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{{Short description|Indian physician (1873–1926)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2025}}

{{Infobox person
| name = Hakim Ghulam Jilani
| honorific_prefix = Hakim, Khan Sahib, Shams al-Atibba
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = 15 May 1873
| birth_place = [[Lahore]], [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab Province]], [[Presidencies and provinces of British India|British India]]
| death_date = 23 February 1926
| death_place = Lahore, British India
| occupation = Physician, Hakim, Writer
| alma_mater = [[Lahore Medical College]] (L.M.S.)
| known_for = Author of ''Makhzan-e-Hikmat''
| awards = ''Shams al-Atibba'' (Qajar Iran), ''[[Khan Sahib]]'' (British India), [[Order of the Lion and the Sun]] (Qajar Iran)
}}

'''Ghulam Jilani Ansari''' {{Small|[[Order of the Lion and the Sun|K.L.S.]]}} (15 May 1873 – 23 February 1926) was an Indian physician and [[Hakim (title)|hakim]] (practitioner of [[herbal medicine]]), known for his contributions to [[Urdu]] medical literature.<ref name="RNarain">{{Cite journal |last= |first= |date=May 1908 |editor-last=Narain |editor-first=Ram |title=Book reviews |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=emu7urw0OFoC&dq=dr+ghulam+jilani+khan+sahib&pg=PA88 |journal=The Practical Medicine |location=Delhi |volume=VI |issue=5 |pages=88–89 |oclc=67906327}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Ansari |first=A. Hameed|title=Ansari's Trade Directory of Pakistan and Who's Who |date=1953 |publisher=Ansari Publishing House |edition=3rd |language=en |chapter=Who's who 1952-53 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Db0wAQAAIAAJ&dq=dr+ghulam+jilani+khan+sahib&pg=PA1047}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Subbarayappa |first=B. V. |title=Medicine and Life Sciences in India |date=2001 |publisher=[[Project of History of Indian Science, Philosophy and Culture]]|isbn=978-81-87586-07-4 |pages=363 |language=en}}</ref> For his services in the field of medicine, he received the honorary title ''Shams-ul-Attiba'' from the [[Qajar Iran|Government of Qajar Iran]] and the title ''[[Khan Sahib]]'' by the [[British Raj|Government of British India]].

==Early life and education ==
Jilani was born on 15 May 1873 in [[Lahore]], [[Punjab Province (British India)]] into a noble [[Ansari (nesba)|Ansari]] family with scholarly traditions. His ancestors had migrated from [[Persia]] to [[Indian subcontinent]]. He completed his early education at home, where he studied [[Arabic]], [[Persian language|Persian]] and [[English language|English]], later passing the middle school from Normal Middle School, Lahore.{{sfn|Habiburrahman|1988|p=166}}

His father, Sultan Mahmood Ansari, was a religious scholar and ''hakīm'' (Unani physician) of his time, running a successful [[Doctor's office|medical practice]] in Lahore. Inspired by his father's legacy, Jilani studied traditional [[Unani medicine]] under his father and other renowned hakims. He later enrolled in the Lahore Medical College, where he pursued modern medical studies. At the time, [[Western medicine|Western medical education]] in India was limited to diploma-level training, and in 1895, he earned a [[Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery]] (L.M.S.). That same year, he entered government service.{{sfn|Habiburrahman|1988|p=166}}

== Career ==
Jilani's scholarly abilities earned him an posting in [[Qajar Empire|Persian empire]] (now Iran), after serving in several frontier regions of [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab]].{{sfn|Habiburrahman|1988|p=166}} He began his career as the consular physician for the British Government in the areas of [[Qaen County|Qaenat]] and [[Kerman]] before being advanced to British agent in [[Birjand]] and later [[Tehran]]. He received professional acclaim for his medical skills for personal medical adviser to {{ill|Ebrahim Alam|fa|محمدابراهیم علم}} (Shokat-ul-Mulk II), the ruler of Qaenat and Sistan. In 1901, he was appointed Medical Officer to the British consulate in [[Sistan]].{{sfn|Habiburrahman|1988|p=167}}

