Brian Godfrey: “I gradually got rid of foods that were causing the problem”

Besides that, smoking can really reduce the efficiency of a person. It is a stimulant, which will relax the body and eventually, dulls the brain and the senses. Surely enough, no one here want a bunch of people who are doing nothing but loafing around. Second, Islam had already declared “Cigarette” as “Haram” but the people will not just listen. They dare to defy the Almighty God and do sin. It is now the time we stop them to do that sin. Why not stop reading this comment and search in the internet – Is Smoking haram For Muslim?

As you people commented, rate of crimes increases and so on. Will you not think that the smuggling of alcohol and those illegal things are actually done by someone who is not educated about these? The citizen of this country lacks the knowledge about Islamic Law.

Here is a phrase of the article I found in http://www.islamonline.net/ser…010; “A general rule of the Islamic Shari’ah is that it is haram for the Muslim to eat or drink anything, which may cause his death, either quickly or gradually, such as poisons, or substances, which are injurious to health or harmful to his body.” Even the Islamic Law have already stated this, WHY NOT THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCE THAT SMOKING IS JUST AS HARAM AS EATING PORK AND DRINKING ALCOHOL? Yeah, declaring law like the No Smoking Below 18 is useless at all.

Schools still encounter incidents where students are smoking and it is helpless unless someone stop selling cigarette, which brings me to my next topic. Third, the money saved by not buying cigarette is actually big. Imagine one packet cost One dollar, in one year, $365 is wasted on such a rubbish, in twenty years, $7300 is wasted. Now, multiple that amount by the packet smoke each day and the actual price of the cigarette. See how many dollar have people wasted on such rubbish. Quitting cigarette is as easy as learning ABC if there is a smoke rehabilitation center. The aim is to get rid of nicotine in the blood. That’s all. And igniting the willpower not to smoke in the future. I don’t think there is a need for me to mention the harmful effect of cigarette on the health of the body here. Everybody knows about it, right?

Fourth, About the economy. Since when is there a Great Depression when a country stoped importing cigarette. I’ll be surprised to see the headline on Borneo Bulletin saying, “Brunei stops importing cigarette, Great depression expected.” Think outside the box people. Cigarette don’t promote a healthy economy. In fact, it delayed it. Another comment from one of you readers, Someone here mention about the punishment for smoking. Death penalty for smoking? That’s way too cruel. A perfect punishment is a detention to the smoke rehabilitation center. That will be the perfect punishment for a smoker!

Not only it helps to quit smoke, but it help to nullify the harmful effects of cigarette on the future of Brunei. And now, if this reply doesn’t convince any of you readers, there is only one thing I can do, and that’s by asking, “What’s so good about smoking cigarette? Cool? Ask non-smokers and you will realize what big sin you have done.” By the way, smokers, don’t be ashamed to read this. My aim is not to torture smokers, but to make Brunei a smoke-free country. If this post can help to reduce the number of smokers in this country, then there is no need at all to ban cigarette. If the people of this country realizes that Smoking is Haram, then, There is no need for me to post this post at all.

The fact that children raised in homes without a dad have sex earlier is down to their genes, say US researchers.

The study tested for genetic influences as well as factors such as poverty, educational opportunities and religion.

The more genes the children shared, the more similar their ages of first intercourse regardless of whether they had an absent father or not.

A spokesman for the charity, Brook, said children needed early education to help them make informed choices.

Competing theories

The study published in the journal, Child Development, says several theories have been advanced about the environmental factors which influence this association between absent fathers and early sex.

One suggests that because these children observe unstable or stressed parental relationships, they learn that resources are scarce, and people untrustworthy.

This leads them to mature in such a way that they are geared towards mating rather than parenting.

While there is clearly no such thing as a ‘father absence gene’, there are genetic contributions to traits in both mums and dads that increase the likelihood of earlier sexual behaviour in their children Jane Mendle, University of Oregon

Another states that because adolescents reared in single-parent households may have parents engaging in sexual behaviour with partners to whom they are not married, the children may be more likely to view non-marital sex as the norm.

