The Islamic Medical Association has conducted extensive research into Islam and healthcare and has documented their findings in over 50 publications since 1980. In addition the IMA publishes a well-known medical journal, JIMASA (Journal of IMA South Africa), which encompasses the original research papers of many Muslim health professionals as well as reviews and articles relevant to the Muslim medical fraternity.
List of booklets, books, journals and news bulletins published by IMASA: IMASA: This is the Journal of the Islamic Medical Association of South Africa and is published twice a year and includes research papers.
BIMA: This is the Bulletin of the Islamic Medical Association and is published four times a year and includes news pertaining to branch activities etc.
BOOKLETS:
1) Family Planning and Abortion – an Islamic Viewpoint: Qazi Mujahidul Islam
A simple reference work in response to the complex question of family planning. Its chief merit is in providing solutions to the question of contraception and family planning, presented in the form of questions and answers.
2) A Practical Guide for Managing Drug Abuse: Mohammed Coovadia
This study outlines the diagnosis of drug abuse and provides certain practical guidelines in assisting those caught in the web of such aberrations. Exposition of the Islamic attitude vis-à-vis the consumption of intoxicants confers added meaning to the seriousness of the subject.
3) Fasting and the Patient – Some Guidelines: IMA of South Africa
An important work providing solutions to issues faced by the fasting patient. It also provides useful information about the general rules of fasting; medical issues related to women, marital and miscellaneous issues relevant to concerned Muslims.
4) Islam and Science: IMA of South Africa
This work makes a justification of the scientific method through recourse to Quranic data relevant tomodern science, and recognizes the Prophet (SAW) as the initiator of the age of empirical knowledge.
5) Muhammad the Family Man: Ahmed Elkadi
The ennoblement of women and the elevation of the institution of marriage at the hands of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is the primary focus of this study. It illustrates the saying of the prophet (SAW): Marriage is half of Faith.
6) Hajj – What does it mean?: Mohammed Coovadia
This concise work explains the meaning and importance of Islam’s ?fth pillar i.e. the Hajj (the Pilgrimage to Makkah). The significance of each of the rites of Hajj is presented in a way that succeeds in reminding the reader of Islam’s transcendental dimension as well.
7) Reflections on Islamic Medicine: IMA of South Africa
This work consists of five pertinent essays dealing with the concept of Islamic Medicine by leading Muslim medical scholars and practitioners. It also gives us an insight into the need for evolving Islamic medical institutions with their own specific Islamic medical textbooks.
8) The Muslim Patient – A Guide for Health Care Professionals: Farouk Hafiejee
This concise work outlines the basic religious precepts, which concerns the day-to-day behaviour of each Muslim individual. It is compulsory reading for non-Muslims and even Muslim health care professionals. It forms an essential prerequisite for establishing a harmonious interaction between medical personnel, pharmacists, allied health attendants and their patients and users of services.
9) The Alcohol Content of some Commonly Available Medicines: C.M. Dangor
This is a comprehensive description of alcohol containing medicines, including the percentage content, available in South Africa. Some discussion on alternative preparations is presented.
10) The Shari’ah and Organ Transplant: A.F.M. Ebrahim and A.A. Hafiejee
This work concerns two religious views – for and against the transplantation of human organs. It also looks into the concepts of ‘brain death’ as applicable to organ transplantation (though no definite fatwa (religious decree) on this problem is discussed).
11) Islamic Jurisprudence and Blood Transfusion: Abdul Fadl Mohsin Ebrahim
This work concerns the issue of blood transfusion and the response (both historical and current) of Muslim scholars. It also touches upon the reality of blood banks and the religious factor involved.
12) Islamic Guidelines on Animal Experimentation: AFM Ebrahim and AI Vawda
The use of animals in biomedical research and training is a controversial issue. This work attempts to extrapolate certain Islamic guidelines on the subject of animal experimentation from related teachings in the Quran and Sunnah.
