1

A Review of Philosophy of Arkān (basic constituents) in the Formation of

1
Dept. Of Kulliyat Umoor-e-Tabiya, MUMCH, Calicut
2
Dept. Of Kulliyat Umoor-e-Tabiya, NIUM, Bangalore
3
Dept. Of Ilmul Advia, NIUM, Bangalore

*Corresponding Author
Azizur Rahman,
Assistant Professor in
Dept. Of Kulliyat Umoor-e-Tabiya (Basic concepts of Unani Medicine)
MUMCH, Calicut, Kerala, India, 673586
E.Id- [email protected]
Contact no- 7034596610, 7411124624

ABSTRACT
The theory and concept of Unani system of medicine is based on logic and philosophy. Hence,
its foundations were exclusively laid on observation and reasoning. So, the proper understanding,
comprehension and discernment of Unani system of medicine are purely based on the
understanding of traditional logic and philosophy. Now in this scientific era Unani fundamentals
are also required to be comprehended in the light of contemporary sciences. The present paper is
an effort towards the understanding of basic precursors of life and universe as stated in literature
of Unani medicine in an acceptable and comprehensible way.

KEYWORDS: Arkan, Universe, life, transformation, contemporary science

INTRODUCTION
Unani system of medicine views the origin of matter from four basic substances called Arkan.
They are Nar, Hawa, Ma, Arz. The essential requirement for a substance is matter with its
characteristics form. It is due to the three important aspects of primordial matter (Hyula), form
(surat) and Surate nauvia (specific configuration). Since, any matter manifests itself through its
qualities (Kaifiyat), so each of the Arkan is of specific quality arising out of pair of two basic
qualities. One pair is being the active one of hot and cold and the other pair the passive one of
moistness and dryness.
The present study aims to interpret the Arkan Arba’a in the light of contemporary scientific facts.
Jurjani proposed that Arkan are the basic constituents for the origin, evolution and sustenance of
life. 1 This concept is corroborated by the contemporary thought that the involvement of water
and organic molecules are essential for the origin of life. Before the appearance of animate things
on the earth, it was a sphere of gases and heat. On close reflection, it gets clear that pre biotic
atmosphere (Hawa) comprised of gases, vapour (water), heat and solid organic and inorganic
 2

particles. With cooling, these things settled down and concentrated according to their density.
Some of them became compact and heavy, occupied the central position in the firing and
revolving gaseous mass. On further cooling, water vapour condensed around and some gases
could not condense and hence, they occupied the place above water in space (Hawa e Muheet),
surrounding the gaseous sphere was a sphere of heat. 2
Regarding physical properties of these Arkan Arba Unani philosophers said that the Arz (Earth)
is a simple body, the natural position of which is below the other Arkan due to its heaviness. In
nature, earth serves the purpose of making the objects firm and stable, and maintains their forms
and figures. 3,4 Water is a simple body and its nature is Barid Ratab (cold and moist). Its position
is below Hawa (air). It provides easy acceptance of any shape. 1,5,6 Moisture in water means
dispersion, ability of gathering again, and can assume any kind of shape, but is incapable of
retaining it. 3 Nar (fire) is a simple body that is elusive and light in nature and it is most elevated
among all other Arkan due to its absolute lightness. 1,5,6,7,8 Air is less subtle than fire and provides
lightness, porosity, thinness and the ability to rise upwards and expansion. 1,5,6
The above connotations of Unani philosophers in respect of physical properties and phases of
Arkan Arba (four basic constituents) can be interpreted in the light of contemporary sciences
that; the physical state of a matter, its physical condition, is determined by its physical properties.
Two samples of a matter that have the similar physical properties are in the same state. 9
Ibn Sina (980-1037AD) observes that, movement of Nar (fire) is upward and Arz (earth)
downward, logically these Arkan want to go above or below in the body. Hence, it is the ordered
position in the interval that is sought. So, once there is the mixture, the simple body does harbor
the power permeating the whole that occurs after the mixture, whereas, when taken alone, it does
not possess the power. 10, 11, 12
James T. Robinson said about mixing of these four basic substances, mixing has been done by
the change of position of these spheres, particularly the solar system, by these spherical mixing
of basic substances there is formation of three natural kingdoms in universe i.e. animal, plant and
mineral. 13
ARKĀN IN NEW PERSPECTIVE
Various forms of Arkan are responsible for different kinds in origin; functions, activities and
their existence also due to proper mixing of their described qualities i.e. hot and cold are
responsible for activeness and while passiveness is due to moistness and dryness. 10,14
For the genesis of specific Mizaj of species, the appropriate contribution from Arkan is obtained.
Yet there no animate has been observed without four Arkan and their Kaifiyat (qualities). We can
recognize the dominancy of Arkan in every animate with the help of their specific structures /
morphology, habitat, and dietary habits. For instance, if Rukn Ma’a is dominant in organisms
then their skeleton will be soft, elastic and habitat will be aquatic. Likewise, the flying property
of organisms is attributed to the dominance of Rukn Hawa. Rukn Nar is responsible for the
existence of thermophiles and terrestrial life indicates the dominancy of Rukn Arz. If the habitat
of these organisms is changed then they cannot survive because the Mizaj of organism and of
habitat. We can infer here from the opinion of Unani philosophers regarding biodiversities.
 3

