Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) once asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
“O Messenger of Allah, which people are most severely tested?”
The Prophet (pbuh) replied:
“The Prophets, then the next best and the next best.
A person is tested according to his religious commitment. If he is steadfast in his religious commitment, he will be tested more severely, and if he is frail in his religious commitment, his test will be according to his commitment.
Trials will continue to afflict a person until they leave him walking on the earth with no sin on him.” (Ibn Majah)
Tests Are Inevitable
This life is nothing but a test; each and every situation we go through is part of this test. This test reveals our level of faith and commitment; it also purifies us from our sins as explained by the Prophet in the above hadith.
{Do people think once they say, “We believe,” that they will be left without being put to the test? We certainly tested those before them. And ˹in this way˺ Allah will clearly distinguish between those who are truthful and those who are liars.} (Al-`Ankabut 29:2-3)
Here are some inspiring reflections about these verses, collected from QuranReflect.com
Sajid
The imam recited these verses for fajr today, there was something about his recitation, in a spaced out masjid. Still missing some of the familiar faces that use to come before Covid that caused me to reflect.
We all know that were gonna be tested, yet when it comes, we’re always unprepared. We all know we’re going to die one day, yet when it comes, we’re always unprepared. There’s something about us, that even after knowing. We don’t know anything. We keep forgetting as our name Insaan implies.
Everyone has their unique test, and sometimes while reading reflections we can notice the trials that others are facing, but we can also learn how others are clinging on to some verses or passages to help them with their trials.
Sometimes our reflections save others that are suffering silently. So the reflection here is not really profound, but just a question. Imagine yourself in Jannah, The Prophet pbuh asks you, “and what was the trial that your Lord tested you with?”
Khalil Ismail
Faith. Imaan is truly something special. It’s not inherited like our genetic makeup…and it’s not something you simply just have. Imaan is a gift from Allah swt, a truly special gift that we must guard, nurture, and keep kindled.
And though Imaan is natural, it requires that we put in work to keep it alive. As we move through this dunya, and gather our life experiences, how we build and structure those pieces often shape our experience of Imaan. How we use the guidance that Allah swt gives us, determines the value of our Imaan…and how long we can make it last.
Allah swt asks us in the second ayah from surat al-ankaboot: اَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ اَنۡ يُّتۡرَكُوۡۤا اَنۡ يَّقُوۡلُوۡۤا اٰمَنَّا وَهُمۡ لَا يُفۡتَـنُوۡنَ “Do the people think that they will be left to say, “We believe” and they will not be tested?“
Allah promises us that he will test us…If we are to call ourselves believers, then we guarantee a test from our creator!
And subhanAllah sometimes these tests are difficult. And we know that Al-Rahmaan reminds us in Surat Al-Baqarah: لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا “Allah will not burden a soul with more than what they can handle” (2:286)
Think about the last time you felt your faith was weak that you’ve perhaps given up hope. That feeling of despair, not being able to see. Missing the light of Iman, is in and of itself a test from Allah.
How beautiful is it that our Creator gives us the answer to rekindling our Imaan, and seeking help: وَاسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلَّا عَلَى الْخَاشِعِينَ “And seek help through patience and prayer, and this indeed, is a hard thing for all but the humble in spirit.” (2:45)
Faith is not static…when we need Allah the most , we often feel the strong unwavering warmth of Imaan…but at other times it dims and flickers. Perhaps a test from Allah is an opportunity to humble ourselves to Him…and a chance for us to rekindle our taqwa of Him.
O Allah, replace our fears with your Remembrance. O Allalh, replace our doubts, with seeking your forgiveness. O Allah, allow us to keep the fire of Iman alive in our hearts , till we meet you.. ameen
If I were to ask you now: What are the six pillars of faith? would you know the answer?
To be productive in seeking knowledge we have to know the basics first.
Someone once gave a good tip on how to memorize the six pillars of faith: We believe in Allah (pillar one), Who created the angels (pillar two) and sent His books (pillar three) with His Messengers (pillar four) to warn about the Last Day (pillar five) and all of this is destiny (pillar six)!
Let’s talk about our belief in one of those pillars: belief that the life of this world will come to an end. The question to you is: what does your belief in the Last Day mean to you in your daily life?
We’ll learn about the concept of ‘hasaba’ and about one of the most powerfuldhikr to battle any challenge in life and I mean any!
