Physical, spiritual hazards of smoking
By Rohani binti Hj Abd Hamid

A man smokes outside his office in London, in this file photo dated August 22, 2005. In the US and other countries, cigarettes are heavily taxed in order to discourage this habit and reimburse the government for the overwhelming health care costs to care for those afflicted with diseases caused by smoking.

File photo dated February 25, 2004 shows a person holding a cigarette in front of a sign prohibiting smoking at the non-smoking area of a café in Berlin. According to a global health survey, men who smoke contract lung cancer 22 times the rate faster than non-smokers. - PHOTOS: AFP

Most Muslims are aware and try to avoid committing the major sins in Islam - murder, suicide, adultery, alcohol, gambling and so on. Muslims are forbidden to harm themselves or others. Yet millions of Muslims all over the world are doing just that - harming - even killing themselves and their families by smoking cigarettes. Islamic scholars have historically had mixed views on the subject and in some Islamic countries, the actions of these Muslims have not been unanimously forbidden or even discouraged.

However, in Brunei Darussalam, the State Mufti has already come up with a fatwa that pronounces tobacco use as haram (forbidden) to believers. Smoking is considered haram because those who smoke are considered to be killing themselves. The tobacco that they consume contains poisonous substance. Over three million people worldwide die from smoking-related causes each year.

The Ministry of Health has also announced in their campaign that there are hundreds of poisonous and toxic ingredients found in the cigarette itself that the smoker inhales straight into the lungs. There are over 4,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke, over 40 of which are known to cause cancer.

In an authentic hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Whom so ever drinks poison, thereby killing himself, will sip this poison forever and ever in the fire of Jahannum (Hell)."

So what are the evils of tobacco use, for the health and religion? Smoking is dangerous to your health. It is universally understood that cigarette smoking causes a number of health problems that often ultimately results in death. According to a global health survey, men who smoke contract lung cancer 22 times the rate faster than non-smokers. Smokers are also highly at risk for heart disease, emphysema, oral cancer, stroke and so on.

The danger of tobacco also has its effects on family's health. Those around a smoker inhale what is known as "second-hand smoke" - the unfiltered, poisonous waste that goes into the air.

Information given by the Ministry of Health states that second-hand smoke causes or aggravates asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory problems, especially in children.

Smoking can lead to noxious smell and Muslims are advised to refrain from eating raw onions and garlic - simply as a courtesy to those around them. The same goes even more so for the reek of cigarettes, which permeates everything around the smoker - hair, clothing, home, car and so on.

Smoking can become addictive. The addiction to tobacco is a physical response that often interferes with one's life and worship. For example, most Muslims are aware that it is forbidden to smoke during the fasting days of Ramadhan. Many of these addicted smokers spend their fasting days sleeping, being cranky and short-tempered and just counting down the hours until they can have their fix. There have been times when the most severely addicted will wait outside the mosque door for the azan or call for prayer, and break their fast by lighting up, before taking even food or water.

Smoking is a waste of money. And wasting large amount of money is forbidden by the religion.

It was narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Allah forbids you to trade gossip, to ask too many questions and to waste money." And Allah forbade wasteful extravagance when He said (interpretation of the meaning): "And eat and drink but waste not by extravagance, certainly He (Allah) likes not Al Musrifoon (those who waste by extravagance) [al-A'raaf 7:31]

The whole world now knows that the money spent on smoking is to be considered as money wasted, from which no benefit is gained; indeed, it is money spent on something harmful. If the money which is spent on smoking worldwide were to be collected, it could have saved entire populations who have died from starvation. Is there anyone more foolish than one who holds a dollar bill and sets fire to it? What is the difference between him and the one who smokes? Indeed, the smoker is more foolish, because the folly of the one who burns a dollar bill ends there, whilst the one who smokes burns his money and also harms his body.

In the US and other countries, cigarettes are heavily taxed in order to discourage this habit and reimburse the government for the overwhelming health care costs to care for those afflicted with diseases caused by smoking. Smokers often spend thousands of dollars a year that literally just go up in smoke.

Smoking also causes disasters because cigarette butts which are not properly put out can lead to fires. Other disasters have been caused in many ways, such as when a man lights his cigarette at home unknowingly of a gas leak and triggers a chain reaction leading to a blaze.

We should praise the government of Brunei Darussalam for introducing the Tobacco Order 2005 in an effort to ban people from smoking especially those below 18 years of age.

But how solid is the anti-smoking campaign by means of the various media - posters, radio and television - when smokers ignore all the efforts. Of course it is easier said and done because once people become addicted to smoking, it is difficult to quit.

How to quit? As mentioned, the danger of tobacco is to health and the family. The addiction to smoking causes a physical response in your body when we try to give it up. Therefore, quitting is often difficult. However, it can be done with the belief of committing sins and the personal commitment to improve your own health. It is first recommended to make the firm intention, from deep in your heart, to give up this evil habit.

Secondly, one must avoid situations where you are used to smoking, and people who do so around you. For example, if you have certain friends who gather together and smoke constantly, make a choice to stay away from that environment for the time being. At a vulnerable stage, it is too easy to get sucked back in by having "just one." Remember, tobacco causes a physical addiction and you must stay away completely. Drink plenty of water and keep yourself busy in other endeavours. Play sports or other healthy activities. Do not allow anyone to smoke in the house and do not allow them in enclosed quarters with your family.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin