Islam denies the concept of infectious disease!

Don’t pay attention to those who claim that infectious diseases don’t exist

Knowledge was acquired through books and texts. That means the scientists of that era understood these concepts and documented them in written form. And now, in this 21st century – when humanity is on the verge of settling on Mars – some foolish and opportunistic people still go around claiming that infectious or contagious diseases don’t exist. That viruses are divine punishment. Encouraged by their propaganda, COVID-19 infections in India suddenly doubled or tripled overnight.

The people of Arabia knew that diseases like the plague were highly contagious. During the time of Galen and Hippocrates – who made significant contributions to ancient Greek medical science – their written medical texts classified such diseases as infectious. So, it was commonly understood in Greece that if a healthy person came near a plague patient, they too would be infected. Arab doctors studied 26 medical books written by Galen to earn their medical qualifications. From that, Arabs also gained knowledge about contagious diseases. That was nearly two thousand years ago.

Those who cite ancient Arab references to claim that infectious diseases don’t exist are actually disregarding the intellectual legacy of the Arab world and showing complete disrespect to modern scientists and doctors.

The existence of infectious diseases is no longer just theoretical – it has been repeatedly proven through genetics, virology, and public health research. COVID-19, HIV, cholera, tuberculosis – all are real examples of infectious diseases. Those who deny this are harming not only themselves but society as a whole.

Belief systems may exist, but when those beliefs reject public health or scientific truth, they become dangerous. To truly honor ancient knowledge, one must understand its context, evolution, and modern interpretation. In today’s world, rejecting modern science is a sign of ignorance and foolishness. Giving attention to such people won’t lead to progress – it will only invite more deaths from infectious diseases like COVID.

The image shows Galen and Hippocrates. These are artistic renderings. A quick search online will yield hundreds of pages of information about them. Hippocrates (460–370 BCE) discussed the nature of infectious diseases and their environmental impact in the “Hippocratic Corpus.” Galen (130-200 CE) was a Roman-era physician who wrote extensively on infection, the four bodily humors, and disease transmission. His 26 books – studied and translated by Arab physicians – later formed the foundation of medieval medical science.

Image: Edited from Wikimedia and Commons. CC4