Ishāq bin Ali al-Ruhawi,a pioneer in medical professionalism in the 9th century AD

Abstract

Professionalism and medical ethics, while similar, are often viewed in different contexts. An historical and social science analysis reveals that professionalism is a complex skill that can be developed over time. The key components of professionalism, as defined by the American Physical Therapy Association, include accountability, altruism, compassion, excellence, integrity, professional duty, and social responsibility. Throughout history, physicians have been concerned with medical ethics and professionalism. In the Golden Age of Islam, principles such as excellence, honour, integrity, accountability, and duty were important in shaping the professional behavior of physicians. Adab al-Tabib, an ancient work, by Ishāq bin Ali al-Ruhawi focuses on ethical guidelines and teachings related to medical ethics in the Islamic civilization. Many of the ethical issues in this book are of foremost importance as components of professionalism. However while the examples of medical ethics guidelines that pre-existed Adab al-Tabib such as the Hippocratic Oath, are not mentioned. As one of the first statutes of medical ethics in Islamic civilization, Ruhawi is a model for many doctors in the Golden Age of Islam, and over the years his principles have greatly influenced the professional view of physicians.