In the name of Allah
Assalamu aleikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu
Selections from the Inimitability of the Prophet’s Tradition(Sunnah)
Question 151: What is the attitude of modern science towards the prophetic hadith: “When a dog licks a utensil belonging to any one of you, (the thing contained in it) should be thrown away and then (the utensil) should be washed seven times, the first one with earth.”[1]
Answer 151: This hadith was reported by Abu Hurayrah, who was one of the prophet’s close companions. Jurisprudents and scholars were surprised by that fact that earth could be used as a purifier: they thought that it soils, rather than cleans. However, it was (and still) believed to be a matter of worship which must be taken for granted. So, Muslims have to wash pots which dogs have licked (or eaten in) seven times including one with earth. Muslims just follow the apparent meaning of the words of the hadith because it came to us from the prophet.
The Noble Qur’an has come with its studies, researches and advanced means that facilitate research and prove things that were difficult for people to conduct in the previous ages simply because of lack of advanced technology.
One of the researches was conducted on the relationship between earth and rabies. Rabies is a disease whose bacteria lie in the saliva of the dog and they are transmittable to man. The dog may have this kind of bacteria even though the symptoms of rabies do not appear on the dog. It may have the disease, just like any animal or living being having or carrying the disease without being infected by it. Research on this matter was conducted in Spain long time ago; recently by a Pakistani doctor. It was found that rabies and its germs no matter how much are washed with water; the germs will not be removed completely unless rubbed at least once with earth. Earth kills germs completely. The same applies to other diseases, which confirms the prophetic tradition.
Question 152: What is the form of inimitability in each of the following matters:
A. Women’s menstruation/period.
B. Circumcision of sexes, males and females.
C. Eating the meat of dead animals.
D. Prohibition of eating the pig’s meat.
E. Fasting during the “white days”.
F. AIDS spread as a result of adultery.
Answer 152: The Answer to this Question comprises the following:
A. In the Holy Qur’an God the Almighty say:
“They ask you concerning menstruation. Say: “That is the an adha (a harmful thing for a husband to have a sexual intercourse with his wife while she is having her menses), therefore keep away from women during menses and go not unto them till they are purified (from menses and have taken a bath. And when they have purified themselves, then go in unto them as God has ordained for your (go in unto them in any manner as long as it is in their vagina). Truly, God loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves by taking a bath and cleaning and washing thoroughly their private parts, bodes, for their prayers) (Holy Qur’an: 1: 222).
Clearly, this was God’s revelation to this enquiry which was once raised by one of the companions of the prophet about menstruation (the monthly menstruation of the woman). God calls it adha (a harmful thing). Therefore, men should refrain from an sexual intercourse with their wives during their period, as it might cause harm for either the man or woman, or both. In this context, the prophet (pbuh) said: “Do everything except sexual intercourse.”[2] In the same context it was reported that Hakeem Bin Huzam once asked the prophet (pbuh): “What can I do with my wife while she is having her period?”[3] The prophet’s Answer was: “Everything above the waist wrapper is yours.”[4] Concerning menstruation, research has proved the following facts:
-Harmful bacteria exist plentifully in the vagina during the period, while dederline organisms disappear. Dederline organisms exist naturally in the vagina, they are considered as a natural guard against harmful germs. These organisms live on the sugar preserved in the vagina walls. Their number decreases until they disappear completely a few hours before menstruation and during it. Doderlins reach their highest number of growth and activity half way during the absence of menstruation period. Their normal rate is 5x1 mm, but it decreases sharply before menstruation.
-During menstruation, the degree of acid ionization of the vagina changes from acid to alkaline. This makes the organisms die while blood takes them out of the vagina on its way.
-During the period, the vagina becomes the most appropriate place for the production, development, and activity of the harmful germs.
-In the absence of these organisms, with the change of acid ionization into an alkaline one, and in the presence of blood, the vagina becomes extremely liable all kinds of the harmful germs, that find a fertile soil for growing and reproduction. The activity is not limited to those organisms, but also to its accompanying anus and urine pass way germs while the guard, the doderline organisms, are absent. There is no harmful germs than those which might penetrate into the womb’s broken walls at this particular time, as they might go into the abdomen; consequently, into the body. They can quite easily find their way to the loose tissues which become so soft in that critical time; nothing would prevent them except the blood stream coming in the opposite direction from top to bottom. It is not wise or logical then at all to defy nature by breaking into the first defense line and other lines of menstruation.
Studies have found out that the parasite trichomonas vaginalis becomes guardable during menstruation. This parasite exists the tope of the vagina during menstruation awaiting its chance and watching its catch. It is known that it causes infection in the urinal and reproductive system of man. It is conveyed to man only through sexual intercourse. Both the Qur’anic text and prophetic hadith in this context lay the condition for the intercourse after the menstruation that cleanliness is a must. In order to achieve cleanliness, blood should stop first; then it traces must be removed with clean water. It was reported by Aishah (the prophet’s wife) that a woman once asked the prophet about bathing after menstruation. He told her how to bathe by saying: “Take a clean and perfumed piece of cotton and bathe three times.” She asked: “How can I purify?” The Prophet (pbuh) was shy to Answer her. So, Aishah says, “I took her by the hand and told her what the Prophet (pbuh) meant, i.e. “follow the path of the blood.”
In that way of purifying, the harmful germs disappear at the time when there is no running current of blood to wash them naturally and prepare the atmosphere for the existence of doderline once more, especially that the prophetic tradition commands the use of musk (perfume), which germicides, not to mention its fragrance.[5]
B. Circumcision of sexes, males and females:
Abu Hurayrah related that the prophet (pbuh) said: “There are five things that ever man should naturally do: circumcision, shaving the public hair, taking out the armpit hair, nail trimming, moustache cutting.”[6]
Circumcision is cutting off the piece of skin which covers the glans. It is recommended that the whole piece should be removed. Shaddad Bin Aws related the following hadith from the prophet (pbuh): “Circumcision is obligatory for men, and a dignitary act for women.”[7] Circumcision is a regulation for Muslims and a discriminatory mark and an emblem. The Jews share Muslims this tradition, because the first prophet to command it was Ibrahim (Abraham, pbuh).
