The Lost Healing Treasury: Hijama (Part 1)

Modern science grows so quick. Many new healing experiments are being made but we are continuously meeting new and stronger diseases. All over the world, people are tended to return to the safe, ancient, experienced and long-time-used natural ways of healing. Among these, Hijama is one of the best treatments of all times.

We are living in the technology era. Modern human doesn’t feed himself with his own hand; he doesn’t have the right to heal by himself. Modern human has to use technology. There are not much people who are following the prestigious medical journal but the most of them are using the new treatment experiments published there. We can never be sure about what modern science is doing to our mind and body. For many times, doctor’s advice uncertain, unfinished treatments –especially drugs, which have side effects more than benefits. It seems like this marathon makes the modern human and the public exhausted.

Especially in Western countries, more and more people are looking for harmless, easy, safe, natural and understandable healing methods. The Western public’s tendency affects the developing countries easily. Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine and even Yoga and Reiki are being used for healing in our time by wide range of people.

Eastern Medicine – Western Medicine

There are plenty of ancient medicines in East. Nearly all of them are from  ancient knowledge. Ayurveda is based on the sayings of Indian god Brahma; Traditional Chinese Medicine comes from the Taoist teaching. What about Islamic values: Anatolian Folk Medicine, Islamic Medicine, Prophetic Medicine. Aren’t they as valuable as the others?

In spite of growing popularity of Eastern faith-based medicine, Islamic medicine has a healing method which is nearly the best treatment: Hijama

What is Hijama?

It is also known as cupping or bloodletting. Hijama is the bloodletting procedure which is applied to specific points of the body in order to be safe from any illnesses or to protect health.

Al Hijama is an Arabic word meaning ‘sucking’. It comes from the Arabic root ‘Al Hajm’

Although it looks same with other treatments in the Eastern Medicine, it differs practically; It is done in specific time, to specific points which stimulates, cleanse, strengthen the immune system and refreshes the body.

A Short History of Hijama

Hijama therapy has the common principles with the cupping therapy in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Initially horn was used for this procedure. Hijama therapist used to take the air from the horn to create a negative pressure. Bamboo, ceramic and glass cups were also used.

Ancient Egyptians were the first to use Hijama therapy systematically. There are some documents from the ancient times which describes the “moving the foreign metters” away from the body. In the oldest medical text, Ebers Papytus describes the process of Hijama therapy. Hippocrates (BC 460 – 377), the father of modern medicine, wrote about Hijama Therapy as dry and wet cupping in his writings. Galen (AD 131 – 210), the great Greek Doctor, has got a lot of writings about Hijama. Hijama has got 2500 years-old history in Mongolian Medicine. Cecrops, the great king of Attica, is the one who brought Hijama from Egypt to Rome.

Barbers and Hijama
Berber dükkanlarının simgesi olan kırmızı-beyaz şeritli sütunların hacamatla çok yakından bir ilişkisi var.

In 14th century, baerbers were performing Hijama. Even the barber shops are excepted as the cradle of modern surgery. Everyone knows the barber’s pole with the white and red strips. Barbers were using robes to clean after Hijama. After they took the blood, they used to wash and hang the bandages on the staff in front of the shop. The wind would twirl the bandages around the staff so the well-known barber’s pole had appeared. The balls on the pole were symbolizes the basin which was used to collect the blood after they applied the leeches (hirudotherapy)

In 1512, British Parliament decided to regulate the Hijama treatment. It would be only performed by the practitioners who were graduated from Oxford and Cambridge Universities.

Hijama in Europe and America

Hijama was very common and well-known in the West in 18th and 19th centuries. Many doctors were performing Hijama to cure many diseases in 1860’s. The people were having Hijama in spring and autumn times in the hospitals in 18th and 19th centuries.
In 1827, Dr Martin carried out a series of experiments on dogs and rabbits. He was a physician living in Paris. He administered strychnine and arsenic under the skin of the animals and then cupped over the wounds. He stated that the dry Hijama doesn’t let poison spread and kill the animal. Once he moves the cups, the animal would die.

Hijama in the West in 20th Century

Many doctors, like Heinrich Stern, were advocate of Hijama in 1915. Surgeon William Mashden, who established the today’s Royal Free and Royal Mashden Hospital in London , employed Hijama therapist until 1830 in his hospitals.

In Turkey and in other Islamic countries, Hijama was very common until the Western medicine predominated. However, it is still used traditionally in many countries. You can see many people performing Hijama and it is getting more popular.

By Faruk Gunindi

In next chapter:
- Religious Basics of Hijama
- Main Benefits of Hijama

Bibliography:
Gerçek Tıp (The True Medicine - Verus Medicina) - Dr. Aidin Salih
Hijama Therapy Coursebook - www.nhnf.co.uk

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