The author is Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
Intimate Human Relationships
Healthy living is very closely related to intimate human relationships. Human beings are social animals and live in clusters and communities. There are close family members, followed by tribes and clans, communities and villages, towns and cities, nations and countries and finally the whole human race that form a link. If this concept of one closely linked human race is recognised universally, and properly utilised, then peace, prosperity, health and happiness will prevail over the whole world. The human relationship within the immediate family of a person is, however, where it all starts.
The Role of the Mother
The mother has a pivotal role in all human relationships as she:
- conceives the baby
- keeps it in the womb for 9 months
- gives birth after enduring great pains and considerable danger to her own life
- nurses on her breast milk or otherwise feeds the newborn
- helps it to grow and become strong and independent
What health risks are incumbent at each stage? What do we know about this from modern science and the guidance found in the Holy Qur’an?
The Conception
This is a precarious time and although, in the majority of cases, everything turns out fine, much can go wrong at this stage. Modern science has shown that the human embryo is made up of a female egg being fertilised by a male sperm, and each bit contributes to half of the characters of the individual. The embryo then grows and gets implanted into the womb of the mother, where it continues to grow further. It passes through several stages during which various cells of the dividing embryo specialise and start forming different tissues of the body such as the skin, muscles, bones, internal organs, brain and the limbs. This process continues throughout pregnancy. The Qur’an states:
We have created man from a mingled sperm-drop (Ch.76:V.3)
Then we placed him as a drop of sperm in a safe depository; then We fashioned the sperm into a clot; then We fashioned the clot into a shapeless lump; then We fashioned bones out of this shapeless lump; then We clothed the bones with flesh; then We developed it into another creation. So blessed be Allah, the Best of creators. (Ch.23:Vs.14-15)
He creates you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, in threefold darkness. (Ch.39:V.7)
So what can go wrong at this stage? And what can a mother do to give birth to a healthy baby? These are vital questions and from our present knowledge of embryology we understand them much better now than at any other time in human history.
Genetic Diseases
Genetic diseases often occur if the genes forming the embryo are defective. The genes exist in pairs; if one gene is defective, but the other is healthy and the two combine, the individual inheriting the defective gene may not display symptoms of the disease at all and appears entirely healthy. On the other hand if both the genes are defective the individual suffers from full manifestations of the disease and becomes seriously ill. Very often such embryos do not even survive and abort spontaneously. So the correct selection of the sperm to fertilise an ovum is an important matter and must be considered at the time of the marriage. This is now a well-developed science and genetic counselling is often advised before marriage to couples with a family history of certain diseases. The genetic make up of close relatives like parents and siblings is often very similar and the offspring of such mating have a much greater chance of inheriting a pair of defective genes and thus being borne with a serious genetic illness. This is referred to as incest and can cause a lot of ill health and diseases. However, in most societies and countries of the world this sort of practice is unacceptable and considered to be illegal. The Holy Qur’an gives the following guidance in this matter:
Forbidden to you are your mothers, and your daughters, and your sisters, and your father’s sisters, and your mothers’ sisters, and brother’s daughters, and sister’s daughters, and your foster-mothers that have given you suck, and your foster-sisters, and the mothers of your wives, and your step-daughters, who are your wards by your wives unto whom you have gone in – but if you have not gone in unto them, there shall be no sin upon you – and the wives of your sons that are from your loins; and it is forbidden to you to have two sisters together in marriage, except what has already passed; surely, Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful. (Ch.4:V.24)
It is also important to know the exact make up of the human embryo. Short of chromosomal studies it is very simple to discern if both the partners of mating are clearly identified. Hence, the following teachings in the Qur’an:
And forbidden to you are married women… (Ch.4:V.25)
And come not near unto adultery; surely, it is a foul thing and an evil way. (Ch.17:V.33)
This aspect of health is so important that women who are widowed or divorced are not allowed to get married again until enough time has elapsed to reveal any pregnancy that may have resulted from the previous husband, as the following verses indicate:
And the divorced women shall wait concerning themselves for three courses; and it is not lawful for them that they conceal what Allah has created in their wombs, if they believe in Allah and the Last Day… (Ch.2:V.229)
And those of you who die and leave wives behind, these (wives) shall wait concerning themselves four months and ten days. And when they have reached the end of their period, no sin shall lie on you in anything that they do with regard to themselves according to what is fair. And Allah is aware of what you do. (Ch.2:V.235)
This point becomes even clearer when we consider another verse that describes the separation of a couple bonded in marriage ‘before’ they have touched each other. In such a case there is no waiting period for the woman to remarry:
O ye who believe! when you marry believing women and then divorce them before you have touched them, then you have no right against them with regard to the period of waiting that you reckon. So make some provision for them and send them away in a handsome manner. (Ch.33:V.50)
Infections
Infections are closely related to uninhibited intimate sexual relationship. They harm both participants in the act as well as their offspring. In the modern ‘civilised’ society we live in, unlimited sex is rampant in the adolescent as well as the mature age groups. The institution of marriage is laughed upon; men and women like to live as partners rather than as husband and wife. Same sex marriages are being recognised as the basic human right of the individual. Pornography is widely accessible in print, internet and all other media. Anal, vaginal and oral sex is considered by many to be the basic human right of the individuals to seek pleasure in their personal lives as they please. The following quote from www.en.wikipedia.org may give us some idea of the grave dangers of anal sex:
‘Among the diseases with which anal sex is associated are HIV, human papilloma virus (HPV) (which can increase risk for anal cancer), typhoid fever and various diseases associated with the infectious nature of fecal matter or sexual intercourse in general. Among these are: amoebiasis; chlamydia; cryptosporidiosis; E. coli infections; giardiasis; gonorrhea; hepatitis A; hepatitis B; hepatitis C; herpes simplex; human papilloma virus; Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (HHV-8); lymphogranuloma venereum; public lice; salmonellosis; shigella; syphilis and tuberculosis.’
