By Syed Mussarat Khalil

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — Batterjee Medical College (BMC) for Science and Technology participated in the 5th Jeddah International Book Fair Under the slogan "Al-Maqam". The BMC Volunteering Club had sponsored and organized this event, which seeks to inculcate and raise the value of volunteering among young people.

The BMC Volunteering Club intends to build a positive and productive environment in which a culture of giving and cooperation is spread. The event also highlights the role of Islamic and Arab civilization in the renaissance of nations through knowledge sharing and cultural exchange.

To achieve these goals, the slogan “Al- Maqam” expresses the role of Arabs and Muslims in building the human civilization. It takes us on an exciting journey, which is full of feelings of pride, beginning with Prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him, putting the foundations of the Sacred House, until the birth of our contemporary world.

The journey of Al-Maqam began from Almighty saying: “And take the Maqam of Ibrahim as a place of prayer.”

Ibrahim and his son, Ismail, peace be upon them, cooperated in rebuilding the Kaaba. Ismail then brought his father a stone to stand on, and his feet left prints on the stone. Later, it became Al-Maqam. It symbolizes the Muslim civilization, which encourages giving, cooperation, reconstruction and development.

Additionally, BMC students highlighted the value of the Arabic language and its significance in the Arab-Muslim world. It is a divine gift and a sacred part in the Islamic culture. It is the language of the Holy Quran, which is preserved by, Allah's power, till no. It carries the beacon of science, civilization and literature.

BMC students also presented the role of Arabs and Muslims and their scientific contributions that changed the features of life and directed the world from the darkness of ignorance to the light of knowledge. The participants explained the call of Islam to heal and the pioneering of Islam in preventive medicine and preventing the spread of diseases.

Hence, there were several medical discoveries and inventions made by Arab physicians, such as Ibn Al Nafis, Ibn Sina, Al-Razi and Al-Zahrawi, Ali Bin Issa Al-Kahhal, and others. These scholars and physicians have laid the basis of medical practice in Europe. Their legacy has formed the basis of modern medicine as we know it today, and their discoveries continue to influence medical practice.

This distinguished event was accompanied by an exhibition of a plastic art. A number of BMC male and female students displayed their artwork, which revealed their talents and creativity. Their paintings complemented the slogan of the event by showing the beauty of the Arabic calligraphy and presenting ancient leading Arab and Islamic personalities in the medical field. Al-Maqam event has revealed that we, Muslims and Arabs, should be proud of our past and look forward to a prosperous future.