Quwa (Vital powers) vs modern physiology of control systems

Abstract

The Unani system of medicine describes three primary vital powers Quwa Fa’ila (active power), Quwa Hafiza (retentive power), and Quwa Namiya (augmentative power) as essential forces governing bodily functions. This paper attempts to correlate these traditional concepts with modern physiological systems: the neurological, immune, and endocrine systems. Quwa Fa’ila aligns with the control and coordination by the nervous system; Quwa Hafiza corresponds to preservation through immune defense and memory; Quwa Namiya parallels hormonal regulation of growth and repair. This comparative framework provides a holistic understanding of health and disease by integrating classical Unani and contemporary biomedical perspectives [1-4].