THE FOURTH ENTRY
CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION IS AN INHERENT ATTRIBUTE TO THE MOSLEM PHYSICIAN
It is a noticeable phenomenon in Islamic countries, particularly those countries in which university certificates are priced, that scholars seek to obtain the higher certificates to help them attain a distinguished position in their countries, or provide them with profitable earnings due to their professional practices. This higher certificate is considered the ultimate goal in their pursuits to acquire knowledge.
To the contrary, doctors in developed countries, for instance, are subjected to programs of continuing medical education, either theoretically or practically. This is done in a manner which keeps them in contact with all that is new in their specialties, without being separated or absenting themselves from work to study once again. In the former USSR, doctors have been subjected to study periodically in institutes of medical education, for a limited time in the capitals of different states. If the materialistic philosophy has so shaped the minds of people to think of everything in the framework of this philosophy and develop their lives in satisfaction to its requirements, the Moslem should be aware of his religious message which will make him view things based on the Islamic perspective.
We live on earth in order to obey and worship Allah, and thus achieving the purpose of being Allah’s Viceroys on earth by colonising it, setting up His religion and perfecting work therein. All this drives the Moslem doctor not to stop with the requirements of graduation, but rather to feel that he is a messenger of the humanity to acquire knowledge, and convey all he can of this knowledge to benefit his Umma. In his pursuits to acquire and increase his knowledge, the Moslem doctor is following the example of the Prophet (r) who is taught by the Qur'an how to invoke Allah saying
{ وقل ربى زدنى علما}
"O my Lord! advance me in knowledge." (20:114) On the authority of Anas who said the Prophet (r) said; "Whoever gets out seeking knowledge is in the cause of Allah until he returns." The Prophet (r) also said; "If I witness the rise of a new day without being advanced in knowledge that will bring me closer to Allah, I am not blessed of the sunrise of that day." Continuing medical education is mandatory on every Moslem doctor, so, in the cause of increasing his knowledge, he is not at liberty to shun passively such a pursuit. Anas Bin Malik narrated that the Prophet (r) said; "Seeking knowledge is a duty prescribed on every Moslem."
If duties of religious observance have maximum limits to attain completeness, seeking knowledge, on the other hand, has no limits, extends to man’s entire life. On the authority of Abu Saeed, who said the Prophet (r) said; "The faithful will never be fully satisfied of the good he hears, until his final goal is paradise."
If knowledge is related to the health and safety of Moslems as well as preserving the aims of Islamic legislations, as such is the case in medical sciences, then perfecting and becoming advanced in such sciences is more of a priority and a duty. Failure in these sciences will harm the Moslems, and Islam never accepts harm, but rather calls every Moslem to seek availing his Moslem brother. On the authority of Jaber, who said the Prophet (r) said; "Who is ever able to avail his Moslem brother should do so."
As the sources of advanced knowledge have become outside the domain of Moslems' countries, the doctor is then obliged to seek such knowledge from non-Moslem countries to acquire advanced methods
in his specialty. As long as the doctor adheres to the message of Islam and is fully acquainted with the Islamic perception, he will then start, in his studies, to achieve various objectives:
1. Performing a duty and answering the divine call of advancing in knowledge until the end of his life.
2. Carrying a sublime message towards the Umma of Islam. He should convey all he can acquire of useful knowledge to set up the corners of Islam rightly and highly raise up the word of Allah on earth.
3. Perfecting his work and skills to the degree that will make him realise the right method leading to discoveries in the field of medicine. His additions would then be a running charity to be rewarded for, even after his death.
4. Perfecting his profession to preserve peoples' lives in compliance with Allah's command to colonise the universe.
5. Raising up the level of health in Moslem communities to assist the Moslems in performing religious observances in the comprehensive sense of the concept, both on the individual and communal planes. The concept of Islamic Message should be acknowledged by every scholar of medicine. He has to seek knowledge for the cause of Allah, with no regard to achieving material welfare or distinguished social status, thus keeping his work purely for the sight of Allah. But if he intends to study medicine for the sake of mean ephemeral worldly aims, the Prophet (r) warns him in the Hadith narrated by Abu Huraira; "Whoever learns a knowledge, that of which Allah's sight would be sought, to seek a worldly benefit, will never find the fragrance of paradise on Doomsday." On the authority of Abu Huraira who said the Prophet (r) said; "Whoever learns a knowledge for other than Allah or seeks other than Allah, would ascend his place in Fire."
The Moslem youth who is engaged in the study of medicine has to feel that he assumes a big responsibility before the sight of Allah the Almighty. So all he dreams of should not be limited to sitting in an office with a medical fellowship certificate hung behind him in an elegant frame, and then stopping at this point. He will rather benefit people as a charity for his knowledge, and keep himself updated with everything new in this knowledge, in order to offer people the best possible medical care. The Prophet (r) says; "Learn knowledge and get benefit of, and do not learn it to beautify yourselves with."
So, acquiring knowledge raises the degrees of people to the highest ranks of faith, righteous work and Jihad (holy cause). Allah says;
{يرفع الله الذين آمنوا منكم والذين أوتوا العلم درجات}
"Allah will raise up, to (suitable) ranks (and degrees), those of you who believe and who have been granted knowledge". (58:11) In order to achieve this high rank, there are prerequisites for the scholar of knowledge to fulfill, of which the most important is to have his knowledge intended for the sake of Allah and for the best interest of Islam and Moslems.
To preserve an outstanding level of knowledge, continuing education is essential, so that the scholar's knowledge will be most useful for all Moslems. It is enough for him to remember Al Bairouni, the Moslem scientist, when he was on his death bed and surrounded by a group of people discussing a scientific issue. Asking them about this issue, they answered him that he should not bother himself with that issue, while he was in such a state. But he replied saying; "It is better for me to meet Allah knowing it than meeting Him ignorant of it."