And a third theory states that a single-parent family structure may encourage adolescent sexuality by reduced parental control.

In other words two parents can much more closely monitor their offspring’s activities and social networks, reducing the opportunities for sex.

But this study shows these factors are not as important as genes in determining early sexual behaviour.

Results

The researchers at the University of Oregon compared the average age of first intercourse among children whose fathers were always absent, partially absent or always present throughout childhood.

They looked at more than 1,000 cousins aged 14 and older from the American National Longitudinal Survey of Youth.

For the children whose fathers were always absent, 63.2% reported having had sex.

This compared to 52.5% of children whose fathers were sometimes absent.

And only 21% of children whose fathers were always present.

The average age of first intercourse for children whose fathers were always absent was 15.28, compared to partially fathered children at 15.36 and 16.11 for children whose fathers were present for all of their childhood.

It compared children who were related in different ways to each other, and who differed in whether they had lived with their fathers.

The more genes the children shared, the more similar their ages of first intercourse, regardless of whether or not the children had an absent father.

Genetic risk factor

Jane Mendle, professor of psychology at the University of Oregon, who led the study said: “The association between father’s absence and children’s sexuality is best explained by genetic influences, rather than by environmental theories alone.

“While there is clearly no such thing as a ‘father absence gene’, there are genetic contributions to traits in both mums and dads that increase the likelihood of earlier sexual behaviour in their children.

All young people need access to confidential sexual health services as well as high quality education about sex and relationships from a young age Simon Blake, Brook Advisory Centre

“These include impulsivity, substance use and abuse, argumentativeness and sensation seeking.”

But Professor Mendle said her study did not have the power to discriminate conclusively between genetic and environmental factors and further research with a larger number of children would be necessary.

Simon Blake, from the sexual health charity, Brook Advisory Centre, took issue with the idea that genes were the overriding factor in early sex.

He said: “We know from research that factors associated with young people having first intercourse at a younger age are: lower educational achievements; friends and the media being the main source of information about sex education; socio-economic status; early sexual experience and the earlier age at which girls start their periods.

“All young people need access to confidential sexual health services as well as high quality education about sex and relationships from a young age.

“This gives them the skills and information to make informed choices, and the self-esteem and aspirations for themselves for the future.

“Targeted outreach work is also an effective way of reaching those more vulnerable groups.”

Source: BBC

An injectable hydrogel could aid recovery from brain injury by helping stimulate tissue growth at the site of the wound, researchers say.

Research on rats suggests the gel, made from synthetic and natural sources, may spur growth of stem cells in the brain.

The gel has been developed by Dr Ning Zhang at Clemson University, South Carolina, who presented her work to a conference on military health research.

She predicted the gel may be ready for human testing in about three years.

Our strategy can potentially be applied to head injuries caused by car accidents, falls and gunshot wounds Dr Ning Zhang Clemson University

Following a brain injury the tissues tend to swell up and this causes the loss of even more cells, compounding the damage caused by the original wound.

The standard treatments attempt to minimise this secondary damage at the site of the injury, for instance by lowering the temperature or relieving the build up of pressure.

However, their impact is often limited.

Scientists believe that transplanting donor brain cells into the wound to repair tissue damage is potentially a more productive approach.

Donor cells

But while this method has had some success in treating some central nervous system diseases, it has produced very limited results when used to treat brain injuries.

The donor cells do not tend to thrive at the site of injury, or to stimulate repair.

This could be due to inflammation and scarring at the injury site, and the lack of supportive tissue and blood supply to provide the necessary nutrients.

Researchers say the advantage of the new gel, which is injected into the injury in liquid form, is that it can be loaded with different chemicals to stimulate various biological processes.

