Preventive Measures Against the Plague in the Book "Miqna'at al-Sail 'an al-Maraad al-Ha'il"(A Convincing Argument to the Inquirer About the Pervasive Disease) by Lisan al-Din Ibn al-Khatib

Abstract

This research aims to introduce the preventive medicine applied by Andalusian physicians to guard against infectious diseases such as the plague. The chosen sample for study is the book "Miqna'at al-Sail 'an al-Maraad al-Ha'il" (A Convincing Argument to the Inquirer About the Pervasive Disease) by Lisan al-Din Ibn al-Khatib. The research covers an overview of the scholarly and encyclopedic personality of this historian, writer, physician, and philosopher. It highlights the key factors that contributed to his excellence in the field of medicine, his major medical works, a brief presentation of the book "Miqna'at al-Sail 'an al-Maraad al-Ha'il (A Convincing Argument to the Inquirer About the Pervasive Disease)," and an exploration of his scientific approach in diagnosis, meticulous observation, experimentation, intuition, prescription, and treatment methods.

The research also discusses the preventive measures advocated by Lisan al-Din Ibn al-Khatib to ensure the public health of the community against the plague. These measures include removing contaminated substances from the air, selecting foods beneficial to the human body, implementing patient isolation and quarantine measures to contain the disease in isolated areas, and preventing the spread of infection to unaffected regions.