Health and Nutrition in the Writings of `Abdu’l-Baha

Abstract

This paper will survey 'Abdu'l-Bahá's writings on medicine and health. It will discuss the teachings on a number of interesting and diverse areas including: the importance of health for spiritual development the material and spiritual significance of life and death the role of food in health, and the prevention and treatment of disease the effect of prayer in health and disease the use of animals for scientific research the different types of treatment modalities the responsibility of both doctors and patients It will then explore the context of these concepts in relation to the medical thinking of the time and in particular to the practice of medicine in Iran.