13) A Healthy Diet – Islam Shows the Way: MAK Omar
Present day dietary habits in afluent countries are very recent innovations representing an unprecedented, unique nutritional development. This has been linked to numerous diseases of modern living. Eating behaviour, as prescribed by the Quran and exemplified by the Prophet (SAW), would certainly go a long way to preventing these modern scourges.
14) Ethics of Medical Research – Some Islamic Considerations: AFM Ebrahim, HA Randeree, & AI Vawda
Taqwa (consciousness of the presence of Allah) makes man responsible and accountable to his Creator for all his activities. Thus the question of accountability implies that biomedical science and technology can never be completely divorced from ethics. In Islam, moreover, ethics is not independent of Shariah.
15) Islamic Code of Medical Ethics – Kuwait Document
This is an important handbook for the Muslim health practitioner, as it provides important guidelines on a number of issues, including defining the medical profession from an Islamic viewpoint, doctor- patient relationships and the sanctity of human life.
16) Death and Dying – Advising Patient and Family: AFM Ebrahim, GM Hoosen, H. Hathout
This book attempts to extrapolate certain guidelines from the broad teachings of the Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) that could be effectively used when communicating with terminally ill patients and their families. It also addresses the issues surrounding euthanasia.
17) Islam, the Environment and Health: Mustafa Abu Sway and AbdulAziz Sachedina
A major challenge of this millennium is the environmental crisis. In a world obsessed with materialism, great technological strides have been made at the expense of the environment. This has had an adverse impact on the mental, spiritual and physical health of people. In this publication the authors critically analyze the current environmental crises and provide an Islamic framework based on Tawhid, Khilafah and Amaanah.
18) Code of Health Care Providers: IMA of South Africa
This booklet is the result of a number of workshops held in the different provinces to formulate a code of conduct for health care providers. It provides guidelines based on the Quran and Sunnah on issues relating to personal conduct, the manner of conducting their practice, their relationship with their patients and among themselves, and their role within their community.
19) The Aids Dilemma – A Progeny of Modernity: Malik Badri
The author explores some of the relationships between AIDS and modernity and the impact that lifestyles and the sexual revolution has in perpetuating and causing the epidemic.
20) AIDS Prevention – Role of Governments, the Media and Organizations: Malik Badri
A reproduction of the last chapter of the author’s thesis on “The AIDS crisis: a natural product of modernity’s sexual revolution”. The author outlines practical, Islamically oriented measures that should be taken to provide a lasting solution to the AIDS Crisis.
21) AIDS prevention – Failure in the North and Catastrophe in the South – A Solution: Malik Badri
The author outlines why the Western model of AIDS prevention has failed and why it is clearly inappropriate for the rest of the word. He presents the Islamic lifestyle as a solution to this modern scourge.
22) Prophetic Medicine: Al-Tibb Al-Nabawi, O.H. Kasule, M. Coovadia, G.M. Karim
This publication consists of three well researched and though provoking papers on Prophetic Medicine by the three prominent Muslim physicians. They maintain that Prophetic Medicine continues to exert its influence on medical practice to this day. It is anticipated that this publication will inspire Muslim medical practitioners to study Prophetic Medicine and apply the wisdom of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in their practice of medicine.
23) Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Ethical Dilemmas – Guidelines for Muslim Families: Abul Fadl MohsinEbrahim
This publication gives the reader an insight into how Islamic teachings view medical treatment and the difficulty that contemporary Muslim scholars have in determining the end of human life. It also touches upon some ethical dilemmas in the ICU setting with the aim of giving guidelines for the management of these delicate situations.
24) Dr Ahmed Elkadi: His Thoughts and Research
This publication is a collection of his talks that he gave in South Africa and other parts of the world. Some of the scholarly papers in this publication are unique and they, in reality, laid the foundation for what came to be known as Islamic medicine.
25) Doctor – Patient Relationship: Role of the Muslim Doctor
This publication specifically addresses the relationship between the Muslim doctor and his / he patients in light of Islamic Medical Jurisprudence, with special focus on the obligations and liability of the Muslim doctor.
