The Non-medical side of Epidemics and Plagues in Islamic Egypt

Mohammed Abdel Wahab, Nermeen Rashad El-Fouly; Mahmoud, Samah Abd Elrahman; Abdelrazik, Shaaban Samir

doi:10.21608/mjthr.2023.243603.1121

The Non-medical side of Epidemics and Plagues in Islamic Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Tourist Guidance department, Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, Minia University

² Tourist Guidance Department, Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, Minia University

³ tourist guidance faculty of tourism and hotels

10.21608/mjthr.2023.243603.1121

Abstract

Epidemics and plagues were frequent in Islamic Egypt (from the Fatimid to Ottoman period). In this time Plague was a mystery that baffles minds. People could not determine the real reasons of the epidemic outbreaks. And this ignorance of the medical reasons and cures of epidemics and plagues led the people to adopt non-medical reasons and interpretations for the epidemic outbreaks.
According to the human nature of hating the unknown, many interpretations were adopted by people, just to feel relief, even if these interpretations were not right or were illogical ones. Usually religious interpretations were adopted by people to understand the reasons of the outbreaks, in addition to other kinds of beliefs as well. So this paper is dedicated to the nonmedical side of the epidemics and plagues. It surveys the reasons of the plague and epidemic outbreaks according to people's beliefs, and common point of views. This research is also survey the attempts made by sultan, officials and people to end the epidemics.

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