By seeing the dietary habits of Haiwanat ( livings) one can deduce the presence and dominancy
of particular Rukn, i.e. in lion, because of dominancy of Rukn Nar, takes Ghiza e Harrah (hot
diets) like meat and blood. Unani philosophers stated that the Mizaj of human is Motadil
(moderate) or Qarib e Motadil because of equal presence of Arkan Arba’a, so a human takes
vegetarian or non vegetarian diets or both. 15
Among these Arkan, two are light, Nar (Fire) and Hawa (Air) 16 and two are heavy i.e. Arz
(Earth) and Ma’a (Water). 16,17,18 Another explication of Arkan Arba in the context of their
densities; Earth’s outermost layer, as is required by the characteristics of the shape of the Earth,
and assuming that this outer material is about 4 or 5 times denser than water and that water is
1000 time heavier than air, then, if all the planetary material are expanded to the density of air, it
would take up a space almost 1,400,000 times larger than Earth’s sphere. 19
Avicenna believed in an emanation system in which there is a First Being from whom the
heavenly intelligences emanate unto the last one, the Active Intellect, which endows material
bodies with their forms, that are the four basic constituents. Their forms are only pairs of the
opposite qualities Har-Barid (hot–cold), Ratab-Yabis (moist–dry): for instance, Ma’a (water) is
cold and moist. Ibn Bajja said that these qualities are vital powers, powers that can cause motion.
From these simple constituents all natural beings are generated and they receive more and more
elaborate forms. 14
By amalgamation of Ma’a (water) and Arz (minerals) from below by means of heat (sunlight)
and air (carbon dioxide) from above, plants have relationship with the Arz (earth) and the sky. 20
The process of photosynthesis is also supporting the role of Arkan Arba'a (four basic
constituents) i.e. Nar, Hawa, Maá and Arz in the origin and existence of life.
One inclines to consider that Nabatat (plants) grow out of the Arz (earth), but actually most of
their substances come from the Hawa (air). The cellulose and the other Namiyati Murakkabat
(organic compounds) formed by photosynthesis consists of carbon (C) and oxygen (O2) atoms,
which Nabatat (plants) obtain from the air in the form of carbon dioxide directly; therefore the
weight of a wooden piece comes almost completely from the Hawa (air). On burning, a piece of
wood releases CO2 and heat. 20
Although all life is based on cellular structure, genetic information, and its duplication and
development over time, these alone do not make life feasible. The structures and functions form
a viable unit only in environment that can sustain it. Energy is essential for all processes of Life.
The only ultimate energy source of life on Earth is the sunlight even for, say, an animal that uses
a plant that takes the sunlight to grow by photosynthesis. 21 By this transformation process of
energy, we can understand the concept of Istehala (transformation) of Rukn Nar.
Life also wants a solvent to liquefy and transfer the entire chemicals. Rukn Ma’a (water), the
solvent for the existence of life on Arz (earth), is also a basic component of living beings. Ma’a
(water) is appearing to be awesomely the appropriate Mohallil (solvent) for all biochemical
reactions. One molecule of water is made up of one oxygen (O) and two hydrogen (H) atoms,
and bounded with covalent bonds. 22 The atom of oxygen exerts a more strong pull on the
electrons than the hydrogen (H). The sharing of electrons between hydrogen and oxygen is
 4

