Health protection
Health protection in Islamic states
Tobacco control
Tobacco control is one of the major health issues in the states of North Africa and the Middle East over the past years. The majority of the states in the region have joined the World Health Organization’s (WHO) initiative to reduce the harmful effects of smoking and they have signed and ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). They have issued smoking bans, advertising, sales and marketing restrictions already in the 1990s. But also Muslim religious scholars argue in their fatwas against smoking since the 1980s. Even when they don’t prohibit smoking according to Islamic law, they condemn the unrestrained consumption of tobacco. Despite of the governmental and religious initiatives tobacco consumption is widely spread and high, especially amongst the male population. Furthermore water pipe smoking came into fashion amongst young people and women in the last years. Therefore Turkey issued a strikt smoking ban which came into force in July 2009.
Publication
Fischer, Nils: “Islamisierung hinter der Rauchwand.” Zenithonline (Culture and society, published on 8 October 2009). HTML Link (internal)
Health protection in Islam
Hygiene
Cleanliness is emphasised in Islam and already the Koran provides fundamental guidelines on ritual purification, which are expressed, for example, in sura 5, verse 6 and sura 4, verse 43. But especially in compendiums of the Prophet’s words there are countless writings handed down on ritual purification and on the question of when a Muslim is ritually impure and how the respective state of impurity can be suspended. The statement “Wash yourself, for Islam is cleanliness!” was traditionally uttered by the Prophet Mohammed.
Publication
Fischer, Nils: “‘Wash yourself, for Islam is cleanliness!’ Hygiene, grooming and ritual purification in Islam.” In: Leismann, Burkhard; Padberg, Martina (ed.): Intimacy! Bathing in art. Köln: Wienand, 2010: 288–293.