The elusive ‘cure-it-all’
Apropos an article by Madeline Holcombe on CNN where she talks about five easy steps to get healthier. In this article, she asks at the beginning of the article if an undiscovered ingredient could cure all our health concerns. And she says it would be nice if such an ingredient were present! Well, I have written previously about exactly such an ingredient although it is not undiscovered! Yes, I am talking about Kalonji (Nigella sativa) seeds that were prescribed as a ‘cure-it-all’. For all diseases except death by Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) more than 1400 years ago.
I have been personally vouching for more research on these seeds. My hands have been tied since I have been without a regular academic or industrial job for a few years. Except for a brief dalliance of about 18 months with a ‘corporate’ Homeopathic company. If I get a chance, in sha ALLAH (ALMIGHTY ALLAH willing), I will first start researching these seeds.
Come on, practice at least a little bit of altruism as a ‘cure-it-all’ in your lives!
Enough about my story as it is human tendency to care about others, especially in today’s greedy world of ours. So besides Kalonji seeds, I will discuss in this article a few other things that can cure our bodies and more importantly our hearts. As our hearts have become very diseased. So diseased they are at a point beyond any cure at all. Not for any physical ailments but ailments really of the heart!
The first and foremost thing we require in our hearts in today’s world is some amount of altruism. A few grams at least, if not a few kilograms! I was just kidding. But honestly, I wish, I sincerely wish there had been some way of measuring emotions. Well, until someone finds a way of quantifying emotions, I just wish people practice more altruism without expecting anything in return. I know it is very hard what with the whole world, nay the beings present in the whole universe seem to ravel in opportunism to the core.
Less of everything is actually good, trust me, besides being a ‘cure-it-all’ in itself!
The second thing that one can practice more is talking less, eating a little bit less, and working a lot. Yes, we have become very lazy people of the worst sort! We have become habituated to everything automated. Honestly, the day is not far when people would want to automate even the ‘shittiest’ of our duties, attending nature’s call!
Trust me, even I love technology to the core. I am a hardcore technophile. But there is always a thin dividing line between how much technology is essential for us to keep it safe and without it becoming a hindrance in our normal lives. Everything in this life is good as long it is done or used in moderation. Once it crosses that limit, it turns sour, downright ugly, and maybe even useless beyond a point.
Islam and Homeopathy, my ideas of ‘cure-it-all’!
I became a hardcore votary of Islam and Homeopathy not because of just blind faith. I enjoyed the fruits of these two giants hence I started believing in them. So, I always quote from Islam and advocate the use of Homeopathy in our daily lives. Coming back to eating, I am sure all of you might be aware that the holy month of Ramadan is about to end. When the Muslims of this world fast (Sawm in Arabic) from dawn to dusk for nearly 29 or 30 days depending upon the sighting of the moon. Yes, Muslims follow the lunar calendar and hence the dependence on the moon.
Just think about this single duty of Muslims that helps them fall back on track in their lives not just physically but also mentally and spiritually. I am calling it a duty because it is one of the five duties (Farz)/pillars of Islam. The other four pillars are Shahadah [testifying that there is no God but ALLAH and Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) is His messenger], Salat/Namaaz (performing the five ritual prayers every day), paying Zakat (alms/charity tax) to the poor and needy persons, and performing Haj (if the means permit).
Just live in peace with the idea that someone above is watching me, you, and all of us!
The above five duties might appear very simple and not very important to a non-Muslim. But a Muslim knows that these are the most important things that matter to his/her life. The sheer belief that there is a hidden superpower above all of us who controls everything is the biggest strength of a Muslim. And not just Muslims.
I have always believed like all other sane beings who have been born in this wonderful world of ours until now. That we human beings are all the same. We all are the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve. This should dispel all the boundaries, ceilings, and any other things that differentiate us. And live happily together without any sort of fighting or any hard feelings. Which will remove nearly 99.99% of our problems, trust me!
Five prayers per day everyday
Performance of the five essential prayers every day is the best form of exercise both for the body and mind. You will not believe my words, but it seems human beings and jinn (genies) were created by the ALMIGHTY only to worship Him. But this is a duty for Muslims. If they are male, they must perform the prayers in the Mosque (Masjid) and if female, it is better if they perform them at their homes. But one cannot prevent ladies from coming to the Mosque. And these days, in many countries around the world, there are proper and separate facilities for ladies for performing prayers in Mosques.
Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan
Fasting during the month of Ramadan purifies not just the stomach, intestines, liver, kidneys, etc. but also our souls. Which are in dire need of recharging these days. Our souls and hearts are exposed to all sorts of evils on social media and nearly all other platforms in this world. At least if we are fasting, we tend to stay away from evils. The good effects our body and soul receive from fasting are innumerable.
Just imagine. The capacity of our stomach is just one liter. But we tend to fill it with food and drinks as if it is one large inflatable balloon. Imagine the enormous benefits it and the accompanying organs receive from the lack of food and drinks for nearly half a day or more every day for nearly one month. The trillions of cells in the human body are better off without food and water albeit for only one month.
That is why, just not to spoil the ‘healthy’ party, there is a very important Hadith [saying of Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him)] that states that whoever fasts the month of Ramadan and tops it up with six fasts either continuously or anytime during the ensuing month of Shawwal, it is as if s/he has fasted the entire year. I have shared this analogy before in an article. But people are people. And they will pounce upon food and drinks like never before after the month of Ramadan. So, the six fasts of Shawwal will act as a great speed-breaker in this ensuing orgy!
Sharing is caring and a way to end the ever-increasing disparities among us
Moving on to Zakat, this is one of the biggest solutions to the enormous disparity existing between the rich and the poor of this world today. Agreed, Zakat is only for eligible Muslims. But if every eligible Muslim pays this alms/charity tax correctly, then the amount would not just eliminate the poverty among the entire Muslims of this world but among even the non-Muslims. That means, that the amount generated from the eligible Zakat from the 2 billion plus Muslims would be so huge that even if all the Muslims who are eligible for Zakat are covered, then the remaining amount can be distributed among the poor and eligible non-Muslims. Points to seriously ponder upon.
Haj – if you have the means to do it
Haj – the annual pilgrimage to Mecca where the first place of worship to ALMIGHTY ALLAH, the holy Kaaba is present. It is not that only old people should perform Haj. But anyone irrespective of age if s/he has the means to do it, should perform it at the earliest. On a parting note, I ask ALMIGHTY ALLAH to first show me and all of you to His straight path, Siraatul Mustaqeem. Let us bring humanity back into our lives. Let us start living like human beings again. Take care of each other in our families first, then our neighbors, society, our own countries, and the entire world and this universe.
Trust me, we are probably not just the only human beings alive in this universe. Sooner or later, we will find out the truth about the aliens or human beings just like us alive and kicking in this wonderful universe of ours. And then think what will we do? Fight with them too just like how we are fighting among ourselves today in the name of religion, political party, and whatnot! Or make peace with them too and live happily forever. Hope I have not bored you with my words. Yes, I promise to write more often. I will certainly do it with your support. Happy Eid Mubarak in advance.
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