therefore unequal; the electrons are more often in the vicinity of the oxygen atom than of the
hydrogen. So, the oxygen is more electronegative–23 the whole molecule of Ma’a (water) gets an
electric dipole (a polar molecule). This characteristic of water strongly affects the Kimiyawi
Khususiyat (chemical properties) of Ma’a (water). The electric polarity of the Ma’a (water)
molecules gets frail electric interactions, or hydrogen bonds, to form among different molecules,
exhibits the integrated behavior of water, as a weak bond network, 21 this supports the concept of
Unani scholars that water can accept any form and shape easily.
The strong hydrogen bonding gets the molecules pulling towards each other, and provides
stickiness or viscosity to the liquid. Because of this sticky characteristic, a comparatively high
temperature and plenty of heat energy are required to vaporize Ma’a (water) into gaseous form.
So, Ma’a (water) stays in fluid form at a broad range of temperature. 21 The molecular pulling of
Ma’a (water) towards each other also resists the rising of temperature, and therefore more heat/
energy is essential to move up the temperature of Ma’a (water). Similarly, more heat/energy is
generated when water becomes cools; this characteristic makes it a great temperature thermostat,
both inside the cells and in a large environment. Ma’a (Water) reacts with other charged
molecules readily; this makes it a very efficient Mohallil (solvent) for all ionic compounds.
Water also liquefies the polar compounds where the negative and positive charges are yet
together on a molecule but separated (like water). 21
At other hand, water does not tend to dissolve non-polar molecules, such as hydrocarbon chains.
Though it is very important biological feature, because, these are hydrophobic molecules and in
water solution tend to combine with each other rather than with the water. 21 Lipids are very
important groups of molecules, which are having a polar/charged group attached at one end of
the molecule, making this as hydrophilic end, and on the other end a non-polar group makes this
hydrophobic end. Such types of dual-property molecules are called as amphipathic, and they
arrange themselves in water solution for bi-layered membranes formation. The hydrophobic and
hydrophilic interactions also influence strongly the three-dimensional folding molecules,
including proteins, and assist them to provide stability. Because of hydrogen bonding,
evaporation and surface tension, behavior of water is very perfect in the environment. By
capillary action it can move against gravity, for instance into the vascular systems of plants,
making it able to rise into the high canopies of tall trees. Ma’a (Water) also moves in the
capillary spaces of soil and rises spontaneously from water tables into the root zones of Nabatat
(plants). 21 Hydrogen bonding also affects the density of water at different temperatures in very
specific ways. As the temperature cools, the hydrogen bonds become tighter and shorter, so that
at the temperature of +4◦C water molecules are most closely packed to each other. At this
Hararat (temperature) water is most dense. As the Hararat (temperature) falls below this, the
molecular configuration starts to convert toward looser six cornered hydrogen bonding typical of
ice crystals, and thus the volume of the water starts to expand. The lower density ice forms on
the surface of water at 0◦C, and the denser +4◦C water is left on the bottom of the water basin.
Therefore, if the waters are deep enough, or the freeze is not too severe, the +4◦C water can
remain in liquid form under the ice cover through cold periods, which allows life to survive in
 5

deep water, protected from the freezing under the ice. This is a significant and exceptional
property of water. 21 Because of this special property of Ma’a (water), Unani philosophers
proposed that water is basic constituent for life. So instead of water all other liquid substances
are not appropriate for life like ammonia, which might be a somewhat suitable alternative solvent
for life, is heavier in solid form than in liquid, meaning that ammonia ponds would freeze
directly down to the bottom and might easily stay permanently frozen. Due to the lack of
hydrogen bonding, ammonia exists in liquid form only in a quite narrow temperature range, in
much lower temperature than water (between −78 and −33◦C, at sea level). At these
temperatures, all biochemical reactions would happen very slowly. In addition, ammonia is
easily broken up by ultraviolet light, and its lighter component, hydrogen, escapes easily into
space. Ultraviolet sunlight can break up also water, but this reaction is slower, and produces
oxygen (O2) and ozone (O3), which block the ultraviolet radiation and thus prevent the further
breakdown of water. Therefore water can exist in large quantities in the atmosphere of an earth-
like planet, while ammonia cannot. 21
Water is also regulating the global temperature to maintain the equilibrium of ecosystem because
it is having a very much specific heat capability and more heat of evaporation (40.65 kJ/mol or
2257 kJ/kg at the normal boiling point), due to excess of hydrogen among its molecules. By
these strange attributes, climate of earth is within normal range. So, Josh Willis said the water in
oceans take in heat thousand-fold greater than the atmospheric air. Since, it is proved with the
above discussion that Ma’a comes to its temperament instantaneously once it is left after
warmness. 24,25
Air is a simple body, the natural position of which is above water and below the fire. This is the
explanation for its relative lightness. Its nature is hot and moist. It furnishes the subtleness to the
things and makes the creations easier, frailer, and hollow. An object becomes equally
squeezable, and may adopt and release any shape easily due to its moistness. 3,26,27,28 So it is
confirmed that the dominancy of Rukn Hawa is observed in flying organisms which are having
may attributes to Hawa.
By electricity, the Hawa (air) is separated into two lesser Arkan, i.e. Ma’a (water) and Arz
(earth). At present, where the whole water and the whole earth have been precipitated from air,
rain is certainly as rule only water condensed. 29
However, by counterargument the natural scientist must find the natural causes of role of Arkan
in (ecosystem), with no need to assume any special arrangements for the phenomenon. Immanuel
Kant observes correctly that these sea winds have to go through periodic motions, even if no
human beings would have lived on the island, it is no property other than the flexibility of Hawa
(air), and it is also necessary for the growth of Nabatat (plants). Over the land the sun’s heat
upsets the equilibrium of Hawa (air) by rarefying out the Hawa (air), so allowing the cooler
Hawa-e-Bahri (sea air) to go up from its position and takes its place. These benefits are generally
advantageous to our planet Arz (earth) and life, though, no other arrangements are essential to
make them except these same general properties of Hawa (air) and heat, which also had to occur
on the Arz (Earth). 19
 6

