Global diabetes numbers at all-time high

The number of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes worldwide
has more than doubled since 1980 to 347 million, a far larger number
than previously thought, a new study has found.
An international team of researchers working with the World Health
Organization has found that the rates of diabetes have either risen
or, at best, remained essentially the same all over the world in the
past 30 years, the study, published in The Lancet journal, says.
The estimated number of diabetics is far higher than a previous
projection, which put thenumber closer to 285 million. Of the 347
millionwith diabetes, 138 million live in China and India, with
another 36 million in the United States and Russia.
Type 2, the most commontype of diabetes, is strongly associated with
obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
"Diabetes is becoming more common almost everywhere in the world,"
said Majid Ezzati, from Britain's Imperial College London, who led the
study along with Goodarz Danaei, from theHarvard School of Public
Health in the United States.
"Unless we develop better programs for detecting people with elevated
blood sugar andhelping them to improve their diet and physical
activity and control their weight, diabetes will inevitably continue
to impose a major burden on health systems aroundthe world," Danaei
said in a joint statement.
People who suffer from diabetes have inadequate blood sugar control,
an affliction that can lead to serious complications, including heart
disease, stroke, kidney or nerve damage and blindness.
According to experts, high blood glucose and diabetes lead to around
three million deaths around the world every year, a number that will
continue to rise as the number of people affected increases.
New treatments
Dozens of different treatments for the disease are available on the
market in both pill and injection form. Global sales of the medicines
hit $35 billion last year, and could rise to as high as $48 billion by
2015, according to IMSHealth, a drug research firm.
New research that is due to be presented this weekend at the
AmericanDiabetes Association's annual meeting in San Diego will focus
on experimental drugs and methods of combining classes of medication
to better control blood sugar.
A new type of diabetes pill being developed by Bristol-Myers Squibb
and AstraZeneca has proven to be effective at fightingthe disease,
according to a new two-year study, but the companies said higher rates
of bladder and breast cancers were seen in users of the drug.
1.4 per cent of patients treated with Dapagliflozin developed some
type of cancer, compared with 1.3 per cent of control group patients,
said Elisabeth Bjork, vice president of development for Dapagliflozin
at AstraZeneca.
"This is a chronic, progressive condition," said Dennis Urbaniak, vice
president of drug-maker Sanofi's diabetes division. "What we are most
worried about is the number of people out there with diabetes that is
not optimally controlled."
Diabetes has proven to be a booming market for drug manufacturers like
Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, Eli Lilly, Merck and Takeda.
For the Lancet study, the largest of its kind for diabetes,
researchers analyzed fasting plasma glucose (FPG) data for 2.7million
participants aged 25 and over across the world, using advanced
statistical methods to estimate the prevalence of the disease.
They found that between1980 and 2008, the number of adults with the
disease rose from 153million to 347 million. Seventy per cent of the
rise was due to population growth and ageing, with the other 30per
cent due to higher prevalence, they said.
The proportion of adults with diabetes by gender also increased, with
9.8 per cent of men and 9.2 per cent of women in 2008 affected by the
disease, compared to 8.3 per cent and 7.5 per cent respectively in
1980.
Island countries in the Pacific now have the highest diabetes levels
in the world, the study found. In the Marshall Islands, a third of all
women and a quarter of all men have diabetes.
The rise was high in North America, but relatively low in Western
Europe. Diabetes and glucose levels were highest in United States,
Greenland, Malta, New Zealand and Spain, and lowest in the
Netherlands, Austria and France.
The region with the lowest glucose levels wassub-Saharan Africa,
followed by east and southeast Asia.
PHOTO CAPTION
File photo of patients eating at a weight-reduction clinic in
Tianjinin northern China.