In 1987 The Medical British Magazine published an article stating: “Penis cancer is rare among the Jews, and in the Muslim countries, where circumcision is done during infancy...” The American magazine Pediatrics stated: “The Jewish and Muslim religious obligation plays an essential role in urging them to practice this natural deed, circumcision. In other words, the foreskin surrounding the glans is like a moor, where most disease circumstances develop, and urine irrigates it; white material is formed on the walls of this pocket resulting from the remaining germs and fungi, the excretions of the fat and sweat glands with the phosphate of the mucous tissue, and the remains of urine and its elements.
It is easy for us now to imagine the interference of disease factors, like urine meatus with the uncircumcised. This substance goes into the urethra, then into the bladder, then the kidney. It may continue its way to prostate, the testicle and epididymis; it may cause infertility to men as a result of testitis and epididymitis. Circumcision prevents the top-of-the-penis cancer, as this kind of circumcision rare with the uncircumcised men. Any likely infection in the penis may quite easily be transmitted to the woman, which causes her aidoiitis/vulvitis, and elytritis bartholinitis, it may cause the womb neck to be infected or to ulcerate. This infection could develop further ominously and affect the womb, or its accessories, which may lead to infertility. I do not say the circumcision prevents, or reduces those infections significantly only, but there are certain diseases, which can be prevented only by circumcision, such diseases as the narrowing of the back foreskin, or front and back foreskin infection, the sticking of the foreskin with the glans, and some forms of frequent urinary continence caused by the foreskin. The husband’s circumcision plays an important role in preventing the wife of most of the women’s gynecological infections.
As for women’s circumcision, which is known in Islamic sharia as khafdh, it is optional. Women are urged to circumcise, especially when the outer genitals, like the clitoris, or labia minora, are overgrown—cases which might cause repellence or disgust. Also, this overgrowth and dangling outside may cause in the future continuous sexual excitement because of constant friction, which may lead to lack of shyness at her, and she may deviate to perversion and disobedience, and that is whey the God prophet called it a “noble” deed.
When those genitals overgrow to the extreme, they may prevent sexual intercourse: it prevents the penis from penetrating the vagina. If the girl has no overgrown genitals to be cut off, or if her genitals are moderate in length, there is no justification for circumcision.
It is generally noticed that women’s outer genitals are longer the colder they get to the Equator, and the shorter they the further we move north. This becomes rare in the northern people.
C. Eating the meat of a dead animal:
Dr. Jon Hanover, a Profess at the Department of bacteriology, Guess Hospital, the governmental and biggest hospital inCopenhagen stated: “the meat of dead animals is a reservoir of germs, and – reservoir of killing diseases. Therefore, laws were legislated in Europe to prohibit eating it.” He mentioned that animals that die because of suffocation, the germs in which are transmitted to their meat eaters, as the wall of the large entrails, where the excrement is, works as a barrier that prevents the transmission of germs from the large entrails to the body of the animal and to its blood as long as the animal is alive.
It is known that the large entrails are a big reservoir of germs, which are harmful to man. The internal wall of these entrails prevents the movement of those germs to the body of the animal. Also, in the blood of the animals there is another wall that prevents to movement of the germs to the animal’s blood. If an animal is suffocated, it dies slowly, and the danger lies in this kind of death, as the resistance of the wall coating the large entrails loses its strength gradually which eventually allows the harmful germs to penetrate the wall of the entrails and go into the blood and neighbouring flesh, then they move through the blood cycle to the rest of the body, for the animal is not dead yet. The germs go out from the wall of the veins to the flesh due to the lack of resistance in the walls of the veins, which consequently makes the animal a big reservoir of these harmful germs, which attack the health of the animal until it dies. The death of the animal in this way means there is a big danger in the body of the creature which has been strangled to death. Dr.Hanover added that all this might happen any animal that dies in any other way except slaughtering. Muslims slaughter the animal in order to purify it animal from such likely germs. In this light we can understand God’s words better:
“Forbidden to you (for food) are: al-maitah (the dead animals – cattle – beast not slaughtered), blood, the flesh of swine, and that one which Allah’s name has not been mentioned while slaughtering, (that which has been slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allah, or has been slaughtered for idols) and that which has been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by the goring of horns – and that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild animal – unless you are able to slaughter it (before its death)” (Holy Qur’an: 5: 3).
D. Prohibition of eating the pig’s meat (and its derivatives: pork, ham, etc.):
Dr. John Hanover Larsen stated that he discovered a new germ called “parsina.” This germ exists only in pigs, and lives only at low temperature degrees, 4 centigrade. Many Europeans contract it and many diseases that infect the backbone and joints are attributed to this germ (See Inimitability Magazine, No. 3). Besides, he discovered tapeworms and their coated eggs in their meat, blood and bowls in spite of the many attempts of the veterinarians to burn quantities of pig’s meat to get rid of that tapeworms, as they re-appear constantly. Psychoanalysts have found that a man eating the meat of a certain animal might become infected by certain qualities of this animal. The pigsty is one of the filthiest places and this animal is least jealous among animals about its females. The lack of jealousy about one’s own mother, sister(s), spouse, and daughter(s) in the west might be attributed to their devouring of vast quantities of pork.
