Fundamentals Of Sexology, A New Book Launched
A unique book about the subject of Sexology, a newly emerging branch of medical science, has been launched by the title Fundamentals Of Sexology, which is the first ever concise academic publication from the South Asia, particularly from the Islamic world.
The author, Dr. Jamil Ahmad Sabri, a Consultant Dermatologist from Peshawar Pakistan, has taken a bold initiative to compose a comprehensive academic text about the woefully neglected biological aspect of human life, the human sex and sexuality.
Dr. Jamil Ahmad Sabri has been awarded a gold medal during an International Conference of Dermatology organized by PAD (Pakistan Association of Dermatologists) and SARAD (South Asian Regional Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists) at Lahore Pakistan on Nov. 15-18, 2007, where the book was launched during the opening ceremony.
In Fundamentals Of Sexology, the author has tried to frame the publication by combining the medical and technical aspects of the subject as well as religious views and teachings about certain important sexual issues commonly faced by the majority during the routine life.
The book duly bears internationally standard book number (ISBN) and contains 11-chapters and 589 pages covering various critical aspects of human sex and sexuality along with bibliography and a proper index, all on a good quality paper. Size is 7”x10”x1.25” and weight is 1.2Kg. It is hard bound bearing a beautifully designed title cover containing a self explanatory monogram designed by the author himself. The attractive out look and overall presentation of the book is quite in parallel to any international standard publication.
Different sections of life including medical professionals, scholars and intellectuals from within the country and abroad, have verily appreciated the publication and have regarded it as a standard academic text and a baseline reference for research work as well as a pool of facts and information for the guidance of community and the general public.
Prof. Hideoki Ogawa, President (Chancellor) and Chief Executive Officer Juntendo University Tokyo Japan, has considered the publication as an endeavour of linking the introductory and reference medical works in quite a comprehensive text which bridges the gape between the academic and general aspects of the subject and provides the baseline work for the future reference.
Dr. Jirot Sindhvananda, the Director, Institute of Dermatology, Bangkok, Thailand, regards the publication as a commendable effort on the part of author to sum up and to outline all the allied branches of Sexology in a bookish form which helps in the better perception of the subject and will prove helpful for the future studies and writings in the subject of Sexology.
Prof. Torello Lotti, Chairman Unit of Dermatology and Physiotherapy, University Of Florence, Italy comments that Fundamentals Of Sexology is the latest, more comprehensive publication and is an all encompassing and readable book about Sexology in the Asian Pacific region which can become the main reference for senior medical students, residents and physicians willing to continue their education and discover all the aspects of this evolving field.
The principal(Ex) Khyber Medical College Peshawar, Prof. Fazal Ahmad, highlights that Fundamentals Of Sexology, critically speaking, is need of the time for creating awareness about human sex and sexuality particularly in this part of the world. The theme of compilation, proper index, bibliography, addition of religious linking and overall impressive layout, have collectively made the publication a venerated, unique and an authentic book. The book, I am confident, will prove rewarding for the medical students/residents in their basic learning and will be a valid reference for the researchers as well as a relevant guide for the practicing doctors and the others as the author has strived to incorporate all the technical and scientific aspects of the subject into a concise text.
Dr. Raza Muhammad Khan, Professor Emeritus, a renown Dermatologist, says that the endeavour taken by the author is very bold as in this part of the world, it is very difficult to bring out a book on the subject like Sexology, which does deserve encouragement, appreciation and applause and which, it is expected, will definitely add to the décor of many libraries.
Prof. Syed Atif Hasnain Kazmi, Head, Department of Dermatology King Edward Medical University Mayo Hospital Lahore, regards the book as an immense pool of information and facts which will be invaluable for medical students as well as practicing doctors and the medical community, particularly, Dermatologists, Venereologists and Researchers will find this publication a reliable reference and valuable tool for their work.
The renown cardiologist, Prof. Hafeez Ullah, the Ex. Chief Executive LRH, appreciating the publication, has suggested it to be included in the syllabus of medical education while the principal Khyber Medical College has also stressed upon its induction for the basic learning of medical training.
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Azam Azam, Resident Director Pakistan Academy Of Letters Peshawar pointed that it is a unique job done by the researcher in this part of the country and which needs recognition from the government side.
Dr. Rashid Khan, Chairman Department Of Sociology and Social Anthropology, University Of Peshawar, is of the opinion that “Fundamentals Of Sexology” is of international standard publication and may have international value for all concerned as it covers Anthropological, Sociological, Psychological and Medical as well as religious aspects of life. It provides first hand information about sex and guideline awareness to the university students and the general public. The academician planners, policy makers will certainly benefit from its results.
