Health as a Human Right in Islam-Part 4

Health as a Human Right in Islam

Farhad Zargari, MD, PhD

Contents

1. Introduction

2. Protection of the Human Body

3. Importance of Health in Islam

4. Health Factors

5. The Right to Health

5.1- Responsibility for Oneself

5.2- Responsibility of Society

5.3- Responsibility of State

6. References

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5. The Right to Health

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From the Islamic standpoint, the right to health assigns responsibility in three different directions all at the same time:

To Oneself

To Society

To the State

The Right to Health

The Right to Health

Responsibility for ONESELF

Responsibility for SOCIETY

Responsibility for STATE

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5.1- Responsibility for Oneself

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The Right to Health: Responsibility for oneself

It is first of all, a responsibility to oneself. This, as has already been stated, is unique to Islam, summed up in the Prophet’s (PBUH)statement: “Your body has a right over you”.

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If we follow Al-Shatibi’s classification, “health protection is ensured through two distinct matters:

The first is to strengthen its structure and consolidate its foundation, which means to take good care of what we have of health, while the second is to protect it against any negative development, present or future risks and pathogens, which means to take care of it in case it withers away”.

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It outlines two types of measures. The first aims at strengthening and consolidating all aspects of health: physical, mental and environmental, or what we may call today as ‘health promotion measures’, while the second type are ‘health protection measures that aim to protect all physical, mental and environmental health aspects against any present or future negative developments.

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Health Promotion Health

Protection Pre

ven

tive

Cu

rati

ve


The health promotion measures include everything that protects and enhances human health. It is remarkable that Islam considers any negligence in taking such measures a type of transgression. Balanced nutrition, for example, is a health promotion measure, while neglecting to have proper and healthy nutrition, without reasonable justification, is contrary to health care.

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Islam considers this to be a transgression, as we read in the Quran: Believers, do not forbid yourselves the good things God has made lawful to you. Do not transgress; God does not love the transgressors. Eat of what God has provided for you of lawful and wholesome things.(5:87–88)

These verses were revealed in connection with the case of some people who wanted to forbid themselves certain types of food, but their action was considered to be hostile to health, as clearly understood from these Quranic verses.

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Responsibility for ONESELF

1. Personal Hygiene

2. Nutrition 4. Marriage

3. Respect for the Body

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1. Responsibility for Oneself: 1. Personal Hygiene

Islamic religious jurisprudence (Fiqh) includes a number of regulations involving cleanliness during salat (obligatory daily prayer) through Wudu(Face and Hands Washing)and Ghusl(Taking Bath), as well as dietary laws and toilet etiquette for Muslims. The fiqh is based on admonitions in the Qur'an for Muslims to be ritually clean whenever possible, as well as ahadith (words, actions, or habits of the prophet Muhammad PBUH and Imams).

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1. Personal Hygiene


Muslims throughout the world have extremely high standards of personal hygiene, because Islam places great emphasis on both physical and spiritual, cleanliness and purification. While humankind in general usually considers cleanliness to be a pleasing attribute, Islam insists on it. Muslims are required to take care of their personal hygiene by assuring that they are well groomed, and that their bodies, clothing, and surroundings are clean.

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1. Personal Hygiene


Cleanliness is a pillar of health in Islam.

The Prophet(PBUH)informed his companions and thus all of us, about the importance of cleanliness when he said: "Cleanliness is part of being faithful.“

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"Cleanliness is Part of Being Faithful.“

1. Personal Hygiene


Taking care of the whole body or of each particular organ is an important area of health promotion. Here are some of the Islamic texts that stress this aspect:

Believers, when you are about to pray, wash your face, and your hands and arms up to the elbows, and pass your wet hands lightly over your heads, and wash your feet up to the ankles.(5:6)

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1. Personal Hygiene


Prophet of Islam (PBUH) said: "Try to be clean as much as you are able to. Verily, Allah has based the foundation of Islam on cleanliness; hence, never can a person enter Paradise but the clean ones.“

The word “clean” in this statement means both physical as well as spiritual cleanliness.

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1. Personal Hygiene


And your garments do purify (keep free from dirt).(74:4)

Hands should be washed when one touches something polluted or unclean; likewise, before or after eating.

The Prophet(PBUH) said: "Whoever sleeps and his hands are not clean from fat and thereby gets harmed should blame no one but himself".

“The Prophet(PBUH) used to wash his hands before eating.”

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1. Personal Hygiene


The Prophet (PBUH) said: “In fact God is pure, He likes the pure. He is clean, He likes the clean.”

