Epidemics in the Medieval Islamic Near East: Theological and Religio-legal Reflections

This article elaborates on the classical Islamic discourse about epidemics in the medieval Near East, with special attention to the crucial question: How were faith and reason presented in the medieval Islamic theological discourse on epidemics? To best address this question, we have chosen an analytical framework for studying how values, beliefs, and scientific assumptions are expressed in theological and medical discourses by various prominent Muslim scholars from different Islamic schools of thought. These scholars appear to have overcome the seeming contradiction between reason (al-akhdh bi'alasbab) and belief (tawakkul) by discovering a "complementarity theory" that allowed for a more flexible approach to epidemics, particularly the Black Death, and the application of certain medical and scientific practices without challenging or negating fundamental belief principles. The main conclusion of this study is that Muslim scholars and physicians acknowledged prophetic medicine and the need to take all necessary precautions to prevent and fight epidemics.