Allah Al-Haseeb, The Reckoner, mentions this dhikr in one of the most powerful and important verses of the Quran:
Those to whom hypocrites said, “Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them.” But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, “Sufficient for us is Allah and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs. (3:173)
What is Hasaba?
Hasaba in Arabic means reckoning, counting, and calculating. It also means to suffice and to be sufficient and it repeats 109 times in the Quran. What does ‘hasaba’ have to do with your belief in the Last Day? The Day of Judgment is also called: Yawm-ul Hisbaab, the Day of Account and the dhikr we learn today is straight related to this dreadful day and to any hardship you face in life!
The Hisab
Imagine you are standing there. Sweating. Scared. Trembling. Naked. Barefooted. Uncircumcised. Then the Lord of the Worlds will start speaking to you, directly with no translator, no intermediary.
Can you imagine what will go through your mind? Wouldn’t you wish you left that bad habit? You helped your oppressed brothers and sisters? You read the Quran?
The Prophet said:
..The person will look to his right, and will not see anything but his deeds. Then the person will look in front of himself and will see nothing but the hellfire facing him. So protect yourself from Hellfire even by giving a charity of half a date. (Al-Bukhari)
It’s all about that moment now; will you get your book of deeds in your right hand or in your left, will you go to Jannah or to the blazing Fire? Now the questioning starts… the moment of the hisaab, your final account. Yawm-ul Hisaab is the day when you will see records of all your deeds and you will be held accountable for them. Imagine your mouth being sealed and all your limbs will start revealing what they were used for by you..Allah says:
On the day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions. (Quran 24:24)
The Dhikr
One of the most powerful dhikr taught to you in the Quran and the Sunnah which you can and should use for all challenges you might ever face is:
Hasbuna Allahu wa ni’ma-l wakeel means: Allah is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs. And here are its facts:
Say it when you Fear Yawm-ul Hisaab
Remember Yawm-ul Hisaab? The Prophet said:
How can I feel at ease when the Angel of the Trumpet, (Israfil) has put his lips to the Trumpet and is waiting for the order to blow it?” He (the Prophet) perceived as if this had shocked his Companions, so he told them to seek comfort through reciting: ‘Hasbuna Allahu wa ni’ma-l wakeel.’
It was the Dua of the Prophet Ibrahim
Can you imagine fire getting cool? These were the words of our father Ibrahim. Ibn ‘Abbas said:
When (Prophet) Ibrahim was thrown into the fire, he said: “Allah (Alone) is sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs.
It was the Instruction of Allah in the Quran!
In a seemingly overpowering situation this is what the Prophet and the Companions exclaimed and so should we!
But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said: Sufficient for us is Allah and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs.
Have you seen our oppressed brothers and sisters on the news, raising their finger and saying ‘hasbuna Allahu wa ni’ma-l wakeel!’ while they are in the most terrifying situations?
Saying this means: Hasbuna Allah: from hasaba, meaning ‘sufficient for us’. It means that you know that Allah is sufficient for you. He is the Bestower and Withholder and that only He can remove any harm. Wa ni’mal wakeel: meaning ‘and He is the Best Disposer of affairs’.
This means that you put your trust in Him and leave your matters to Him to take care of. It means you accept His decree and submit to Him. Saying this dhikr, remind yourself of the hisaab, your belief in the Day of Judgment and being accountable for all your deeds.
This dhikr is the healing touch in your life and a true productivity tip from the Quran and the Sunnah to face life’s hardships!
Muslims accept the original unaltered Torah (as revealed to Prophet Moses, peace be upon him). Muslims also accept the original unaltered Bible (as revealed to Prophet Jesus, peace be upon him). These original scriptures were revealed by God (Allah).
Muslims believe that none of these scriptures exist today in their original form or in their entirety.
Muslims believe that The Quran is the final preserved Word of God. Muslims do not believe that the Quran was written by Muhammad (peace be upon him); rather it was revealed to him through the Archangel Gabriel over a period of 23 years.
Muslims believe that the Quran we have today is the same Quran revealed to Prophet Muhammad more than 1400 years. It was neither altered nor corrupted. The Quran contains no mistakes or contradictions.
Time-Bound Revelations
Previous prophets were sent to a particular group of people and their message was supposed to be followed for a particular time period.
