Benefits of Islam - the complete way of life

Islam is called a "way of life" - that is, every aspect of life should be in line with Islam. Just by looking at some aspects, it is clear that Islam is a guidance from God, and when man acts upon it, they will benefit physically and spiritually. There are too many aspects to give a definitive list. Also, the benefits are not only medical, but also spiritual.

Eating
Dental Care
Sleeping
Drinking
Animal Slaughter
Relieving Oneself
Newborn
Circumcision
Dress
Abolution
Cleanliness
Diet

Eating

Pork - "He has only forbidden you what dies of itself, and blood, and meat of pigs, and that over which any other (name) than (that of) God has been invoked; but whoever is driven to necessity, not desiring, nor exceeding the limit, no sin shall be upon him; surely God is Forgiving, Merciful." Qur'an 2:173. There are two harmful worms harbored by pigs, one is "TAENIASOLIUM" which on ingestion passes to the brain and causes epilepsy. The other one is"TRICHINELLASPIRALIS" which passes to the muscles and brain causing muscular swelling and pain and also epilepsy. Pork has more fat and cholesterol than any other meat.
Blood - "He has only forbidden you what dies of itself, and blood, and meat of pigs, and that over which any other (name) than (that of) God has been invoked; but whoever is driven to necessity, not desiring, nor exceeding the limit, no sin shall be upon him; surely God is Forgiving, Merciful." Qur'an 2:173. Ingested blood on reaching the intestine is acted upon by various bacteria normally present there resulting in poisonous products like ammonia which is toxic to the liver.Therefore,God has forbidden us to eat or drink blood and has prescribed such a method for slaughtering animals that most of their blood is shed.
Never overeating - The Prophet, said: “A Believer eats in one intestine, whereas a non-believer eats in seven intestines”. It has been proved beyond doubt that over eating is the root of many diseases and also responsible for premature senility. It produces obesity, predisposes to dangerous diseases like diabetes, Menitus, hypertension, coronary heart disease and paralysis.
Eat with fingers -stops a person from burning his/her mouth. Also, the fingers emit enzymes that help digest the food.
with the right hand - The Prophet said: “Do not eat with your left hand for shaitaan eats with his left hand,”. This stops a person from passing bacteria onto the food.
washing hands before eating - The prophet(pbuh) said: "It is a blessing to wash your hands before and after meals" (Abu Daud & Tirmizi). This stops a person from passing bacteria onto the food. Research into peanut bowls in bars and pubs in many Western nations including the US and the UK, showed that urine was the primary constituent in these bowls other than the peanuts and salt.
washing hands after eating - The prophet(pbuh) said: "It is a blessing to wash your hands before and after meals" (Abu Daud & Tirmizi). Infection may be transmitted through dirty hands or dirty food.
not wiping hands on towel before eating - it may convey infection from one person to the other particularly viral diseases like infective hepatitis or bacterial infection like Typhoid dysentries and cholera.
drinking water before eating - slows down the stomach's activity. It also cools the heat in the stomach. Also Overweight/obesity has been linked with increased risk of many diseases. Advise given for weight loss includes, drinking water before eating. Why? Because drinking water before eating a meal can help suppress your appetite. Your stomach is fuller, therefore your will feel stuffed sooner and eat less.
not drinking water during and straight after eating - it will fill the stomach and disrupt the digestion process. Drinking water before eating cools the heat in the stomach and by drinking after the food has digested the water, creates heat in the stomach, and also very good for health. So drinking water whilst eating is a very bad habit. It creates hunger and digest the food quickly. (One eats more).
squatting during a meal - The Prophet(pbuh) would sit on his knees, as reported by ‘Abdullaah ibn Busr' who said that the Prophet was sitting on his knees upon which a bedouin said: ‘What is this sitting?’ The Prophet replied, “Allaah has made me a respectable servant and He did not make me an obstinate tyrant." This stops a person from overeating, because the stomach is pressed causing discomfort when the stomach is full. It has been proved beyond doubt that over eating is the root of many diseases and also responsible for premature senility. It produces obesity, predisposes to dangerous diseases like diabetes, Menitus, hypertension, coronary heart disease and paralysis.
walk after dinner - Abu Nu'aim has related that "The Holy Prophet prohibited sleeping immediately after dinner as he said that this fact hardens the heart." Thus, the doctors have advised us to walk after dinner about one hundred steps and prohibit sleeping immediately after as this is very harmful. The muslim Doctors say that one should pray after supper so that the aliments settle at the bottom of the stomach in order to make the digestion easier and better.
Chewing - helps digest food
Covering open utensils - The Prophet said "Cover up the utensils and tie the mouth of the water skins." (Bokhari, Muslim). This avoids contamination. The purpose of this is to prevent harmful insects from getting into food and drink, thereby transmitting disease-causing germs. This is a highly effective means of disease prevention.
Fasting - The Ministry of Health's Preventive Medicine Department said fasting is very beneficial to the human body as it reduces fat and cholesterol, eases pressure on the liver, and helps protect the body against heart and vascular diseases.

