Al Islam

Sharah Qanun, by Allama Qutb-ud-Din Shirazi, Vol. III.

Kamil-us-Sanaat, by Ali Bin-al-Abbas Al-Majoosi, Vol. III, page 602.

Kitab Majmua-i-Baqai, Muhammad Ismail, Mukhatif az Khaqan by Khitab pidar Mohammad Baqa Khan, Vol. II, page 497.

Kitab Tazkara-i-Ul-ul-Albab, by Shaikh Daud-ul-Zareer-ul-Antaki, page 303.

Qarabadin-i-Rumi, compiled about the time of Jesus and translated in the reign of Mamun al-Rashid into Arabic, see Skin Diseases.

Umdat-ul-Muhtaj, by Ahmad Bin Hasan al-Rashidi al-Hakim. In this book, Marham-i-Isa, and other preparations have been noted from a hundred, perhaps more than a hundred books, all these books being in French.

Qarabadin, in Persian, by Hakim Muhammad Akbar Arzani -- Skin Diseases.

Shifa-ul-Asqam, Vol. II, page 230.

Mirat-ush-Shafa, by Hakim Natho Shah -- (manuscript) Skin Diseases.

Zakhira-i-Khawarazm Shahi, Skin Diseases.

Sharah Qanun Gilani, Vol. III.

Sharah Qanun Qarshi, Vol. III.

Qarabadin, by Ulwi Khan, Skin Diseases.

Ilaj-ul-Amraz, by Hakim Muhammad Sharif Khan Sahib, page 893.

Qarabadin, Unani, Skin Diseases.

Tuhfat ul-Momineen, on the margin of Makhzan-ul-Adwiya, page 713.

Muhit Fi-Tibb, page 367.

Aksir-i-Azam, Vol. IV, by Hakim Muhammad Azam Khan Sahib, Al Mukhatab ba Nazim-i-Jahan, page 331.

Qarabadin, by Masumi-ul-Masum bin Karam-ud-Din Al-Shustri Shirazi.

Ijala-i-Nafiah, Muhammad Sharif Dehlavi, page 410.

Tibb-i-Shibri, otherwise known as Lawami Shibriyya, Syed Hussain Shibr Kazimi, page 471.

Makhzan-i-Sulaimani, translation of Aksir Arabi, page 599, by Muhammad Shams-ud-Din Sahib of Bahawalpur.

Shifa-ul-Amraz, translated by Maulana Al-Hakim Muhammad Noor Karim, 282.

Kitab Al-Tibb Dara Shakohi, by Nur-ud-Din-Muhammad Abdul Hakim, Ain-ul-Mulk Al-Shirazi, page 360.

Minhaj-ud-Dukan ba Dastoor-ul-Aayan fi Aamal wa Tarkib al-Nafiah lil-Abdan, by Aflatoon-i-Zamana wa Rais-i-Awana Abdul-Mina Ibn Abi Nasr-ul-Atta Al Israili Al-Harooni (i.e., Jew), page 86.

Zubdat-ul-Tabb, by Syed-ul-Imam Abu Ibrahim Ismail bin Hasan-ul-Husaini Al-Jarjani, page 182.

Tibb-i-Akbar, by Muhammad Akbar Arzani, page 242.

Mizan-ul-Tibb, by Muhammad Akbar Arzani, page 152.

Sadidi, by Rais-ul-Mutakalimin Imamul Mohaqq-i-qin Al-Sadid-ul-Kazrooni, Vol. II, page 283.

Hadi Kabir, by Ibn-i-Zakariya, Skin Diseases.

Qarabadin, by Ibn-i-Talmiz, Skin Diseases.

Qarabadin, by Ibn-i-Abi Sadiq, Skin Diseases.

