Pork Causes More Illness

Some diabetics and others with weakened immune systems may do well to steer clear of chitterlings, a dish consisting of boiled pig intestines that is served up as traditional holiday fare in the Southern US. A 12-year-old boy with poorly controlled diabetes became seriously ill after eating the food in three separate Christmas dinners.

The child was hospitalized with enteritis necroticans, a potentially life-threatening intestinal infection that is rare in America and causes severe stomach pain, vomiting of blood and low blood pressure. The boy eventually had to have surgery to restore his intestinal function. The culprit turned out to be a chitterlings-contaminating bacterium known as Clostridium perfringens type C, which produces a toxin that is lethal to tissue in the digestive tract. Even cooking the chitterlings, however, may not rid them of bacteria.

More common in developing countries, enteritis necroticans can occur in children who eat large amounts of pork or in those who consume large meals after a period of starvation. Other factors that can contribute to the illness are protein malnutrition, and the consumption of sweet potatoes, which can interfere with the breakdown of the bacterial toxin in the intestines.

(From The New England Journal of Medicine April 27, 2000;342:1250-1253)

COMMENT BY DR. MERCOLA: This may seem like some rare arcane unimportant issue, but I take it as a confirmation of the importance of avoiding scavenger animals like pigs. I have included other references from previous newsletters which also medically support avoiding pork and ham to avoid the risk of parasites and viruses which are frequently not destroyed with cooking. (Dr. Joseph Mercola is an osteopathic physician and author of 'The Total Health Program.' He was also chairman of the family medicine department at St. Alexius Medical Center from 1988-1993)

In the Quran, Chapter Al-Baqarah verse 173, Allah said, "He hath forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that on which any other name hath been invoked besides that of Allah. But if one is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits,- then is he guiltless. For Allah is Oft-forgiving Most Merciful."

Islamic Fasting And Health

By Shahid Athar, M. D.

In the Quran Allah said, "O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you, as it was prescribed for those before you so that you may (learn) self-restraint." (Al-Baqarah verse 183)

Dr. Soliman, from the University Hospital, Amman, Jordan has reported that during the month of Ramadan 1404 AH (June-July, 1984 AD) healthy Muslim volunteers; 42 males and 26 females, ranging in age from 15-64 and 16-28 years respectively were studied. They were weighed and their blood levels of cortisol, testosterone, Na, K, urea, glucose, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides (TG) and serum osmolality were measured at the beginning and at the end of Ramadan.

There was significant loss of weight in males form a mean of 73.8 +- 6.2 kg 72.0+- 7.1 kg (P less than 0.01) and in females from 55.2 +- 4.8 to 54.6 +- 4.2 kg (P less than 0.05). Blood glucose levels rose in males from 77.7 +- 23.6 mg/dl to 90.2 mg/dl (P less than 0.05) and in females from 76.0 +- 7 mg/dl to 84.5 +- I 1.1 mg/dl (P less than 0.002). All other parameters did not show significant changes.

Dr. F. Azizi and his associates from the University of Medical sciences, Tehran, Iran has reported the following. Serum levels of glucose, bilirubin, calcium, phosphorous, protein, albumin, FSH, LH, testosterone, prolactin, TSH, TI, TI, and T uptake, as well as prolactin and TSH responses to TRH were evaluated in group of nine healthy men before and on the 10th, 20th and 29th days of Ramadan. Mean body weight decreased from 65.4 +- 9.1 to 61.6 +- 9.0 kg at 29th day. Serum glucose decreased from 82 +- 4 mg/dl on the 10th day, and increased thereafter (76 +- 3 and 84 +- 5 on the 20th and 29th days of fasting respectively). Serum bilirubin increased from 0.56 +- 0.17 to 1.43 +- 52 mg/dl on the 10th day, and decreased thereafter (I. I.+- 0.4 on the 20th and 29th days.) All Changes returned to basal values four weeks after fasting.

There were no significant changes in serum levels of Ca, P, protein, albumin, and any of measured hormones. Prolactin and TSH responses to TRH were also unaltered. He concluded that: (1) Intermittent abstinence from food and drink for 17 hours a day for 29 days does not alter male reproductive hormones, hypothalainic-pituitary-thyroid axis or peripheral metabolism of thyroid hormones and (2) Physicians caring for Muslims should be aware of changes of glucose and bilirubin during Ramadan.

Therefore it is concluded from the above two studies that Islamic fasting does not cause any adverse medical effect and may have some beneficial effect on weight and lipid metabolism.

(Source: Medical Aspects Of Islamic Fasting Shahid Athar, M.D. Shahid Athar M.D. is Clinical Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, Indiana University School of Medicine Indianapolis, Indiana)

Penegakkan Negara Yang strategik

Penegakan negara Islam yang pertama di Madinah tidak akan berlaku tanpa perancangan yang rapi dan usaha yang gigih oleh nabi dan para sahabat. Titik tolak kepada penegakan itu ialah dakwah secara terbuka yang dilakukan oleh nabi kepada bangsa Arab. Nabi menyedari ketika datangnya musim haji bangsa-bangsa Arab dari luar Mekah akan datang berhimpun di kota Mekah.

Oleh kerana golongan Quraisy menolak risalah baginda, nabi tidak mahu membuang masa menanti pengislaman mereka. Baginda mengubah strategi dan terus melonjakkan dakwah Islam ke tahap yang lebih tinggi dengan menyampaikan risalah Islam kepada orang-orang luar Mekah.

Lonjakan dakwah ini memberi kesan yang amat positif kerana golongan Aus dan Khazraj dari Madinah terkesan dengan dakwah itu. Pada tahun ke-12 kebangkitan Rasul, berlakulah Perjanjian Aqabah Pertama antara nabi dengan 12 orang wakil dari Madinah. Dalam perjanjian itu wakil-wakil dari Madinah berjanji untuk mentauhidkan Allah serta meninggalkan perbuatan yang diharamkan terutamanya mencuri, berzina, membunuh anak-anak perempuan, berbohong dan melakukan khianat.

Ketika mereka kembali ke Madinah nabi telah mengutus sahabat baginda yang bernama Mus’ab bin Umair bersama-sama mereka bertujuan untuk memperluaskan dakwah dan mendidik masyarakat di Madinah tentang Islam. Strategi ini amat berkesan sekali kerana kesan dari usaha Mus’ab, tokoh-tokoh Arab yang penting di Madinah seperti Saad bin Muaz dan Usaid bin Hudair memeluk agama Islam.

Pengislaman mereka merangsang orang-orang lain memeluk Islam sehingga memungkinkan berlakunya Perjanjian Aqabah Kedua di Mekah pada tahun ke-13 hijrah. Perjanjian ini melibatkan 73 orang lelaki dan 2 orang wanita. Dalam perjanjian ini mereka berjanji untuk membela nabi sebagaimana mereka membela keluarga mereka sendiri hingga ke titisan darah yang terakhir.

Selepas perjanjian itu nabi melantik 12 orang dari kalangan mereka menjadi nuqabak atau penggerak utama dakwah di Madinah. Perjanjian ini menjadi titik tolak kepada hijrah dan penegakan negara Islam di Madinah kemudiannya.


Dalam konteks perancangan dan strategi, kisah ini merupakan satu kisah yang amat baik untuk dikaji dan dianalisis. Dalam proses untuk menegakkan negara Islam, baginda mementingkan lima aspek asas iaitu,

• Tempat yang strategik.
  
• Dakwah dan pendidikan yang berterusan.
  
• Pendukung dan pejuang yang komited.
  
• Penggunaan sumber tenaga manusia secara efektif.
  
• Persaudaraan Islam.