The History of Preventive Medicine in Islamic Civilization: Quarantine as a Model

Abstract

This research examines preventive medicine in Islamic civilization, with a focus on the experience of quarantine as a pioneering applied model in disease prevention. The study seeks to highlight the theoretical foundations and basic principles upon which preventive medicine in Islam relied by tracing its emergence and development, as well as the role of Islamic medical schools and prominent physicians in consolidating its concepts.

The research also sheds light on the applications of preventive medicine in Islamic society through religious and educational institutions, hospitals, and governmental and administrative policies that gave considerable attention to public health. In another aspect, the second section is devoted to studying the emergence of quarantine in Islamic cities, explaining its organizational methods and the cases and epidemics that necessitated its application, in addition to analyzing its impact on public health and society.

The research concludes that the experience of quarantine in Islamic civilization presented an advanced model for managing health crises and contributed, through its lessons and accumulated experience, to enriching modern preventive medicine. The findings of this research confirm that preventive medicine in Islamic civilization was not merely a medical aspect; rather, it was an integrated system with religious, social, and administrative dimensions that contributed to protecting society and establishing the foundations of public health on scientific and ethical bases.