E. Fasting 6 days of Shawwal (the month that comes after the fasting month of Ramadhan):
These are known as the “white days.” Many prophetic traditions urged Muslims to fast three days of every month, the three days whose nights are white because of the moonlight when it is a full moon. They are 13, 14 and 15 of every lunar month. Abu Dhar reported that the prophet (pbuh) “commanded us to fast the three white days: the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth.”[8]
Researchers have found out that during these three days, the moon becomes a full at night and the sea ebbing reaches its highest level—something that causes a big excitement. They also noticed that this excitement during those days, particularly in sexual activities, affects man. They also found out that during these three days of every month crimes increase. Other researchers connected between what happens on earth with that in the human body, as the percentage of water on the globe is 75% and that in the body of the human being is approximately the same. Fasting had been the only medicine, which reduces man’s tension and/or his sexual excitement. It is a fact that the strongest motives in man are the natural ones, then the motive for food, then sexual motives. Fasting reduces the strength of man’s motive for food, drink and sex. Thus, we realize that God the Almighty gave man a natural and useful medicine to appease him in the time of agitation and excitement. The prophet’s tradition echoes this.
F. AIDS spread as a result of the spread of adultery:
Sodomy (homosexuality) is one of the most wicked and ugliest crimes. It indicates the deviation of inborn nature, corruption in the mind and perversion. It denotes sexual intercourse between two males, or between a male and a female where male has sex with a female in the anus. God the Almighty said: “You - Go you in unto the males of thealamin (mankind),” and leave those whom God has created for your to be your wives? Nay, you are a trespassing people!” (Holy Qur’an: 26:164-5). In Arabic it was is known as Liwaat, adjective of Lut’s people, who were the first people to have practiced this act, “which none has preceded you in committing” in the alamin (mankind and jinn,” as God said. God the Almighty punished the people of Lut most severely by making the earth sink under them; they were rained with stones as a punishment for their dirty act. Qur’anic verses were revealed condemning their act, which is still being recited throughout the world and will continue to be recited for generations to come. God said:
“So when Our Commandment came, We turned (the towns of Sodom in Palestine) upside down, and rained on them stones of backed clay, in a well-arranged manner one after another, marked from your Lord; and they are not ever far from the zalimun (polytheists, evil-doers)” (Holy Qur’an: 11:34).
This has been proved in the history of mankind. God punished them by killing them all, so that not a single criminal would remain alive would remain to transmit any social and/or physical diseases to ancestor generation. God wants man’s life to be clean of the dirt of vice and perversion; hence, the prophet’s guidance cam to show us the great atrocity of this crime in the prophetic traditions which made the path of truth clear to be taken. Jabir ibn Abdullah related that prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “The most thing I fear about my nation is the act of the people of Lut (homosexuality).”[9] Ibn Abbas reported another hadith from the prophet, who said: “God does not look at a man who went in unto a man, or woman in her anus.”[10] Abu Hurayrah also reported that the prophet said: “May he be cursed, he who does the deed of the Lutians (homosexuality).”[11] “Curse” means here the dismissal from the mercy of God the Almighty. This is deserved only because of the one of the heinous acts of sin and disgust of it, the repetition of that in the crime of sodomy is a clear proof of the heinousness of this sin, and the one who does it deserves every kind of punishment. There are many prophetic traditions in this respect.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) warned us against the committing of sins as a whole and particularly committing sin public. Abdullah ibn Amr related that the prophet said: “O, folk of immigrants, there are five sins I take resort in God from that you do not see: ‘No people amongst whom adultery appears publicly will escape being plagued with pestilence, diseases which did not appear among their ancestors, and if they do not weight properly what they sell, they will be inflicted with famine, adversity and the oppression of the ruler. If they do not pay zakat from their money, they will not have rain from the sky. Had it not been for the animals, they would not be rained. If they disobey God and His messenger, God will allow an enemy from others to take some of what they have. If their rulers do not implement Allah’s book and choose from what God has revealed, God will make their strength among themselves’.”[12]
Those crimes which the prophet (pbuh) mentioned are inflicted upon anyone who avoids Islam partly or completely. Every criminal act has its own consequence: sodomy and its spread in the human society brings about new diseases which did not exist before among the ancestors, which is what we live in this century.
In the 20th century God decreed to send to those who commit sodomy a wild dragon in order to awaken the sleepy and cause horror in the hearts of those whose insight has been blinded by false civilization. How could they be prevented without having any deterrent system or considerable values? The 20th century civilization has paddled in the liberty of sex, and did not leave any virtue without fooling with it, or honour or chastity without destroying its pillars, nor left women’s dignity without desecrating it.
AIDS hs been a cry that turned the life of the west upside down. it has been a stigma on those who avoided marriage and practiced sodomy as a way of living.
Dr. George Dunia wrote: “The demonstrations of the sexual perverts in the streets had disappeared. The public water closets have closed their doors and the call for purity, chastity and marriage to one woman has returned, and he fear of AIDS has many restored the moral and social values of the 50s to reappear and the sanctifying of the virgin woman may come back again.”
“Purity,” “chastity” and “virgin women” are words that are being repeated by millions. They had been absent for long years in vice and immorality. Statistics classified AIDS patients into four kinds:
1. Sexual perverts, whose percentage in Britain is 84% out of the total number.
2. Drug addicts who take drugs by syringes.
3. Adulterers who commit adultery with more than one woman.
4. Patients who have contracted AIDS through blood transfusion.
AIDS also appeared among women, especially whores and drug addicts. The several perverts or drug addicts are to be blamed for the spread of AIDS. They are responsible for the spread of AIDS in the society. The only way to avoid AIDS is the confinement of men to an honest marital relationship. If man had done so, and the wife to her relationship with her husband only, the possibility of contracting this disease will be almost impossible; hence, the accuracy of the Islamic rules explained by the prophetic traditions.
The punishment of this act, killing the doers, the positive and the negative, came to wipe out the effect of the crime both physically and morally. The inimitability of the prophetic traditions in this subject t when it stated that the spread of vice in society is a cause for the appearance of illnesses which have not been known before, and this is what has our present century has witnessed.
Question 153: What is the form of scientific inimitability in prophetic medicine? Can you give some examples?
