By TCN News,
Aligarh: Inaugurating a three-day International Seminar on “Life and Contribution of Ibn Sina” at the Kennedy Auditorium, Aligarh Muslim University, Mrs. Sadia Rashid, President, International Association for Unani Medicine and Chancellor, Hamdard University, Karachi (Pakistan) said that Ibn Sina studies, researched and wrote about almost everything from physiology to psychology, physics to philosophy and mathematics to music. She said that countless men in all these disciplines and more, from East to West, reached the heights of fame in their fields standing on his shoulders.
Mrs. Sadia said that there is no dearth of details into which “I can go about this doctor of doctors, the giant figure in the world of knowledge”.
AMU Vice Chancellor and others at International Seminar Life and Contribution Ibn Sina at Kennedy Auditorium.
Mrs. Rashid pointed out that in this age of specialization, “we can only gaze in admiration at the mere idea of the learned men of old age, who knew no such boundaries to their curiosity or learning”.
She expressed her deep sense of gratitude to the Ibn Sina Academy of Medieval Medicine and Sciences and the Aligarh Muslim University. She further said that AMU’s place in education, not only in the subcontinent but also among the whole Ummah, is ‘second to none’.
Dr Ahmad Mahmoud Al Hussein who had come to attend the seminar from Jordan said that it is shocking that people in Middle East countries have forgot the contributions of the Father of the Medicine, Ibn Sina. However, universities and governments in the Indian sub-continent have kept alive the Unani Medicine system. He added, “When I return to my country I will share the experience of this seminar with scholars there”. He further hoped that the governments in Arab countries will realize the healing powers of the Unani Medicine.
Justice Salahuddin Siddiqui, Chief Justice of Nepal said that it is unfortunate that people in Nepal are ignorant about the works of Ibn Sina. He said that he had little knowledge about him, however it was surprising that Ibn Sina laid emphasis on the importance of physical exercises for healing several hundred years ago. He said that the concept of ‘Yoga’ is now being popularized as a healing process. He said that he was highly impressed by the contributions of Ibn Sina and decided to publish a book in Nepali language on “healing process” to promote Yoga in Nepal, for which he would need support from the Aligarh Muslim University.
Professor Shakir Jamil, Director General, CCRUM, New Delhi said that a lot of work has been done in Preventive Cardiology in Unani Medicine. He urged the World Health Organization, which has already spent a large fund on Preventive Cardiology, to consider Unani medicine for this purpose as well.
In his presidential remarks, the Aligarh Muslim University, Vice Chancellor, Lt General Zameer Uddin Shah (Retd) said that he has maintained it was the Unani Medicine Faculty and its high quality researches that had potential to elevate AMU to the number one position amongst Indian universities. He said that AMU aimed at raising many Ibn Sinas. The Vice Chancellor hoped that the development of Unani Medicine in AMU will provide better and affordable health facilities to people of nearby areas.
Gen. Shah said that the Aligarh Muslim University is joining the membership of Federation of the Universities of Islamic World. He appreciated the efforts of Prof. Hakeem Syed Zillur Rahman in organizing the three day International Seminar. Delegates from eleven countries are participating in the Seminar.
A scene of Audience at International Seminar Life and Contribution Ibn Sina at Kennedy Auditorium.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Prof. Zillur Rahman, Organizing Chairman of the seminar said that in order to commemorate the 1000th anniversary of the compilation of Ibn Sina’s “Kitab Al-Qanun”, the Ibn Sina Academy, Aligarh decided to hold an international seminar.
Highlighting the achievements of ‘Ibn Sina Academy’, Prof. Zillur Rahman said that the academy has published 30 books of different fields in Unani Medicine since 2000. He urged the people to work for the development of Unani Medicine.
The program was conducted by Prof F S Sheerani and vote of thanks was proposed by Dr Syed Ziaur Rehman.
Meanwhile, a special award of Rs 25,000 was given to Mohd Khalil, Editor, Monthly Science for promoting scientific temperament and Unani medicine.