Fire is a simple body, the natural position of which is above all the elements. 30 Fire is hot and
dry in nature. The purpose of its existence is to produce maturation, firmness, lightness and
intermingling. It penetrates the aerial substance and breaks the sheer coldness of the two heavy
cold elements Arz (Earth) and Ma’a (Water). 3,17,27,28
Everything is able to grow, attenuate, rectify, and blends with other things easily due to absolute
weightlessness and penetrative power of Nar (fire) and makes the things expandable, exactly it is
seen in Charles Law where the expansion is the fundamental thing due to heat energy. In Unani
classical texts heat energy comes under the Nar. 31,32 Thus its elementariness forces to integrate
into compounds and its dryness has drying, roughening and solidifying effects. 3,27
Evidence of dryness of fire as it burns the dry wood easier than wet because conversion of any
Rukn is easier into having same quality than opposing ones. 26
Of course, heat alone may not provide energy accessible to organisms, but the heat can promote
a physical setting that facilitates the derivation of metabolic energy from chemical or solar (or
stellar) sources. 33
When one of a variety of energy flux passes through one of the varieties of mixtures gases (CO 2,
N2, CH4), the outcome is a vast variety of molecules with negative free energies of formation. For
instance the types of energies flux are sparks, ultraviolet radiation and heat; and the initial
composition of the atmosphere affect the composition of the mixture product. Many of the
molecules thus can be formed by adding energy to the gas mixture. 34 Energy fluxes, such as
lightening, ultra violet radiation and volcanic heat, convert the most stable small molecules, such
as CO2, N2 and H2O into combination such as sugars and amino acids, which become the initial
blocks for life. 34
In every case, what organisms must do to achieve these structures involves energy. The energy
requirement exists because of biological polymers are surrounded by water, which tends to
degrade them by hydrolysis. Organisms acquire this energy through the catalytic activity of
enzymes, special proteins which the organisms manufacture from instruction coded in genes
(DNA). Alternatively, this may be expressed to make the energy needed for synthesis of
polymers. 34
A material body is composed of many atoms, and its total energy can be changed in two ways:
we can add further atoms to enlarge the body, or we can excite the atoms already there. The
analogue of energy in a general relativistic or cosmological situation is volume, and so, if
geometry is quantized, we expect that quantum cosmology allows an atomic universe to grow in
two different ways: by generating new spatial atoms or by exciting those already present. 35
Since, the concept of Nar is supported by this scientific evidence wherein it characteristically
shows the lightness, expansion and vacuum.
A hot inanimate object, a rock, a block of iron, or even a cup of tea, cools according to Newton’s
law of cooling, that the rate of cooling is proportional to the temperature difference between the
object and its surroundings. Hence, an inanimate object cools fast at first and then progressively
more slowly as its temperature approaches that of its surroundings. 36
 7