Answer 153: The form of inimitability in prophetic traditions appear in all fields of anatomy, physiological, pathological medicines. Because of time and space, I am going to give only a few examples. Annuman ibn Basheer related that the prophet said: “the believers in mutual intimacy and mercy are like one body; if one organ suffers, the whole body will suffer.”[13]
The portrayal of the tradition is an accurate scientific description of what happens in the body. The body temperature rises and the body is affected with fever that prevents it from sleeping and is worried at night, and torments him during the day. This connection is not only related to the organs of the body, but it goes beyond that to the psychological aspect as well. Also, the prophet said: “There is in the body one morsel, if it is good, the whole body will be good, and if it is corrupted, the whole body will be corrupted too, it is the heart.”[14] So it is void of diseases, free of illnesses, the whole body will be sound as a whole. Abdullah ibn Abbas related that the prophet said: “Use antimony as kohl, it makes the hair grow and sharpens the eyesight.”[15] Ali ibn Abi Talib related that the prophet of God said: “Use antimony, it makes the hair grow, dismisses the motes and sharpens the eyesight.”[16] Antimony is used as an ingredient of the medicine used for the treatment of trachoma. If studies continue, other results may be discovered. Al-Miqdad ibn Ma`d Yathrib related that he heard the prophet say: “Man not filled more harmful pot than his stomach. It suffices man to have a few morsels to give him strength. If it is impossible to do this, he can give a third of his stomach to food, a third to drink and a third to breath.”[17] This hadith gives us an accurate organization of man’s food, so that it does not go beyond the need and does not become less than what I necessary. In this manner, man lives comfortably away from obesity which tires the body and the heart which is the 20th century plague. Abullah ibn Abbas related that the messenger of God said: “Nothing replace food and drink except milk.” In another version: “I do not know any drink that can replace food except milk.”[18] Here the prophet refers to the useful substances which are necessary for the human body whether it is small or big. He referred to the value of nutritional value of milk in a time when people did not know the ingredients of milk and the elements it contains, and the important ingredients of vital food which cannot be found together in another drink. Aishah related that the prophet said: “A home in which there are no dates is a home whose householders are hungry” and in another version: “A home without dates is like a foodless home.” This shows that dates are a sufficient food of man and it satiates him so he does not need other kinds of food. It has been proved that dates contain so many minerals that they are called a mine of minerals. Dates form a complete and excellent meal containing vitamin A and B. It is easy to digest their sugar, unlike the starchy substances. The prophet (pbuh) said: “Every intoxicating substance is wine, and every kind of wine is prohibited.”[19]
All the modern studies confirm the harm of wine on man’s health; it causes many physical and psychological diseases. The prophet (pbuh) set a rule: Every mind-killing and intoxicating drink is wine, and the rule of wine applies to it, prohibition. Abdullah ibn Abbas related that the messenger of God said: “Two blessing many people are many people wish to have, good health and free time.”[20]
Abu Hurayrah related that the prophet said: “There is no supplication of the servant better than “O, God, I ask you for good health in this life and in the hereafter.”[21] In these two hadiths, and in many many more, the prophet (pbuh) stresses the importance of health and fitness; and this is what is being done by the health authorities in all countries all over the world for the sake of preserving the health and fitness of individuals. Osama ibn Zayd related that the prophet said: “If you hear of a plague in a land, do not go into it, and if it inflicts a land you are in, do not leave it.”[22] This hadithsets the essential rule of health quarantine performed by countries to protect the people from the coming diseases and there are many examples of prophetic inimitability.
Conclusion
Praise be to God Who has facilitated the completion of this humble work, and we ask Him to accept it purely for His sake, and benefit us and all Muslims by it. We ask Him to reward everyone who contributed to the realization of this book, and make that in their good deeds balance in the Day of Judgment.
We have to remind readers that this book included Answers to some Questions that were asked by different people who were considering converting (or reverting) to Islam, by some new Muslims, and by some people living in close proximity to Muslims because of their work, common interests, or general life. The Answers in this book have been directed to these groups of people in general, and all the Questions that have been included here real enquiries, rather than anticipated or selected Questions.
This book could be considered a beginning and an incentive for more in-depth studies that interest those who are active in the field of preaching and spreading Islam amongst non-Muslim minorities living in Muslim communities. Those who are working actively for Islam may dedicate part of their precious time to investigate the needs of inviting different non-Muslims to Islam and the ideas these people could have about Islam, and provide some writings that clarify misconceptions about Islam, and support these writings with solid proof.
Contemporary preachers of Islam are supposed to reflect modern life and realize the challenges and dangers of backward thinking. They should also prepare themselves to shoulder their great responsibilities in such a way that reflects their deep belief in God and His messenger, prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
[1] Cited in Muslim, The Purification Book[2] Cited in Ahmad, Muslim and Abu Dawud.[3] Cited in Abu Dawud.
[5] See Inimitability Magazine, Issue No. 3.[6] Cited in Bukhari, hadith No. 5889, 5891, 6297, and Muslim No. 257. It is also cited in the canonical books of hadiths.[7] Documented by Ahmad, Sunan Ahmad, with a weak support (02,67) and Tabarani, Bayhaqi, Abi al-Shaykh, Tabarani and Bayhaqi.[8] Cited in Nisai, Tirmidhi, Ahmad, and others.[9] Cited in Tirmidhi, Ibn Majih, and al-Hakim.[10] Cited in Tirmidhi, Ibn Abi Shaybah and Ibn Habban.[11] Cited in Ahmad in Musnad, and Tirmidhi.[12] Cited in Ibn Majih in Fitan Book, hadith No. 9004.[13] Cited in Muslim, hadith No 2586.[14] Cited in Bukhari, hadith No 2493 and in Muslim, hadith No 1599.[15] Cited in Bukhari, hadith No 2493, and in Muslim, hadith No 1599.[16] Cited in Tirmidhi, Nisai, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majih and others.[17] Cited in Tabarani, and Ibn Abi Asim[18] Cited in Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majih, Ahmad and others.[19] Cited in Muslim in the Book of Drinks, hadith No. 4735.[20] Cited in Bukhari.[21] Cited in Ibn Majih in the Book of Supplication, hadith No. 3871.[22] Cited in Bukhari in the Book if Medicine, hadith No. 5287.
