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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 King Fahad Medical City Riyadh Saudi Arabia
Intellectual of Knowledge by Joint Reading of the 2 Books: kitaab al wahy and kitaab al kawn:
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Islam is an
intellectual miracle therefore it is everlasting until the Last Day because
unlike physical miracles it cannot be destroyed.
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Integration of
knowledge is combining the reading of the 2 books: kitaab al wahy and kitaab
al kawn.
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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.
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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:
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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.
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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:
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Books on
civilization published by IIIT - (Link) http://www.iiit.org/Publications/English/tabid/177/Default.aspx
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Books in brief
and occasional papers on civilization published by IIIT - (Link) http://www.iiit.org/Publications/BooksinBrief/tabid/326/Default.aspx
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Writings of Dr.
Abdulhamid Abusulayman - (Link) http://i-epistemology.net/v1/abdul-hamid-a-abu-sulayman.html
Definition of Civilization:
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Is civilization
moral values or is it a material culture?
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Civilization
implies urbanization. Good hygiene is needed to maintain a large urban
population.
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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).
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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.
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The term
civilization has been misused to discriminate and exploit those considered less
‘civilized’.
Basics of a Civilization: Time Management and Hygiene:
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Time management
and hygiene are the founding blocks of a healthy and civilized life.
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Water is the
universal and best cleanser or purifier needed for proper hygiene.
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Wudhu
(cleaning the exposed parts of the body) a minimum of 5 times a day has both
ritual and physical dimensions.
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Wiping the head
and neck.
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Nostrils (istinshaar
& instinshaaq) and the mouth (madhmadhat).
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Wiping on shoes
and socks.
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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:
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Oral hygiene (siwaak
and madhmadhat).
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Saliva, su'ur
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Nasal hygiene (istinshaar
& istinshaaq).
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Nail hygiene:
Nails, adhfar.
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Scalp hair
hygiene.
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Moustache and
beard hygiene.
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Body hair
(armpit, pubic, and trunk) hygiene
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Hand hygiene.
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Toilet hygiene
(Istinjah).
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Circumcision, khitaan,
for hygiene.
Environmental Hygiene at the Dawn of the Islamic Civilization:
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Water hygiene:
classification of water according to cleansing ability.
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Sources of
water: small and large quantities of water in relation to cleansing.
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Hygiene of food
and drinks.
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Slaughter of
animals (dhabh): ritual and hygienic aspects.
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Haram
food and relation to food hygiene.
Toilette Etiquette, adab qadhau al haajat:
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The physical
and ritual duality is involved.
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Measures to
prevent spread of infection and protect the environment.
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Measures to
avoid urinary contamination of the body and clothes.
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Measures to
prevent urinary contamination of the environment.
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Measures of
cleansing from urinary contamination.
Concepts of Taharat - 1: The Esthetic Dimension of
Taharat:
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The excretory
function is necessary but creates undesirable waste products.
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Esthetics as
philosophy.
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Esthetics as
empirical experience.
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Seeking taharat
is natural.
Concepts of Taharat - 2: The Physical And Ritual
Dimensions:
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The physical
and ritual duality of taharat and najasat.
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The
ritual-physical duality in hadith and ibadat.
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The
physical-ritual duality in the dua at the start and end of wudhu.
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The
physical-ritual duality in tayammum.
Concepts of Najasat- 1: The Physical (Biological and
Toxicological) Dimension:
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Najasat and
human disease.
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Najasat and
environmental biological pollution.
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Najasat and
toxic environmental pollution.
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Endogenous najasat.
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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.
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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:
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The legal
definition of najs reflects the duality of the material and the
ritual/moral.
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Non-najasat material
has to be cleaned because it could turn into najasat.
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The law has
specifically defined what is najs and has cleared doubts about some
materials by asserting that they are not najs.
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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.
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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:
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Human fluids
considered najasat: dam, haidh, madhi, blood etc.
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Animal material
considered najasat: Dog saliva etc.
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Derivatives of najasat
material.
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The human is
never considered najasat.
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Non-najasat
human secretions.
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Non-najasat
animal secretion.
The Link Between Civilization and Taharat:
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Hygiene is part
of religion: Taharat = nadahfat= clean, and najasat =
filth = unclean.
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Historical depopulation
due to communicable diseases.
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Plague
epidemics wiped out European populations: 40% in 541-542, 30-70% in 1346-1350
(Wikipedia).
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The Chinese
plague of 1641-1644 helped end the Ming dynasty.
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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:
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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]
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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:
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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:
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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]
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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 Diarrhea:
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Global deaths
from diarrhea of children aged less than 5 years were estimated at 1.87 million
approximately 19% of total child deaths.[9]
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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]
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64 (41.6%)
usually washed their hands with soapy water in a container.
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30 (19.5%) used
soap and running water.
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60 (38.9%) used
only water, either running or in a container.
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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.
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Before feeding
infants, 47 (30.5%) washed their hands with soap and running water.
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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 Diarrhea:
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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]
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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:
- Mukhtasar
Bukhari Hadith No 502
- Buloogh
al maraam No 100
- "Historical
Estimates of World Population". Wikipedia. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
- Dalhat
MM. Descriptive characterization of the
2010 cholera outbreak in Nigeria. BMC Public
Health. 2014 Nov 16;14:1167.
- 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.
- 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.)
- 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.
- 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.
- http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs330/en/
- 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
- 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
- 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.