*{And [make him] a messenger to the Children of Israel…}* (Quran 3:49)
In the Bible, we read:
“These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.” (Mathew 10:5-8, King James Version)
Elsewhere we read:
“But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Mathew 15:24, King James Version)
Since previous revelations were time-bound, God did not preserve them Himself.
Final Revelation
Muslims believe that since Prophet Muhammad is the final prophet, he was not sent to Muslims nor the Arabs only, but he was sent to the whole of mankind. Indeed, there is no Prophet that will come after him.
We read in the Quran what gives the meaning of:
*{And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds.}* (Quran 21:107)
Therefore, God preserved the Quran Himself and did not leave the preservation process to the Arabs or Muslims as He entrusted the rabbis and the scholars of the previous nations to preserve their scriptures.
The Quran and Previous Books
Muslims believe that the Quran cannot be compared with the previous Scriptures. The Quran is unique in many aspects. It is the final revelation to mankind. Previous scriptures were sent to their respective people only. The Quran is universal.
The previous scriptures did not contain everything as the Quran does. The Quran is miraculous, and God challenged the Arabs to produce the like of it, but they could not.
The Bible the Christians have today is not the complete word of God. Christian scholars maintain that the Bible is a mixture. It contains the word of God and the word of the Prophets. It also contains history and it contains even pornography. There are many contradictions in the Bible and there are many scientific errors in it. Therefore, Muslims accept only that part of the Bible which is in consistency with the teachings of the Quran.
Preservation of The Previous Revelations
We read in the Quran what means:
*{Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light. The prophets who submitted [to Allah ] judged by it for the Jews, as did the rabbis and scholars by that with which they were entrusted of the Scripture of Allah, and they were witnesses thereto. So, do not fear the people but fear Me, and do not exchange My verses for a small price. And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed – then it is those who are the disbelievers.}* (Quran 5:44)
Muhammad Asad comments on this verse saying:
“The Law of Moses (the Torah) was intended only for the Children of Israel, and was never meant to have universal validity. The expression “some of God’s writ (kitab)” implies that the Torah did not exhaust the whole of God’s revelation, and that more was yet to be revealed. The “messages” referred to in this verse relate to the Qur’an as well as to the Biblical prophecies concerning the advent of Muhammad.” (Message of the Qur’an, 221)
The people of the previous nations were tested with preserving their scriptures, but they failed the test. We read in the Quran what means:
*{So woe to those who write the “scripture” with their own hands, then say, “This is from Allah,” in order to exchange it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn.}* (Quran 2:79)
Previous books were corrected and fixed by later prophets and books. But as Islam is the final revelation, its book, the Quran, was not followed by other books. There is no religion after Islam and there is no revelation after the Quran.
Preservation of The Quran
Therefore, it is normal that God himself shouldered the responsibility of the preservation process of the Quran.
We read in the Quran:
*{Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur’an and indeed, We will be its guardian.}* (Quran 15:9}*
*{And We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a criterion over it. So, judge between them by what Allah has revealed and do not follow their inclinations away from what has come to you of the truth. To each of you We prescribed a law and a method. Had Allah willed, He would have made you one nation [united in religion], but [He intended] to test you in what He has given you; so race to [all that is] good. To Allah is your return all together, and He will [then] inform you concerning that over which you used to differ.}* (Quran 5:48)
Based on the above, there was no need for the previous Books to be preserved, especially since the time of the Quran was close to the time of the Gospel, and there were only six hundred years between them.
The Muslims themselves were very keen on preserving their final book through oral and written transmission. Indeed, the Quran is so easy to be memorized that children learn it by heart and even non-Arabs find it easy to memorize.
Our thoughts and emotions can affect our physical health.
Chemical messengers called neuropeptides connect our systems, organs, and cells.
Chronic stress can down-regulate our immune system’s ability to fight invaders and infections.
Mental state and thought patterns are reflected in our physical health. Our thoughts are stored somehow in all our cells. They dictate cells’ actions and reactions; they relate happiness and health or condemn misery and disease.
Dr. Candice Pert, the internationally recognized pharmacologist who discovered the Opiate Receptor in the brain, spent years researching and exploring neuropeptides. She calls them ‘molecules of emotions’.
These are chemical messengers circulating in our body, connecting our systems, organs, and cells. They have receptors on all body cells. The receptors for neuropeptides that signal brain happiness, elevated mood, or motivation, for instance, can also be found in our white blood cells, stomach, intestine lining, and gonads.
