Unani Concepts: Humors (Akhlat) and Temperament (Mizaj)

A traditional framework, not a measurement

Unani explains health and illness through ideas inherited from Greek medicine and developed in the Muslim world. This page describes two of them in the tradition's own terms. They are not biology as modern medicine uses the word, and this page offers no way to work out your own type.

The four humors (akhlat)

Greek medicine taught that four bodily fluids, or humors (blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile), needed to be kept in balance. [1] Unani carries the same four. [2] A review of Unani's Greek roots adds that the system sees the body as made of four elements, different temperaments, simple and compound organs and the four humors. [3] In the tradition each humor "contributes its own characteristics and temperament to the body," and care aims to bring them into balance. [2]

Temperament (mizaj)

Unani scholars hold that every person has a distinct temperament built from combinations of the humoral qualities. [4] In Persian medicine, which shares the concept, mizaj is described as covering individual differences in physical, psychological, spiritual and bodily functions, and as organized along hot-cold and wet-dry qualities. [5][6] The same source says a similar disease in people of different mizaj may call for different treatments. [5]

Temperament is said to be shaped by age, mental state, local climate and surroundings. [4] In practice, the tradition fits diet and medicines to the person's temperament. [4] Unani writers also describe six essential factors of daily life (asbab sitta darooriya) alongside temperament as the basis of prevention. [7]

How practitioners traditionally assess it

A reference source reports that a traditional examination includes the tongue, pulse, urine and stool to judge the balance of humors. [2] A study of Persian-medicine experts lists ten criteria for judging mizaj, most of them qualitative. [6] This site does not reproduce them, and it does not offer a quiz or self-assessment. These judgments belong in a conversation with a trained practitioner who also pays attention to your medical history.

What research has checked

These findings come from Persian-medicine research groups that share the concept with Unani, so they say nothing about how Unani practitioners in India would perform. The reliability results mean that two practitioners might not reach the same answer, which is a reason for caution about any type label.

Related

See the overview Unani medicine, the history of Unani, regimenal therapies, and the glossary.