Professional Documents
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IN ISLAM
Describe the contemporary concepts health and healing and their critical analysis In the light of Quranic verses, present Islamic principles of health and healing. Qurans injunctions regarding Health: Fundamental Duties and Fundamental Prohibitions Islams strategy for health and healing Prevention 1-Primary . Tahara . Nutrition .Exercise 2- Secondary Treatment of Diseases Mental Health Spiritual Health Therapeutic Sociology Finally to summarize
Critical analysis
Market forces advocate the importance of absolute individual freedom. They strongly resent any suggestion that the demands of society in general and the demands of family in particular must guide individual choices. When there are demands to correct the ecology, environment to them just means air and water free of pollution; it has nothing to do with social practices and systems that are dangerous for the health
Another glaring weakness of the WHO definition is that it fails to properly explain the spiritual component of health. Some researchers tend to describe spiritual health as a feeling of happiness and contentment. They do not differentiate between mental health and spiritual health. Mental health is "a state of emotional and psychological well-being in which an individual is able to use his or her cognitive and emotional capabilities, function in society, and meet the ordinary demands of everyday life."
Spiritual Health
Spiritual
health, on the contrary, means an individuals ability to differentiate between right and wrong and resolve to lead a more righteous life, free of stratagems, deception, dishonesty and selfishness. Islam promotes Spiritual health.
Qurans Position
Health
is a state of complete physical, mental, spiritual and social wellbeing, which must be safeguarded not only through the maintenance of a health preserving regime at the personal/individual level, but also through the establishment of a health-protective and promoting family system and a healthprotective and promoting social system.
Say: Who hath forbidden the beautiful (gifts) of Allah, which He hath produced for His servants, and the things, clean and pure, (which He hath provided) for sustenance? Say: They are, in the life of this world, for those who believe, (and) purely for them on the Day of Judgment. Thus do We explain the signs in detail for those who understand. 007.032 (Al-Araaf )
About Environment
Why were there not, among the generations before you, persons possessed of balanced good sense, prohibiting (men) from mischief in the earth - except a few among them whom We saved (from harm)? But the wrong-doers pursued the enjoyment of the good things of life which were given them, and persisted in sin.
011.116 (Hud )
In Book well-guarded, Which none shall touch but those who are clean: Al-Qur'an, 056.078-079 (Al-Waqia )
And thy garments keep free from stain! 074.004 (Al-Muddaththir )
Then will he be of those who believe, and enjoin patience, (constancy, and selfrestraint), and enjoin deeds of kindness and compassion. Al-Qur'an, 090.017 (Al-Balad)
Sexual Hygiene
Nor come nigh to adultery: for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil, opening the road (to other evils). 017.032 (AlIsra)
If two men among you are guilty of lewdness, punish them both. If they repent and amend, Leave them alone; for Allah is Oft-returning, Most Merciful. 004.016 (An-Nisa)
Islam, health is not a separate entity but one of the essential constituents of peace, which comprise peace at the individual, family and social level. There are three tiers of society: individual, family and society. All three have equal importance and none can be sacrificed through the sword of the other. Health therefore too has to involve all the three.
Prohibitions
Islam
declares prohibited all those things and practices that do not form parts of the normal requirements of the body and can directly lead to the development of a disease, which more often than not becomes fatal or causes physical handicaps like blindness, paralysis, etc. (Alcohol, pork, unhealthy sexual practices
Islam declares makruh or undesirable all those things and practices, which may harm the health but are neither usually fatal, nor lead to any physical handicap like blindness, paralysis etc Islam declares Mustahab or desirable or obligatory all those things and practices that have beneficial effect on the health of the individual or society in general. (Circumcision, several foods, Ablution, Prayer, Istanja, etc.)
1. Primary Prevention Istanja (Washing of private parts after urinating), which has huge protective effects against the urogenital infection; Wudu (Ablution), which involves washing of the exposed organs and mouth reducing the risks of mouth infections, cardiovascular problems, skin infections and cancers and eye infections; Ghusal-Washing of private parts after intercourse and bathing as son as possible; which will decrease the chances of sex related diseases;
2-Secondary prevention:
vaccines, safe drinking water, use of pastes and creams to prevent skin diseases Circumcision that prevents from Phimosis, Paraphimosis, sex transmitted diseases including AIDS and the Cancer of Cervix (among women); can also be included as a method of secondary prevention, as it involves a surgical procedure. Miswak (Brushing of teeth), which has a remarkable preventive effect on the infective diseases of teeth, gums and several internal organs, is also a part of secondary prevention
Nutrition
O ye people! Eat of what is on earth, Lawful and good; and do not follow the footsteps of the evil one, for he is to you an avowed enemy.
002.168 (Al-Baqarah )
Nutrition
They ask thee what is lawful to them (as food). Say: lawful unto you are (all) things good and pure: 005.004 (Al-Maeda )
Moderation in eating
"Eat of the good things We have provided for your sustenance, but commit no excess therein, lest My Wrath should justly descend on you: and those on whom descends My Wrath do perish indeed! 020.081 (Ta-Ha )
No excessive eating
O Children of Adam! wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer: eat and drink: But waste not by excess, for Allah loveth not the wasters. 007.031 (Al-Araf [The Heights]) In one Hadith, Prophet (SAW) advised to keep 1/3 stomach empty when we finish the meal.