The exact rate of cooling for any object depends on its composition and size; technically, it
depends on a property known as its ‘heat capacity’, with objects of high heat capacity,
effectively being hungry for heat, cools down slowly. Water has a high heat capacity, which is
one reason why ice forms slowly on lakes in winter and why the oceans are a kind of thermal
ballast and help to stabilize the temperature of the planet. In so far as a human body is mostly
water, it cools quite slowly to the temperature of its surroundings with the precise rate depending
on the extent of thermal contact with them. 36
Along with these qualities of Nar (fire), the heat energy is used to achieve the work in inanimate,
but animates are isothermal and utilize the chemical energy for growth. In such cases, energy
might be transferred from one place to another or transformed into different forms of energies
which are called as law of conservation of energy. 37
Many physical and chemical properties depend on the energy associated with each of these
modes of movement. For instance, a chemical bond may break down if a lot of energy becomes
concentrated in it, like as vigorous vibration. 9
Transition of matter (chemical composition and physical state), the spontaneous conversion of
one stage into another stage, happens at a characteristic of Hararat (temperature) for given
pressure. 9 All the life activities depend on the coupling of the exothermic and endothermic
reactions, for the oxidation of food drives other reactions forward. In biological cells, the energy
released by the oxidation of foods is stored in Adenosine Tri Phosphate (ATP, 1). The essence of
the action of ATP is its ability to lose its terminal phosphate group by hydrolysis and to form
Adenosine Di Phosphate (ADP). 9 From above discussion regarding energy, Unani
generalization is accounted that Harart (energy) plays key role for life.
In case of Ajsam-e-Jamidah (solid matter), the lattice energy (form of energy) of a Jamid (solid)
is the difference in potential energy of the ions packed together in a solid and widely separated as
a gas. The lattice energy is always positive; high lattice energy indicates that the ions interact
strongly with one another to give a tightly bonded Jamid madda (solid matter). 9 This proves the
quality of Nar which provides firmness and steadiness to the body by its kaifiyyat( Hararat and
Yubusat).
It is observed at cellular level, the chemical reactions in the cell delegate on extracted energy
gains from nutrition, this requirement of energy should be provided continuously and constantly
to maintain the energy transformation. 38 In humans, alterations in Hararat (temperature) are
taking place to achieve physiological function; for instances hemoglobin saturation depends
upon this energy differences. At 25°C saturation of hemoglobin is 88% and 56% saturation at
37°C. 37 Hararat Ghareezi (innate energy) accomplishes functions that are needed by animals. 39
Peter Atkins observes that the life is the outcome of an alliance of molecules. To achieve the
dissipation of energy, an aggregation of molecules needs to form, one molecule perhaps to
harvest energy from the Sun or from a local hotspot; another molecule to accept that captured
energy and respond; another molecule perhaps to be welded to the second in what at first was
achieved by simple incorporation. The harvester molecule might become entangled with the
welder molecule, and the process of assimilating the environment is continued. The simple
 8

incorporation of one molecule causes such aggregate an edge on incorporating others. At that
point, evolution would be under way. 36 This explanation supports the view of ancient Greek
philosophers on origin of life.
In the presence of heat/ solar energy in plants carbon dioxide and water are converted into
glucose and oxygen molecule (6CO2 +6H2O  C6H12O6 +6O2) and it also generates the
Nicotinamide adenine di nucleotide phosphate (NADPH) which is the reducing agent needed in
the dark reactions. Second process fixation of CO2 to delegate sugar, does not utilize heat directly
but rather uses it indirectly in the form of ATP and NADPH. 38
Green plants play a vital role in the flow of energy through all ecological cycles. Their roots use
Ma’a (water) and Arz (earth), and consequently juices go up to the leaves, where they combine
with carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air to form sugars and other Namiyati Murakkab (organic
compounds). In this marvellous process, known as photosynthesis, Shamsi Tawanai (solar
energy) is transformed into Kimiyai Tawanai (chemical energy) to form Namiyati Ajza (organic
substances), while oxygen (O2) is expelled into the air to be taken up again by other Nabatat
(plants), and by Haiwanat (animals), through the respiration process. 20,40 Here the concept of
transformation of Arkan Arba into other form can be accounted.
Life on the Earth most likely arose from vast numbers of natural experiments in which various
combinations of organic molecules were mixed and recombined to form complex interacting
systems, then exposed to sources of energy such as heat, light, and oxidation–reduction
potentials presented by donors and acceptors of electrons. This mixing and recombination
probably did not occur in free solution, but rather in fluctuating environments at aqueous–
mineral interfaces exposed to the atmosphere under conditions that would tend to concentrate the
organic material so that reactions could occur. Through this process, incremental chemical
evolution took place over a period of several hundred million years after the Earth had cooled
sufficiently for water vapor to condense into oceans. At some point, membrane bounded systems
of molecules appeared that could grow and reproduce by using energy and nutrients from the
environment. 33 This retrospective contemporary explanation of origin of life can be accounted
by ancient Greek philosophers as they advocated that for the composition of three natural
kingdoms Rukn Nar is necessary, for the reassembling and intermingling Rukn Ma’a takes part
as a solvent. They also corroborated that, for growth and reproduction the role of Rukn Nar can
be observed in terms of energy.
Ma’a (Water) has especially a life-giving power, since many Haiwanat (animals) originated in
Ma’a (water), and the seed of all animals is Saiy’al (liquid). "Augustine holds 'Ma’a (water) 'to
mean 'formless matter. Water may be understood here in the sense of radical moisture
(Paracelsus), which is absolutely essential to life, "H2O" being thus as it was an instrument or
substrate. The plant cannot shootout leaves, flowers and fruit without it; so man cannot thrive
without this radical moisture, or innate moisture. Moreover, on this view the moisture is
conserved by a medium which has material humidity a concept which brings us to the domain of
chemistry. 17
 9

