The Unique Smoking Experience

Shisha (a.k.a. Hookah) has rapidly become the newest social fad among today's youth. We've all seen the Facebook pictures of our friends blowing out billows of smoke into various shapes or passing it into another's mouth. Most people who engage in this phenomenon are under the misconception that shisha is a harmless alternative to smoking cigarettes.

But the reality of it is that shisha is actually even more detrimental than the ordinary cigarette. In just a one hour session, the average user will have consumed 100-200 times more smoke and 70 times more nicotine than they would have from a typical cigarette. The nicotine concentration of shisha smoke cannot be measured due to packing differences, but is estimated to be the equivalent of smoking between 7 and 10 cigarettes, and with each inhalation, a shisha smoker breathes in 2 liters of smoke- 4 times as much as a cigarette.

Many people are under the false impression that the water in the container is being used to filter out the noxious tobacco substances. Actually, the water merely acts as a barrier, allowing for the air pressure towards the bottom of the tank to be lower in order for air to pass through. The damp, enveloped structure of the vessel makes it a breeding ground for bacteria and a medium for cooling the smoke. This dark, moist environment and the sharing of the mouthpiece heavily contribute in spreading infectious diseases such as herpes, hepatitis, and tuberculosis.

I'm not here to declare whether it's haraam or halal, but arguing that shisha smoking has any health benefits or that it doesn't cause any physical harm is almost impossible. Surely no one in their right mind would intentionally drop a bowling ball on their own foot because they are aware of the painful consequences. Then why do we deliberately cause harm to ourselves by smoking shisha? While the pain and damage from shisha may not be as apparent or immediate as that of the impact of the bowling ball on your foot, it is significantly more life threatening. Allah states in the Qur'an:

"And spend of your wealth in the cause of Allah, and make not your own hands contribute to (your) destruction; but do good; for Allah loves those who do good." – The Holy Qur'an 2:195

The Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said

"Whomsoever drinks poison, thereby killing himself, will sip this poison forever and ever in the fire of Hell." (Bukhari, Muslim)

It is evident from the words of Allah and his Messenger (peace be upon him) that this is most certainly not an issue that should be taken lightly.

Allah is our Creator and we belong to Him. We therefore have no right to intentionally harm ourselves. May Allah grant us the strength to overcome our shortcomings and may He guide us to surround ourselves with only those things that will make us better. Ameen.

No Pork on My Fork

Over the past few days, I've had a number of pork-related conversations. It is amazing to me that pork is such a respected delicacy here is the U.S. I mean, you would think that one of the leading countries in the field of health and medicine would have been convinced about this issue by now. But instead, we hear people talking about how they just can't wait to dig into their Christmas ham. Subhan'Allah.

Islam irrefutably prohibits the consumption of pork. Verse 6:145 of the Qur'an states:

Say, "I do not find in the revelations given to me any food that is prohibited for any eater except carrion, running blood, the meat of pigs, for it is contaminated, or what is impious (meat) on which a name has been invoked other than Allah's." If one is forced (to eat these), without being deliberate or malicious, then your Lord is Forgiver, Most Merciful.

Muslims don't eat pork because it has been forbidden by Allah. But why would Allah forbid it? He tells us- "it is contaminated." Countless scientific and health studies show that eating pork provides almost no health benefits and causes an assortment of unwarranted destruction on the body. Fortunately, there are some people who have picked up on this, refraining from pork altogether. Unfortunately, the majority of people have not.

Pigs are in a category by themselves. For one, their digestive systems are much different from that of any other animal. They are gluttonous, omnivorous creatures who eat anything and everything and because of this, the sheer volume of food that they consume ends up diluting the acid in their stomachs. As a result, their stomachs are no longer protective organs against contaminants. Parasites, bacteria, viruses, and toxins are permitted to pass through, into their fat, and onto that plate in the center of the dinner table.

One of the most common parasites found in pig meat is trichinella, the worm that cause trichinosis*. How does the pig get it? By eating the waste products of other animals (I wasn't kidding when I said they eat anything). Raising a pig in captivity doesn't prevent it from being able to eat its buddy's feces. These toxins remain in the pig's fat (a.k.a. - lard) which is ironically what billions of people pay good money for every day.

In addition to all of this, pork has been found to be linked with cirrhosis (liver degeneration). Chances are that most people who eat pork to begin with aren't keeping their alcohol consumption down (Islam also prohibits alcohol, but that's a WHOLE other post). Cirrhosis occurs when your healthy liver tissue is replaced by excess collagen and scar tissue and thus effectively prevents your liver from being able to perform at its best. This condition is usually irreversible and its treatment aims only at preventing further damage from occurring. In its critical stages, the only option is a liver transplant. Having a glass of wine with your pork chop will only make your liver beg for mercy.

Pork is basically pure fat. It's the last thing you need to be eating, especially in a country like the U.S. where 63% of us are overweight and 31% of us are obese. If you want to be around to watch your grandchildren and great-grandchildren grow up you need to get the pork off your fork.

Joel Olsteen gave a sermon about the prohibition of pork in the Bible. It's a three and a half minute video that I think is worth watching.

*Trichinosis is a disease in which cysts burst open inside the intestines and grow into adult roundworms. The roundworms give rise to other worms that are able to move through the intestines and into the bloodstream. They tend to invade muscle tissues, including the heart and diaphragm and can also affect the lungs and brain.