The Qur'ān and the development of rational thinking.

In this study, the means utilized by the Qur'ān in actualizing the possibilities of all intellect to face the problem of blind imitation of ancestors were elaborated. Rationality as meant by the Qur'ān and embodied in its unique style is presented. Furthermore, the Qur'ānic documentation of the role of practical demonstration on the individual's mind as well as the societies' collective mind is pointed out.

The role of Ibn Sina (Avicenna)'s medical poem in the transmission of medical knowledge to medieval Europe.

The Medical Poem ("Al-Urjuzah Fi Al-Tibb") of Ibn Sina (Avicenna, 980-1037), is the subject of this primary-source study evaluating its scientific value, poetics and pedagogical significance as well as assessing its role in the transmission of medical knowledge to Medieval Europe. In addition to one original manuscript and two modern editions, the English translation by Krueger was also studied. Ibn Sina's poem on medicine consisting of meticulously classified 1326 verses, can be considered as a poetic summary of his encyclopedic textbook: The Canon of Medicine; hence its popularity in the East then the West as a tool in the process of transmitting medical knowledge from master to student.

Introducing medical humanities in the medical curriculum in Saudi Arabia: A pedagogical experiment.

In a marked shift from the modern positivist materialist philosophy that influenced medical education for more than a century, Western medical educators are now beginning to realize the significance of the spiritual element of human nature. Consensus is currently building up in Europe and North America on the need to give more emphasis to the study of humanities disciplines such as history of medicine, ethics, religion, philosophy, medically related poetry, literature, arts and medical sociology in medical colleges with the aim of allowing graduates to reach to the heart of human learning about meaning of life and death and to become kinder, more reflective practitioners. The medicine taught and practiced during the Islamic civilization era was a vivid example of the unity of the two components of medical knowledge: natural sciences and humanities.

Experimental medicine 1000 years ago.

Little is known about the state of experimentation in the field of medicine during the Medieval Islamic era. With few exceptions, most of the contemporary sources on history of medicine propagate the idea that the roots of experimental medicine in its modern form, including clinical trials and drug-potency studies, first started during the European Renaissance in the 16(th) to the 18(th) centuries. This study is part of an ongoing multidisciplinary primary-source investigation of the original Arabic works of 11 Islamic medical scholars who lived and practiced between the 9(th) and the 13(th) centuries.

Contributions of Ibn Al-Nafis (1210-1288 AD) to the progress of medicine and urology. A study and translations from his medical works.

This primary-source study of 4 medical works of the 13th century Muslim scholar Ibn Al-Nafis confirmed that his Kitab Al-Mujaz Fi Al-Tibb was authored as an independent book meant to be a handbook for medical students and practitioners not as an epitome of Kitab Al-Qanun of Ibn Sina as thought by recent historians. His huge medical encyclopedia, Al-Shamil, represents a wave of intense scientific activity that spread among the scholars of Cairo and Damascus following the massive destruction of books by Hulako's Army during the devastation of Baghdad in 1258. Like his predecessors in the Islamic Era, Ibn Al-Nafis critically appraised the views of scholars before him in the light of his own experimentation and direct observations.

Pericardial pathology 900 years ago. A study and translations from an Arabic medical textbook.

This is a study and translation of the section on pericarditis in Al Taisir book written by the Muslim physician Ibn Zuhr Avenzoar who lived and practiced in Eshbeelia nowadays Seville, Andalusia, Spain between 1091-1162 AD. Ibn Zuhr described the serous type of pericarditis as well as the pathological findings in fibrinous pericarditis. His description of the latter may also fit with the picture of chronic fibrous pericarditis.

Contributions of Muhadhdhab Al-Deen Al-Baghdadi to the progress of medicine and urology. A study and translations from his book Al-Mukhtar.

This study of the Arabic 4-volume book of Al-Mukhtar Fi Al-Tibb (Choice Book on Medicine) written by the Muslim physician Muhadhdhab Al-Deen Al-Baghdadi (515-610 H, 1117-1213 AD) aimed at evaluating his contributions to the progress of medicine and urology along with providing English translations of relevant excerpts. Al-Baghdadi laid emphasis on the morals of medical practice and the principles of medical education describing how to select medical students and how to evaluate graduates. He stressed on the need for a long training program directly supervised by skilled expert doctors both in hospitals (Al-Bimaristanat) and during home visits.

A review of urinary stone analysis techniques.

Knowledge of the chemical composition and structure of urinary stones is of great value in the choice of treatment and prevention of recurrence. This is a brief review and a comparative study of the principles and practical application of various chemical and physical techniques used for urinary stone analysis. The different methods of classifying and grouping urinary stones by results of chemical analytic techniques are, also, compared and evaluated.

Contributions of Ibn Zuhr (Avenzoar) to the progress of surgery: a study and translations from his book Al-Taisir.

This study of the original Arabic edition of the book Al-Taisir Fil-Mudawat Wal-Tadbeer (Book of Simplification Concerning Therapeutics and Diet) written by the Muslim physician Abu-Marwan Abdel-Malik Ibn Zuhr (Avenzoar, 1093-1162 AD) aimed at evaluating his contributions to the progress of surgery and providing English translations of relevant excerpts. Ibn Zuhr s unique experiment performing a tracheotomy on a goat, proved the safety of this operation in humans and represented a further step in the development of the experimental school started by Al-Razi (Rhazes) of Baghdad in the ninth century who is known to have given monkeys doses of mercury to test it as a drug for human use. Ibn Zuhr also performed post mortems on sheep in the course of his clinical research on treatment of ulcerating diseases of the lungs.

Urolithiasis in adults. Clinical and biochemical aspects.

Urolithiasis is a multifactorial recurrent disease of world-wide distribution in rural, urban, industrial and non-industrial regions. Changes in urinary pH is a risk factor especially with hyperuricosuria, hypercalciuria or hyperoxaluria. With recurrence, hypercalcuria and higher urinary oxalate levels are more frequent.

Extraction of urinary bladder stone as described by Abul-Qasim Khalaf Ibn Abbas Alzahrawi (Albucasis) (325-404 H, 930-1013 AD). A translation of original text and a commentary.

This is a detailed study of the technique of cystolithotomy as practiced by the Muslim surgeon Alzahrawi (Albucasis) in Cordova more than 1000 years ago. In addition to translating the relevant chapter in his book Al-Tasreef, his technique is critically evaluated comparing it with that of his predecessors and his successors. The study confirmed the originality of Alzahrawi who described operative steps and invented operative instruments not known in the Greco-Roman era.

Pelvic hematoma resulting in obstructive uropathy.

The use of anticoagulants, for whatever indication, may carry a high risk of hematoma formation following surgery. Obstructive uropathy is a very rare but possible example of complication secondary to an extensive pelvic hematoma. We describe a case of a patient with rheumatic heart disease and aortic valve replacement, who developed a massive postoperative pelvic hematoma following bilateral tubal ligation, resulting in bilateral ureteric obstructions.

The functional anatomy of the uretero-vesical junction. A historical review.

This paper evaluates the progress of anatomy and dissection during the Middle Ages both in Europe and in the Muslim World. For that purpose, the functional anatomy of the ureterovesical junction and the mechanism of micturition were studied both in the works of Galen (130-200 AD) and in the works of 6 Islamic medical scholars who lived in the period from the ninth to the thirteenth centuries AD (Alrazi, Alzahrawi, Ibn Sina, Al-Baghdadi, Ibn El Nefis and Ibn El Quff). The study relied, only, on original sources in the form of authentic editions and manuscripts.