The Islamic Healing Course Online

The Islamic Healing Course is based on a goal of unifying the concept of Islamic Medicine and providing a guided tour of the topic as well as an awareness of the subject for non-Muslims as well as Muslims. There are many books and websites dedicated to Islamic Medicine, however, there are not any resources that provide the student with a guide through the vast amounts of historical and modern material on the subject.

 The Islamic Healing Course instructs students in all areas of Islamic medicine. By viewing the Syllabus below one can see the range of information the class covers. The ultimate goal of this course is to create an awareness of the history, theories and methods of Islamic medicine for doctors, natural healers, and the layman.

 Additionally, this course is designed for Muslims and non-Muslims. The personal belief systems of all the writers and lecturers of the course have been kept separate from the course.  The course simply teaches the subject and does not advocate any religion, nor does it advocate any one method of healing or sect of Islam. Basic terms and concepts in the Quran and Hadith are explained for the non-Muslim student in the course.

 The course is taught by Kristie Karima Burns, MH, ND. However, many resources are used in the course, including articles and books by experts in the field, articles and books by medical doctors, and articles and books by well-known herbalists and healers. Additionally, many original ancient texts are used in the course in their English translation.

 Guest lectures are given in each unit by other experts in the field.

Professor Kristie Karima Burns, MH, ND

Education, Background and Experience

EDUCATION

Northwestern University, BA, 1990

            Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois

Apprenticeship in Cairo, Egypt, 1990-1996

            Studied Arab and Islamic Medicine, Culture and Healing

American University in Cairo, Egypt, 1990

            ALU Arabic Program.

                        Studied Classical Arabic for reading of original Arabic texts.

Certificate in Homeopathy, 1995

            Five Elements Center, NJ

Masters in Herbalism, 1999

            Trinity College of Natural Health

Certificate in Iridology, 1999

            The National Association of Certified Natural Health Care Professionals

Doctorate in Naturopathy, 1999

Trinity College of Natural Health

Certified in Integrated Energy Therapy, 2001

            Steven Thayer Institute

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

 American University in Cairo, 1990-1996

Kirkwood Community College, 1996

Avicenna Institute of Healing, 1998-2006

 WORK EXPERIENCE

 Private Herbal Consulting Clinic from 1994-2006

 Owner, Editor and Writer of Islamic Healing Newsletter from 1998-2006

 Editor and Writer for Islamonline.net. 2000-2003

Writer and Editor for Health and Science Section of Islam Online News

Articles written by Ms. Burns are linked to from all major Islamic Healing and Medical Sites on the web.

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE

 International lecturing experience in the United States, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

 GOALS OF THE COURSE

 This course is meant to be a guided tour through the world of Islamic medicine and is unique in that it leads the student through the basic points of Islamic medicine and provides the student with a structured learning environment in the field of Islamic Medicine. This course will provide the student with a solid base of knowledge that they can then use to further explore Islamic Healing or to assist them in their medical or natural healing practice.

For Muslims: There are other organizations and institutions that can provide professional links and advice in the field of Islamic Medicine and the Avicenna Institute highly recommends becoming involved in these organizations. These recommended organizations include The International Institute of Islamic Medicine, The Islamic Medical Association of North America, IMANA, islam-usa.com led by Dr. Shahid Athar, islamicmedicine.org led by Dr. Sharif Kaf Al-Ghazal, and The American Institute of Unani Medicine among others. This course is not a substitute for involvement in such organizations.

Islamic Medical associations and organizations around the globe continue to be the best source of Islamic medical texts, and original up-to-date articles from medical professionals. This course is meant to give the student a solid base that they can use to gain the most benefit from other sources of information.