Imam Baqir (PBUH) said: “Sweeping your houses will eliminate poverty. “

Imam Ali (PBUH) said: “Do not collect the trash outside your house since it is a source of evil.”

He also said: “Attend to cleaning with all your strength, since God the Almighty has established Islam on cleanliness. No one shall enter Heaven, but the clean.”

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1. Personal Hygiene


Imam Baqir (PBUH) said: “If the people only knew how beneficial a toothbrush is, they would take it to bed with them.”

He also said: “Sweeping your houses will eliminate poverty.”

Imam Sadegh (PBUH) said: “Washing the dishes and sweeping your courtyards will increase your daily bread.”

He also said: “Brushing the teeth and oral hygiene are of the attributes of divine Prophets.”

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1. Personal Hygiene


“When anyone of you performs ablutions, let him introduce water into his nostrils and then blow it out.”

“It is reported that the Prophet(PBUH) used to wipe the inner corner of his eyes.”

The Prophet(PBUH) is quoted:

“Whoever has hair should take care of it.”

“If you defecate, wash or wipe the place [of defecation] three times.”

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1. Personal Hygiene


Brushing teeth consists of rubbing the teeth with a “miswak” or a toothbrush and is necessary for preserving the health of teeth and gums.

The Prophet(PBUH) said: "Brushing the teeth purifies the mouth and pleases God."

“Clean your gums from food and brush your teeth.”

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1. Personal Hygiene

1. Responsibility for Oneself: 2. Nutrition

Islam's holistic approach to health includes treating our bodies with respect and nourishing them with, not only faith, but also with lawful (Halal), nutritious food.

A major part of living life according to the Creator's instructions is implementing a suitable diet. Choosing wholesome food and avoiding the unwholesome is essential to good health.

"Eat of what is lawful and wholesome on the earth." (2:168)

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2. Nutrition


Another area of health promotion is balanced nutrition, in quality and quantity which is again highlighted in the Islamic teachings:

Eat of the good things which We have provided for you as sustenance.(2:172)

Eat of the good things which We have provided for you as sustenance, but do not transgress therein.(20:81)

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Eat and drink, but avoid excess.

Holy Quran:

2. Nutrition


The Quran contains many verses of advice about healthy eating that relate to the interconnectedness of physical and spiritual health. Encouragement to eat only good and pure food is often combined with warnings to remember God and avoid Satan. Healthy eating not only satisfies hunger but also has an effect on how well we worship.

"O mankind, eat from whatever is on earth [that is] lawful and good and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy." (2:168)

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2. Nutrition


And He creates cattle: you derive warmth from them, and [various other] benefits; and from them you obtain food.(16:5)

And He is who has made the sea subservient [to His laws], so that you may eat fresh meat from it.(16:14)

Eat of their fruit when it comes to fruition.(6:141)

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2. Nutrition


Islam commands food to be covered and not left exposed to pollution.

The Prophet(PBUH) said:

" Always cover food utensils."

"Always cover food and drinks."

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2. Nutrition


God has also provided us with a list of foods that are forbidden and apart from these everything else is considered lawful.

"Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead animals - cattle-beast not slaughtered, blood, the flesh of swine, and the meat of that which has been slaughtered as a sacrifice for other than God..." (5:3)

"...and intoxicants." (5:91-92)

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2. Nutrition

1. Responsibility for Oneself: 1.

Regarding the issue of eating and drinking, the Prophet (PBUH) said the following which is the key to health:

Eat when you have an appetite, and stop eating while you still have an appetite to eat.

Certainly overeating is very harmful for the digestive system, and is a great threat to our health.

The best way to maintain health and vigor, and be thin and agile and live a long life is to eat only when you are hungry and to stop eating before you get full.

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2. Nutrition


The Prophet (PBUH) said: Abstain from overeating since it will spoil your body and cause illness and sluggishness in prayers.

Imam Ali (PBUH) said: Man's soul is spoiled by overeating and oversleeping and brings losses to him/her.

He also said: One who overeats is not healthy, and he/she has to pay a high price.

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2. Nutrition


Imam Ali (PBUH) told his son Imam Hasan (PBUH): "Shall I teach you four traits by which you will be in no need of any medical treatment?"

"Yes," he answered. Then, Imam said:

Do not sit for food (in order to eat) unless you are hungry;

And, do not leave the (table of) food but you still have an appetite for it;

Chew (your food in your mouth) well;

And, when you want to go to bed, (primarily) go to the water-closet to ease nature.

If you take these in action, you will be in no need of any medical treatment."

