I loved this book! It provides a detailed descriptions of various herbs and produce traditionally used in Islamic cultures for medicinal purposes. There is detailed information of the uses, a passage from the Koran pertaining to the item, scientific research from around the world,and safety information. It's a fascinating and useful book. ( )

Most books on Islamic Medicine are written and/or presented with a decidedly religious bent, as found in the introductory chapter of this book. However, the author continues by presenting the remaining herbal information in a slightly more formal and decidedly more scientific presentation. Each herb is presented with the English and Arabic names, botanical family information, listing of common names, safety information, the prophetic prescription, any known issues in identification, properties and uses, and scientific studies. A very nice addition to the field of Islamic medicine, specifically herbal medicine. ( )

A very detailed book on herbal medicine. A very serious reference work. It not only details where in the Islamic tradition the item is mentioned, but cites modern medical and scientiic literature relating to the item.

The "Encyclopedia of Islamic Herbal Medicine" is a well organized tome. John Andrew Morrow provides an extensive amount of information which is well reference, providing practical and historical insight to Islamic culture and medicine. A fascinating read. You won't be disappointed! ( )

When I was pregnant with my first child in 1988, I had morning sickness for about 6 weeks straight except for one morning, after eating in an Indian restaurant the night before. At the time, I wondered what it was in the food that had simply made the morning sickness disappear for a day. In this book, I read that ginger (common in Indian food) helps with morning sickness. This book is truly encyclopedic. For each listed food item, you have the traditional medicinal uses, modern scientific research as well as a colorful hadiths related to the item. The amount of research that obviously went into this book is staggering. This combination of tradition, religion and science is unlike any other book you will find.

Once I was attending a musical performance in a local church at the front of which was a large table for communion. Engraved on the front of the table were the words: Do this in remembrance of me. The usual way of reading that verse was that the communion ceremony was done in remembrance of Christ. It occurred to me, sitting there that day, that there was another way to understand these words. Another meaning might be to sanctify the common act of eating. In other words, to take the mundane task of nourishing the body and infuse it with spirituality by remembering Christ and his teachings. This book similarly adds a spiritual dimension to food in its encompassing attention to the body, the mind and the spirit. ( )