Does this mean that our immune cells, our stomach, and all our organs feel and understand our mood and emotions, as well as our brain, can perceive them? Dr. Pert surely believes so.
When you are sad, every cell in your body feels sad: your stomach is sad, your immune cells are sad, your liver is sad, your gallbladder is sad…when you are depressed, angry, frustrated, motivated, joyful, hopeful, grateful… all these emotions are converted into ‘molecules of emotions’ that deliver the message all over your body to every cell of your being.
Whenever you feel a physical symptom creeping in, look for the mental pattern that triggered it, teaches Dr. Deepack Chopra. For every illness, there is a mental pattern. Why don’t all people fall ill in epidemics, or catch cold in the flu season?
Why don’t identical twins show the same pattern of cancer, allergies, hypertension, diabetes, or heart problems if these, as we use to think, are gene-related?
The vulnerability is there in the genes and the viruses and bacteria could surely be there in the air, but they need a fertile land to grow and manifest their symptoms.
Stress: Ailment of Our Modern Society
When we are under stress or in emotional distress, when we hold anger, envy, fear or grudge, these feelings are translated in our body into chemical reactions led by a series of hormones, neuropeptides, and neurotransmitters.
Our brains don’t differentiate between real or hypothetical danger. Whether you are attacked by a tiger or by the stock market index, the same stress hormones are released in your system: A blast of adrenaline that activates a fight or flight response. It raises your blood pressure, pumps sugar into your blood, speeds up your heartbeat’s rate and slows down your digestion.
The difference here is that in case of an attacking tiger, your running, fighting or fleeing dissipate the excess sugar in your blood and use up the extra energy, and as you retreat away from the danger, your whole system can rest and restore its natural state.
On the other hand, when the attacking agent is an unfair boss, a global economic crisis, a disturbing teenager or an abusing spouse, you do not run for your life, you just sit on your sofa fretting.
The triggered fight and flight response is thus here to stay and your adrenal glands keep pumping more hormones into your system; you stay alarmed, your cortisol level rises and with it comes further an increase in blood sugar levels and reduction of the immune response.
Chronic stress down-regulates our immune system’s ability to fight invaders and infections. It suppresses immune cell proliferation, hinders antibodies production, and suppresses the function of natural killer cells, the cells responsible for attacking tumor (including cancer cells), viruses and abnormal growth.
Mind/Body Connection
Noradrenaline is a neurotransmitter that increases in our body when we are happy and fulfilled. (Image: Neurotransmitter – Chemical Synapse).
Science is increasingly proving the connection between mind and body. Reovirus, for instance, the causative agent for the common cold, is thought to use the receptor of noradrenaline to enter into the body cells.
Noradrenaline is a neurotransmitter that increases in our body when we are happy and fulfilled. When the level of this neurotransmitter is elevated, it occupies its receptors, making them unavailable for viral use. That’s why we rarely catch a cold when we are in a good mood, satisfied and cheerful.
The idea of mind/body connection is as old as the famous Pavlov dogs of the 1920s that were conditioned to salivate upon hearing the bell without even seeing the food.
Later, In the 30s Russian scientists proved that not only our digestive system but our immune system could also be voluntarily conditioned. They injected rabbits and Guinea pigs with a mild bacterial shot to boost their immune system and coupled this immune-boosting function with a physical stimulus such as trumpet blast.
By the time, experimented animals have been able to boost their immunity upon hearing the trumpet sound alone.
Researches show that a mere dummy pill (placebo) can reduce pain, adjust blood pressure, and even dissolve tumors if the patient really believes in its effect.
Scientists now know that the placebo pill actually achieves its effect through triggering the body to release its ‘endogenous pharmaceutics’.
Our body has an amazing internal pharmacy with a cure for every condition and malfunction. It secretes it in the precisely needed dose, and in the perfect time and location. It has the power to reduce hypertension, alleviate pain, prevent platelet aggregation that blocks arteries, and the list goes on.
Psychoneuroimmunology: Healing Power of Mind
Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) is a relatively new, yet rapidly growing field of science. The name PNI was coined in 1975, by Dr. Robert Ader, the Director of the Division of Behavioral and Psychosocial Medicine at New York’s University of Rochester, to denote the relation between the psyche (our feelings, moods, and emotions), the nervous system (our thoughts and perceptions), and our physical health (immune system and hormonal production).