Assalamu aleikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu
Selections from the Inimitability of the Prophet’s Tradition(Sunnah)
Question 151: What is the attitude of modern science towards the prophetic hadith: “When a dog licks a utensil belonging to any one of you, (the thing contained in it) should be thrown away and then (the utensil) should be washed seven times, the first one with earth.”[1]
Answer 151: This hadith was reported by Abu Hurayrah, who was one of the prophet’s close companions. Jurisprudents and scholars were surprised by that fact that earth could be used as a purifier: they thought that it soils, rather than cleans. However, it was (and still) believed to be a matter of worship which must be taken for granted. So, Muslims have to wash pots which dogs have licked (or eaten in) seven times including one with earth. Muslims just follow the apparent meaning of the words of the hadith because it came to us from the prophet.
The Noble Qur’an has come with its studies, researches and advanced means that facilitate research and prove things that were difficult for people to conduct in the previous ages simply because of lack of advanced technology.
One of the researches was conducted on the relationship between earth and rabies. Rabies is a disease whose bacteria lie in the saliva of the dog and they are transmittable to man. The dog may have this kind of bacteria even though the symptoms of rabies do not appear on the dog. It may have the disease, just like any animal or living being having or carrying the disease without being infected by it. Research on this matter was conducted in Spain long time ago; recently by a Pakistani doctor. It was found that rabies and its germs no matter how much are washed with water; the germs will not be removed completely unless rubbed at least once with earth. Earth kills germs completely. The same applies to other diseases, which confirms the prophetic tradition.
Question 152: What is the form of inimitability in each of the following matters:
A. Women’s menstruation/period.
B. Circumcision of sexes, males and females.
C. Eating the meat of dead animals.
D. Prohibition of eating the pig’s meat.
E. Fasting during the “white days”.
F. AIDS spread as a result of adultery.
Answer 152: The Answer to this Question comprises the following:
A. In the Holy Qur’an God the Almighty say:
“They ask you concerning menstruation. Say: “That is the an adha (a harmful thing for a husband to have a sexual intercourse with his wife while she is having her menses), therefore keep away from women during menses and go not unto them till they are purified (from menses and have taken a bath. And when they have purified themselves, then go in unto them as God has ordained for your (go in unto them in any manner as long as it is in their vagina). Truly, God loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves by taking a bath and cleaning and washing thoroughly their private parts, bodes, for their prayers) (Holy Qur’an: 1: 222).
Clearly, this was God’s revelation to this enquiry which was once raised by one of the companions of the prophet about menstruation (the monthly menstruation of the woman). God calls it adha (a harmful thing). Therefore, men should refrain from an sexual intercourse with their wives during their period, as it might cause harm for either the man or woman, or both. In this context, the prophet (pbuh) said: “Do everything except sexual intercourse.”[2] In the same context it was reported that Hakeem Bin Huzam once asked the prophet (pbuh): “What can I do with my wife while she is having her period?”[3] The prophet’s Answer was: “Everything above the waist wrapper is yours.”[4] Concerning menstruation, research has proved the following facts:
-Harmful bacteria exist plentifully in the vagina during the period, while dederline organisms disappear. Dederline organisms exist naturally in the vagina, they are considered as a natural guard against harmful germs. These organisms live on the sugar preserved in the vagina walls. Their number decreases until they disappear completely a few hours before menstruation and during it. Doderlins reach their highest number of growth and activity half way during the absence of menstruation period. Their normal rate is 5x1 mm, but it decreases sharply before menstruation.
-During menstruation, the degree of acid ionization of the vagina changes from acid to alkaline. This makes the organisms die while blood takes them out of the vagina on its way.
-During the period, the vagina becomes the most appropriate place for the production, development, and activity of the harmful germs.
-In the absence of these organisms, with the change of acid ionization into an alkaline one, and in the presence of blood, the vagina becomes extremely liable all kinds of the harmful germs, that find a fertile soil for growing and reproduction. The activity is not limited to those organisms, but also to its accompanying anus and urine pass way germs while the guard, the doderline organisms, are absent. There is no harmful germs than those which might penetrate into the womb’s broken walls at this particular time, as they might go into the abdomen; consequently, into the body. They can quite easily find their way to the loose tissues which become so soft in that critical time; nothing would prevent them except the blood stream coming in the opposite direction from top to bottom. It is not wise or logical then at all to defy nature by breaking into the first defense line and other lines of menstruation.
Studies have found out that the parasite trichomonas vaginalis becomes guardable during menstruation. This parasite exists the tope of the vagina during menstruation awaiting its chance and watching its catch. It is known that it causes infection in the urinal and reproductive system of man. It is conveyed to man only through sexual intercourse. Both the Qur’anic text and prophetic hadith in this context lay the condition for the intercourse after the menstruation that cleanliness is a must. In order to achieve cleanliness, blood should stop first; then it traces must be removed with clean water. It was reported by Aishah (the prophet’s wife) that a woman once asked the prophet about bathing after menstruation. He told her how to bathe by saying: “Take a clean and perfumed piece of cotton and bathe three times.” She asked: “How can I purify?” The Prophet (pbuh) was shy to Answer her. So, Aishah says, “I took her by the hand and told her what the Prophet (pbuh) meant, i.e. “follow the path of the blood.”
In that way of purifying, the harmful germs disappear at the time when there is no running current of blood to wash them naturally and prepare the atmosphere for the existence of doderline once more, especially that the prophetic tradition commands the use of musk (perfume), which germicides, not to mention its fragrance.[5]
B. Circumcision of sexes, males and females:
Abu Hurayrah related that the prophet (pbuh) said: “There are five things that ever man should naturally do: circumcision, shaving the public hair, taking out the armpit hair, nail trimming, moustache cutting.”[6]
Circumcision is cutting off the piece of skin which covers the glans. It is recommended that the whole piece should be removed. Shaddad Bin Aws related the following hadith from the prophet (pbuh): “Circumcision is obligatory for men, and a dignitary act for women.”[7] Circumcision is a regulation for Muslims and a discriminatory mark and an emblem. The Jews share Muslims this tradition, because the first prophet to command it was Ibrahim (Abraham, pbuh).