The few institutions mentioned above do attempt to unify and provide vast amounts of information on the subject of Islamic Healing, however they do not offer courses. The Islamic Healing Course does not claim to challenge these institutions or to provide their level of resources. The goal of the Islamic Healing Course is different and complementary to theirs. The goals of this course are:

1. To provide information in a structured and guided way so a student of the course will be guided through a basic overview of all the materials as well as provided with a good base of knowledge in the subject. Without this guidance it is easy to get lost in the information available or to overlook entire aspects of the topic.
2. To provide information that is accessible to both the layperson and the healer.
3. For medical students and natural healers this course provides ideas and guidance on how to integrate these ideas into their practice. For the layperson further guidance is given in the areas of herbal preparations and nutrition along with other areas of study.
4. For Muslims: This course could provide a way to bring Islamic Healing back into the Muslim community, which in many cases has become disconnected with their healing heritage.
5. For Non-Muslims: This course provides non-Muslims with a unique way to become acquainted with Islam. The information in this course is fascinating to both Muslims and non-Muslims and can be used by both. The course strives to present the material in a factual and impartial way without imposing opinions or advice to the student. 

Length of the Course 

The course is designed to be a two-year course as a part-time and online endeavor. The course is designed so that students, doctors, herbalists, dentists, mothers, and other people with additional jobs or studies would be able to enroll and find the time to do the course in their spare time. If a student studies the course at a pace of one section every two weeks then they would typically finish in two years. It is possible to finish the course in less than a year if studies are pursued on a full-time basis. 

Texts for the Course

The Islamic Healing Course is designed so that the student without access to funds, books or libraries can do the course without textbooks if needed. This online-only version of the course is intended for those who want a working overview of the material.

There is also a physical text-version available in addition to the e-text version. Students who have access to texts from either a library or school bookstore can supplement their coursework with the recommended physical texts which are all available through Kazi Publications or Amazon.com.

 The basic information in both versions is parallel. However, using the additional texts gives the students some depth in some areas that the online version cannot provide. The additional textbooks also provide additional depth in the thinking methods of those authors who wrote the texts. This, in itself, stimulates deeper classroom discussion and depth of thought for the student as well as more familiarity with the experts in the field of Islamic Healing and Islamic Medicine.

Coursework is the same for both versions of the course.

 Live Lectures and Student Forum 

Live lectures are available once a month online and a lively student forum is accessible 24 hours a day with a password for all students enrolled in the course. Once you become a student you will be given access to this site and a password. Guest expert lecturers and forum moderators are provided from time to time.

Cost of the Course

The cost of the entire course is 35.00$ a unit payable in one or twelve installments. There is a discount for paying for the entire course at once. For details please contact Kristie Karima Burns, MH, ND at herbnhome@yahoo.com

Certification

A certificate is given for each unit as well as for completing the course. Each unit certificate will read:

(Name) has completed the institutes required course in (Unit Name) in a satisfactory manner by demonstrating a knowledge of all the material covered in this unit.

The final certificate will read:

(Name) has been awarded this certificate of graduation from the

Avicenna Institute of Natural Healing

for their success in completing the

Islamic Medicine and Healing Course

and demonstrating their skill and ability to use the information studied in this course.

For those students using the text-book version of the course the bottom of the certificate will read:

This certificate congratulates the student on their comprehension of Islamic Medical texts and literature used in this course.

EXPANDED SYLLABUS

Due to misuse of the expanded syllabus I am only offering the expanded syllabus to enrolled students. Below is a summary of each unit. If you would like more information on any of the units please contact me.

 1. Unit One: History of Islamic Medicine

The goal of this unit is to familiarize the student with Islamic medical history and to put into place and perspective what Islamic Medicine is as opposed to Arab Medicine. Additionally this unit places emphasis on becoming familiar with the contributions Arabs and Muslims made to modern medicine. In addition to a vast amount of writings on the topic, original works are also read in this unit.

2. Unit Two: History & Influence of Islamic Medicine

The goal of this unit is to show, in more detail, how the Arab and Islamic world influenced Western Medicine. Additionally, this unit illustrates how Arab and Islamic Medicine was influenced by other cultures, including China and the Western world.

