Die psychosomatische Medizin bei Abū Zaid al-Balḫī

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Anger, fear, sadness, and delusion are expressions of the soul, but how does the body respond to these emotions? Can we truly separate physical and psychological processes? Who is responsible for addressing psychopathological issues—philosophers or physicians? In the late 9th century, the Arab polymath Abū Zaid al-Balẖī explored these questions in his manuscript, Maṣāliḥ al-abdān wa-l-anfus (Sustenance for the Body and Soul). This book is a new edition of a doctoral dissertation from 1990, featuring a preface by Zahide Özkan-Rashed that highlights recent advancements in psychosomatic medicine. The text begins with a historical overview, followed by a comparative analysis of al-Balẖī's work, showcasing his insights into the interaction between body and soul through psychopathological phenomena. Özkan-Rashed emphasizes al-Balẖī's focus on prevention and therapy, concluding with a discussion of how contemporaries like Ibn Sīna and Maimonides approached similar topics. The final section includes a German translation of the manuscript's second part. The exploration of psychosomatic medicine in al-Balẖī's work reveals striking parallels to contemporary issues, underscoring his ahead-of-time "holistic" perspective on body and soul, which warrants modern scientific attention.