Notable British dignitaries, including [[Sir Henry McMahon]] and [[Lawrence Dundas, 2nd Marquess of Zetland|Lord Ronaldshay]], sought treatment from him during their travels in [[Qajar Iran|Iran]] around 1900 and praised his expertise. In recognition of his services, the Government of British India conferred upon him the honorary title of ''[[Khan Sahib]]'' in 1904. Earlier, in 1902, the Government of Qajar Iran awarded him the title ''Shams ul-Atibba'' (the sun of the physicians), and in 1903, Shah of Iran [[Mozaffar ad-Din Shah Qajar|Mozaffar ad-Din]] bestowed upon him the prestigious [[Order of the Lion and the Sun]]. In 1904, he was also elected as a member of {{ill|The Imperial Persian Sanitary Council|fa|مجلس حفظ‌الصحة}}.{{sfn|Habiburrahman|1988|p=167}}

In 1906, Jilani returned to [[Lahore]] on leave and resigned from the government service in 1907 for personal reasons. He then resumed private [[Doctor's office|medical practice]] in Lahore but devoted much of his time to scholarly writing and research in medicine. His articles were published in ''The Indian Medical Record'', a notable English-language journal based in [[Calcutta]]. Twice, he received award and certificates of merit for prize-winning contributions to the journal.{{sfn|Habiburrahman|1988|p=168}}

== Works ==
Jilani was known for his scholarly articles and discussions published in Urdu journals and periodicals. His writings were published in some prominent newspapers like ''{{ill|Paisa Akhbar{{!}}Paisā Akhbār|ur|پیسہ اخبار}}'', ''Watan'', and ''Vakil''. In addition, his research-based and analytical articles were regularly published in well-regarded Unani medical journals, including ''Mujalla Ṭibbiyya'' (Delhi), ''Akhbār-i-Ḥikmat'' (Lahore), and particularly ''Rafīq ul-Aṭibbāʾ''. The medical books, written by Jilani, were immensely popular during his lifetime. The best-known ''Makhzan-i-Hikmat''<ref name="RNarain" /> or ''Ghar ka Hakim o Doctor'' (the Home physician) was widely read and appreciated by laymen and experts. The enduring popularity of the book is evident from the numerous editions published of its two volumes.{{sfn|Habiburrahman|1988|p=168}}

His writings were held in such high esteem in scholarly circles that copies of his books were included in the official collections of the [[India Office]] Library and the [[British Museum]] in London.{{sfn|Habiburrahman|1988|p=169}}

==Death==
He died on 23 February 1926 and was buried in [[Lahore]] beside his brother, Hakim Ghulam Muhiyuddin {{sfn|Aslam|1993|p=170}}{{sfn|Habiburrahman|1988|p=170}} Among his children, [[Masood Khadarpoosh]] and Hakim Mohammad Mahmood Ansari achieved distinction; the latter also served as custodian of his father's library.{{sfn|Aslam|1993|p=170}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

=== Work cited ===
* {{cite book |last=Habiburrahman |first=Hakim Hafiz Syed |url=https://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/hindustaan-ke-mashahoor-atibba-syed-habeebur-rahman-ebooks?lang=ur|title=ہندوستان کے مشہور اطباء |publisher=[[Anjuman-i Taraqqi-i Urdu|Tarraqq-i-Urdu Bureau]] |year=1988 |edition=1st |location=New Delhi |page=166 |language=ur |trans-title=Renowned Unani physicians of India}}
* {{cite book|url=https://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/khuftagan-e-khak-lahore-mohammad-aslam-ebooks?lang=ur |title=خفتگان خاک لاہور |trans-title=Those who lie beneath Lahore's soil |last=Aslam |first=Professor Muhammad |publisher=Idarah-yi Tahqiqat-i Pakistan |location=Lahore |year=1993 |edition=1st|page=169 |language=ur|isbn=978-9694250816}}

[[Category:Indian medical doctors]]
[[Category:19th-century Indian medical doctors]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian medical doctors]]
[[Category:1873 births]]
[[Category:1926 deaths]]
[[Category:Medical doctors from Punjab, India]]

Hakim Ghulam Jilani - Revision history

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