First, Dr Zhang used it to help re-establish a full blood supply at the site of a brain injury in rats, potentially providing a much more friendly environment for donor cells to thrive.

Then, in follow-up work, she loaded it with immature human stem cells and the chemicals they need to develop into fully fledged adult brain cells.

After eight weeks of treatment with this mixture rats with severe brain injuries showed signs of making a significant recovery.

Dr Zhang, whose work is funded by the US Department of Defense, said: “We have seen an increase in brain injuries due to combat, but our strategy can also potentially be applied to head injuries caused by car accidents, falls and gunshot wounds.”

She said the gel could potentially be loaded with different factors to make it useful for patients at varying stages following injury.

Professor James Fawcett, of the Cambridge University Centre for Brain Repair, said a brain-compatible gel that could inhibit scar formation and prevent the release of toxic molecules following brain injury would be a significant advance.

Headway, the brain injury association, said the research looked very interesting and could potentially be a “significant step foward”.

But in a statement, the charity said: “It is important to remember, however, that no human trials have taken place at this stage and a great deal more research is required before this method of regenerating brain tissue following traumatic injury can be heralded.

“We are some years away from the possible therapeutic use of this gel and it is important the expectations of people with brain injury are managed to avoid promises of miracle cures.”

Source: BBC

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The genetics underpinning a smoker’s risk of developing lung cancer have been further unpicked by UK scientists.

Three areas of DNA were found to be linked with lung cancer risk in smokers – two of them influencing the type of cancer which develops.

It supports previous studies which have suggested a family link, even after taking smoking into account, a report in the Cancer Research journal says.

Smoking is responsible for nine out of 10 cases of lung cancer.

The Institute of Cancer Research team compared the DNA of 1,900 lung cancer patients and 1,400 healthy individuals.

The best thing a smoker can do to reduce their risk of lung cancer, and a range of other life-threatening conditions, is to quit Dr Lesley Walker, Cancer Research UK

Information gathered on areas of genetic risk was then tested further in another 2,000 patients with lung cancer and a similar number of healthy volunteers.

Specific differences associated with lung cancer risk were found on chromosomes 5, 6 and 15.

Those with certain genetic changes on chromosome 5 were more likely to get a type of cancer called adenocarcinoma and the region highlighted on chromosome 6 seemed to influence whether a patient developed adenocarcinoma or another type called squamous cell carcinoma.

On chromosome 15, they pinpointed two independent sites that have a role in whether or not a smoker develops lung cancer.

These areas of the genome contain a family of genes that influence smoking behaviour but also cell growth and cell death.

Current or former smokers who carry one copy of each of these genetic variants increase their risk of lung cancer by 28%.

That increases to 80% in smokers who carry two copies.

Those who had the genetic changes but did not smoke had no increased risk of lung cancer.

Trigger

Study leader Professor Richard Houlston said the findings confirmed earlier research.

“The next step is to dig deeper to pinpoint which gene, or genes in these regions, cause the increased risk of developing lung cancer and how they actually trigger this increase.”

Dr Lesley Walker, director of cancer information at Cancer Research UK who partly funded the research, said smoking was responsible for the vast majority of lung cancers.

“This research shows that inherited genetic variation accounts for some of this risk and the type of lung cancer that develops.”

She added: “The best thing a smoker can do to reduce their risk of lung cancer, and a range of other life-threatening conditions, is to quit.”

Dr Noemi Eiser, honorary medical director of the British Lung Foundation, said: “This research is very interesting as it provides further clues as to why some smokers are more prone to developing certain types of lung cancer.

“We now hope that with more research this discovery will lead to the development of early screening techniques and treatments for lung cancer, which is currently the UK’s biggest cancer killer.”

Source: BBC

By Muhammad al-Jibaly

Introduction

Discovery Of Tobacco

Tobacco was discovered by the Spanish sailors on the American shores at about 1500 CE (900 AH). Since its discovery, the epidemic of smoking has continued to spread all over the world. In our times, one seldom finds a house not afflicted by it.

