Hi glo..
format_quote Originally Posted by
glo
I agree that Islam teaches to harm no others, but I don't think it teaches that it is alright to 'do what you want' - do you?
Drink, as long as you harm none?
Have sex, as long as you harm none?
Wear what you like, as long as you harm none?
Eat what you like, as long as you harm none?
None of these things would be acceptable in Islam ... unless your perception of 'harming oneself or others' is different to that of the majority of non-Muslims.
Drink, as long as you harm none?
Drinking alcohol is harmful for the health. If we talk about the harmful effects for just the heart:
- Weakens the heart muscle and ability to pump blood (Cardiomyopathy).
- Abnormal heart signals, irregular heart beat and heart enlargement.
- Increases blood pressure, risk of heart attack and stroke.
- Inhibits production of both red and white blood cells.
And there are other effects for the other parts of the body: (
http://www.shesinrecovery.com/addict...uleffects.html)
Have sex, as long as you harm none?
Sex outside marriage has very destructive effects on the individuals: man, woman and the outcome of this Sexual relationship. In addition it has a very destructive effect on the whole society.
Sex is not an aim but a mean to enjoy & establish a family to maintain & preserve the mankind. If we reduce ourselves to enjoy sex outside marriage; this would be the shortest way to destroy the mankind. We see many of its effects on men, women & children in the field of psychiatry. (
http://www.islamonline.net/livedialo...GuestID=cJJqZ4)
Wear what you like, as long as you harm none?
Wearing women unclad clothes is harmful for her and the society.. Hejab highlights the Muslim woman as a pure, chaste woman and sets her apart from the immoral behavior associated with women who dress immodestly.
When a woman wears a hijab she is less likely to be harassed by men with lusty motives; she is less likely to be exploited for her beauty and feminity..
(
http://www.jannah.org/sisters/hijab_protect.html)
Hijab is like closing the door of the previous point (Sex outside marriage)
Eat what you like, as long as you harm none?
Eating haram foods is harmful for the health, and if we take pork as an example: The pig is a scavenger. It is an omnivorous animal. It eats everything. There are many diseases carried from swine to man, particularly parasite infestations.
Dr. Glen Shepherd wrote the following on the dangers of eating pork in Washington Post (31 May 1952).
“One in six people in USA and Canada have germs in their muscles - trichinosis 8 from eating pork infected with trichina worms. Many people who are infected shows no symptoms. Most of those, who do have, recover slowly. Some die; some are reduced to permanent invalids. All were careless pork caters”.
He continued “No one is immune from the disease and there is no cure. Neither antibiotics nor drugs or vaccines affect these tiny deadly worms. Preventing infection is the real answer.”
(
http://www.islamic-world.net/sister/h1.htm)
unless your perception of 'harming oneself or others' is different to that of the majority of non-Muslims
My sister, the badness of wrong things will never be changed even if the majority accepted them!
If our perceptions of harm are different (knowing that most scientists & doctors agree with Muslims), but all the mankind have the same system, The Judge here is Their Creator, Allah..
Allah is The Best One Who knows what is harmful and what is not, that's why we have to follow His true religion..
Exactly as what you said in this post:
format_quote Originally Posted by
glo
I am just pondering whether behaviour which we may consider 'harmless' could cause us or others harm in ways which we may not have anticipated.
For example, having a drink or two is pretty harmless, right? But what if under the influence who do something stupid you wouldn't normally do? It could easily lead to harm.
Consensual sex outside marriage is considered pretty harmless by most, right? But what if one partner gets emotionally entangled and suffers harm?
I guess many Christians and Muslims will say that the best way to keep yourself and other free from harm is to obey God's laws ... even if we don't always see or understand what his purpose behind them may be. It's question of trust that God knows what's best for us.
Does that make sense?
Sure it does :sunny:
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Longing for the Paradise (Al-Jannah) where the endless happiness…