In 1987 The Medical British Magazine published an article stating: “Penis cancer is rare among the Jews, and in the Muslim countries, where circumcision is done during infancy...” The American magazine Pediatrics stated: “The Jewish and Muslim religious obligation plays an essential role in urging them to practice this natural deed, circumcision. In other words, the foreskin surrounding the glans is like a moor, where most disease circumstances develop, and urine irrigates it; white material is formed on the walls of this pocket resulting from the remaining germs and fungi, the excretions of the fat and sweat glands with the phosphate of the mucous tissue, and the remains of urine and its elements.
It is easy for us now to imagine the interference of disease factors, like urine meatus with the uncircumcised. This substance goes into the urethra, then into the bladder, then the kidney. It may continue its way to prostate, the testicle and epididymis; it may cause infertility to men as a result of testitis and epididymitis. Circumcision prevents the top-of-the-penis cancer, as this kind of circumcision rare with the uncircumcised men. Any likely infection in the penis may quite easily be transmitted to the woman, which causes her aidoiitis/vulvitis, and elytritis bartholinitis, it may cause the womb neck to be infected or to ulcerate. This infection could develop further ominously and affect the womb, or its accessories, which may lead to infertility. I do not say the circumcision prevents, or reduces those infections significantly only, but there are certain diseases, which can be prevented only by circumcision, such diseases as the narrowing of the back foreskin, or front and back foreskin infection, the sticking of the foreskin with the glans, and some forms of frequent urinary continence caused by the foreskin. The husband’s circumcision plays an important role in preventing the wife of most of the women’s gynecological infections.
As for women’s circumcision, which is known in Islamic sharia as khafdh, it is optional. Women are urged to circumcise, especially when the outer genitals, like the clitoris, or labia minora, are overgrown—cases which might cause repellence or disgust. Also, this overgrowth and dangling outside may cause in the future continuous sexual excitement because of constant friction, which may lead to lack of shyness at her, and she may deviate to perversion and disobedience, and that is whey the God prophet called it a “noble” deed.
When those genitals overgrow to the extreme, they may prevent sexual intercourse: it prevents the penis from penetrating the vagina. If the girl has no overgrown genitals to be cut off, or if her genitals are moderate in length, there is no justification for circumcision.
It is generally noticed that women’s outer genitals are longer the colder they get to the Equator, and the shorter they the further we move north. This becomes rare in the northern people.
C. Eating the meat of a dead animal:
Dr. Jon Hanover, a Profess at the Department of bacteriology, Guess Hospital, the governmental and biggest hospital inCopenhagen stated: “the meat of dead animals is a reservoir of germs, and – reservoir of killing diseases. Therefore, laws were legislated in Europe to prohibit eating it.” He mentioned that animals that die because of suffocation, the germs in which are transmitted to their meat eaters, as the wall of the large entrails, where the excrement is, works as a barrier that prevents the transmission of germs from the large entrails to the body of the animal and to its blood as long as the animal is alive.
It is known that the large entrails are a big reservoir of germs, which are harmful to man. The internal wall of these entrails prevents the movement of those germs to the body of the animal. Also, in the blood of the animals there is another wall that prevents to movement of the germs to the animal’s blood. If an animal is suffocated, it dies slowly, and the danger lies in this kind of death, as the resistance of the wall coating the large entrails loses its strength gradually which eventually allows the harmful germs to penetrate the wall of the entrails and go into the blood and neighbouring flesh, then they move through the blood cycle to the rest of the body, for the animal is not dead yet. The germs go out from the wall of the veins to the flesh due to the lack of resistance in the walls of the veins, which consequently makes the animal a big reservoir of these harmful germs, which attack the health of the animal until it dies. The death of the animal in this way means there is a big danger in the body of the creature which has been strangled to death. Dr.Hanover added that all this might happen any animal that dies in any other way except slaughtering. Muslims slaughter the animal in order to purify it animal from such likely germs. In this light we can understand God’s words better:
“Forbidden to you (for food) are: al-maitah (the dead animals – cattle – beast not slaughtered), blood, the flesh of swine, and that one which Allah’s name has not been mentioned while slaughtering, (that which has been slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allah, or has been slaughtered for idols) and that which has been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by the goring of horns – and that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild animal – unless you are able to slaughter it (before its death)” (Holy Qur’an: 5: 3).
D. Prohibition of eating the pig’s meat (and its derivatives: pork, ham, etc.):
Dr. John Hanover Larsen stated that he discovered a new germ called “parsina.” This germ exists only in pigs, and lives only at low temperature degrees, 4 centigrade. Many Europeans contract it and many diseases that infect the backbone and joints are attributed to this germ (See Inimitability Magazine, No. 3). Besides, he discovered tapeworms and their coated eggs in their meat, blood and bowls in spite of the many attempts of the veterinarians to burn quantities of pig’s meat to get rid of that tapeworms, as they re-appear constantly. Psychoanalysts have found that a man eating the meat of a certain animal might become infected by certain qualities of this animal. The pigsty is one of the filthiest places and this animal is least jealous among animals about its females. The lack of jealousy about one’s own mother, sister(s), spouse, and daughter(s) in the west might be attributed to their devouring of vast quantities of pork.
E. Fasting 6 days of Shawwal (the month that comes after the fasting month of Ramadhan):
These are known as the “white days.” Many prophetic traditions urged Muslims to fast three days of every month, the three days whose nights are white because of the moonlight when it is a full moon. They are 13, 14 and 15 of every lunar month. Abu Dhar reported that the prophet (pbuh) “commanded us to fast the three white days: the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth.”[8]
Researchers have found out that during these three days, the moon becomes a full at night and the sea ebbing reaches its highest level—something that causes a big excitement. They also noticed that this excitement during those days, particularly in sexual activities, affects man. They also found out that during these three days of every month crimes increase. Other researchers connected between what happens on earth with that in the human body, as the percentage of water on the globe is 75% and that in the body of the human being is approximately the same. Fasting had been the only medicine, which reduces man’s tension and/or his sexual excitement. It is a fact that the strongest motives in man are the natural ones, then the motive for food, then sexual motives. Fasting reduces the strength of man’s motive for food, drink and sex. Thus, we realize that God the Almighty gave man a natural and useful medicine to appease him in the time of agitation and excitement. The prophet’s tradition echoes this.