Study shows spanking boosts odds of mental illness

People who were hit or spanked as children face higher odds of mental
ailments as adults, including mood and anxiety disorders and problems
with alcohol and drug abuse, researchers said Monday.
The study, led by Canadian researchers, is the first to examine the
link between psychological problems and spanking, while excluding more
severe physical or sexual abuse inorder to better gauge the effect of
corporal punishment alone.
Those who were spanked or hit as kids were between two and seven
percent more likely to encounter mental issues later, said the
research in the US journal Pediatrics, based on a retrospective survey
of more than600 US adults.
That figure may seem low, particularly since about half of the US
population recalls being spanked in childhood, but nevertheless shows
that physical punishment can raise the risk of problems later on,
experts said.
"The study is valuable because it opens the conversation about
parenting," said Victor Fornari, director of the division of child and
adolescent psychiatry at North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System
in New York.
The rate "is not dramatically higher, but it is higher, just to
suggest that physical punishment is a risk factor for developing more
mental disturbances as an adult," said Fornari, who was not involved
in the study.
Previous research has repeatedly shown that children who were
physically abused as youngsters suffer from more mental disturbances
as adults, and are more likely to engage in aggressive behavior than
kids who were not hit.
But these studies have typically included more serious abuse.
The current study excludes both sexual abuse and physical abuse that
left bruises, marks or causedinjury.
Instead it focuses on "harsh physical punishment," defined as pushing,
grabbing, shoving, slapping or hitting as a form of punishment from
elders.
While 32 nations around the world have banned corporal punishment of
kids, the United States and Canada are not amongthem.
Using a nationally representative survey sample of 653 Americans, they
found that those who recalled experiencing harsh punishment as
children faced higher odds of a range of mental problems.
Between two and five percent of disorders like depression, anxiety,
bipolar, anorexia or bulimia were attributable to physical punishment
as a child, the study said.
From four to seven percent of more serious problems including
personality disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder and intellectual
disabilities were associated with such punishments in childhood.
Researchers stressed that the study could not establish that spanking
had actually caused these disorders in certain adults, only that there
was a link between memories of such punishment and a higher incidence
of mental problems.
The survey data came from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol
and Related Conditions collected between 2004 and 2005,and included
adults over age 20.
Participants were asked: "As a child how often were you ever pushed,
grabbed, shoved, slapped or hit by your parents or any adult living in
your house?" Those who answered"sometimes" or greater were included in
the analysis.
Roya Samuels, a pediatrician at Cohen Children's Medical Center inNew
York, said the parents' genes may influence both their response to
raising an unruly child as well as their likelihood ofpassing down
certain ailments.
"Parents who are resorting to mechanisms of corporal punishment might
themselves beat risk for depression and mental disorders; therefore,
there might be a hereditary factor going on inthese families," she
told AFP.
Future research could shed more light on the issue. In the meantime,
the study offers a reminder that other disciplinary options such as
positive reinforcement and removing rewards are viewed more favorably
by doctors.
"The reality is, if 50 percent of thepopulation has experienced being
spanked in the past year, most kids are resilient. It is just that
there are better ways for parents to discipline kids than spanking,"
Fornari said.
"And for some vulnerable kids, the spanking may increase their risk
for the development of mental disturbances. So for thosereasons it is
important to really minimize or extinguish physical punishment."
The American Academy of Pediatrics opposes striking children for any
cause and the Canadian Pediatric Society recommends that doctors
strongly discourage the use of physical punishment.