 3. Unit Three: Theory and Typology in Islamic Medicine

The goal of this unit is to introduce the student to the ideas of temperament and physiological type. This method of viewing bodily health was used in pre-Islamic as well as Islamic times and is still heavily used today in China as well as India and other areas. This unit strives to familiarize the student with the history of typology from pre-Islam to the present as well as teach the student how to use a working model of these theories.

 4. Unit Four: Theory in Islamic Medicine

The goals of this unit are to introduce the student to some aspects of Islamic Medicine that could be considered uniquely Islamic in nature such as the properties of healing with the lunar calendar and food properties mentioned uniquely in the Hadith.

 5. Unit Five: Herbs of the Prophet Muhammad

The goal of this unit is to introduce the student to Hadith, the science of Hadith and all of the herbs that were mentioned in the recorded Hadith and how they were used according to these sources. Modern usages of all the Hadith herbs are also covered. Latin names are provided for all herbs. The Book, The Complete Guide to Medicinal Herbs will be used for other units in this course.

6. Unit Six: Herbs of the Qur'an

The goal of this unit is to introduce the student to all of the herbs and plants that were mentioned in the Quran and how they were used according to Hadith sources. Modern usages of all the Quranic herbs are also covered. Latin names are provided for all herbs.

 7. Unit Seven: Herbs of the Arab World

The goal of this unit is to provide the student with a look at herbal usage in the modern Arab world. Through this looking-glass into the modern Arab and Islamic societies the student is able to see how greatly Islamic medicine has changed or has not changed over the centuries in the Middle East. The student will also become familiar with herbs that are available and used most often in the Arab world today.

8. Unit Eight: Aromatherapy and Spiritual Healing

The goal of this unit is to familiarize the student with the concepts of spiritual aromatherapy as used by many Muslim healers throughout history. The student will also become familiar with studies done by Muslims and non-Muslims on the healing power of scents and essential oils. Traditional oils used in Islam are emphasized.

 9. Unit Nine: Herbal Preparations

The goal of this unit is to educate the student about various herbs and how to make herbal preparations from these herbs. Towards this goal the student is also educated in the history of herbal preparations in the Arab world. Pharmacy is discussed, reflecting on previous units. In addition, alchemy is introduced, not for purposes of usage, but as a historical unit. Herbal preparations are taught through the making of tinctures, teas, pills, salves and other common preparations.

 10. Unit Ten: Healing with Prayer

Including information on Gem Therapy and Prayer Beads, Color Therapy and Mosques, Yoga and Islamic Prayer, and Physical Benefits of Prayer Positions. The goal for this unit is to introduce the student to a number of Islamic methods of healing in the context of some modern practices as well as the practices of other traditions. This unit strives to create a feeling of continuity and unity in the concepts put forth by Islamic medicine and de-mystifies many methods used in Islam by showing how they can transfer into other scientific studies or more familiar alternative healing traditions such as yoga or color therapy.

 

11: Unit Eleven: Other Alternative Therapies in the Prophetic Tradition: Diet, Modern Challenges and Wisdoms

The goal of this unit is to show how Islamic healing has met with the modern world and modern science and medicine in successful ways and how Islamic healing can be integrated into the concepts of modern medicine. Basic precepts of Islam are discussed such as the prohibition of pork and alcohol and the requirement of fasting, among others. Modern medical proofs are offered by experts in the field. This unit also includes information on basic diet and offers a number of suggestions for therapeutic diets, their basic theories, usage and benefits.

12: Unit Twelve: Putting it all Together - Case Studies & Modern Challenges Including Practicum Section

Note that Unit 12 & 13 have been combined into one Unit since May 2003.

 The goal for this unit is to bring all the information from the course together in a unified manner by illustrating most of the information discussed in previous units through the study of individual cases. Cases are presented from the beginning to the end as a learning tool, and as a springboard for further discussion. Modern challenges and issues such as euthanasia are also discussed in this section of the course. IN addition the student is provided with at least 30 different case studies chosen to represent many different aspects of the course material. Every effort is made to reference the past course material and encourage the student to use the information they have learned in the course as they are reading the case studies. The student in quizzed on the material they have read, however, most of the testing will be done in the next unit.