A qualitative research on the social and economic dimensions of tibb al nabawi practices

Abstract

In the present study, the religious-health is discussed on the relationship between religion and health focusing in Tibb al-Nabawi, which is at the center of religion-health intersection. The purpose of the study was to reveal the effects of Sunnah in the health-related experiences of individuals, the processes of turning to Tibb Al-Nabawi, positive and negative outcomes of the sector with the eyes of the participants, and the legitimacy function of religion in healthcare. In this study, which was conducted with the phenomenology design, the data were obtained with in-depth interviews conducted with nine females and six male participants. The study group was created from people who applied Tibb al-Nabawi treatments. As a result of the study, it was determined that religion is effective in preferring these practices, especially for those who have religious identity. These people also choose religious- traditional practitioners who did these procedures by reading verses and prayers instead of clinics and hospitals in the scope of Traditional and Complementary Medicine (GETAT) for Hijama (The Wet Cupping Therapy) application. Especially the participants who graduated from Theology Faculty believed that Tibb al-Nabawi treatments became an economic sector, and that religion was used as a means of legitimacy and abuse of religious emotions in this sector. Although the tendency to individualize in healthcare comes to the forefront in the behavior of applying to Tibb al-Nabawi, the relations between religion and health in participants, who are affiliated with Aidin Salih school, seems to have changed from an individual sphere to a religious-health-based movement.