Excessiveness is the Way of Satan

When excessiveness befalls some people, they go beyond all limits.
Some of these people want to do the most perfect of acts, but theygo
astray. Facts state that such people end up giving up the performance
of these righteous deeds altogether. Ibn Hajar said, "If a person
delves into religious deeds and abandons moderation, he will stop and
will become unable to continue, and will be consequently overwhelmed."
The Prophet said: "The religion [of Islam] is easy. Whoever
overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in
that way." Satan has driven such people to excessiveness when he found
in them audacity and courage, so hecaused them to deviate from the
right path.
The religion of Allaah is only one true religion: Islam. It is in a
middle stage between excessiveness and disinclination. The Prophet
warned us against excessiveness and said: "Beware of excessiveness in
religion. Indeed excessiveness in religion caused those [nations]
before you to perish." Ponder over what the Prophet said when he knew
about the case of the three people who swore to do excessive acts; one
of them said, "I will not marry." The second said, "I will not eat
meat," and the third said, "I will not sleep on a bed." Then, the
Prophet said: "How is it that some people said such and such a thing?
I pray and sleep; fast andbreak my fast and marry women. So, whoever
turns away from my Sunnah is not a true follower of me." Moreover, the
Prophet said thrice: "Doomed are those who go to extremes" Does not
this indicate the danger of excessiveness and extremism?
The Righteous Predecessors' Warning Against Excessiveness
The righteous predecessors and scholars knew the danger of
excessiveness and warned against it. When a man asked 'Umar ibn
Al-Khattaab about the meaning of the Arabic word "Abb" which means
"grass" in the verse (which means): {And fruit and grass} [Quran
80:31], 'Umar said, "We were forbidden from excessiveness and
exaggeration." Also, 'Ubaadah ibn Nusayy once said to his people, "I
witnessed people who neither went to extremes like you nor asked
questions like you."
In another example, a man wrotea letter to 'Umar ibn 'Abdul-'Azeez
asking about fate. 'Umar ibn 'Abdul-'Azeez wrote in reply,
I advise you to fear Allaah, to be moderate in applying His commands,
to follow the Sunnah of His Prophet and to abandon what innovators
innovated [in the religion] after the Sunnah of the Prophet was
established. They [the righteous predecessors] were saved [by Allaah
The Almighty] from the burden of innovation [as Allaah The Almighty
has completed and perfected His religion in a way that makes it free
of the need of any additions or omissions]. You should follow the
Sunnah, for it will protect you[from deviation, destruction or
punishment].
You should know that for any innovation in religion, there is a proof
before it [mentioned in the Quran or the Sunnah to indicate that it is
a religious innovation] or there is a lesson in them [in the Quran and
Sunnah] which proves that [this new thing is a religious innovation].
After all, the Sunnah is prescribed by the One who knows that what
contradicts it is wrong, faulty, and foolish.
So, follow the same way that wasadopted by the righteous predecessors,
for they had great knowledge, and with deep insight they forbade
[religious innovations]. They were more able to recognize matters [of
religion]. They are worthier to be followed by virtue of their state
of belief. If what you follow is the[true] guidance, then, you have
surpassed and preceded them to it [which is clearly wrong].
If you said that which was innovated after them, it is [also wrong]
because it was invented by those who followed other than their way and
were preferred to them, indeed, you are wrong for they were the
foremost [in faith and performing righteous deeds]. They [the
righteous predecessors] identified and clarified religious matters
extensively and thoroughly in a way that leaves no room for anyone to
increase or decrease inthem.
Some people abandoned matters that they [the righteous predecessors]
did not abandon so that they became negligent; and some aspired to go
beyond them so that they went to extremes. However, the righteous
predecessors are in themiddle of these two levels, as they were
following the right path.
You wrote to ask about fate [whether believing in it is Sunnahor
religious innovation]. You haveasked, Allaah willing, a knowledgeable
person. I do not know of any innovation whose effects are clearer or
more established than [writing and recording] belief in fate. People
used to mention it even in the dark pre-Islamic era in their
discussions and poetry to consolethemselves on what they had missed.
Then Islam enhanced andclarified belief in fate. The Prophet mentioned
it in morethan one or two Hadeeths. Muslims heard it from him and
talked about it during his lifetimeand after his death. They did so
