Scientific Interpretation of the Diagnosis and Prognosis of Prophet Yaqub's Eye Disease in Surat Yusuf

Abstract

The story of Prophet Ya'qub in Surah Yusuf in the Qur'an is one of the best stories (ahsan al-qashash), which holds values of science, life, beauty of art, social lessons, and emotions that are of interest to those who study the Qur'an. Ya'qub, a father who suffered from eye pain for years, was finally healed by Allah. The cause of the eye pain (diagnosis) and its cure factor (prognosis) became a puzzle that encouraged research through scientific approaches. This research uses a scientific approach to solve the puzzle. Using qualitative methods, exegetical analysis, and literature study, this research analyzes primary data in the form of text Surah Yusuf, as well as secondary data from various books of tafsir and medical literature. The results showed that Prophet Ya'qub's eye disease was caused by deep sadness due to the loss of his son, Joseph, which persisted to affect the health of his eyes to the point of blocking sunlight from entering the cornea. His recovery began after receiving news that Joseph was still alive, which was conveyed through the delivery of a cloak. Scientifically, this can be explained as psychological suggestion, where the feeling of happiness that transforms grief has a positive impact on the physical condition. In addition, the robe that was applied to her face contained sweat, which has therapeutic properties. Experimental research by Abdul Basith Muhammad Sayyid of Egypt's National Research Center confirmed that sweat has therapeutic effects for curing eye diseases. This discovery resulted in the production of eye drops and capsules inspired by the story of Ya'qub in Surah Yusuf. Thus, this story not only contains spiritual wisdom, but also proves the correlation between the Qur'an and the development of modern science.