Review of Common Superstitionbased Therapies in Qajar Era, Iran

In Arabic culture, every strange word arose from a world except human world or human sciences and experiences is called superstition. Some superstitious beliefs are specific to a community or a particular culture and some of them are specific to a particular gender or even a particular person. In Iran from ancient times to the Qajar era, especially before the utilization of Daroulfonon Institute and a gradual transition from traditional to modern medicine, the role of superstition in medicine and healthcare practices was dimmed. Due to lack of graduated physicians in the community, lack of health care facilities, and poor health care system many of ordinary people were resorted to magic and extravagant energies and non-scientific styles to cure illnesses. The current research was conducted on Iran s Qajar era as the target community of the study, and accordingly practical field study was not applicable; hence, the current library research attempted to use first hand resources from Qajar era. The study aimed at investigating the superstitions prevailing in the community to treat diseases in Qajar period, providing an underlying study for the current researchers studying superstition-based therapy in the present-day society, and comparing superstition between the present-day community and Qajar era comprehensively.