What is the modern medical advice to prevent these terrible diseases? The advice is the use of condoms and more condoms and more condoms and to have safer sex. The use of vaccines is also advocated where such vaccines are available. Vaccination of schoolgirls against human papilloma virus is an example as is hepatitis B vaccination in male homosexuals. Early consultation with the specialists if there is suspicion of contracting a sexually transmitted disease.
Gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV/AIDS played havoc with public health and caused untold misery before the treatment of these diseases was discovered. Multidrug resistant and completely resistant tuberculosis (MDR/XDR TB) is a particular problem in those suffering from immune deficiency related to HIV/AIDS infection equally in the third world countries like India or the developed countries like the United States.
The guidance in the Holy Qur’an to prevent all these problems is comprehensive and foolproof. Intimate relationship between individuals is governed by regulations of marriage and is outlined below.
The Sanctity of the Institution of Marriage
The Holy Qur’an bases the human relationship on righteousness or ‘Taqwa’ as the following verses indicate:
O ye people! fear your Lord, Who created you from a single soul and created therefrom its mate, and from them twain spread many men and women; and fear Allah, in Whose name you appeal to one another, and fear Him particularly respecting ties of relationship. Verily, Allah watches over you. (Ch.4:V.2)
O Ye who believe! fear Allah, and say the right word. He will bless your works for you and forgive you your sins. And whoso obeys Allah and His Messenger, shall surely attain a mighty success. (Ch.33:Vs.71-72)
O ye who believe! fear Allah; and let every soul look to what it sends forth for the morrow. And fear Allah; verily Allah is Well-Aware of what you do. (Ch.59:V.19)
According to Islamic tradition, the above verses of the Qur’an are recited at the time of the announcement of a wedding of a couple. They emphasise the righteousness and fear of God, or Taqwa,five times as the basis of sexual relationship. They make it clear that Allah watches over all our deeds and knows all our intentions. They tell us to look after each other’s feelings, convey the absolute unadulterated truth in our statements and care for our coming generations because that is the ultimate purpose of sexual relationship.
About extra marital relationship and other immoral sexual acts the following verses, some of which have already been quoted, give full and comprehensive advice:
And come not near unto adultery; surely, it is a foul thing and an evil way. (Ch.17:V.33)
And who guard their chastity. Except from their wives or what their right hands possess, for then they are not to be blamed; but those who seek anything beyond that are the transgressors. (Ch.23:Vs.6-8)
The believers in Qur’an in the above verses are strongly advised to refrain from adultery, fornication, rape and any other extramarital sexual activity. They are also commanded to guard the usage of their private parts for sexual gratification as well as to be guided about the means to achieve such an object in the following verse:
Say to the believing men that they restrain their eyes and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Surely, Allah is well aware of what they do. (Ch.24:V.31)
The Arabic word translated as private parts in relation to the men in the above verse is ‘furuj’ and literally means a ‘hole’ or an ‘opening’. The same word is used in the following verse in relation to women. The best method of safeguarding the private parts is to restrain the eyes from viewing such things that may excite their feelings. The ‘hijab’ for women is prescribed for this very reason and is mentioned in the following verse, thus pinpointing the relatives who are permitted to mingle with women freely.
And say to the believing women that they restrain their eyes and guard their private parts, and that they disclose not their natural and artificial beauty except that which is apparent thereof, and that they draw their head-coverings over their bosoms, and that they disclose not their beauty save to their husbands, or to their fathers, or the fathers of their husbands or their sons or the sons of their husbands or their brothers, or the sons of their brothers, or the sons of their sisters, or their women… (Ch.24:V.32)
This teaching of the Qur’an is precise. It is based on the belief in the One, All-Knowing and Powerful God who watches over our actions at all times. He has given us the guidance for our own benefit and by following these instructions we reap immediate benefits. This is the Qur’anic way to prevent all those terrible diseases that are prevalent in the promiscuous society due to aberrant sexual behavior.
Risk of Cancer
Infection with Human papilloma virus has shown a close association with genital cancers. This is an infection that occurs in individuals engaged in uninhibited sexual activities with multiple partners. This infection can be prevented by vaccination and recently a drive to get all the sexually active schoolgirls vaccinated against this infection was carried out in some parts of America to reduce the risk in this most vulnerable population.
Righteous living as advocated by the Qur’an and quoted above will obviously eliminate this risk completely.
Another carcinogen sometimes mentioned is the smegma, the material that accumulates underneath the foreskin of uncircumcised men. This may cause cancer both in the males as well as their female partners. The practice of male circumcision traditional amongst the Muslims to remove the foreskin surgically probably reduces the risk of these cancers.
Pregnancy
Many things can go wrong during pregnancy as well. Many of the infections referred to above can affect the developing foetus during pregnancy. This leads to its infection resulting in either an abortion or a congenital illness in the newborn. It is, however, worth mentioning two important factors that are in the limelight these days. One is the consumption of alcohol by the pregnant mother and the other is the effect of active and passive smoking, on the health of the developing baby. Both these substances are commonly consumed or used by pregnant women in western societies and are extremely harmful to the foetus.
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is particularly harmful and can cause