Control of Diabetes and hypertension

We often read and hear, year in and year out, about increasing occurrences of all kinds of diseases, including diabetes and hypertension with all their consequences. Apparently all efforts to control them must be failing. Otherwise we would be seeing declining rates of all these diseases.

Is there any hope for mankind? There is, if we attack these diseases at their root causes.

The root cause of diseases like diabetes and hypertension is stress.

Our present life-style is strees- inducing, as confirmed by many studies world-wide. When under stress, our limbic system in the brain shoots electrical impulses to our hypothalamus which has two parts, the endocrine and the autonomic section.

The endocrine section of the hypothalamus secretes a hormone which acts on our pituitary which secretes among others, another hormone cortisol.

When cortisol level is chronicaly raised in our body, the effects are devastating . In anyone who has diabetes- or hypertension-inducing genes, high cortisol level will cause the respective diseases.

On top of that, prolonged high cortisol also weakens our immnune system. Anyone with weakened immune system is prone to infections.

Another devastating effect of chonic elevation of cortisol level is weakened tumor necrotising factor (TNF). TNF will wipe out any excess cells produced by any organ. In this way our body, via TNF, controls onset of tumors or cancer.

The autonomic section of the hypothalamus, under the stimulus of stress, will send out electrical impulses to various systems including the cardiovascular system. Hence, the high incidence of hypertension and heart disease in people with chronic stress.

So, how do we control stress?

Literature on stress-control is so widespread. Yet diabetes and hypertension and heart diseases keep rising, even among people who rigourously implement stress-control strategies. Definetly thoses strategies are not so succesful.

Islam has given man a way out. Stress is natural. Allah has told us:
"Verily, We have created man in toil" (Quran 90:4)

But He, The Most Gracious and the Most Merciful has provided man with guidance to overcome this:
"And shown him the two ways (good and evil)?" (Quran 90:10)

Allah has given us a wonderful brain with which we are given the freedom to choose between the two ways: good or evil way.

Anyone who chooses the correct way, he will be free from stress.
"Then if there comes to you guidance from Me, then whoever follows My Guidance he shall neither go astray, nor shall be distressed." (Quran 20:123)

If there is any study done which shows the rate of diabetes and hypertension higher among the muslims compared to the general population, it just goes to show that the Muslims have made the wrong choice to conduct their life.
Abu Abdillah.

How Islam create national unity in a multi-religious and multi-racial nation

Unity is a basic need for any nation. Any basic human need has been solved by
Allah.

What does Allah say about unity?

"Dan berpeganglah seluruh kamu dengan tali Allah dan
janganlah kamu berpecah-belah, dan kenangilah kamu
ketika kamu dahulunya (hidup) bermusuh-musuhan
kemudian Allah telah menjinakkan hati di antara kamu
lalu jadilah kamu (hidup) bersaudara dengan ni'mat-Nya
itu..." (Ali Imran: 103)

Ulasan Syed Qutb: Di sini jelaslah bahawa
persaudaraan (unity as some would like to say) itu
adalah persaudaraan yang lahir dari taqwa dan Islam
yang menjadi tiang seri yang pertama, iaitu
persaudaraan yang berasaskan pegangan kukuh dengan
tali Allah yankni dengan perjanjian-Nya, sistem-Nya
dan agama-Nya dan bukan persaudaraan yang lahir dari
semata-mata bermasyarakat yang berlandaskan sesuatu
fahaman yang lain atau kerana sesuatu matalamat yang
lain atau persaudaraan yang berasaskan pegangan pada
sesuatu tali yang lain dari tali-tali jahiliyah yang
banyak...

"Hanya Islam sahaja yang dapat memadukan hati yang
berjauhan. Hanya tali Allah sahaja yang dapat memberi
pegangan kepada SEMUA ORANG dan dengan ni'mat itu
mereka dapat hidup sebagai saudara. Tiada yang dapat
menyatukan hati melainkan persaudaraan kerana Allah..
" (Tafsir Fi Zillah Quran m.s 430-431)

Let us see how Nabi Muhammad saw applied Islam
regarding educational policy in a multireligious dan
multi-racial nation-state Madinah:

"The JEWS of Madinah had set up their own religious
and EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION called Bait al-Midras
during the time of the Prohet saw.

"The JEWISH and CHRISTIAN educational instituions were left to their
communitities to MANAGE THEIR AFFAIRS during the
Ummayad and the Abbasid Caliphates.

"Muslims,Christians, Jews and Magians had conserved their own
modes of dress and social customs. An effort was made
in this way to protect the culture of every religious
community living in a Muslim state.
( Abdur Rahman I.Doi: Non-Muslims Under Shariah m.52)

This is how Islam bring unity to a nation with diverse
religions and races. Would'nt everybody be happy when
his religion, language and culture are protected?
Surely there will be unity in such situation.

Abu Abdillah