Dr. M. Yousuf Azam, professor of surgery, Hyderabad and Prof. Abdul Ali, ex-professor, Deptt. Of Islamic Studies, AMU respectively. The fourth and the last parallel session was chaired by Dr. Deari Ahmed Ismael, member, Zahrawi Centre for Intellectual Studies, Kurdistan, Iraq respectively. Those who spoke at the third parallel session included Prof. Hamidullah Marazi, S.H. Institute of Islamic Studies, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Dr. S. Fazle Rab, director, IOS Patna chapter, Dr. Maaz Ahmed, reader, Dr. MIJT Unani Medical College, Mumbai, Dr. Salmanaz Akhtar Hussain, asstt. professor, Dr. MIJT Unani Medical College and Dr. Akbar Yaser from Chennai. The speakers at the fourth session were Dr. Nuzhat Ali, Dr. Ziauddin Ahmad Dental College of AMU, Dr. Asfia Trannum, lecturer, Dr. MIJT Tibbia college, Mumbai, Dr. Farkhunda Jabin, asstt. professor A & U Tibbia College, AMU, Dr. Shaista Urooj, research officer, LRIUM, Jamia Hamdard and Dr. A. Latif, P-G scholar, AKTC, AMU.
 

Day-3

L-R: Hkm. KA Shafqat Azmi, Formerly Dy. Director CCRM, New Delhi; Prof. Refaqat Ali Khan, Vice-Chairman, Institute of Objective Studies, New Delhi; Prof. Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman, Founder President, Ibn Sina Academy of Medical Medicine and Sciences, Aligarh
 

The third and the last day of the conference had two business sessions devoted to “al-Zahrawi’s works and Tibb-e-Unani in South Asia” and “al-Zahrawi’s enduring contribution to pharmacology” respectively. Besides, there were two parallel sessions devoted to “al-Zahrawi’s contribution to cauterisation” and “al-Zahrawi’s contribution to global influence” respectively.

The parallel session on “al-Zahrawi’s contribution to global influence” was chaired by Dr. Abu Waris Jamil. Speaking at the session as co-chairman, Dr. Abdul Aziz Khan said that the 500-year period when the entire Arab world was at the height of its scientific, philosophical and technological excellence, was the “Dark Age” of Europe, which was living in ignorance and stagnation. This was the period when al-Zahrawi (936-1013 A.D.) was engaged in practising medicine and surgery in Cordoba. Calling him the greatest surgeon of the Muslim era, he said that all the European surgeons used to consult his celebrated work on medical science Al-Tasrif. European surgeons were so impressed by his book that they got it translated into almost all the languages of Europe, he remarked.
 

Parallel Session-V on Al-Zahrawi’s contribution to Cauterization at Conference Hall No.I
 

Former scientist with the CSIR, Dr. Mohd. Khalil commented that al-Zahrawi made full use of his posting in the royal hospital where he came across patients to try his medicines and surgical instruments. Before al-Zahrawi, the use of surgery was rare. He introduced surgery to treat certain organs of the body. His opinion to avoid surgery of cancer if the whole malignant area could not be removed is relevant even today. Dr. Zubair Zafar Khan graphically explained that the names of certain diseases and development of surgical instruments and surgical procedures that were attributed to Europeans and Americans were in fact discovered by Muslims.
 

Parallel Session –VI on Al-Zahrawi’s contribution to Global Influence Conference Hall No. II)
 

Dr. Mohammed Mushtak Tijarwi, lecturer, Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi gave a detailed account of the books written on al-Zahrawi. He especially referred to the Urdu translation of E.G. Brown’s book, Arabian Medicines. He said that a number of books had been produced on al-Zahrawi’s influence on Europe. Mohammed Raziul Islam Nadwi, secretary, Tasneefi Academy, Jamat-e-Islami Hind, explained that al-Zahrawi’s encyclopaedic book contained 30 chapters, out of which 27 chapters were devoted to medicine and only one chapter dealt with surgery. He said that al-Zahrawi wrote five books, al-Tasrif being the most talked about. He emphasised the need for publishing all his works.

Dr. Asif Iqbal insisted that al-Zahrawi travelled little, but gained wide experience in healing. He wrote extensively on injuries and fractures. For him the welfare of his students, whom he called his “sons”, was paramount. Dr. Ghitreef Shahbaz Nadwi, sub-editor, Afkar-e-Milli, referred to al-Zahrawi’s prescription to stop bleeding and the method of stitching while Wadah Mohammed Talib from Aligarh spoke on Zahrawi’s contribution to surgery. Anis-ur-Rahman enlightened on the strides made by Arabs in the field of science. He referred to a European scholar who described al-Zahrawi’s book as “an encyclopaedia of medicine and surgery”. Dr. Farrukh Anwar Khan shed light on the contents of Zahrawi’s books. He also dwelt on the medical practices adopted and surgical instruments used by Zahrawi.
 