As early as the Seventeenth Century, the European countries realized the dangers of smoking and fought against it Laws were ordained in England, Russia, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, and other countries, prohibiting smoking and punishing violators.

Nowadays, the Western countries continue their attempts to protect their peoples from the harms of smoking. They employ media means, ordain laws and regulations, and apply other methods to discourage people from smoking. Because of that, the rate of smokers has declined to a certain degree in those countries.

Smoking Among Muslims

Smoking was introduced to the Muslim countries by the Europeans around 1000 AH. Its spread among the Muslims was similar to that in the West. The unfortunate fact, however, is that in the Muslim countries, no similar measures were exerted to protect the people from it. To the contrary, the media continues to advertise smoking and encourage people to do it. This caused the epidemic of smoking to continue to spread in those countries to such an extent that it has become hard to control.

Smoking has become the rule, and abstaining from it the exception. Often, people look with astonishment and disdain at a person whom when a cigarette is offered to him, declines to smoke explaining that he does not smoke.

Offering cigarettes to the guests has become among the first rules of hospitality. Anyone who does not offer them to his guests or insist on them to smoke would be violating the ethics of hospitality and generosity!

Furthermore, some of those who pretend to represent the Deen are among the worst addicts to smoking. When they are reproached or reminded of their vice, they respond by providing weak excuses to justify it in the name of Islam. They slyly remark that there is no clear text prohibiting smoking. Therefore, they conclude, smoking is not prohibited, but is only makruh (disliked). By this, they provide a poor excuse for the ignorant, and establish a very bad example for others.

Such statements have influenced many Muslims, causing them to fall into the snares of addiction to smoking. This is observed all over the world. A striking example is that All-American airlines now prohibit smoking, even on most international flights; on the other hand, for Muslim airlines, one travels in a near-suffocation state, even on short trips, because of the high number of smokers.

Thus, it becomes incumbent to write an article which provides evidence concerning the ruling of smoking in Islam. We hope that this will benefit our Muslim brothers and sisters; and we ask Allah to accept it from us as a sincere deed for His pleasure.

Definition

Smoking refers to the action of lighting a cigarette, a pipe, a cigar, a water pipe, or any other object made from tobacco or materials of similar effects. The object is then sucked on with the lips to extract smoke. This smoke is inhaled into the chest and then exhaled from the nose and mouth as a thick white smoke. “Smoking” is now used to refer to the action of producing this smoke in English, Arabic, and other languages.

Evidence for the Prohibition of Smoking

There are many reasons, any one of which sufficient to rule smoking prohibited. Most importantly, it is harmful in numerous ways. It is harmful to the Deen, health, environment, family, brotherhood and social relations, property, etc. The following sections will briefly outline some of its harms and evils.

Haram To The Deen

Smoking spoils a person’s acts of worship and reduces their rewards. For instance, it spoils the prayer, which is the pillar of Deen. Allah’s Messenger said: Whoever eats garlic or onion, let him avoid us and our masjid, and stay in his home. The angels are surely hurt by things that hurt the human beings(1)

Those with clean and undefiled fitrah (nature) have no doubt that the smell emanating from the mouth of a smoker is worse and more foul than that from the mouth of one who ate garlic or onion. Thus, a smoker is in between two options, either to harm the praying people and the angels with his foul smell, or miss the prayer in jama’ah.

Smoking also spoils fasting. Fasting is very hard for the smoker. As soon as the day is over, he hastens to break his fast on an evil cigarette instead of sweet dates or pure water. Even if he fasts through the month Ramadan, a smoker is reluctant to fast on other days. Thus he loses the great reward of those who fast even one day in Allah’s way.

Harm To The Human Body

No one can deny the harm of smoking to the human body. The medical evidence for this is well established and overwhelming. Because of this, the law in the United States and many other countries requires including a warning on any smoking advertisement.

