When the body is afflicted with any disease then to help the body regain its health, appropriate treatment has to be adopted. For this, a qualified practitioner will have to be consulted. After evaluating the condition, he will make a diagnosis and prescribe the recommended treatment.
The reasons why it is necessary to consult a practitioner are too many to mention here. However, it is sufficient to understand that diagnosing the illness is a complex process. This is the reason why a consultation in person is so important and also why self-diagnosis is not advisable.
Once diagnosis has been completed, treatment would begin. There is a three step approach to treatment which is:
1. Diet.
2. Medication or any other therapy e.g. cupping, massaging, etc.
3. Lastly, and only if there is no other option, would surgery be prescribed.
A practitioner would prescribe the steps needed in a treatment. It is possible that only one step would suffice, and if the necessity arises, two or even all three steps could be combined to achieve the desired result.
The following are a few guidelines that should be followed before, during and after treatment:
1. Always adhere strictly to the advice given by the practitioner.
2. Do not jump between practitioners.
3. Follow the treatment of one practitioner only, not different practitioners together.
4. In treatment, a complete recovery can take time and is not achieved instantly. Therefore be patient.
5. A treatment prescribed for one person would not necessarily work on another and at times it could be harmful.
6. Make du‘aa to Allah Ta‘ala for shifaa (cure), as only He can make the treatment effective and successful.
Adapted and summarized from “Your Health” by Moulana Hakeem Jalil Muhammad Pandor (An Nasihah vol. 121)