In the 70s, Ader studied the unconscious ability to condition our immune system. Laboratory animals were given an immune-suppressive drug in saccharin sweetened solutions. Later, when the drug wasn’t administered, it only took the sweet taste to reduce their immunity.
It wasn’t until the 90s thought that science could finally prove that we could actually control our immune functions consciously. Self-hypnosis, guided imagery, biofeedback, and visualization have been shown, without doubt, to boost immune system performance, increase white blood cell count, decrease plaque formation, and reduce hypertension.
After years of denial, our world is starting to acknowledge this amazing fact. Today, we know that tiny cancerous growths are continuously formed in our body and it is the job of a healthy immune system with its natural killer cells to surround and eliminate these tumors.
Since our emotions can be physiologically regarded as body releases of specific chemicals (molecules of emotions), thus, depression, chronic stress or suppression of emotions result in massive disturbance of these chemicals’ natural flow. And, this, in turn, affects the performance of our immune system. Could this trigger cancer formation? Many physicians and naturopaths believe so, but we are yet to prove it scientifically.
Let’s Get Practical with Our Subconscious Mind
Our analytical logical understanding is a function of our conscious mind, yet for the change to actually occur, we need to reach the unconscious mind.
All honest emotions are healthy emotions. There are no good or bad emotions. How we express them and act upon them is what matters.
The first step in dealing with stress, releasing negative emotions and/or changing a belief pattern is acknowledgment. We need to acknowledge our human needs and weaknesses; we need to acknowledge our right to feel angry, hurt, frustrated, anxious, or disappointed.
Next, we need to take control of our own actions, assume responsibility for our life, and choose the appropriate way of reaction. Learn and heed the lesson then let it go. Only then we can genuinely replace our distorted feelings with a positive image of love and care and achieve our true healing be it physical, emotional or spiritual.
You can read a book or attend a lecture about health and healing, understand and memorize every word, be totally convinced and committed, but will the required changes automatically appear in your life and become easily reflected on your state of health.
Unfortunately, the answer is No. Our analytical logical understanding is a function of our conscious mind, yet for the change to actually occur, we need to reach the unconscious mind. The unconscious mind is the one that actually controls our behaviors, reflexes, and stores our beliefs. It’s the one that holds the key to actual changes and healing and it is “millions of times more powerful than the conscious mind” according to Dr. Bruce Lipton.
But, how can I reach it? You might wonder. Lipton explains that the unconscious mind is a habit mind, it understands by repetition. Sincerely repeat, repeat and repeat the same action, belief and thought pattern over and over again until it becomes a habit, only then your unconscious mind will ‘get it’ and you will start to see some changes.
Ask anyone who tried to change his eating habits, exercise pattern, or lifestyle… it is never easy. In general, it is a “6, 6, 36 rule”. We need 6 weeks to abort a bad habit, 6 weeks to adopt a new one, and 36 weeks for it to become part of our new lifestyle.
From the point of view of neuroscience it is the brain that controls the body and not the heart, though the heart has its own role in the functioning of the body.
In the context, there is a confusion that arises from the way we use words like “heart” and “head” (in the sense of brain) in language.
A Linguistic Introduction
We need to understand that the use of words varies from language to language. There cannot be an exact translation of words in one language to another language unless they refer to concrete objects or things that are easily recognized.
But in language, we use symbols and metaphors as well as idioms which defy easy translation or understanding by the speaker of a different language.
Because each language is the medium of expression of a particular community and of its culture derived from their specific experience, we often cannot find exact equivalents in one language for concepts expressed in another language.
For example, the Eskimos have several words to depict subtle changes in the snow, which the Arabic language doesn’t have; so the people of Arabia cannot properly understand the shades of meaning expressed by those words.
Now about the use of the word, qalb (meaning ‘heart’) in the Quran:
In several languages including the English language, the word “heart” is understood to be the seat of emotions, and the word “head” the seat of intellect. Incidentally this has nothing to do with the latest findings of scientific investigations into the working of the heart or the brain.
Remember no heart surgeon has so far discovered any trace of any emotion – say sorrow or happiness – in any heart they have cut open. And science tells us that the brain controls the functions of the body; but no neurosurgeon so far has been able to discover any proof for the presence of intelligence in any brain they have operated upon.