F. AIDS spread as a result of the spread of adultery:
Sodomy (homosexuality) is one of the most wicked and ugliest crimes. It indicates the deviation of inborn nature, corruption in the mind and perversion. It denotes sexual intercourse between two males, or between a male and a female where male has sex with a female in the anus. God the Almighty said: “You - Go you in unto the males of thealamin (mankind),” and leave those whom God has created for your to be your wives? Nay, you are a trespassing people!” (Holy Qur’an: 26:164-5). In Arabic it was is known as Liwaat, adjective of Lut’s people, who were the first people to have practiced this act, “which none has preceded you in committing” in the alamin (mankind and jinn,” as God said. God the Almighty punished the people of Lut most severely by making the earth sink under them; they were rained with stones as a punishment for their dirty act. Qur’anic verses were revealed condemning their act, which is still being recited throughout the world and will continue to be recited for generations to come. God said:
“So when Our Commandment came, We turned (the towns of Sodom in Palestine) upside down, and rained on them stones of backed clay, in a well-arranged manner one after another, marked from your Lord; and they are not ever far from the zalimun (polytheists, evil-doers)” (Holy Qur’an: 11:34).
This has been proved in the history of mankind. God punished them by killing them all, so that not a single criminal would remain alive would remain to transmit any social and/or physical diseases to ancestor generation. God wants man’s life to be clean of the dirt of vice and perversion; hence, the prophet’s guidance cam to show us the great atrocity of this crime in the prophetic traditions which made the path of truth clear to be taken. Jabir ibn Abdullah related that prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “The most thing I fear about my nation is the act of the people of Lut (homosexuality).”[9] Ibn Abbas reported another hadith from the prophet, who said: “God does not look at a man who went in unto a man, or woman in her anus.”[10] Abu Hurayrah also reported that the prophet said: “May he be cursed, he who does the deed of the Lutians (homosexuality).”[11] “Curse” means here the dismissal from the mercy of God the Almighty. This is deserved only because of the one of the heinous acts of sin and disgust of it, the repetition of that in the crime of sodomy is a clear proof of the heinousness of this sin, and the one who does it deserves every kind of punishment. There are many prophetic traditions in this respect.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) warned us against the committing of sins as a whole and particularly committing sin public. Abdullah ibn Amr related that the prophet said: “O, folk of immigrants, there are five sins I take resort in God from that you do not see: ‘No people amongst whom adultery appears publicly will escape being plagued with pestilence, diseases which did not appear among their ancestors, and if they do not weight properly what they sell, they will be inflicted with famine, adversity and the oppression of the ruler. If they do not pay zakat from their money, they will not have rain from the sky. Had it not been for the animals, they would not be rained. If they disobey God and His messenger, God will allow an enemy from others to take some of what they have. If their rulers do not implement Allah’s book and choose from what God has revealed, God will make their strength among themselves’.”[12]
Those crimes which the prophet (pbuh) mentioned are inflicted upon anyone who avoids Islam partly or completely. Every criminal act has its own consequence: sodomy and its spread in the human society brings about new diseases which did not exist before among the ancestors, which is what we live in this century.
In the 20th century God decreed to send to those who commit sodomy a wild dragon in order to awaken the sleepy and cause horror in the hearts of those whose insight has been blinded by false civilization. How could they be prevented without having any deterrent system or considerable values? The 20th century civilization has paddled in the liberty of sex, and did not leave any virtue without fooling with it, or honour or chastity without destroying its pillars, nor left women’s dignity without desecrating it.
AIDS hs been a cry that turned the life of the west upside down. it has been a stigma on those who avoided marriage and practiced sodomy as a way of living.
Dr. George Dunia wrote: “The demonstrations of the sexual perverts in the streets had disappeared. The public water closets have closed their doors and the call for purity, chastity and marriage to one woman has returned, and he fear of AIDS has many restored the moral and social values of the 50s to reappear and the sanctifying of the virgin woman may come back again.”
“Purity,” “chastity” and “virgin women” are words that are being repeated by millions. They had been absent for long years in vice and immorality. Statistics classified AIDS patients into four kinds:
1. Sexual perverts, whose percentage in Britain is 84% out of the total number.
2. Drug addicts who take drugs by syringes.
3. Adulterers who commit adultery with more than one woman.
4. Patients who have contracted AIDS through blood transfusion.
AIDS also appeared among women, especially whores and drug addicts. The several perverts or drug addicts are to be blamed for the spread of AIDS. They are responsible for the spread of AIDS in the society. The only way to avoid AIDS is the confinement of men to an honest marital relationship. If man had done so, and the wife to her relationship with her husband only, the possibility of contracting this disease will be almost impossible; hence, the accuracy of the Islamic rules explained by the prophetic traditions.
The punishment of this act, killing the doers, the positive and the negative, came to wipe out the effect of the crime both physically and morally. The inimitability of the prophetic traditions in this subject t when it stated that the spread of vice in society is a cause for the appearance of illnesses which have not been known before, and this is what has our present century has witnessed.
Question 153: What is the form of scientific inimitability in prophetic medicine? Can you give some examples?