These books have been mentioned here by way of illustration. Learned people, especially physicians, know that most of these books, in times gone by, were taught at important places of learning under Muslim rule; even scholars from Europe studied them. It is a fact, and there is not the slightest exaggeration about it, that in every century there have been millions of people who have been acquainted with these books; hundreds of thousands of them have been studying them from end to end. I can assert that not a single person from among the learned people of Europe and Asia has been ignorant of the names of at least some of the books in the above list. When Sapin and Qastmonia and Shantrin had universities, Bu Ali Sina's great Qanun, a great medical work in which there is set out the prescription of Marham-i-Isa and other books such as Shifa and Isharat and Basharat pertaining to science, astronomy and philosophy, were eagerly studied and learnt by the Europeans. Likewise, works of Abu Nasr Farabi, Abu Raihan Israil, Thabit bin Qurrah, Hunain bin Ishaq, and Ishaq etc -- all luminaries of learning -- and translations made by them from Greek were also taught. Translations of their works would certainly be found to exist in Europe even today. As Muslim rulers were keen patrons of medicine, they prepared translations of good Greek works. The supreme authority of Khilafat vested for a long time in kings who desired expansion of knowledge rather than the extension of their dominions. That was why they not only had Greek books translated into Arabic but also invited learned Pandits from India, and got them to translate medical and other books, paying them high remuneration. One of the greatest debts that seekers of true knowledge owe to them, therefore, is that they prepared translations of Latin and Greek medical books which contained a mention of the 'Ointment of Jesus', and which, almost as an inscription, recorded the fact that the ointment had been prepared for the wounds of Jesus. When the learned men of Islamic times, such as Thabit bin Qurrah and Hunain bin Ishaq who, apart from medicine, were well-versed in science and philosophy, translated the Qarabadin in which there was a mention of Marham-i-Isa, they wisely retained, in Arabic characters, the word Shailikha, which is a Greek word, in order to perpetuate the suggestion that the book was translated from a Greek pharmaceutical work. That is why in almost every book there occurs the word Shailikha.

It is, moreover, worth noting that though old coins are of great value, clearing as they do great mysteries of history, still, ancient books which at all times have been known to millions of people and which have been taught as text books at great centres of learning and are still serving this purpose, are a thousand times more valuable than coins and inscriptions. For, in the case of coins and inscriptions, there is the possibility of fraud. Learned books which, from the time of their compilation, have been known to millions of people and have been preserved and guarded by all nations and are being guarded even to-day, are such valuable evidence that coins and inscriptions do not bear a comparison with them. Can anyone, if he can, name any coin or inscription which has attained to such general publicity as the Qanun of Bu Ali Sina? In short, the 'Ointment of Jesus' constitutes for the seekers of truth a very important piece of evidence. If this evidence is to be disbelieved, all historical testimony would have to be discarded, for, apart from the fact of the number of such books which contain a mention of Marham-i-Isa, being about one thousand or even more, they and their authors are known to millions of people. One who does not accept this patent and clear and strong proof must be averse to all proof from history. Can he ever ignore such a mighty piece of evidence? Can we doubt this weighty testimony which is spread over Europe and Asia and which is the result of the statements of noted philosophers -- Jews, Christians, Magians and Muslims?

Now let fair-minded investigators attend to it: Let them hasten to this excellent proof and ponder over it. Does such illuminating evidence deserve to be ignored? Shall we not obtain 'Life' from this 'Sun' of Truth? The suggestion that Jesus might have received some injuries before the time of his Call or that they might be injuries received at some time during his ministry, but not as the result of crucifixion; that his hands and feet might have been injured through some other cause; that he might have fallen from a roof, and the ointment might have been prepared for the injury he had received in this fall, is absurd. It is absurd because before the time of his Call, he had no disciples, whereas, along with the mention of the ointment there is also a mention of the disciples. The word Shailikha, which is a Greek word, is still contained in these books. Before the time of his Call, moreover, Jesus was not considered such an important man that events of his life should have been recorded. His ministry lasted only three-and-a-half years, and during this time no accident or injury, except for the event of the Cross, has been reported in records about him. If, however, anyone is under the impression that Jesus received these injuries through some other cause, it is up to him to furnish proof; for the event to which we have referred is proved and admitted in such a way that neither Jews nor Christians deny it, the event, that is, of the Cross. The idea, however, of Jesus being injured through some other cause has not been vouched for by any historical record. To entertain such an idea, therefore, is consciously and knowingly to deviate from the path of truth. The proof that has been adduced is not such that it might be rejected on the basis of such an absurd suggestion.

