The Practice of Traditional Malay Medicine

Traditional medicine plays a major role in providing healthcare to mankind. It is the value of the knowledge, skills and practices based on the theories, beliefs and experiences indigenous to different cultures, whether understandable or not, used in the maintenance of health, as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illnesses while complementary alternative medicine terms are used conversely with traditional medicine in some countries.

The successful practice of Malay medicine is be based on the fundamental principle of ‘preserving the balance of power’ among four elements. This is chiefly to be effected by constant attention moderation in, diet.

They all used some combination of spells, charms and herbal medicaments, but the basis of their practice was ‘ilmu’. In the context of Malay Medicine it refers to ‘mystical knowledge’.

The source and authority of knowledge in Malay Medicine is attributed to the Quran. Spoken and written charms and blessings from this and other sacred writings are used in Malay healing. Blessings are intoned over medicines and blessed water is also thought to posses curative powers.

To enforce these golden precepts, passages from the Quran are plentifully quoted against excess in heating or drinking. Air, is the cause of heat and moisture, and earth of cold and dryness. They assimilate the constitution and passions of man to twelve signs of the Zodiac, an then seven planet.

The foregoing quotation shows that the distinctive features of the Aristotelian hygienic theory, as borrowed by the Arabs, did eventually filter through (in some cases) until they reaches the Malays. Such direct references, however, to Greek theories are the rarest character, and can hardly be considered typical.

Traditional Malay Medicine practice includes herbal remedies. It incorporates influences from Arabia, Persia, India and China. Malay Herbal Medicine use is significantly high due to the strong belief that these practices are safe and effective. It is available in almost every state in Malaysia and has been used widely to cure and prevent many types of diseases, from simple classification of disease, joint aches and fever and for chronic disease such as diabetes, kidney disease and lung tumour.

The early Malays, living their semi-nomadic lifestyle, have garnered a wealth of knowledge about the usefulness of some animal parts, and natural herbs and spices. At that time, traditional Malay Medicine was laced with superstitious and folk beliefs that had little basis in logic and science.
The Practice of Traditional Malay Medicine