Music Therapy in Medicine of Islamic Civilisation

• What is music therapy? It's using music and its elements to help us physically, socially, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually.
• Who can benefit from it? Anyone looking to optimize their quality of life in medical, educational, or everyday environments.

Some of the ways music therapy helps:

• Reducing anxiety 🎵: Music can help people feel more relaxed and calm.
• Improving thinking 💭: Music can help people think better and remember things more clearly.
• Promoting movement 💪: Music can help people with physical rehabilitation and changing their body movements.
• Enhancing communication 🗣️: Music can help people feel more comfortable talking and connecting with others.

This definition sums up the three main characteristics that form the basis of music:

(i) sound, tone of voice, and instrument;

(ii) capability of satisfying emotions and aesthetics, and

(iii) fulfilling a particular purpose in a belief system.

Function of Music therapy:

1. Entertain, soothe, relieve, or reduce pain
2. Strengthen body immunity
3. Help in healing
4. Distract attention from pain and promote calmness to aid in the recovery process

For treating melancholia, Ibn Sina recommended listening to music and singing, besides ventilation, selected foods, bath therapy, massage with poultice, medication, evacuation, cupping, wrapping, and distracting patient with something pleasurable and soothing, such as bringing someone he/she likes.

For lovesickness, Ibn Sina recommended treatment by listening to singing or music, besides evacuation, nutritious diet, bath therapy, and counselling.

The treatment methods recommended for melancholia, insomnia, and lovesickness clearly illustrate that music therapy was not the main (conventional) treatment.

Music therapy was more of an adjunct treatment to complement the main treatment methods suggested, with the role of overcoming symptoms so that the patient is distracted, calmed down, and entertained.

The hospitals during the medieval era in Islamic civilization had a unique approach to treatment - music therapy. Some of these hospitals include:

• Bimarastan Fez (Sidi Frej) in Morocco
• Bimarastan al-Mansuri in Cairo
• Bimarastan al-Arghuni in Aleppo, Syria
• Bimarastan Nur al-Din in Damascus
• Kayseri Gevher Nesibeh Darussifas
• Divrigi Ulu Mosque and Darussifas
• Amasya Darussifas
• Fatih Darussifas in Istanbul
• Edirne Sultan Bayezid II Darussifas
• Suleymaniye Sifahanesi
• A hospital established by Ayse Hafsa Sultan

Bimarastan Fez (Sidi Frej) in Morroco was built in 1286 AD by Sultan Yusuf ibn Ya’qub (Banu Marin) to treat patients with depression, using music therapy, herbs, and spices. It also served as a sanctuary for the mentally ill.

Ibn Batutah, who managed to visit this hospital on vacation in Egypt, also commented on its indescribable beauty. Hunke denoted this hospital to be the biggest and richest health institute ever built on this planet. This hospital was operated fully using endowment (waqf) funds.

As per Ibn Iyas, the hospital endowment had two conditions: 1) providing music every evening to uplift patients' spirits and 2) reciting the Qur'an in the domed hall. Musicians received a monthly salary while Qurra' were paid in wheat and birds.