Ye shall have therein abundance of fruit, from which ye shall have satisfaction.043.073 (Az-Zukhruf) And from the fruit of the date-palm and the vine, ye get out wholesome drink and food: behold, in this also is a sign for those who are wise. 016.067 (An-Nahl)
006.017 (Al-Anaam )
Treatment:
Narrated Usamah ibn Sharik: The desert Arabs then came from here and there. They asked: Apostle of Allah, should we make use of medical treatment? He replied: Make use of medical treatment, for Allah has not made a disease without appointing a remedy for it, with the exception of one disease, namely old age. Abu Dawood
Treatment
Narrated Abu Hurairah: The Prophet said, "There is no disease that Allah has created, except that He also has created its treatment."
Therapeutic modalities
1-Natural products including food and herbs which we find in Prophetic Medicine 2-Medical and surgical products and techniques discovered through research and studies. a- Historically Muslim physicians took a lead in this field like Ibn Sina, Ibn Rushd, Al Razi. b- Contemporary Medicine and Muslim Physicians role 3-Dua and Tarqyah.
Stress is the most common root cause of mental and spiritual aliment of modern age. Stress results from the following factors: a-Fear of the unknown and trying to see through and control the destiny.
b. Losses in our life of people and things dear to us and our inability to recover those losses.
c. Inner conflict between our heart and mind between what is known to be the truth and our failure to accept it as truth.
3 Conclusions
A-In Islam, we do not have concept of the ownership of goods and life. Everything belongs to God and returns to him. So if we don't own that thing why mourn our loss? B- Our destiny is predetermined. We do not have control on that part. What we have control over is a limited free will, that is our actions, our choice to do good or bad, to believe in God or not to believe in Him. Worrying over such things is of no use.
C. Rejection of faith in Quran is called a disease. This denial of truth is due to arrogance
a. Nafsul Ammara: -The Passionate soul "I do not absolve myself Lo the (human) soul is prone to evil, save that whenever my Lord has mercy. Lo, Lord is forgiving; merciful." 12:53 (Surah Yusuf) This soul inclines toward sensual pleasure, passion and self gratification , anger, envy, greed, and conceit. Its concerns are pleasure of body, gratification of physical appetite, and ego.
Nafsul Lawamah
b. Nafsul Lawamah (The Reproaching Soul). "Nay, I swear by the reproaching soul" 75:1 This soul is conscious or aware of Evil, resists it, asks for God's grace, and pardon, repents and tries to amend and hopes to achieve salvation.
Hadith "These are two impulses within us. One spirit which calls towards good and confirms the truth. He who feels this impulse should know that it comes from Allah. Another impulse comes from our enemy (Devil) which leads to doubt and holds untruth and encourages evil. He who feels this should seek refuge in Allah from the accursed devil."
Nafsul Mutmainnah
c. The satisfied soul (Nafsul Mutmainnah). "O (you) soul in (complete) rest and satisfaction. Come back to your Lord, will pleased (yourself) and will pleasing unto him. Enter you then among my devotees, enter you in my heaven." 89:27-30 This is the highest state of spiritual development. satisfied soul is the state of bliss, content and peace. The soul is at peace because it knows that inspite of its failures in this world, It will return to God. Purified of tension, it emerges from the struggle with obstacles blocking the peace of mind and heart.
a. Increase dhikr (Remembrance of God) "who have believed and whose heart have Rest in the remembrance of God. Verify in the remembrance of God, do hearts find rest." 13:28
b. Increase their prayer. "O you who believe, seek help with steadfastness and prayer. For God is with those who are steadfast." 2:153
c. Ask forgiveness "And I have said: seek forgiveness from your Lord. Lo He was ever forgiving." 71:10
B.Salat: There are three health aspects of Salat I. Wadu: Washing all the exposed areas of the body, hand, feet, face, mouth, nostrils etc. 5 times a day is a healthy preventive procedure
Salaah
2.
Recitation of Quran: Has a healing effect on body, mind and heart. These healing effects are due to the effect of sound (Echo) and the meaning. 3-The movement in Salaat are mild, uniform, and involve all muscles and joints.
Fasting
D.
Sawm: The Islamic fasting: Islamic fasting is prescribed as way training of our mind, and body in self-restraints. "O you who believe is prescribed to you, as it was prescribed to those before you, so that you can learn self-restraint."
Zakah
Zakat
(Charity): The word itself means purification and growth. Here it is meant to imply the purification of legitimately earned wealth. Many of our crimes are committed with money or for love of money, and in the love of money one becomes violent in behavior.
Therapeutic Sociology
Finding
social solutions to problems arising out of social practices or changes. The medical solutions should be an important supplement to the social solution. It is this approach, which is consistent with the System envisaged in the Quran.
To ensure that the supremacy of health is never compromised with in the affairs at different levels: individual, family, social, national and international; To campaign for establishing and strengthening a health-protective and promoting family system; To campaign for establishing and strengthening a health-protective and promoting social system;
To ensure that the national and international laws are rewritten to safeguard health; To ensure that substances and practices that are decidedly dangerous for human beings are not allowed to exist or at least prosper; To conduct health impact studies of different socioeconomic developments and spread awareness about them; To aggressively campaign against the institutions that are involved in practices that increase dangers for the lives of human beings; To create atmospheric and environmental conditions suitable for promotion of health;
Conclusion
Described the WHO definition of health and healing and their critical analysis In the light of Quranic verses, presented Islamic principles of health and healing. Qurans injunctions regarding Health including Fundamental Duties and Fundamental Prohibitions were presented Islams strategy for health and healing includes the following: 1-Prevention a-Primary . Tahara . Nutrition .Exercise b- Secondary 2-Treatment of Diseases a- Natural therapy like food and herbal products b- Medical and surgical therapies discovered by research and studies. 3-Mental Health 4-Spiritual Health 5-Therapeutic Sociology