Smoking contains poisonous materials, such as nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide, arsenic, benzopyrene, etc., that the smoker swallows in small proportions. Their harm accumulates with time to result in a gradual killing of the human organs and tissues.

The hazards of smoking to the health are hard to enumerate. Cancer, tuberculosis, heart attacks, asthma, coughing, premature birth, infertility, infections in the digestive system, high blood pressure, nervousness, mouth and teeth diseases, etc., are among the many health hazards that have been strongly linked to smoking.

These diseases may not appear all at once, however a smoker is most likely to suffer from some of them, and his suffering increases as he grows older. Furthermore, statistics have established that smokers’ age is, on the average, ten years less than other people’s.

This is sufficient to prohibit smoking. Islam prohibits any action that causes harm to oneself or to other people. Allah says (what means):

“Do not kill yourselves, Allah is indeed merciful to you.”(2)

“Do not cast yourselves, with your own hands, into destruction.”: (3)

And the Messenger says: No harm may be inflicted on oneself or others.(4)

The feet of a human being will not depart, on the day of Judgement, from his standing before his Lord, until he is questioned about five things: his lifetime – how did he pass it, his youth – how did he used it, his wealth – where did he earn it and how did he spend it, and how did he follow what he knew.(5)

Whoever consumes poison, killing himself with it, then he will he consuming his poison in the hellfire, and he will abide in it permanently and eternally.(6)

Harm To The Mind and Will Power

Smoking is harmful to the human mind and reason. An obvious demonstration of this is that one who is addicted to it passes through periods of severe craving, making it hard for him to think, concentrate, solve a problem, or do any important matter, until he smokes.

When one smokes, his muscles slacken, and he passes through a brief period of delirium that curtains the thought. His digestive system is also affected, causing him frequent nervousness and trembling of the hands. He passes through periods of excitability, in irritation, and insomnia.

Thus, instead of being Allah’s slave, a smoker becomes slave to his cigarette. He develops a weaker control of his sense and reason. The faculty of reason, clear and unobstructed, is one of Allah’s great bounties on people. He praised it in numerous places of the Qur’an; and He called on people to use it to see the truth and obey Him in a better way. Allah wants of the believer to be strong and capable of controlling the reigns of his desires. He said (what means):

“AIIah wants to let you into His mercy, whereas those who follow the desires want you to drift far away (from the right path).”(7)

Harm To The Environment

A smoker emits his poisons in the faces of his companions, wife, children, and the environment. It is well established that second-hand smoke is almost as dangerous as first-hand. Thus, whether they like it or not, a smoker’s associates are forced to inhale the smoke and be themselves smokers as well.

In addition to the poisons normally carried in the smoke, if a smoker has an contagious disease, such as tuberculosis or influenza, his exhaled smoke and coughing carry the disease to those around him.

Furthermore, a smoker irritates people by the foul smell and poisonous nature of his smoking. If they suffer from asthma or allergies, they are forced to move away from his vicinity. The Prophet (saws) said:

Anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day should not hurt his neighbour.(8)

Thus, smoking constitutes a definite harm to other people; this is prohibited, as was indicated in the hadith cited earlier.

Also, a smoker is certainly a bad companion to sit with, as is depicted in the following hadith:

Verily, the example of a good companion and a bad one is like that of a perfume merchant and a blacksmith: As for the perfume merchant, he would either grant you (some perfume), or you would buy (some perfume) from him, or (in the least) you would get a good smell from him. And as for the blower of the bellows (ironsmith), you would either get a foul odour from him, or he would burn your clothes.(9)

Harm To The Property

A smoker wastes his wealth on that which harms and has no benefit; he will be asked about his wealth and how he spent it, as has been cited in the hadith earlier. His wealth belongs to Allah, so how would he dare to waste it in disobedience to Him? Allah says (what means):

“And do not entrust to the imprudent ones the possessions that Allah has placed in your charge.. (10)

“And do not waste (your resources) extravagantly. Indeed the squanderers are the brethren of the devils”(11)

And the Prophet (saws) said: Allah hates for you three things: gossiping, begging, and wasting money.(12)

Furthermore, there are numerous cases of burnt carpets, furniture, and even complete houses and establishments that have resulted from this disastrous vice.