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2. Nutrition


Imam Musa Kazim (PBUH) said: "There are five sunnahabout the head and five others related to the body. Washing the mouth,

Trimming the moustache,

Combing the hair,

Drawing up water through the mouth

Drawing up water through the nostrils.

The second five, concerning the body, are:

Circumcision,

Shaving the pubic hair,

Depilating the armpits,

Clipping the nails,

Cleansing the privy parts (with water, tissue, cloth, etc., while water is preferable)."

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2. Nutrition


“Man does not overfill a container to worse effect than his stomach. Let suffice the sons of Adam a few mouthfuls to sustain them. Should temptation be too strong for a person, let him make one-third for food, one-third for drink and one third for his breathing.”

Al-Tirmithi

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2. Nutrition

1. Responsibility for Oneself: 3. Marriage

Another area is the emphasis Islam places on marriage, as it has a highly important role in protecting physical, mental and reproductive health:

God has given you spouses of your own kind.(16:72)

He creates for you mates out of your own kind, so that you incline towards them, and He engenders love and tenderness between you.(30:21)

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3. Marriage

1. Responsibility for Oneself: 3. Marriage

Some of the sayings of the prophet(PBUH) in this regard are as follows:

“Marriage is part of my tradition; those who do not follow my tradition are not part of my followers.”

“Young people! Whoever of you can afford to marry should get married.”

“The Prophet warned against committing oneself to celibacy.”

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3. Marriage

1. Responsibility for Oneself: 4. Respect for the body

Another aspect is the requirement

To give every body-organ its due measure of health care,

To work within one’s ability,

To strengthen one’s body by suitable fitness exercise

To do whatever is beneficial to human health.

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4. Respect for the body


“Your eyes have a right over you.”

“Fulfil what you can reasonably do.”

“A strong believer is better than a weak believer.”

“Maintain whatever is of benefit to you.”

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Protective measures which are within one’s responsibility to oneself are based on God’s clear order:

Do not kill yourselves, for God is merciful to you.(4:29)

It also relies on further statements such as:

Do not with your own hands throw yourselves to ruin.(2:195)

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“There shall be no infliction of harm on oneself or others.” Furthermore, God orders us:

Abandon all sin, be it open or secret.(6:120)

God, limitless is He in His glory, describes alcoholic drinks and gambling, stating: In both there is great evil although they have some benefits for people, but their evil far exceeds their benefit.(2:219)

He has thus placed evil in contrast with benefit, which means that evil in this sense is harm, and it is forbidden as we clearly see in Quranic texts.

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Islam opens the way for the individual to satisfy this aspect of human rights, commanding that all measures of disease prevention should be adopted, because preventive measures ensure protection. The Prophet(PBUH) says: “Whoever takes precautions against evil shall be spared it”.

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Both the Quran and the sunna abound with statements about various types of protective measures that may be taken by individuals to protect themselves. Here are only a few examples:

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1. Avoidance of infectious diseases

2. Protective measures against accidental injury

3. Abstention from all harmful substances, such as alcohol, drugs and smoking

Respect for the Body


Respect for the Body:

1. Avoidance of infectious diseases:

Do not come near adultery. It is indeed an abomination and an evil way.(17:32)

Do not commit any shameful deeds, be they open or secret.(6:151)

Prophet (PBUH) stated:

“The worst thing that I fear for my community is the practice of Lot’s people [i.e. homosexuality].”

“Should you learn of an outbreak of the plague in a certain area, do not enter it.”

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2. Protective measures against accidental injury as described by Prophet (PBUH):

“If you stop to sleep while travelling by night avoid the main roads as it is the track of animals and the refuge of pests.”

“Put out the lights when you go to bed, shut the doors, close water skins and cover water and food containers.”

“Whoever sleeps on a rooftop without walls is disowned by the Muslim community.”

“The Prophet (PBUH) warns against staying alone at home and travelling alone.”

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3. Abstention from all harmful substances, such as alcohol, drugs and smoking:

They ask you about drinking and gambling. Say: In both there is great evil although they have some benefits for people, but their evil far exceeds their benefit.(2:219)

Intoxicants, games of chance, idolatrous practices and divining arrows are abominations devised by Satan. Therefore, turn away from them so that you may prosper.(5:90)

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3. Abstention from all harmful substances, such as alcohol, drugs and smoking:

“The Prophet(PBUH) warns against all forms of intoxicants and narcotics.”

“Every intoxicant is forbidden, and every narcotic is forbidden, and anything that causes intoxication when taken in a large quantity is forbidden even in a small quantity, as is anything that dims reason.”

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Healthcare

Health as a Human Right in Islam-Part 4