Islamic spirituality in medical doctor curriculum development: a framework for integration of naqlī and ʿaqlī knowledge

The growing recognition of spirituality as a vital component of holistic patient care has spurred a movement to integrate this dimension into medical education globally. From an Islamic perspective, which has historically embraced a holistic view of healing, the separation of the spiritual from the physical in modern medical practice presents a significant challenge. This paper examines the critical need and frameworks for integrating Islamic spirituality into the undergraduate Medical Doctor (MD) curriculum. Drawing upon foundational Islamic concepts such as the Tawhidic epistemological paradigm and Prophetic Medicine (al-ṭibb al-nabawī) and analysing the pioneering curriculum models of Malaysian institutions like Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), this study identifies key educational needs, opportunities, and challenges. The findings suggest that a successful integration requires a value-driven, programmatic approach that combines both revealed (naqlī) and rational (ʿaqlī) knowledge. This paper proposes a curriculum development framework to guide Muslim medical schools in cultivating spiritually competent, compassionate physicians who are equipped to address the complete well-being of their patients in the 21st century.