while they were certain of it and submissive to their Lord, believing
that it is impossible for anything not to be encompassed by the
knowledge of Allaah The Almighty, nor recorded in His Book [the
Preserved Tablet], nor decreed and effected by Him.
Fate is mentioned in the decisive verses of the Quran, and they
[therighteous predecessors] quoted and learned it from them. If you
ask, "Why did Allaah reveal the verse of such and such? Why did He say
such and such?" then you should realize that they [the righteous
predecessors] read what you have read and knew about its meanings what
you are ignorant of. After that, they admitted that there is a decree
and a fate [predestined by Allaah The Almighty], that misery was
decreed [on some people], that whatever is destined will take place,
that what Allaah wills happens, and what He does not will does not
happen, and that we do not possess for ourselves harm or benefit.
Then, they liked [good deeds] andfeared [committing wrongdoingswithout
taking their belief in fateas a justification for not doing good
deeds]. [Abu Daawood, Al-Albaani - Saheeh]
Yet another example is that a man came to Ibn 'Aqeel and said, "I dip
myself in water several times but I doubt whether my Ghusl is valid or
not, what is your opinion?" Ibn 'Aqeel said, "O man, go! You are
notrequired to perform prayer." The man asked, "Why?" Ibn 'Aqeel said,
"Because the Prophet said: Three [types of people] are not held
responsible for their acts: the insane until he regains consciousness
…' and a person who dips himself in water severaltimes and then doubts
whether water touched him or not, is clearly insane!"
Types of Excessiveness
Excessiveness has many types:
Excessiveness in Religion: This occurs when a person has false
beliefs, such as the Christian belief that 'Eesa (Jesus) is God or the
son of God, and the Jewish belief that he was an illegitimate child.
This type of excessiveness exists also in the deviated sects such as
the Khawaarij, the Shiites, and the Murji'ah.
Excessiveness in Knowledge: This occurs when words are distorted from
their proper usages.
Excessiveness in Worship: This occurs when a person overburdens
himself in worship until he gets apathetic, then hates worship and
quits it altogether.
Excessiveness in People or Groups: This occurs when a person holds
some people or a particular group in a higher rank than theirs or
takes their opinions and attitudes as the very basis of allegiance and
disassociation.
How Can we Know Excessiveness?
If excessiveness is so dangerous, is every person entitled to judge
that certain individuals or groupsmay have gone beyond Sharee'ah
limits? Here, reliable scholars should be referred to in this regard
in order to judge whether some acts or doings are excessiveor not.
Dissolute and secular people consider every religious act excessive;
they regard the Hijaab, the beard and the referring to the Islamic
Sharee'ahitself, for example, as acts of excessiveness.
Is Excessiveness an Islamic Phenomenon?
In other words, does excessiveness exist only in Islamic societies? In
fact, reality and history prove that excessiveness is not confined to
Muslims only; Christians and Jewsalso have many forms of
excessiveness. Some modern societies also suffer from a lot of
excessiveness. Different groups inthe world, whether religious or
nationalistic, also suffer from thisdisease. So, it is improper to
blindly follow others and confine this accusation to Muslims. Worse
than this is when some of us approve other's opinions which claim that
the teaching of the Sharee'ah and religious curricula in Muslim
countries is the cause behind some types of excessiveness, although
our history and reality prove that ignorance of Islamic rulings is, in
fact, the greatest cause of excessiveness, but would anyone heed the
lesson?

--

- - - - -

And Allah Knows the Best!

- - - - -

Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤

What is hijrah?

How can we make hijrahfor the sake of Allaah nowadays?
Praise be to Allaah.
Hijrah (migration) for the sake of Allaah meansmoving from the land of
shirk to the land of Islam, as the Muslims moved from Makkah – before
its people became Muslim – to Madeenah, because it had become the city
of Islam after its people had pledged their allegiance (bay'ah) to the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and asked him to
make hijrah to them. So Hijrah means migratinmg to join otherMuslims.
Hijrah may also take the form of moving from one land of shirk
toanother land of shirk where evil is less prevalent and there is less
danger to the Muslims, as when some of the Muslims migrated from
Makkah, at the command of the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him), to Abyssinia (Ethiopia).
And Allaah is the Source of Strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet
Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant them peace.
Fataawaa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 12/50