L-R: Dr. Salih Saad Abdul Qadir Al-Ansari, Chairman of Islamic Medical Committee, World Assembly of Muslim Youth, Riyadh, KSA; Dr. Mahmoud Al-Haj Kasim Mohammed, President, Iraq Medical Association, Scholar and Writer of Arab and Muslim’s Medical History, Iraq; Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam, Chairman, Institute of Objective Studies, New Delhi; Dr. Kareem Ahmed Muhammad Al-Dawoodi, Member, Zahrawi Centre for Intellectual Studies, Kurdistan, Iraq; Dr. Fakhruddin Mohammad, Organising Secretary & Hony. Secretary, MESCO, Hyderabad; Prof. Dr. Maher Abd el Kader Mohamed Ali, Professor of History, Alexandria University, Egypt; Mr. Wasi Ahmad Nomani, President cum Managing Director, Quran, Science & Cosmos Trust, New Delhi; Dr. Abdulkerim Abushwereb, Faculty of Medicine, Tripoli, Libya; Prof. Mohammad Idris, Head, PG Department of Ilmus Saidla AU Tibbia College, New Delhi
 

A panel discussion on “The prominence of Islamic perspective in al-Zahrawi’s contributions: Why Islamic world has not produced another Zahrawi in the last 1000 years?” was also organised on that day. This was chaired by Dr. Fakhruddin Mohammed, organising secretary of the conference.

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam, who was the co-chairman of the panel discussion observed that the Europeans surreptitiously used Islamic medicine and surgery to their own advantage with modifications. Instead of attributing their knowledge to Muslims, they took credit for it. He called for restoration of the original texts of medicine and surgery.

Prof. Mohammad Idris, head, P.G. Department, ISAG, Tibbia College, New Delhi observed that al-Zahrawi’s achievements formed part of our heritage. He said that systematic attempts were made to destroy Islamic heritage by targeting Iraq, Libya, Egypt, Syria, etc. He called for making all-out effort to guide our youth. He said the growth of a country was gauged by the number of its publications and patents. Dr. Karim went into the causes of Muslim deterioration and held that Muslims themselves were responsible for it. He said that a great responsibility devolved on the ulema whose role was vital for the promotion of science.
 

Dr. Salih Saad Abdul Qadir Al-Ansari, Chairman of Islamic Medical Committee, World Assembly of Muslim Youth, Riyadh, KSA delivering his views
 

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam laid emphasis on education. He said nothing worthwhile could be achieved without education. While disapproving of the comparison of one with the other, he said that the improvement of one over the other should be the determining factor. He listed three factors – preservation, management and development, for a heritage to survive and grow. Development, if based on reasoning and strategy, would be sustainable, he added.

Professor of surgery, J.N. Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University, Prof. M. Amanullah Khan remarked that the surgical instruments invented by al-Zahrawi had been modified with the advancement of technology.
 

Dr. Fakhruddin Mohammad, Organising Secretary & Hony. Secretary, MESCO, Hyderabad delivering his views
 

Dr. Kareem Ahmad Muhammad al-Dawoodi, member, Zahrawi Centre for Intellectual Studies, Kurdistan, Iraq, and Dr. Abdul Karim Abushwereb, Faculty of Medicine, Tripoli, Libya recalled the heyday of Islamic culture and called for universal Muslim brotherhood. In his presidential address, Dr. Fakhruddin Mohammad urged Muslims to revisit the Quran and to root for the Islamic heritage.
 

Valedictory Session
 

The valedictory session was chaired by Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam, who detailed the activities of the Institute of Objective Studies during 27 years of its existence. He informed that more than 100 conferences on the Islamic heritage had been organised during the period. Explaining reasons for agreeing to hold the conference, he said that the purpose fitted into the parameters of the IOS. He expressed his gratitude to the participants for extending active cooperation to the conference. He made a fervent plea to the Arab delegates to give access to the literature pertaining to the contribution of Muslims to various fields for translation in India.
 

L-R: Dr. Fakhruddin Mohammad, Organising Secretary & Hony. Secretary, MESCO, Hyderabad; Prof. Refaqat Ali Khan, Vice-Chairman, Institute of Objective Studies, New Delhi; Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam, Chairman, Institute of Objective Studies, New Delhi; Justice M.S.A. Siddiqui, Chairman, National Council for Minorities Educational Institutions
 

He volunteered to undertake the translation project. He said that Islam stood for peace, progress and dignity. “Since we stopped following the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah, dignity was eluding us”, he said. Sharing his experience, he said that he forgot everything for 36 months while studying the Quran. He also recalled how he had to convince the ulema while establishing the IOS. He invited everybody, especially the youth, to join hands for forging ahead. He concluded by reciting a couplet. “Kamaal yeh nahin hai ke baarish kitni huyee hai; kamaal yeh hai ke pehla qatra kaun banaa hai (Greatness does not lie in the volume of the rain; It lies in becoming its first drop.)

