Uncovering the Forgotten Legacy of Dar al-Shifaa, a Maristan in Hyderabad, India
Abstract
Dar al-Shifa, “house of healing”, is a 16th-century hospital that stands in ruins today in Hyderabad, one of the most populous cities of India. It was built on the banks of the Musi River and was surrounded by happening marketplaces of its time, including the famous Bazar-e-Noorul Mara. Interestingly, this historical maristan was built by the city’s founder, Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah, an emperor of the Persian Qutub Shahi dynasty in 1595, only four years after the city was built. The city’s first double-storied hospital also consisted of a mosque and a medical college for students to study different medical disorders and research appropriate treatment plans, particularly in the light of Unani medicine. Dar al-Shifa was home to many notable physicians, including the renowned physician Shamsuddin bin Nooruddin who authored Zubdat ul-Hikam, a medical treatise on hygiene and preventative healthcare measures for attaining wellness, in Persian language. With the decline of the Qutub Shahi dynasty, mismanagement of waqf finances, and the Great Musi Flood of 1908, gradually much of the hospital was destroyed, except a portion of it that continues to operate in a debilitating state. This paper presents a historical perspective on the origin and development of Dar al-Shifa, its medicinal practices, and contributions to modern healthcare. Through analyzing scholarly accounts, architectural remnants, and the last surviving manuscript of a royal physician of Dar al-Shifa, I aim to highlight the legacy of Dar al-Shifa in the rich Islamic intellectual heritage of ancient India.
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