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160213P - CONCEPTUAL and PHILOSOPHICAL READING of KITAAB AL TAHARAT: ISLAMIC GUIDELINES on PERSONAL and ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE as A BASIS for BUILDING A HEALTHY CIVILIZATION

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Presentation at the Center for Civilization Bayero University Kano Nigeria held in Kano on 13th February 2016 by Professor Omar Hasan Kasule Sr. Professor at the Faculty of Medicine and Chairman of the Ethics Committee at Fahad Medical City Riyadh Saudi Arabia.

 

Intellectual of Knowledge by Joint Reading of the 2 Books: kitaab al wahy and kitaab al kawn:

 

}  Islam is an intellectual miracle therefore it is everlasting until the Last Day because unlike physical miracles it cannot be destroyed.

}  Integration of knowledge is combining the reading of the 2 books: kitaab al wahy and kitaab al kawn.

}  Integration emanates from tawhid, the central concept of the Islamic civilization. In the area of hygiene for example we have integration of the ritual and the physical.

}  Islam is suitable for every place and very time, al islam salihu li kulli zaman wa makaan. This implies reading kitaab al wahy with the spatio-temporal dimension in mind. The principles are perennial but details of applications differ with place and time.

 

Methodological Approach of this Paper in Reading the Book of Taharat: Concept Formation and Natural Philosophical Analysis:

}  Conceptual approach is forming concepts by putting together apparently different ideas and practices under a logical conceptual umbrella to enable understanding and reasoning. The concepts running throughout the book of taharat are (i) taharat = hygiene (ii) hygiene is linked to population health (iii) a healthy population is the basis of civilization.

}  The philosophical approach is to read the book of taharat shall be read from the perspective of medical science which is a branch of natural philosophy. The reading shows that Islamic hygienic guidelines (i) pre-date modern scientific concepts of communicable disease transmission first formulated by Dr Robert Koch towards the end of the 19th century (ii) provide practical guidance on disease prevention.

 

Our Publications on Civilization:

}  Books on civilization published by IIIT - (Link) http://www.iiit.org/Publications/English/tabid/177/Default.aspx

}  Books in brief and occasional papers on civilization published by IIIT - (Link) http://www.iiit.org/Publications/BooksinBrief/tabid/326/Default.aspx

}  Writings of Dr. Abdulhamid Abusulayman - (Link) http://i-epistemology.net/v1/abdul-hamid-a-abu-sulayman.html

 

Definition of Civilization:

}  Is civilization moral values or is it a material culture?

}  Civilization implies urbanization. Good hygiene is needed to maintain a large urban population.

}  A material civilization once established can be good or bad. The Qur’an described qariyat tayyiban associated with peace and tranquility (16;112, 21:11) while the bad qariyat was associated with dhulm (4:75) and fasad (27:34, 11:102).

}  The two criteria for a good human civilization were mentioned in the dialog between Allah and the angels before the creation of Adam: corruption (ifsaad) and spilling blood (safk al dima) (2:30). Judging by these criteria human history has not passed the grade: periods of corruption alternate with periods of violence. It is a difficult call to identify one week or one month in human history free of war anywhere on the globe.

}  The term civilization has been misused to discriminate and exploit those considered less ‘civilized’.

 

Basics of a Civilization: Time Management and Hygiene:

}  Time management and hygiene are the founding blocks of a healthy and civilized life.

}  Water is the universal and best cleanser or purifier needed for proper hygiene.

}  Wudhu (cleaning the exposed parts of the body) a minimum of 5 times a day has both ritual and physical dimensions.

}  Wiping the head and neck.

}  Nostrils (istinshaar & instinshaaq) and the mouth (madhmadhat).

}  Wiping on shoes and socks.

}  Ghusl (washing the whole body) also has both ritual and physical cleansing dimensions. The prophet taught at least one bath a week[[1]] preferably on Fridays.[[2]]

 

Personal Hygiene at the Dawn of the Islamic Civilization:

}  Oral hygiene (siwaak and madhmadhat).

}  Saliva, su'ur

}  Nasal hygiene (istinshaar & istinshaaq).

}  Nail hygiene: Nails, adhfar.

}  Scalp hair hygiene.

}  Moustache and beard hygiene.

