Islam and Health: An

Introduction

Islamic Global Health

Network (IGHNet)
• Contributors : Abdullatif Husseini,
Izzeldin Hussein, Sherine Shawky and the
(Islamic Global Health Network) IGHNet
• Websites:
Islamic Global Health Network
Islamic Supercourse
 Why the IGHNet?
• Religion plays a major role in the life
of billions around the world.
• There are more than a billion Muslims
around the world. Many of those are
deprived from their basic health needs.
• Islam puts a considerable emphasis on
health and prevention.
 Why the IGHNet?-Continued
• It also provides a wealth of
scientifically sound information on
different health issues.
• It has an established infrastructure
through scholars, Imams, preachers, and
ordinary Muslims which can help in
delivering health information to the
masses.
 Why the IGHNet ?-Continued
• Above all, it is an acceptable and influential mean
of communicating health promotion and disease
prevention information to masses, through its
already established structures, such as mosques.
– (Islam with the internet could do much to
prevent disease) Letter to the editor of the BMJ.
 Tailored Prevention
• Little attention has been paid by modern
public health for prevention tailored
towards Muslims.
• Religion is a major component of the
social life of many communities in the
globe. However, often in prevention we
use the concept of “one size fits all”, with
little recognition of religion or culture in
disease prevention.
Tailored Prevention-Continued
• Religion positive influences can be
incorporated into a strategy for health
promotion and disease prevention,
utilizing recent developments in
information technology (e.g. The internet).
• There are many methods available to
achieve this task, and many more will
become available with continuous
technological development.
The Information Superhighway
• Our goal is to provide access to scientifically
sound and culturally acceptable information
on health promotion and disease prevention, to
all those who need it, using the information
superhighway (The Internet).
• Utilizing this ever-expanding resource will play
a major role in information accumulation and
dissemination to those who need it most.
 The Internet
• A major component of disease prevention,
management and treatment is information
exchange.
• Information transfer can be conducted
utilizing different methods, which vary in
speed, quality and effect.
• The Internet is the fastest, easiest and most
cost-effective method available until now for
achieving our goals.
 Islam and the Internet
• There may be wonderful opportunities to
improve global health. Clearly we need to
harness the new technology of the Internet,
as most of prevention is information
sharing. However, less that 5% of the
worlds are connected.
• Islam, as with most religions are very good
at reaching “the last mile”, the poor who
are not connected, but who have the highest
disease burden.
Islam and the Internet-Continued
• Having the Internet be the backbone of
prevention information for Islam and other
religions and using the existing information
sharing capabilities could have a powerful
effect in disseminating the most potent
prevention systems worldwide.
• Thus the Internet alone cannot reach those
across the health and digital gap, but the
Internet connected with religion potentially
can.
 IGHNet
• We have initiated the development of a
network of professionals interested in Islam,
the Internet and Prevention from all parts
of the world.
• This network is open to all those interested
in exploring the wealth of information that
religious sources bear on our mental,
physical and social health. We have begun
by establishing (Islamic Global Health
Network) homepage.
 The Islamic Supercourse
• An internet-based Islamic Supercourse was also
established, including a variety of lectures on
Islam and health, and other topics.
• Since this is an exploration into the impact of
religion on our holistic concept of health,
research into this area will be important for all
religions. We look forward to professionals of
all faiths to join this global community.
 Health Principles in Islam
• In the following few slides we will go
rapidly through few selected
examples of the health principles
and prevention measures
encouraged and promoted in Islam.
– Source: Health promotion through
Islamic lifestyles “The Amman
Declaration” WHO-EMRO, 1989.
 Hygienic Principles

• Cleanliness is a pillar of health in

Islam.
The Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him, said:
"Cleanliness is part of being faithful.“
"It is incumbent upon any Muslim to wash
his head and body every seventh day."
 Washing Hands
• Hands should be washed when one
touches something polluted or unclean;
likewise, before or after eating.
The Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him, said:
"Whoever sleeps and his hands are not
clean from fat and thereby gets harmed
should blame no one but himself".
"The Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him, used to
wash his hands before eating."
 Brushing the Teeth
• Consists of rubbing the teeth with a
miswak or a toothbrush and is
necessary for preserving the health
of teeth and gums.
The Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him, said:
"Brushing the teeth purifies the mouth
and is likable to God."
 Food Contamination
• Islam commands food to be covered
and not left exposed to pollution.

The Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him, said:

" Always cover food utensils."
"Always cover food and drinks."
 Disease Prevention
• Islam ordains the taking of all steps to
protect against disease.
The Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him, said:
"Do not harm yourselves or others."
"Do not let those infected transmit their disease
to those who are healthy.
"If you know that plague is raging in a specific
land do not enter it and if it happens in a land
where you are, do not seek to leave it."
 Treatment of Disease
• Islam requires people to treat illness,
especially if the treatment protects
against development of the disease or
of other more serious diseases.
The Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him, said:
"Seek treatment, for God creates diseases along
with their cure."
"For every illness there is a medicine; if the right
medicine is given there will be a cure."
 FUTURE
• These are the first steps of the IGHNet
in exploring the unlimited possibilities
to spread the axiom that governs the
universe (religion) using the ultra-
modern tool (internet), for health
promotion and disease prevention.
 Suggested Readings
1. LaPorte R, Akazawa S, Hellmonds P,
Boostrom E, Gamboa C, Gooch T, et al.
Global Public Health and the Information
Superhighway. BMJ 1994; 308: 1651-2.
2. Al-Khayat M, 1997. Health An Islamic
Perspective. Alexandria: WHO-EMRO.
3. Husseini A, LaPorte RE, the IGHNet. Islam
with the internet could do much to prevent
disease. BMJ 2001;323:694 (letter)