Effects of cell phone electromagnetic radiation... haraam?

[mjbenker]

Asalamu alaikum,


I recently had a idea regarding the effects of electromagnetic radiation found by cell phones. There have been many studies that conclude that cell phones can be quite dangerous, can cause brain cancers, and when put into men's pant's pockets, can cause infertility in male sperm. I would invite you to research this subject yourself, because I don't have any research myself or any reliable links to support this. Some web pages I've found say it can be as dangerous as smoking. How dangerous does it need to be for it to be haram?

The quran asks us to protect our private parts, and this is quite important for us men to respect, as well as the rest of our bodies. In this case, can we conclude that cell phone radiation and other, more powerful wireless signals could be haram for us to spend much time around? How much is okay? Should we throw away all of our wireless gadgets, if this would bring us closer to purity?

Another option is to wear radiation safe underwear. It exists... Should we be encouraging more muslims to wear these?

May Allah show guide us closer to him.
Cheers

[ardianto]

Wa'alaikum salam

Everyday many people die on the road due to traffic accidents. But, should we issue a fatwa that riding car or motorcycle haram?. Of course not.

Cellphones are invented to help us to communicate with other people. But unfortunately many people use cellphones only for idle chat. Yes, cellphone radiation give harm effect to human body, but not as dangerous as smoking. If we use cellphone wisely like use it only when we need to talk and not just for idle talk, and we put it safely like not put it in pant pocket, Insha Allah, we are safe enough. Using "handsfree" is suggested.

But, how to make cellphone radiation 100% safe for human?. Okay, Muslim scientist, it's your job!

[mjbenker]

Everyday many people die on the road due to traffic accidents. But, should we issue a fatwa that riding car or motorcycle haram?. Of course not.

Well, the difference is that we haven't found driving to always be detrimental to our health every time we use it (unless you want to argue about the effect on the environment.. I personally think driving should be haram. Isn't using a bike, a horse, or more efficient mode of transport more sustainable for our earth?)..
and to pick up a cell phone is detrimental to our health every time we use it or put it near us.

It took 200 years for people to label cigarettes as something damaging to our health. We should try to anticipate the effects that relatively new habits bring upon us.

[ardianto]

"Manfa'at" of smoking is very very small compared to "mudharat" of smoking, and this is becomes a reason for Ulema to declare that smoking is haram.

Manfa'at is "benefit", and mudharat is "harm/destructive effect". Yes, if mudharat is bigger than manfa'at, it's could be, and even would be haram, according to principle of Fiqh. But is mudharat of using cellphone bigger than its manfa'at?.

Studies say cellphone radiation CAN cause brain cancer. But "can" is different than "will" because "can" is conditional. Different than smoking that WILL harm the body.

Using cellphone normally which we talk only when we need to talk is safe, different than if we spend long time in idle chatting which the cellphone always touch our head. But it can be eliminated with using "handsfree" which the cellphone does not touch our head. Studies say that put cellphone in pant pocket can cause infertility of male. But does cellphone companies say that we should put cellphone in our pant pocket?. we can put our cellphone in bag, or in waist pouch, or when we are in the room we can put it on desk. We are not always put our cellphone on our bodies.

Not enough reason to say the mudharat of using cellphone is bigger than its manfa'at. Even cellphone is very beneficial for communication.

[mjbenker]

Not enough reason to say the mudharat of using cellphone is bigger than its manfa'at. Even cellphone is very beneficial for communication.

Ohkay oh:
Thank you for introducing these mudharat and manfa'at to me. I understand now. Thank you

I still wonder about car vehicles and pollution. To say that the benefit is greater to use a car sounds a bit selfish in my opinion, considering the earth and everyone else is taking mudharat. But thanks. :sunny:

[mjbenker]

Though this would mean that putting your cell phone into your pants pocket is haraam, technically. Correct?

[Hulk]

Bro I would be careful with saying what is haram and what is halal. It's not a small matter and shouldn't be discussed as if it is.. That said, there are articles that supposedly debunk the myth of mobile phones causing fertility problems.

[mjbenker]

Bro I would be careful with saying what is haram and what is halal. It's not a small matter and shouldn't be discussed as if it is..

It is correct to question our actions in life, and strive to understand the correct path for us to follow given us by Allah.

As a newer muslim convert, I feel it is my responsibility not to trust the actions of other muslims, and to find the correct path that is most pleasing to our creator rather than the path that is most comfortable to other muslims. The Sahaba of our Prophet (peace be upon him) did not drive motor vehicles and cell phones, and I wonder what they would say about us using them -- they are very dirty new things. That being said, I think it is absolutely necessary to discuss these sorts of things, no matter how strange they might appear and however they are discussed.
In no way am I looking to be disrespectful, simply -- what needs to be discussed needs to be discussed.

May Allah grant us deeper understanding and bring us closer to the way that is most favorable.

[ardianto]

A brother gave me an input through PM:

"We cannot compare smoking to using cell phones because smoking is not a necessity, we don't HAVE to smoke and there are no consequences from avoiding it, however due to the development of technologies in society and the way the world has changed over the past decades it has become almost impossible to live economically or socially without a cellphone. Parents work for long hours and children study in schools or colleges far from home so it becomes important to keep in touch in case of emergencies and cellphones are needed to fulfill this purpose. As well, many people need cellphones to earn their bread and butter for example making constant business calls or the need to communicate very often throughout the day to keep the business running or fulfill the obligations of their jobs, so therefore we can conclude that in today's age, the use of cellphones has become a necessity whereas smoking is most definitely NOT a necessity."