26) Islamic Medicine – Some Thoughts
27) The Quran & Modern Science
28) Lajnatul Attiba – MYM
BOOKS
1) Biomedical Issues- An Islamic Perspective: Abul Fadl Mohsin Ebrahim
A well-researched book that addresses some of the biomedical issues facing Muslims including birth control, abortion, surrogate motherhood and related issues.
2) Darwinism on Trial: K.S. Nadvi
A well-researched scientific critique of the theory of evolution, and includes the Quranic perspective on the issue.
3) The AIDS Crisis – A Natural product of Modernity’s Sexual Revolution: Malik Badri
The third edition of this book provides a simplified explanation of the immunology and virology of HIV infection before going on to address issues regarding its origin and spread. A convincing argument is made for the Islamic approach to the prevention of AIDS.
4) Islamic Medical Association of South Africa – Sterling Service – 27 years of Health Care: Farouk Amod
This book traces the history of the Islamic Medical Association from its humble inception as a small group of dedicated doctors to the many activities at present.
5) Formation of the IMA – The Early Years: Farouk Amod
This book outlines the early years of the IMA of South Africa and the difficulties and challenges faced at its inception. It was first submitted as an honours thesis by the author to the Department of Islamic Studies at the University of Durban-Westville, for which he graduated cum laude.
6) Marital Intimacy – An Islamic Guide to Sexual Bliss in Nikah: Shakira Cassim Khan
Sex and sexuality are extremely difficult topics to discuss openly because of their sensitive nature. Yet during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) the Sahabah (RA) were not afraid to ask about all affairs including sexual relationships. The Holy Quran and Sunnah have laid out the etiquette of engaging in sexual intercourse. Dr Shakira Cassim Khan courageously discusses the topic openly and tactfully.
7) Caring for the Elderly: A.F.M. Ebrahim, Malik Badri, Bilkish Cassim, M.C. Solwa
Deterioration of human faculties suffered in old age depicts the most obvious evidence of human frailty and dependence that is the inevitable fate of human beings who reach old age. Our debt to the elderly can never be repaid in full and for this reason it is imperative for us to value their presence and accord them all the support and care that they rightfully deserve. This publication touches upon the rights of the elderly, their status in society and the understanding and management of their health requirements at the most critical period of their lives.
8) Religion and HIV/AIDS: Dr Farouk Amod
This publication is a pioneering work in that it documents the Muslim response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic in South Africa. It also touches upon the support that other religious bodies in KwaZulu-Natal are extending to the HIV/AIDS patients. Furthermore it also addresses the mechanisms that Islam and other religions are putting in place towards arresting the spread of this global pandemic. Hence, the general public will find this publication to be both stimulating and thought provoking. Materials in this book were originally submitted by the author for his Doctor of Philosophy (D. Phil) degree in Religion and Social Transformation with specialization in Islamic Studies to the School of Religion and theology, University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2004.
9) An Introduction to Islamic Medical Jurisprudence: A.F.M. Ebrahim
This book adds a new dimension to medico-legal literature in South Africa by relating the Islamic approach to current medico-legal problems in our society. It covers the usual topics expected in a medico-legal text such as medical treatment and the doctor-patient relationship. In addition, the author tackles a number of controversial topics such as contraception, assisted reproduction, termination of pregnancy, blood transfusion, tissue and organ transplantation, euthanasia and HIV/AIDS. In each instance he describes the secular legal position in South Africa – sometimes with references to other jurisdictions, especially the United Kingdom and the United States – before explaining the Islamic approach to the topic concerned.
10) Health guidelines for Ramadaan: Farouk Hafiejee
11) Instruments of Thy will: Research Team
12) The Formation of the IMA Of South Africa – The Early Years
13) Islam To The Modern Mind
14) An Introduction of Islamic Jurisprudence
15) Health Guidelines for Hajj & Umrah
16) Reproductive Health & Islamic Values
17) Islam & Vaccination