Feelings & Consciousness
As conscious beings, we have a feeling that our consciousness or mind is somewhere in the region of our heart. This has been the feeling of humans from the very beginning, and we use expressions like: “I speak from the bottom of my heart”, “a heart to heart talk”, “heart has its reasons, which reason doesn’t know”, etc. The Holy Quran comes in the language of humans; otherwise it wouldn’t be understood by humans. And so we do not have any difficulty in understanding verses like the following:
{In their hearts is disease, so Allah has increased their disease; and for them is a painful punishment because they [habitually] used to lie.} (Quran 2:10)
{Then your hearts became hardened after that, being like stones or even harder.} (Quran 2:74)
The word “heart” in the above verses does not actually mean the organ that we call the heart in our chest, but it stands metaphorically for our mental disposition or behavior.
There are several verses, where “heart” (qalb) is used for reason or power of understanding and judgment, such as the following:
{Will they not, then, ponder over this Qur’an? – or are there locks upon their hearts?} (Quran 47:24)
{So, have they not traveled through the earth and have hearts by which to reason and ears by which to hear? For indeed, it is not eyes that are blinded, but blinded are the hearts which are within the breasts.} (Quran 22:46)
The Ability to Understand
In the two verses quoted above, the word “hearts” stands for the ability to understand, to analyze, and to apply logic and reason. Here too the Quranic use of the word “heart” does not signify the physical organ in our chest.
It stands for reasoning power, analytical acumen, logical faculty, and such other capabilities usually associated with the “mind”.
The function of the brain and the heart as discovered by medical science is concerned with the human body and it has little relevance to the hearts mentioned by the Quran.
But it is also noteworthy that recent researches in the relevant fields show that even our heart contains neurons similar to those in the brain, and the brain and the heart work in close connection creating a symbiotic whole.
David Paterson, Professor at Oxford University, is the head of a team of researchers in the field of cardiac neurobiology that covers the two areas of the brain and the heart.
His work shows that our heart also contains thousands of specialized neurons, predominantly located around the right ventricle surface, forming a complex network.
Neurons are what allow our brain to form thoughts. While much about the neurons in our heart is still unknown, one thing is sure — the ‘brain’ in our heart communicates back and forth with the brain in head. It’s a two-way street.
The above finding of science gives a support to the Quranic use of the word “heart” to depict both the emotional and the intellectual capacity of humankind.
Blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, is only permissible in Islam when performed to correct a deformity or medical condition. Cosmetic surgery for beautification alone is considered altering Allah’s creation unnecessarily and is not allowed.
You are allowed to resort to such a procedure only if it is considered an abnormality. If it is not by a condition of people of some ethnic background, then it is not allowed.
According to the teachings of Islam, our body–including all of our physical faculties– is a trust from God in our hands, which we are required to protect and preserve according to the best of our ability.
Consequently, we are not allowed to alter or tamper with them unnecessarily; we are only permitted to interfere with them to correct a natural deformity or repair or remedy an ailment. Any other form of interference or tampering with our body is akin to altering Allah’s creation, which has been condemned in the Quran.
We read in the Quran that Satan, the accursed one, has pledged to Allah that he will be tirelessly working to lead humans unto ways of perdition and self-destruction: {And I will surely lead them astray, and arouse desires in them, and command them, and they will cut the cattle’s ears, and I will surely command them, and they will change Allah’s creation.” Whoever chooses the Devil for a friend instead of Allah is assuredly a loser, and his loss is manifest.} (An-Nisa 4:119)
While reflecting on the above verse, we must also read the following statements of Allah in the Quran: {There is no altering Allah’s creation.} (Ar-Rum 30:30); {Do not cast yourselves into destruction by your own hands.} (Al-Baqarah 2:195)
In light of the above, body piercing, tattooing, branding, etc., all fall in the category of unnecessary interference, alteration, and mutilation of Allah’s creation. Therefore, no Muslim who is conscious of his religion should ever contemplate such activities.
Neither are such procedures harmless physical refinements as they are often imagined to be. Rather, the truth is that these procedures have often been associated with numerous health hazards. Sensitive body parts, such as tongues, lips, eyelids, etc., are more prone to being easily infected and thus becoming carriers of diseases, some of which may even be fatal. There is nothing at all surprising about all of these, for every unnecessary tampering with Allah’s creation is bound to produce adverse repercussions.