In the organization of Arkan there is either absolute excess or deficiency of these qualities (two
of mass and two of energy) i.e. heat and cold are two opposite direction of energy in space while
dryness and moisture two contrary reactions of the mass in time. As Einstein has demonstrated in
the world of phenomenon there is neither pure energy nor pure mass in any form except as a
relative proportion of both in their various manifestations. Everything as being made of mass and
energy simultaneously, they were separate from each other in thought. Science also recognizes
no form of mass or energy could have quality to the absolute degree, the generalization of the
Unani system that all objects including what we may term as the atoms, molecules, elements,
compounds, genes or chromosomes, have their own relative proportion of all the four qualities-
two of mass and two of energy. The Hararat (heat) is present in Nar (fire) and Hawa (air),
coldness in Arz (earth) and Ma’a (water), dryness in Nar (fire) and Arz (earth) and moisture in
Ma’a (water) and Hawa (air), Thus the building blockers come to differ as also resemble one
another. Each building blocker in this way has a resemblance and relationship through one of its
qualities with building blocker next below or higher to it and by its other qualities is of an
opposite and different character. It is on account of their mutual similarities and differences that
they tend to act and react upon each other. By differing from each other they are able to retain
their identity and by resembling one another they tend to combine with each other. 28
The law of conservation of matter and energy are accounted by the Unani scholars by
generalizing that building blockers as the ultimate units of matter and energy are incapable of
disintegrative alterations and that from one compound to the other, the change is merely a less or
more of their quantity and quality. 28
Boyle’s law which states “Temperature being constant, the volume of the gases varies inversely
as the pressure to which it is subjected”. It is considered as the action of pressure being similar to
that of cold whose direction of force is opposite to that of heat. 28
The method of determining the molecular weight of various substances from the rising of boiling
point and the lowering of freezing points of their solution is accounted by the Unani concept, that
greater the earth in a solution greater the resistance to change from liquid to gaseous or solid
state and hence greater is the weight. 9,28
When the spark of life leaves a human body at death, the four Arkan all dissociate and return to
their primal state. It is only life itself, manifesting in an organized, living whole, that holds
together the four Arkan. All four are in every person, although each person is consciously more
attuned to some type of energy than others. 41
The Rukn of any particular sign shows the specific type of consciousness and method of most
immediate perception to which the individual is attuned. Air signs have correlates of the mind’s
sensation, perception and expression, specially related to geometric thought forms. Fire signs
express the warming, radiating, energizing life principle which can manifest as enthusiasm and
love or as ego. Water signs are the cooling, healing, soothing, principle of sensitivity and feeling
response. Earth signs reveal attunement with the world of physical forms and a practical ability
to utilize the material world. 41 These all signs are according to properties of Arkan which are
mentioned by Unani philosophers.
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CONCLUSION
The present facts that have been established after rigorous efforts of previous three centuries
evidently furnish a lot of evidences to support the comprehensive framework of four Arkan as
stated in the literature of Unani medicine in creation and sustenance of life. However this is the
first kind of work in this direction, further study is required for better systematization of Unani
fundamentals in the light of present sciences.

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