Moral Decadence

Smoking is a form of moral decadence. It is most spread among the low-class immoral people. It reflects blind imitation of the non-Muslims. It is mostly consumed in bars, discos, casinos, and other: places of sin. A smoker may beg or steal if he does not have the money to buy cigarettes. He is ill-mannered with his friends and family, especially when he misses taking his necessary “dose” at the usual time.

Evil Substance

Smoking involves the consumption of an evil substance (khabeeth). It has a foul smell, foul taste, and is harmful to the body. This is sufficient to: prohibit it, because Allah says (what means):

“(The Prophet) who will enjoin upon them the doing of what is right, forbid them the doing of what is wrong, make lawful to them the good things of life, prohibit for them the evil things, and lift from them their burdens and the shackles that were (previously) upon them.”(13)

Resembling The People Of The Fire

A smoker inhales the smoke that does not give him any nourishment. This is similar to the action of the people of the Hell fire who eat harmful thorny plants:

“No food will be there for them but a poisonous thorny plant, which will neither nourish them nor still their hunger.”(14)

Bad Example

A smoker, whether he likes it or not, makes of himself an example for his children and others to follow. He leads them to commit this evil. Actions sometimes have a stronger effect than words. Thus, even if he advises them or forbids them from smoking, his partaking of it provides them with a strong excuse to do it.

The problem is worse when the smoker is of known piety or knowledge. In such case, his harm becomes more emphasized, because more people take him as guide and example, and are thus lead astray by him. This multiplies his sins and increases his burden.

Hostility Toward The Good People

The majority of good people avoid smoking and stay away from smokers. Therefore, a smoker would be forced to stay away from them – at least while he smokes. He puts himself in a selective exile, creating a spiritual distance and hostility between him and the good people, and a closeness to the evil people. The effects of this become more apparent and acute with time.

Note that this applies equally to any sin that a person commits, small or large.

Low Self Esteem

A smoker despises himself, because he feels that a little cigarette is controlling him. Realizing his weakness before desires, this creates in him a feeling of defeat in the face of hardships.

Scholars’ Verdict

Since smoking became known to Muslims, all of the great scholars who have the capability of Ijtihad (deriving verdicts in new situations) agree to its prohibition. Thus, there is no value for baseless opinions, conflicting with this, provided by self-proclaimed lesser scholars.

Warnings

In discussing the subject of the prohibition of smoking, there are some important warnings that need to be mentioned:

1. As indicated before, the prohibition of smoking is not restricted to cigarettes, but applies as well to other objects that have similar effects such as cigars, pipes, water-pipes, chewing tobacco or sniffing tobacco, etc.

2. The reasons mentioned above for prohibiting smoking apply as well, and more strongly, to various types of drugs and hashish such as marijuana and -tat. These materials have additional problems such as causing drunkenness, death, madness, etc.

3. The prohibition of smoking is not restricted to consuming it, but applies as well to offering it to people, sitting with those who are smoking, or selling it. All of this involves helping people commit sins, which is prohibited, as Allah says (which means):

“Help one another in righteousness and piety, and do not help one another in sinning and transgression. And fear and revere Allah; verily, Allah is severe in punishment.”(15)

Also, Allah’s Messenger said: Indeed when Allah prohibits something, he prohibits eating its price.(16)

Treating the Disease of Smoking

Only few of those addicted to smoking are able to stop it. The reasons for this are many, among which are the following:

1. The addictive nature of the poisonous substances contained in it.

2. The smokers are not totally convinced of its prohibition.

3. They do not have a strong determination to refrain from it.

The following are some suggestions to help a person stop smoking:

1. Rely on Allah sincerely, with full determination not to return to smoking, in compliance with Allah’s command:

“When you decide on a certain course of action, place your trust in Allah.”(17)

2. Stop immediately instead of claiming it is best to do it gradually. The gradual approach is the way of one who does not trust his determination and the will power that Allah has granted him. Let the example be taken from the Sahabah who, as soon as Allah’s command reached them regarding alcohols:” Will you not then desist?”(18) They immediately poured out all the alcohol that they had and said, “We desist our Lord, we desist!” They did this despite the fact that alcohol has a greater addictive power over those who drink it.

3. Avoid the bad company of smokers and smoking environments that are full with the smell of smoke.

4. Change the food diet by abstaining from foods and drinks that would entice the craving to smoke such as spices, meat, tea, and coffee; and eating a lot of vegetables and fruits.

5. Use medically tested and established procedures to help stop smoking, as directed by physicians, such as nicotine patches, nicotine gum, etc.

6. Expel the secret whispers of Satan who continuously dictates to the human being that he is weak and incapable of refraining from sinning, as Allah says (what means)

“It is but Satan who instills (into you) fear of his allies; so do not fear them, but fear Me if you are (truly) believers.. “(19)

“Fight then against the allies of Satan; indeed, Satan’s guile is weak.. “(20)

References

“The Ruling of Smoking” by Muhammad bin Ibraaheem (r)

“The Ruling of Smoking” by `Abdur-Rahman Bin Naasir as-Sa`di (r).

“The Ruling of Smoking” by `Abdul-`Aziz Bin ‘Abdullaah Bin Baaz.

“The Ruling of Smoking” by Muhammad Bin Salih al-’Uthaymin.

Hukm ul-lslami fit-Tadkhin by Muhammad Jamil Zinu.

Hukm ud-Dini fil-Lihyati wat-Tadkhin by ‘Ah Hasan al-Halabi.

“Smoking and Its Effects on Health” by Dr. Muhammad ‘Ali al-Barr.

Footnotes

(1) Al-Bukhaari and Muslim from Jabir and other Sahaabah .

(2) An-Nisa’ 4-29.

(3) Al-Baqarah 2:195.

(4) Recorded by Ahmad and Ibn Maajah from Ibn `Abbaas and `Ubaadah; authenticated by al-Albaani and others.

(5) Recorded by at-Tirmithi and others from Ibn Mas`ud and AbO Barzah , authenticated by al-Albaani.

(6) Al-Bukhaari and Muslim from Jaabir

(7) An-Nisa 4:27.

(8) Al-Bukhaari.

(9) Al-Bukhaari and Muslim.

(10) An-Nisa 4:5.

(11) Al-lsra’ 17:26-27.

(12) Al-Bukhaari and Muslim.

(I3) Al-A’raf 7:157.

(14) Al-Ghaashiyah 88:6-7.

(15) Al-Maidah 5:2.

(16) Recorded by Ahmad and Abu Dawud from Ibn `Abbas; authenticated by al-Albaani.

(I7) Al-’lmran 3:159

(18) Al-Maa’idah 5 91

(19) Al-`Imraan 3:175.

(20) An-Nisaa’ 4:76.

Source: MissionIslam

Picture Source: http://blog.taragana.com/n/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/smoking1.gif

Malaria parasites ‘resist drugs’

International scientists say they have found the first evidence of resistance to the world’s most effective drug for treating malaria.

They say the trend in western Cambodia has to be urgently contained because full-blown resistance would be a global health catastrophe.

Drugs are taking longer to clear blood of malaria parasites than before.

This is an early warning sign of emerging resistance to a disease which kills a million people every year.

Until now the most effective drug cleared all malaria parasites from the blood within two or three days but in recent trials this took up to four or five days.