Conducted by Sheikh Nizamuddin, the valedictory session had Prof. Refaqat Ali Khan, Vice-Chairman, IOS and Co-Chairman and Justice MSA Siddiqui, Chairman, National Council for Minorities Educational Institutions, as chief guest. Speaking at the session, Prof. Refaqat Ali Khan observed that the three-day conference was ending on a happy note.
 

Justice M.S.A. Siddiqui, Chairman, National Council for Minorities Educational Institutions delivering his views
 

He was of the view that power had nothing to do with scientific research as they were at variance with each other. He thanked the non-Muslim friends for extending cooperation to the organisers of the conference.

Justice MSA Siddiqui, in his thought-provoking address, referred to salaat (prayer) which is used 150 times in the Quran. By the beginning of the 7th century A.D., a group emerged that altered the meaning. He said that the religious leaders of Greece had the rich intellectual property, but they kept it unto themselves.
 

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam, Chairman, Institute of Objective Studies, New Delhi delivering his speech
 

Muslims got the Greek literature translated and spread the knowledge of science all over the world. Commenting on the present state of affairs of the Muslim world, he said this was an anxious moment. Despite the sizeable presence of Muslims in 58 countries, and with a population of about 1500 million and control over word’s 75 percent natural resources, they cannot boast of a university that can be counted as one of the best institutions.
 

Dr. Ahmad Abdul Hai, MD & Chief Consultant, Hai Medicare & Research Institute, Patna delivering his speech
 

Dr. Abdul Hai referred to Prof. William Brown’s research confirming the Quran’s disclosure that plants send waves. He spurred the Muslims to come out of slumber and work for the preservation of their cultural heritage. Dr. Abdul Hai noted how he came across al-Zahrawi while poring over a book in the Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Library, Patna.

Dr. Mahmoud Al-Haj Kasim Mohammed also spoke on the occasion. Dr. Fakhruddin Mohammed expressed happiness that the three-day conference attracted a large number of scholars, medical experts, surgeons and ulema who converged on the venue to share their knowledge with the audience, who collected in full strength.
 

A view of audience
 

Resolution

Dr. Fakhruddin moved yhe following resolution which was adopted by a voice vote. First eight points of the resolution concerned the Government of India and the rest related to the community/NGOs.

The first five points of the resolution are as follows:

• To represent and request the Government of India – Postal Deptt. to release 1000-year stamp to commemorate thousand years of “Father of Surgery”

• To request and represent to Government of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to name one of the six new AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) in memory of Abu al-Qasim al-Zahrawi

• To establish a “museum” to exhibit replicas of all his instruments, illustrations, surgical procedures, manuscripts and models with the help of Government of India, Ministry of Culture

• To permit and sponsor the visit of exhibition “1001 inventions” by Islamic Heritage, Manchester, U.K., on the occasion of 1001 years of Abu al-Qasim al-Zahrawi in the year 2014

• The exhibition will be held at Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Jaipur etc. from October to December 2014

• To form a committee to study the history of medicine and include the life and times of al-Zahrawi and other Muslim scientists in medical curricula.

• An International conference on Tibbe-e-Nabwi and Tibb-e-Islami will be held in November 2014.

• To institute annual scholarships, awards and lectures in different medical and Unani colleges in the country with the Medical Council of India

The points of Resolution for the community/NGOs are as follows:

• To establish a foundation trust society with the following aim and objectives:

• To study the contribution of Muslims to history, medicine, social sciences, technology and sciences.

• To undertake research in the subjects mentioned above

• To award scholarships, gold medals

• To organise Lectures, Seminars, Conferences

• To have an intellectual forum – Federation of Muslim Physicians for development strategy for

Education (a) Medical Education

(b) Allied Health Sciences
(c) Physical Medical
Health Awareness

(a) Instrumentation
(b) Halal Product

Clean Environment: Pollution Permit

(a) Water
(b) Air
(c) Earth
(d) Life Style Dinner – Presentation
(e) Health
(f) Diabetes
(g) Obesity

Relief Medical Campus

Disaster Management

International conference should be organised over every three years on Islamic Medicines and Tibb-e-Nabwi.

During the three-day international conference, MESCO and ILM Foundation, Hyderabad had jointly organised the exhibition on the contribution of al-Zahrawi in the field of medical science on 40 display stands, including other Muslim scientists. The main attraction of the exhibition was 30 replicas of al-Zahrawi’s surgical instruments. The Turkish museum had provided displays of al-Zahrawi’s surgical instruments along with their descriptions.

While registration forms were filled by about 400 participants, about 700 participants actually participated in various sessions. A total number of 17 sessions were held with the number of speakers in the inaugural, valedictory and ulema sessions being 25. The number of paper presentations and poster presenters stood at 95 and 17 respectively.