Dental Care

using the miswak (twigs of certain trees used as a toothbrush) - The prophet(pbuh) said "Make a regular practice of the Miswaak, for verily, it is healthy for the mouth and it is a Pleasure for the Creator (i.e. Allah is pleased with the Muslim who uses the Miswaak)." (BUKHARI). According to modern dentistry the best method of using a Miswak or a tooth brush is up and down the length of the teeth and this exactly the way our Prophet used his Miswak.
Khillala (cleaning between teeth) - The Prophet(pbuh) said "Whosoever eats should pick bits and pieces from in between his teeth.". It is beneficial act so that those do not rot and produce disease.

Sleeping

On the right hand side - The Prophet said: “When any one of you goes to bed, let him clear his bed by hitting it with his garment, for he does not know what may have come onto it. Then let him lie down on his right side…” [Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim]. Sleeping on the right causes the liver to purify the blood, it facilitates the movement of the blood.
siesta - This short nap gives relief to the vital organs of the body like heart and brain.

Drinking

Not in one gulp - This habit has a salutary impact on one's character and helps one avoid doing things in haste.
Alcohol - "They ask you about intoxicants and games of chance(Gambling.) Say: “In both of them there is a great sin and means of profit for men, and their sin is greater than their profit....” - Qur'an 2:219 - Numerous diseases have been attributed to alcohol like dyspeptic trouble, peptic ulceration, cancer stomach, pancreatitus, cirrhosis liver, vitamin deficiency and coronary heart disease.

Animal Slaughter

Zabiha (using a knife to cut the throat) - removes blood, meat remains fresher, animal does not feel pain

Relieving Oneself

squat - The blessed Prophet advised that while defaecating keep pressure on the left foot (Tibrani). In squatting position this maneuvers will cause pressure on the descending colon. Medically this helps evacuation of feaces from the descending colon thus relieving constipation, particularly when muscles of the abdomen are weak.
washing after - This beneficial habit saves us from Pilonidal sinus which is an abscess with hair inside occurring near anal opening. Pylonephritis: This is more in women due to the proximity of the urethral opening to the anus so toilet paper while being used may bring germs like E. coli to the urethra. Even independent research into swimming pools in most Western nations has shown that the primary foreign elements contained within the water were urine and faeces.

Newborn

TAHNEEK (put a piece of well-chewed date in the mouth of a newborn baby) - published in the British Medical Journal (No 6993, 10 June 1995), proved beyond any doubt the benefit of giving a new-born child sugar, in order to reduce the feeling of any painful procedure

Circumcision

Circumcision - medically suggested now a days as a toxic substance called Smegma may collect under the redundant skin causing cancer of the genitalia in both man and his wife, inflammation of the penis, phthisis, sticking of the redundant skin over the urethral opening leading to difficulty in urination.