The BBC’s Jill McGivering, reporting from Cambodia, says it is unclear why the region has become a nursery for the resistance – but the local public health system is weak, and the use of anti-malaria drugs is not properly controlled.

Drug defence

The artemesinin family of drugs is the world’s front-line defence against the most prevalent and deadly form of malaria.

Drug resistance in Cambodia

Two teams of scientists, working on separate clinical trials, have reported seeing the disturbing evidence that the drugs are becoming much less effective.

There is particular concern because previous generations of malaria drugs have been undermined by resistance which started in this way, in this part of the world, our correspondent reports.

The World Health Organization warned in 2006 there was a possibility the malaria parasite could develop a resistance to artemesinin drugs, and that there was particular concern about a decreased sensitivity to the drug being seen in South East Asia.

It urged drug firms to stop selling artemesinin on its own in order to prevent resistance building up.

Early results from two studies by US and UK teams have both revealed the early stages of resistance.

Between a third and a half of patients in the US study saw delayed clearance of the malaria parasite.

In the UK study, patients in the Cambodia arm of the trial took almost twice as long to clear the parasite as a comparison group in Thailand.

Professor Nick Day, director of the Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit which is carrying out the UK study, said: “Twice in the past, South East Asia has made a gift, unwittingly, of drug resistant parasites to the rest of the world, in particular to Africa,” he said.

“That’s the problem. We’ve had chloroquine and SP (sulfadoxine pyrimethamine) resistance, both of which have caused major loss of life in Africa,” he said in reference to earlier generation anti-malarial drugs.

“If the same thing happens again, the spread of a resistant parasite from Asia to Africa, that will have devastating consequences for malaria control,” he said.

Prof Brian Greenwood, Professor of Tropical Medicine at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, described the findings as a matter for concern, even though treatment still worked if a full course of artemisinin combination therapy (ACT) was taken.

“There is currently no need for panic but it would be serious if these partially resistant parasites reached Africa where great gains in malaria control are currently being made using ACTs and insecticide-treated bed nets,” he said.

Health systems

Cambodia has long been a laboratory for malaria investigators and a nursery of anti-malaria drug resistance.

The fight against malaria has lasted generations

Alongside a weak public health system and poorly-controlled drug use, there are many fake drugs, produced by international criminals.

These fakes often contain a small amount of the real drug to fool tests, which can also help to fuel resistance.

Those working to control malaria are calling for urgent action to contain this emerging resistance.

If it strengthens and spreads, they warn, many millions of lives will be at risk. About half the world’s population faces exposure to the disease.

Source: BBC

Insufficient cheaper alternatives and a large former refugee population are fuelling tree-felling and dependence on charcoal in the self-declared republic of Somaliland, adversely affecting the environment, say analysts.

Most urban households use charcoal for everyday cooking. “We use a sack of charcoal every four days because our family is large,” said Zahra Omar, a mother of 12, in the capital, Hargeisa.

According to a 2007 study by the Academy for Peace and Development, more than 2.5 million trees are felled annually and burned for charcoal in Somaliland. The report stated that each household in Somaliland consumed an equivalent of 10 trees a month.

Deforestation exacerbates soil erosion and reduces rainfall availability. Trees are also important in carbon fixing – reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Despite charcoal prices going up since 1991 with the resettlement of former refugees, demand remains high. “Before, 10 years ago, one sack of charcoal [cost] only 5,000 Somaliland shillings [US$0.76] but now here in Hargeisa it is about Sh30,000 [$5],” said Nimo Ahmed, a resident. “When [it] rains… charcoal [becomes] more expensive… because [the] trees become wet.”

High and rising gas prices have also encouraged charcoal use. Previously, Nimo said, gas was cheaper than charcoal but the price has increased dramatically, with one litre of gas now costing about Sh4,000 ($0.61) up from Sh1,500 ($0.23).

Source: AllAfrica