It’s reported by Abu Hurairah that, “Allah never inflicts a disease unless he makes a cure for it…” (Sahih Bukhari).
Some of us may assume that this cure is always medical or herbal, but the hadith doesn’t state that. Two of the greatest cures Allah has given us for heart disease are foods that the Prophet (SAW) ate: whole wheat and barley.
Both of them provide multiple benefits in the fight against heart disease. They both lower cholesterol and increase proper elimination of wastes by the body. Moreover, they facilitate proper blood clotting and improve general circulation and cellular health.
When Sahl bin Sad was asked, “Did Allah’s Apostle ever eat white flour?” he replied, “Allah’s Apostle never saw white flour [from the time] Allah sent him as an Apostle till He took him unto Him.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari)
Modern science has long been against processed bread, even when they are supposedly “enriched.”
Cheraskin’s book “Diet and Disease” compares enriching white flour with “robbing someone in a dark alley of their clothes and wallet. And then giving them back their underclothes and bus money to get home.”
White flour has no nutritional value. Furthermore, it can leech vitamins and minerals from the body as well.
This is because nutrient-void foods don’t supply all of the nutrients necessary for their digestion; hence, they must take the nutrients that are lacking from the body.
White flour can even mimic white sugar, creating problems for the hypoglycemic or diabetic person (Pritchard, Healing with Whole Foods).
Whole Grain Wheat
According to nutritionists Jean Anderson and Barbara Deskin, whole-wheat flour, high in protein and fiber, is far superior in nutrition. Whole grain wheat contains a large amount of Vitamin E, mostly concentrated in its germ layer.
Research on the Vitamin E found in wheat discovered that of 31,000 people studied; those who ate whole wheat bread had a much lower risk of heart disease than those who ate white bread.
Michael H. Davidson, MD, president of the Chicago Center for Clinical Research, says that this is because the Vitamin E in wheat causes the liver to produce less cholesterol.
He found that subjects in his study who consumed ½-cup of wheat germ daily for 14 weeks saw their cholesterol levels drop by 7%.
Although wheat has undeniable health benefits, we need to be aware of the dangers of its overuse. Eaten daily, whole wheat can be detrimental to the health as it causes bloating. Also, it often encourages the growth of unfriendly candida albicanus bacteria in the colon. It can also encourage weight gain and cause allergic reactions in many people when overeaten.
It’s revealing that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) didn’t indulge in regular wheat consumption. Instead, he ate mostly barley and bread made from barley flour.
Abu Hazim narrated (in Sahih Bukhari) that he asked Sahl bin Saad: “How could you eat barely unsifted? He answered, “But we used grind it and then blow off its husk (of the barley).”
Barley is so easily digested that the Prophet even recommended that barley soup (talbinah) be used for all stomach ailments (Sahih Bukhari).
Possessing even more health benefits than wheat, barley is extremely high in calcium and protein, and is far less allergenic. It doesn’t encourage bloating or unhealthy bacterial growth; therefore, while wheat is healthful, barley is better for daily consumption.
Nutritional Blessings
It’s one of the richest sources of tocotrienols. These are powerful antioxidants that reduce damage to the body from dangerous oxygen molecules called free radicals. Additionally, barley reduces the body’s production of cholesterol in the liver.
David Jenkins, MD, professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto says, “Tocotrienols are potentially more powerful antioxidants than other chemical versions of vitamin E.” Barley is also a lot more affordable than most vitamin E supplements on the market.
Furthermore, it contains lignana, found to prevent tiny blood clots from forming – perhaps providing a similar benefit to the popular “daily dose of aspirin” against heart disease.
Just one-half cup of barley contains half the daily requirement for selenium in the diet and almost twenty-percent of the USRDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) of Vitamin E.
Both of these are powerful allies in the fight against cancer. Barley also contains beta-glucan, a type of soluble fiber that forms a gel in the small intestine to which cholesterol binds. And it’s then excreted from the body. This gel-forming action also prevents constipation and colon cancer.
To get barley’s healing benefits, doctors recommend eating it in the same way that the Prophet (SAW) did.
Hulled barley (the husk loosely intact or “blown off”) is superior to processed barley which has been cleaned and scrubbed more than five times to create a quicker-cooking version that lacks most of the barley’s healthful fiber, minerals, and thiamin.