}  Body hair (armpit, pubic, and trunk) hygiene

}  Hand hygiene.

}  Toilet hygiene (Istinjah).

}  Circumcision, khitaan, for hygiene.

 

Environmental Hygiene at the Dawn of the Islamic Civilization:

}  Water hygiene: classification of water according to cleansing ability.

}  Sources of water: small and large quantities of water in relation to cleansing.

}  Hygiene of food and drinks.

}  Slaughter of animals (dhabh): ritual and hygienic aspects.

}  Haram food and relation to food hygiene.

 

Toilette Etiquette, adab qadhau al haajat:

}  The physical and ritual duality is involved.

}  Measures to prevent spread of infection and protect the environment.

}  Measures to avoid urinary contamination of the body and clothes.

}  Measures to prevent urinary contamination of the environment.

}  Measures of cleansing from urinary contamination.

 

Concepts of Taharat - 1: The Esthetic Dimension of Taharat:

}  The excretory function is necessary but creates undesirable waste products.

}  Esthetics as philosophy.

}  Esthetics as empirical experience.

}  Seeking taharat is natural.

 

Concepts of Taharat - 2: The Physical and Ritual Dimensions:

}  The physical and ritual duality of taharat and najasat.

}  The ritual-physical duality in hadith and ibadat.

}  The physical-ritual duality in the dua at the start and end of wudhu.

}  The physical-ritual duality in tayammum.

 

Concepts of Najasat- 1: The Physical (Biological and Toxicological) Dimension:

}  Najasat and human disease.

}  Najasat and environmental biological pollution.

}  Najasat and toxic environmental pollution.

}  Endogenous najasat.

}  Excretion is a vital body process to get rid of waste products of metabolism that would cause toxicity if retained in the body or would result in breakdown of fluid and electrolyte homeostasis.

}  Excretion also involves an important dimension of environmental protection. Some of the waste products are treated while inside the body to make them less toxic by the time they are eliminated to the external environment.

 

Concepts of Najasat- 2: Legal Implications of the Duality   of   Najs:

}  The legal definition of najs reflects the duality of the material and the ritual/moral.

}  Non-najasat material has to be cleaned because it could turn into najasat.

}  The law has specifically defined what is najs and has cleared doubts about some materials by asserting that they are not najs.

}  The definition of what material is najasat is what is harmful as can be shown by modern scientific research and this falls under the principle of fiqh ‘qaidat al dharar.

}  The term najs is most often used to refer to the two main human excretory products: feces, ghait / al buraaz and urine, bawl aadami.

 

Concepts of Najasat- 3: Non-najs Material According   to   the   Law:

}  Human fluids considered najasat: dam, haidh, madhi, blood etc.

}  Animal material considered najasat: Dog saliva etc.

}  Derivatives of najasat material.

}  The human is never considered najasat.

}  Non-najasat human secretions.

}  Non-najasat animal secretion.

 

The Link Between Civilization and Taharat:

}  Hygiene is part of religion: Taharat = nadahfat= clean, and najasat = filth = unclean.

}  Historical depopulation due to communicable diseases.

}  Plague epidemics wiped out European populations: 40% in 541-542, 30-70% in 1346-1350 (Wikipedia).

}  The Chinese plague of 1641-1644 helped end the Ming dynasty.

}  Cholera pandemics killed 23million 1865-1917. The 1918 flu pandemic (January 1918 – December 1920) infected 500 million people across the world, resulted in the deaths of 50 to 100 million (three to five percent of the world's population[[3]]), making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in human history. Killed more people than World War 1.

 

Research on Cholera - 1:

}  In 2010, 18 States reported cholera outbreaks with a total of 41,787 cases including 1,716 deaths (case-fatality rate [CFR]: 4.1%). This exceeded the mean overall CFR of 2.4% reported in Africa from 2000-2005 and the WHO acceptable rate of 1%.[[4]]

}  A total of 5600 cholera cases and 340 cholera deaths were reported between December 1995 and May 1996 (attack rate = 86.3 per 100,000 population). Cases were more likely to have drunk street-vended water and less likely to have drunk tap water in their homes or to have washed hands with soap prior to eating food.[[5]]

 

Research on Cholera - 2a:

}  A survey during the period 1 January to 31 December 1996 found 302 children affected by cholera. The overwhelming majority (95 per cent) of the cases were among residents of the unplanned, densely populated areas of the city. The case fatality rate was 5.3 per cent. This unpleasant situation can be favourably reversed if urgent attention is paid to the provision of potable water to the unplanned, densely populated areas of Ibadan city.[[6]]

 

Research on Cholera - 2b:

}  In 80 cholera patients were hospitalized and six died. Poorly developed water and sewage disposal systems, contact with sea water, consumption of fishery products and leftover foods were the main risk factors identified.[[7]]

}  In order to prevent future cholera epidemics, there is need to introduce intervention measures that address the root problems of poor sanitation and unsafe water supplies.[[8]]

 

Research on Diarrhoea:

}  Global deaths from diarrhea of children aged less than 5 years were estimated at 1.87 million approximately 19% of total child deaths.[[9]]

}  A significant proportion of diarrheal disease can be prevented through safe drinking-water and adequate sanitation and hygiene.

 

Research on Washing Hands: A Study of 154 Mothers’ Washing Hands:[[10]]

}  64 (41.6%) usually washed their hands with soapy water in a container.

}  30 (19.5%) used soap and running water.

}  60 (38.9%) used only water, either running or in a container.

}  After cleaning an infant's perineal area, 60 (40.3%) used soap and running water and 39 (25.3%) used soapy water in a container, 48 (31.2%) used plain water.

}  Before feeding infants, 47 (30.5%) washed their hands with soap and running water.

}  Conclusion: hand-washing practices by mothers are poor. Extensive education of the public is required to reduce the risks of childhood infections associated with lack of hand-washing.

 

Hand Washing and Diarrhoea:

}  Hand washing promotion probably reduces diarrhea episodes in both child day-care centers in high-income countries and among communities living in LMICs by about 30%. However, less is known about how to help people maintain hand washing habits in the longer term.[[11]]

}  The risk of diarrhea was significantly higher among children whose mothers did not wash hands with soap before food preparation, before feeding their children and after leaving the toilet. Factors significantly associated with diarrhea were: poor water handling, presence of clogged drainage near the house and breeding places for flies). Hygiene and sanitation conditions within households were risk factors for diarrhea. This study revealed the feasibility of developing and implementing an adequate model to establish intervention priorities in sanitation.[[12]]

 

REFERENCES:

 


[1] Mukhtasar Bukhari Hadith No 502

[2] Buloogh al maraam No 100

[3] "Historical Estimates of World Population". Wikipedia. Retrieved 29 March 2013.

[4] Dalhat MM. Descriptive characterization of the 2010 cholera outbreak in Nigeria. BMC Public Health. 2014 Nov 16;14:1167.

[5] Hutin Y, Luby S, Paquet C. A large cholera outbreak in Kano City, Nigeria: the importance of hand washing with soap and the danger of street-vended water. J Water Health. 2003 Mar;1(1):45-52.

[6] Falade AG1, Lawoyin T. Features of the 1996 cholera epidemic among Nigerian children in Ibadan, Nigeria. (J Trop Pediatr. 1999 Feb;45(1):59-62.)

[7] Eko FO1, Udo SM, Antia-Obong OE. Epidemiology and spectrum of vibrio diarrheas in the lower cross river basin of Nigeria. Cent Eur J Public Health. 1994 Jun;2(1):37-41.

[8] Usman A1, Sarkinfada F, Mufunda J, Nyarango P, Mansur K, Daiyabu TM. Recurrent cholera epidemics in Kano--northern Nigeria. Cent Afr J Med. 2005 Mar-Apr;51(3-4):34-8.

[9] http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs330/en/

[10] Opara P, Alex-Hart B, Okari T. Hand-washing practices amongst mothers of under-5 children in Port Harcourt,Nigeria. Paediatr Int Child Health. 2015 Sep 24

[11] Ejemot-Nwadiaro RI1, Ehiri JE, Arikpo D, Meremikwu MM, Critchley JA. Hand washing promotion for preventing diarrhoea. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015 Sep 3;9:CD004265

[12] Oloruntoba EO1, Folarin TB1, Ayede AI2.. Hygiene and sanitation risk factors of diarrhoeal disease among under-five children in Ibadan, Nigeria. Afr Health Sci. 2014 Dec;14(4):1001-11