Medical jurisprudential explanation of the nature of epilepsy

 According to the new understanding, epilepsy is a neurological disease, but in the past it was often considered a mental illness and the patients’ rights were explained accordingly. The present research has been done by paying attention to the views of the past jurists and explaining their views, and referring to the specialized texts of neurology and psychiatry, with the aim of expressing the true nature of epilepsy and its difference from mental illnesses and insanity, as well as the need to revise Islamic jurisprudence and regarding these patients’ rights.

 This research is an interdisciplinary study using the analytical descriptive method and based on the data of traditional medicine, Islamic jurisprudence, neurology and psychiatry. The collection of these data is a library method and the data analysis is qualitative.

 In this research, while explaining the viewpoint of traditional medicine and Islamic jurisprudence and the new sciences of brain, neurology and psychiatry, it was concluded that most of the Shia jurisprudents have described epilepsy simply as "Al-Halat al-Ma'hudah". However, the understanding of Sunni jurists and traditional medicine is that epilepsy is a mental or metaphysical disease and is influenced by spirits and jinn, or is affected by body disturbances, and some have considered it similar to coma and fainting. While this understanding is not correct. Because today, epilepsy is considered a neurological disorder-not a mental disorder. So it is necessary for jurists and scientists to redefine the rulings of epilepsy patients in order to realise their rights.