Dress

Covering the head - Jabir said: "The Prophet entered Mecca on the Day of victory wearing a black turban and he loosened its two ends between his shoulders." [Muslim and Abu Dawud]. Covering the head and neck as our Prophet used to do, mitigate the danger of hyperpyrexia which is due to imbalance of the heat control centre situated in the hind brain, which may lead to death.

Abolution

Washing regularly - The Qur'an says "O ye who believe! when ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; Rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles..."- Chapter 5:6. A prerequisite of prayers yet one of the most hygienic procedure as it usually keeps the exposed parts of our body clean and also the parts of entry like mouth and nose thus avoiding Infection.

Dr. Magomed Magomedov, assistant to the department of the Man’s General Hygiene and Ecology in the Daghestan State Medical Academy, speaks about how ablution stimulates the biological rhythms of the body and specifically Biological Active Spots (BASes), very much like the idea behind Chinese reflexotherapy.

Before going to sleep - the Prophet (pbuh) also encouraged doing ablution before going to bed. This same ritual is also encouraged by Yoga experts who say that washing important motor and sensory organs such as the hands, arms, eyes, legs, mouth and genitals before sleep using cool water relaxes the body preparing it for a deep sleep.

Cleanliness

Washing regularly - The Qur'an says "O ye who believe! when ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; Rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles..."- Chapter 5:6. A prerequisite of prayers yet one of the most hygienic procedure as it usually keeps the exposed parts of our body clean and also the parts of entry like mouth and nose thus avoiding Infection.
Ceremonial impurity - The Qur'an says ".... If ye are in a state of ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body... " - Chapter 5:6. When a Muslim couple have sex, they both have to bathe their bodies to regain their cleanliness.
Perfume - Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) praised the "good smell". He thus associated the good Muslims with good smells, and the not so good Muslims with the bad smells.

Diet

Vinegar - Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) liked vinegar. Modern medicine also acknowledge its anti-cough, anti-inflammation and digestive properties. For a full article on the benefits of vinegar, see Vinegar - the cure for many ailments
Honey - It is mentioned in the Qur’aan “There comes forth from their [bees’] bellies, a drink of varying colour wherein is healing for men” Qur'an 16:69.
Honey is essentially a food rich (about 70%) in simple, easily digestible sugars - fructose, glucose and saccharose - which makes it an excellent source of energy. Its high energetic power and its nutritional values make it a food for physical effort and is recommended for sportsmen before and after effort. Its dynamogenic and stimulant action on the heart increases stamina and favors the body's powers of recuperation and prolonged efforts. Generally, when consumed daily, honey increases resistance to physical and intellectual fatigue, strengthens the body against stress and strains of life and favors the assimilation and digestion of other foods.

In digestive disturbances, honey is of great value. Honey doesn't ferment in the stomach because it is easily absorbed and there is no danger of bacterial invasion. The flavor of honey excites the appetite and helps digestion. For anemics, dyspeptics, convalescents and the aged, honey is an excellent remedy and tonic. In malnutrition, no food or drug can equal it. The laxative value of honey is well known. Its fatty acid content stimulates peristalsis. It is also recommended for hyperacidity, and gastric and duodenal ulcers.

Honey is also advised in cases of asthenia (state of physical or psychological fatigue), anorexia and states of undernourishment.

The antibacterial substances it contains make it appropriate for certain ENT infections (laryngitis, coughs) and intestinal or kidney disease. In external use, its healing power on wounds, injuries and skin troubles has been noted.

The benefits of honey go on and on.

An interesting article on honey can be found at Harun Yahya, The Honey Bee
Barley - The Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) recommended talbina (a meal made from powdered barley) for the sick and grieving. He is quoted as saying, “At-talbina gives rest to the heart of the patient and makes it active and relieves some of his sorrow and grief” Again the benefits are many: very nutritious, beneficial in coughs and inflammation of the stomach, and to have the ability to expel toxins from the body and act as a good diuretic. For a detailed look at the nutritional benefits of Barley, see Barley: Ancient Food for Future Nutrition

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