Mizāj wa Hay'at-i A'ḍā’ (Temperament and Physique): Classical Foundations and Contemporary Reflections

Mizāj (temperament) lies at the very heart of Unani medical tradition, weaving together threads of philosophy, physiology, and psychology into a cohesive understanding of human nature. Rooted in the classical Greco-Arabic system, this intricate framework perceives the human being as a composite of elemental qualities-Ḥarārat, Burūdat, Ruṭūbat and Yubūsat, whose proportion is unique to every individual and shapes the body, influence the mind, and determine the state of health or illness. Central to this paradigm is the recognition that the physique or Hay'at-i A’ḍā’  is not merely an anatomical structure, but a living reflection of one’s temperament.

This book, Mizāj wa Hay'at-i A’ḍā’ (Temperament and Physique): Classical Foundations and Contemporary Reflections based on author’s M.D. dissertation, is a scholarly exploration of this foundational concept. It aims to revisit and contextualize the classical doctrines of Mizāj, with particular consideration to how external appearance was used by classical practitioners to infer internal states of the body. Reviewing a wide spectrum of classical sources-Hippocrates, Galen, Ibn Sīnā (Avicenna), Rāzī (Rhazes), Majūsī, Jurjānī, and others, this work also examines later contributions to the field, bridging traditional insights with evolving views in constitutional medicine and somatotyping. 

I hope this work will serve as a resource for those seeking to understand the deep philosophical and medical roots of Mizāj, particularly in context of Hay'at-i A’ḍā’ and offer a renewed appreciation for the wisdom inherent in classical Greco-Arabic thought.