Response to those who ignorantly forbid fasting
Greetings to you all, may peace and mercy of Allah be upon you.
Various media outlets have circulated an interview with a person known as the writer and thinker Dr. So-and-so, who claims that there is no fasting during a pandemic. We have responded to this statement before, but I would like to add some updates to the information and clarify with evidence how the media celebrates valueless speech, built on ignorance, not on Islamic law or medicine, but rather misquotes both ancient and contemporary physicians who did not say what is attributed to them.
As a quick note, to those who do not accept the words of Muslim doctors and specialists, we say: Here is the statement of the World Health Organization.
The World Health Organization's Position on Fasting During a Pandemic
On the same day this person gave his interview, the World Health Organization issued an article on April 15, 2020, five days prior, titled: "Safe Practices in Ramadan in the Context of COVID-19." Under the heading "Fasting" in this article, the World Health Organization stated: "No studies have been conducted on the relationship between fasting and the likelihood of contracting COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, and healthy individuals can fast this Ramadan as in previous years." Those are the exact words of the World Health Organization.
The World Health Organization also stated: "However, COVID-19 patients can take the religious concession regarding not fasting in consultation with their doctors, as they do with other diseases."
Of course, brothers, the World Health Organization used objective phrasing here, which is a good thing, but this does not mean it is an objective and reliable institution in all matters, as we have detailed in the episode "Science Forgery: Homosexuality as an Example." So when we mention their statement on this topic, it does not mean trusting them in everything. Therefore, this is the statement of the World Health Organization.
Scientific Research on Fasting and Immunity
We have published research by Dr. Mu'izz Islam Fares on fasting and its effect on immunity and susceptibility to diseases, supported by twenty published studies in international journals, some of which are among the most prestigious in their field. We have also refuted the false claim that fasting has a negative effect on immunity and susceptibility to infectious diseases, a claim that is not based on any research or evidence, but rather is baseless talk.
Dr. Mu'izz himself had another study published in an international journal, the Journal of Chest Diseases, in cooperation with professors and doctors (meaning the rank of full professor) and doctors in medicine and other health sciences from King Saud University in Riyadh, Tanta University in Egypt, the University of the Arabian Gulf in Bahrain, and the University of Sharjah in the UAE. Muslim doctors, and we will provide you with the link to his article and research in the comments, God willing.
What this new research has shown: the absence of any scientific evidence that fasting during Ramadan causes dehydration and a pathological lack of fluids that could lead to respiratory infections. They proved that fasting has no relation to this.
Response to the "Thinkers" Claims
After this scientific talk and published research and great efforts in laboratories and clinical trials, come and see the words of the great thinker whom famous and well-known channels host at the global Muslim level, especially the Arabs. This thinker (their thinker) says to you: "We return to the words of respected Muslim doctors, no fasting in Ramadan." He says to you: "The doctors of the Arab Islamic nation, the elite whom the whole world and human civilization respect, said to avoid fasting and sexual intercourse in Ramadan."
Well, is it possible, O respected great thinker who is hosted weekly to spread such talk and which is not up to his level in terms of scientific reliability and credibility: "Western scientists say so." Without reference, naming, or proof. Can you bring us names? This thinker repeats this talk four times in the interview, and not once does he mention the name of a single contemporary Muslim doctor. Then he returns to claim that this is the talk of Muslim doctors over a thousand years.
Statements of Ancient Physicians
Well, why did you not bring, O respected one, the words of these doctors over a thousand years? Bring us their names. When asked to specify names, he said: "Al-Razi, Ibn Sina, and Ali ibn Ridwan the Egyptian." And he insists that this means something obvious and widespread among all doctors.
Of course, brothers, so as not to confuse, we will not delve now into the orientations of Ibn Sina and Al-Razi, but we say: Can you specify for us, O their thinker, where did Ibn Sina and Al-Razi say this in their books?
Al-Razi's Words on Fasting
We referred to Al-Razi's words in "Al-Hawi," for example, and we did not see him say anything about fasting except in the context of talking about patients. And look at what Al-Razi said: "In general, massage and abstaining from food and softening it should be according to the strength, so whatever the strength can bear of that, it is faster for the recovery of the patient, it is faster for the recovery of the patient." Notice he is talking about abstaining from food (meaning fasting) in the appropriate amount is faster for the recovery of the patient (meaning the sick person). This has nothing to do with Ramadan fasting or healthy individuals, on the contrary, and he encourages a certain healthy fasting for some patients, not abstaining from Ramadan fasting for the healthy, which has absolutely no relation.
He also says in this book: "He said, meaning Alexander, and Galen ordered massage and connected fasting and restriction to water, honey, and zofa." Frankly, I do not know what zofa is. Meaning Ramadan fasting has nothing to do with Ramadan. Where this fasting is also not complete abstinence, but it is interspersed with honey and zofa.
Ibn Sina's Words on Fasting
As for Ibn Sina, he said in his famous book on medicine, "The Canon": "The treatment of these types of diets. The treatment of this disease is close to the treatment of phlegmatic quartans. And it needs in its treatment the virtue of fasting and softening the management. And it needs in its treatment the virtue of fasting and softening the management." Meaning he advises fasting in some types of diets to speed up the recovery of the patient. Talking about healthy fasting for patients again.
Until Ibn Sina said: "And since these diets are not such that they weaken the strength, we did not care to soften the management and use fasting on the patient for a period, and to avoid that as much as we wanted by feeding him with what his food is abundant." Therefore, once again Ibn Sina advises fasting for some types of diseases. The same concepts. Talking about patients, and both (Al-Razi and Ibn Sina) encourage healthy fasting for these patients from some types. The talk has no relation, near or far, to Ramadan fasting for the healthy.
Conclusion
This is what we found with Ibn Sina and Al-Razi. Do you have anything other than this talk, O thinker? Do you have anything other than this talk, O you who introduce yourself as a professor of Islamic philosophy since you were thirty-nine years old? May Allah be our helper.
Generalizations about contemporary Muslim doctors contradict and refute them, and claims about previous doctors also contradict and refute them. So know, brothers, from whom you take your religion. May Allah bless you in Ramadan, and may He accept from us and you its fasting and standing in prayer. Peace be upon you, and may the mercy of Allah be upon you.