The Chairperson Environmental Tribunal, NWFP, Justice(R) Shahzad Akbar Khan adds that ‘Fundamentals Of Sexology’ indeed represents a key step forward to identify the basic common problems in the related area that are commendably addressed in a dynamic manner. I personally being a man carrying a legal background, am enormously impressed by the segment of the book that deals with legal aspect of the Sex Problems. The magnitude of endeavour displayed by the author in highlighting the sexo-legal and sexo-relegio topics are of high value. I hope this book shall not be seen as a static product, but rather as a first expression in a dynamic process that will undoubtedly include subsequent additions.
Other scholars and intellectuals including Dr. Adnan Sarwar, Chairman IMS, Peshawar university, Prof. Khatar Ghaznavi(late), President Syndicate of Writers, Dr. Zahoor Awan, a renown columnist, Prof. Nasir Ali Syed, poet and columnist and Sajjad Babar, a renown poet, all have admired the triumph of author for composing an authentic book about an essential biological aspect of life. Dr. Zahoor Awan and Prof. Nasir Ali Syed have also highlighted the significance of the publication in their columns respectively in the daily Aaj.
In an interview, Dr. Jamil Ahmad Sabri pointed out that media misinformation about sexual problems and their solutions, and some misleading unscientific literature from certain unauthentic corners, all have created quite a negative impression about the field of Sexology while modern concept of Sexology is often mistakenly intermingled with Erotology due to which to talk and to write about this field apparently seems to be a taboo in many cultures and societies particularly the Islamic world.
It is astonishing to observe, he expressed with concern, that many scholars, learned community and even the medical professionals are usually reluctant to highlight it boldly despite the fact that academic aspect of Sexology is deeply rooted to some major medical disciplines like urology, gynaecology, endocrinology, medicine, surgery and psychiatry while, in addition to its linkage to sociology and anthropology, social and religious aspects have been dissipatedly discussed in many authentic books.
The reluctance to discuss Sexology is because of the obvious reason that the term stands for an emerging discipline of medical science which perhaps, is comparatively new for many and is not clearly defined in some societies.
Dr. Sabri added that the subject of sex and human sexuality, in the global sphere of knowledge, remained as terra ignota for a prolong period of time. Sexual problems have long been eternal topics since man came into civilization and the repeated attempts to find out their solutions lead to several avenues of interpretation and various remedies and ultimately to the emergence of a new science on the horizon of knowledge known as Sexology.
According to him, Sexology refers to the scientific study of human sexuality and the subject comprises a wide range from legal to illegal, childhood to adulthood and relationships to reproduction including biases, beliefs and behaviours, fetishes, function and fulfilment, desire, difference and disease, erotica, emotion and experience.
As an interdisciplinary science, Sexology is uniquely placed to bring together the knowledge and expertise of specialists, the diverse agendas of various advocacy groups, the health concerns of communities and the methodologies and interests of diverse disciplines.
He disclosed that the basic sexological teachings are only partially included in the syllabi of medical education under certain disciplines in many countries while it is surprising to observe that the practical learning is not at all the part of over all basic medical training throughout the world, due to which most of the medical professionals lack enough knowledge about the subject of Sexology.
The field of Sexology, he stressed, needs expert training of the personnel for a rewarding outcome and information about the discipline of Sexology is important in many aspects of medical education because with the passage of time increasing awareness has disclosed many scientific realities and the scenario has changed to organic background of most of the sexual problems along with advancement in their diagnosis, investigations and management.
He told that a wide variety of problems pertaining to sexual performance and sex related diseases have been a human concern for centuries and equally since the same period, the miraculous remedies have been ascribed to various empirical formulations by nearly every culture in the human history. Although the scientific exploration is in progress to find out the genuine and accurate grounds for their etiologies, diagnosis and management, these problems, likewise, are being exploited as well under the umbrella of various prevailing health care systems.
Sex and sexuality, he told, are woefully neglected to be discussed openly in many cultures and societies particularly in the Islamic World and it is surprising to observe that many Muslims are quite ignorant about the Islamic teachings regarding this most important biological aspect of human life.
He further highlighted that this is also a bitter fact that no comprehensive concise medical book has ever been composed and compiled about the basics of Sexology at least in the South East Asia particularly in the Islamic world, although such a publication covering medical and religious aspects, is hardly available even worldwide though topicwise literature is freely available.
Dr. Sabri stressed that in view of all these realities, this is need of the time to bring forward an informative text to create awareness and to check irrelevant probing.
I have paved the way for future writings from this region, and this is hoped Fundamentals Of Sexology will prove as a baseline guidance for all the sections of life including medical professionals, students and the general public, says Dr. Sabri.
Fundamentals Of Sexology is available with different publishers throughout Pakistan. For further information, Dr. Sabri’s contacts are:
Cell: 00 92 300 5947940
Email: djas@brain.net.pk, jasabri@hotmail.com