Illness and the Hospital in the Muslim City: Reflections on the Pietistic Space of Illness in Premodern Islam

Abstract:Illness constituted an important moment in accounts of the life of the Prophet Muḥammad and many of his Companions. It was presented as a conduit for forgiveness and divine favor, and also as an occasion for communal connections through ritualized visitations to the sick. In this context, the development of the Islamic hospital (bīmāristān) as a charitable establishment was connected to these narratives and represented a space for the pietistic experience of illness and healing. Building on previous research, this article explores the pietistic dimension of illness in premodern Islam and offers preliminary observations on the connection between Islamic hospitals and the pietistic discourse of illness in Muslim culture and literature.