Answer 153: The form of inimitability in prophetic traditions appear in all fields of anatomy, physiological, pathological medicines. Because of time and space, I am going to give only a few examples. Annuman ibn Basheer related that the prophet said: “the believers in mutual intimacy and mercy are like one body; if one organ suffers, the whole body will suffer.”[13]
The portrayal of the tradition is an accurate scientific description of what happens in the body. The body temperature rises and the body is affected with fever that prevents it from sleeping and is worried at night, and torments him during the day. This connection is not only related to the organs of the body, but it goes beyond that to the psychological aspect as well. Also, the prophet said: “There is in the body one morsel, if it is good, the whole body will be good, and if it is corrupted, the whole body will be corrupted too, it is the heart.”[14] So it is void of diseases, free of illnesses, the whole body will be sound as a whole. Abdullah ibn Abbas related that the prophet said: “Use antimony as kohl, it makes the hair grow and sharpens the eyesight.”[15] Ali ibn Abi Talib related that the prophet of God said: “Use antimony, it makes the hair grow, dismisses the motes and sharpens the eyesight.”[16] Antimony is used as an ingredient of the medicine used for the treatment of trachoma. If studies continue, other results may be discovered. Al-Miqdad ibn Ma`d Yathrib related that he heard the prophet say: “Man not filled more harmful pot than his stomach. It suffices man to have a few morsels to give him strength. If it is impossible to do this, he can give a third of his stomach to food, a third to drink and a third to breath.”[17] This hadith gives us an accurate organization of man’s food, so that it does not go beyond the need and does not become less than what I necessary. In this manner, man lives comfortably away from obesity which tires the body and the heart which is the 20th century plague. Abullah ibn Abbas related that the messenger of God said: “Nothing replace food and drink except milk.” In another version: “I do not know any drink that can replace food except milk.”[18] Here the prophet refers to the useful substances which are necessary for the human body whether it is small or big. He referred to the value of nutritional value of milk in a time when people did not know the ingredients of milk and the elements it contains, and the important ingredients of vital food which cannot be found together in another drink. Aishah related that the prophet said: “A home in which there are no dates is a home whose householders are hungry” and in another version: “A home without dates is like a foodless home.” This shows that dates are a sufficient food of man and it satiates him so he does not need other kinds of food. It has been proved that dates contain so many minerals that they are called a mine of minerals. Dates form a complete and excellent meal containing vitamin A and B. It is easy to digest their sugar, unlike the starchy substances. The prophet (pbuh) said: “Every intoxicating substance is wine, and every kind of wine is prohibited.”[19]
All the modern studies confirm the harm of wine on man’s health; it causes many physical and psychological diseases. The prophet (pbuh) set a rule: Every mind-killing and intoxicating drink is wine, and the rule of wine applies to it, prohibition. Abdullah ibn Abbas related that the messenger of God said: “Two blessing many people are many people wish to have, good health and free time.”[20]
Abu Hurayrah related that the prophet said: “There is no supplication of the servant better than “O, God, I ask you for good health in this life and in the hereafter.”[21] In these two hadiths, and in many many more, the prophet (pbuh) stresses the importance of health and fitness; and this is what is being done by the health authorities in all countries all over the world for the sake of preserving the health and fitness of individuals. Osama ibn Zayd related that the prophet said: “If you hear of a plague in a land, do not go into it, and if it inflicts a land you are in, do not leave it.”[22] This hadithsets the essential rule of health quarantine performed by countries to protect the people from the coming diseases and there are many examples of prophetic inimitability.
Conclusion
Praise be to God Who has facilitated the completion of this humble work, and we ask Him to accept it purely for His sake, and benefit us and all Muslims by it. We ask Him to reward everyone who contributed to the realization of this book, and make that in their good deeds balance in the Day of Judgment.
We have to remind readers that this book included Answers to some Questions that were asked by different people who were considering converting (or reverting) to Islam, by some new Muslims, and by some people living in close proximity to Muslims because of their work, common interests, or general life. The Answers in this book have been directed to these groups of people in general, and all the Questions that have been included here real enquiries, rather than anticipated or selected Questions.
This book could be considered a beginning and an incentive for more in-depth studies that interest those who are active in the field of preaching and spreading Islam amongst non-Muslim minorities living in Muslim communities. Those who are working actively for Islam may dedicate part of their precious time to investigate the needs of inviting different non-Muslims to Islam and the ideas these people could have about Islam, and provide some writings that clarify misconceptions about Islam, and support these writings with solid proof.
Contemporary preachers of Islam are supposed to reflect modern life and realize the challenges and dangers of backward thinking. They should also prepare themselves to shoulder their great responsibilities in such a way that reflects their deep belief in God and His messenger, prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
[1] Cited in Muslim, The Purification Book[2] Cited in Ahmad, Muslim and Abu Dawud.[3] Cited in Abu Dawud.
[5] See Inimitability Magazine, Issue No. 3.[6] Cited in Bukhari, hadith No. 5889, 5891, 6297, and Muslim No. 257. It is also cited in the canonical books of hadiths.[7] Documented by Ahmad, Sunan Ahmad, with a weak support (02,67) and Tabarani, Bayhaqi, Abi al-Shaykh, Tabarani and Bayhaqi.[8] Cited in Nisai, Tirmidhi, Ahmad, and others.[9] Cited in Tirmidhi, Ibn Majih, and al-Hakim.[10] Cited in Tirmidhi, Ibn Abi Shaybah and Ibn Habban.[11] Cited in Ahmad in Musnad, and Tirmidhi.[12] Cited in Ibn Majih in Fitan Book, hadith No. 9004.[13] Cited in Muslim, hadith No 2586.[14] Cited in Bukhari, hadith No 2493 and in Muslim, hadith No 1599.[15] Cited in Bukhari, hadith No 2493, and in Muslim, hadith No 1599.[16] Cited in Tirmidhi, Nisai, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majih and others.[17] Cited in Tabarani, and Ibn Abi Asim[18] Cited in Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majih, Ahmad and others.[19] Cited in Muslim in the Book of Drinks, hadith No. 4735.[20] Cited in Bukhari.[21] Cited in Ibn Majih in the Book of Supplication, hadith No. 3871.[22] Cited in Bukhari in the Book if Medicine, hadith No. 5287.
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