There are manuscripts in existence even today; I too possess an old copy of the Qanun Bu Ali Sina, handwritten, of that time. Therefore, it would be highly unjust -- it would be to murder truth outright -- to throw away such a transparent proof as this. Think it over again and again -- ponder deeply over it -- these books are still with Jews, Magians, Christians, Arabs, Persians, Greeks, Romans, and with Germans and French, as well as in the ancient libraries of other European countries and of Asia. Is it proper to turn away from a proof like this, the lustre of which dazzles the eye of denial? If these books had been compiled by Muslims only, and if they had been in the hands only of the followers of Islam, there might have been people who would have hastily come to the conclusion that Muslims had forged the statement and recorded it in their books to make it serve as an attack on the Christian creed. But this, apart from the reasons which I shall state shortly, is a baseless suggestion, also on account of the fact that Muslims could never be guilty of a forgery of this kind; for, like Christians, Muslims also believe that after the event of the Cross, Jesus soon ascended into heaven. Muslims, moreover, do not believe that Jesus was put on the Cross at all or that he received any injuries as a result of crucifixion. How then could they knowingly forge a statement contradictory of their own belief? Apart from this, Islam was not in existence in the world when these books on medicine, in Latin and Greek, were compiled and made current among hundreds of millions of people; which books contained the prescription of the 'ointment of Jesus' as well as the explanation that this ointment was prepared by the disciples for Jesus (on whom be peace). And the people, i.e., Jews, Christians, Muslims and Magians were opposed to one another in religion. Therefore, the fact that they have mentioned this ointment in their books, or rather, the fact that they do not have regard even for their respective beliefs, is a clear proof that the preparation of the ointment was such a well-known fact that it was not denied by any community or nation. It is true, however, that until the time of the appearance of the Promised Messiah, it did not occur to any of these people to profit from this prescription which had been stated in hundreds of books and had been known to millions of people of different nations. We have no alternative, therefore, than to acknowledge in this connection that God had willed -- it had been destined by Him -- that this bright weapon and this truth-revealing proof which destroys the belief about the Cross should be explained to the world by the Promised Messiah; for the Holy Prophet had prophesied that the faith of the Cross shall not decline nor shall its progress be arrested until the Promised Messiah appears in the world. It was the Promised Messiah at whose hands was to be brought about the 'Breaking of the Cross'. The hint in the prophecy was that in the time of the Promised Messiah, God would bring about circumstances which would lay bare the truth about the Crucifixion. Then would come the end, and the Creed of the Cross would complete its span of life, not, however, through war or violence, but only through heavenly agencies, which would manifest themselves in the world in the form of argument and discovery. This is the meaning of the Hadith mentioned by Bukhari and others. It was inevitable therefore, that heaven should not have disclosed these proofs and these conclusive pieces of evidence until the time of the appearance of the Promised Messiah. So it has come to pass. From the time of the Promised One onward eyes shall open and thinking people shall ponder over the question. For the Messiah of God has appeared. Intellects must now be sharpened; hearts must be attentive; pens wielded with vigour, and all must gird up their loins, righteous souls would now be given understanding, and every willing person would have reason. For, whatever shines in heaven brightens up the earth also. Blessed and fortunate is he who has a share of this light! As the fruit appears in season, so the light descends at its appointed time; no one can bring it down before it descends of itself, nor stop it when it descends. There must be differences and controversies. At the end, however, truth must prevail, for this is not the work of man; the son of man has no hand in it -- it is from the God who changes the seasons, moves the times, and converts night into day and day into night. He has created darkness but He loves the light. He lets Shirk (polytheistic belief) live in the world, but he loves Tauhid or Oneness of Himself; He does not like His glory to be given away to anybody else. Ever since the birth of man, and until man disappears from the world, the divine law has been that God supports His Tauhid or Oneness. The object of all the prophets sent by Him was to effect the worship of man and other creatures and to establish the worship of God. The service they rendered to the world was to make the formula 'There is no one worthy of worship but Allah' shine in the earth as it shines in heaven. The greatest of them, therefore, is he who did the most in making this formula shine with brilliance; who first exposed the impotence of false gods and proved their nothingness, on the basis of reason and power, and then, when he had proved everything, he left a memory of his decisive victory in the shape of the formula: 'There is no God but Allah, Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah'. He did not utter the formula: 'There is no God but Allah' as an empty boast, rather, he first provided the proofs and exposed the error of the false beliefs and then called upon the people to see that there was no God besides Him, Who had broken all their power and who had shattered all their pride? As a reminder, therefore, of this proved fact, he taught the blessed formula: 'There is no God but Allah; Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah'.