A’immah (عليهم السلام) vs. Science Series (Part 1)

Here is an article made by Abu Abdullaah (from shiachat):

This is part 1 of many articles in the series titled “A’immah (عليهم السلام) vs. Science”. The reason I have titled this as such is not because our Imaams (عليهم السلام) go against science, rather I have titled this to show how far ahead of science our Imaams (عليه السلام) were. Part 1 of this series deals with sitting for an extended period of time in the bathroom can be one of the causes for hemorrhoids.

(Taken from my personal copy of Wasaa’il Al-Shee`ah, vol. 1, ch. 20, pg. 236 – 237)

بَابُ كَرَاهَةِ طُولِ الْجُلُوسِ عَلَى الْخَلَاءِ

Translation: “Chapter on the dislike to sit long on the toilet”

Source: Wasaa’il al-Shee’ah by Shaykh Hurr al-‘Aamilee, vol. 1, pg. 336, ch. 20

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بِإِسْنَادِهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ أَبِي زِيَادٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع يَقُولُ قَالَ لُقْمَانُ لِابْنِهِ طُولُ الْجُلُوسِ عَلَى الْخَلَاءِ يُورِثُ الْبَاسُورَ قَالَ فَكَتَبَ هَذَا عَلَى بَابِ الْحُش‏

Translation: “Muhammad bin al-Hasan (Shaykh Toosee) by his isnaad from Muhammad bin ‘Alee bin MaHboob from Al-‘Abbaas (bin Ma’roof) from Al-Husayn bin Yazeed (Nawfoolee) from Ismaa’eel bin Abee Ziyaad (Sukoonee) from Muhammad bin Muslim. He said, ‘I heard Abaa Ja’far (عليه السلام) say, ‘Luqmaan said to his son: ‘Sitting long upon the toilet inherits hemorrhoids. He said: ‘Then he wrote that on the door of Al-Hushsh (?).’”

Source: Al-Toosi, Tahdheeb Al-aHkaam, vol. 1, ch. 15, pg. 352, hadeeth # 4
             Wasaa’il al-Shee’ah by Shaykh Hurr al-‘Aamilee, vol. 1, pg. 336, h. 883

Grading: Muwaththaq (Reliable)

(Taken from my personal copy of Man Laa YaHDuruh Al-Faqeeh, vol. 1, pg. 18, hadeeth # 56)

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع طُولُ الْجُلُوسِ عَلَى الْخَلَاءِ يُورِثُ الْبَاسُورَ

Translation: “Muhammad bin ‘Alee bin Husayn (Shaykh Sadooq) said: Aboo Ja’far (عليه السلام) said: ‘Sitting long on the toilet inherits hemorrhoids.’”

Source: Al-Sadooq, Man Laa YaHDuruh Al-Faqeeh, vol. 1, pg. 28, hadeeth 56
             Wasaa’il al-Shee’ah by Shaykh Hurr al-‘Aamilee, vol. 1, pg. 336, h. 884

Grading: Da’eef walakin Mu’tabar (Weak but Valid)

(Taken from my personal copy of `Ilal Al-Sharaa'i`, vol. 1, pg. 270, ch. 187, hadeeth # 1)

وَ فِي الْعِلَلِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ عَامِرٍ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ الْبَجَلِيِّ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع يَقُولُ طُولُ الْجُلُوسِ عَلَى الْخَلَاءِ يُورِثُ الْبَوَاسِير

Translation: “And in ‘Ilal (al-Sharaa`i’ by Shaykh Sadooq) from his father from Sa’d bin Abd ‘Allaah from Al-FaDl bin ‘3aamir from Moosa bin al-Qaasim al-Bajalee from the one he mentioned from Muhammad bin Muslim. He said: ‘I heard Abaa Ja’far (عليه السلام) say, ‘Sitting long on the toilet inherits hemorrhoids.’’”

Source: Al-Sadooq, `Ilal Al-Sharaa’i`, vol. 1, ch. 187, pg. 278, hadeeth # 1
             Wasaa’il al-Shee’ah by Shaykh Hurr al-‘Aamilee, vol. 1, pg. 336, h. 885

Grading: Da’eef walakin Mu’tabar (Weak but Valid)

وَ فِي الْخِصَالِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ مَاجِيلَوَيْهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْأَدَمِيِّ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ اللُّؤْلُؤِيِّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَعِيدِ بْنِ غَزْوَانَ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ أَبِي زِيَادٍ عَنِ الصَّادِقِ عَنْ آبَائِهِ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ ع قَالَ طُولُ الْجُلُوسِ عَلَى الْخَلَاءِ يُورِثُ الْبَاسُورَ

Translation: “And in Al-KhiSaal (by Shaykh Sadooq) from Muhammad bin ‘Alee Maajeelawayh from Muhammad bin YaHyaa from Abee Sa’eed Al-Aadamee (Sahl bin Ziyaad) from Al-Hasan bin Al-Husayn Al-Lu`lu`ee from Muhammad bin Sa’eed bin Ghazwaan from Ismaa’eel bin Abee Ziyaad (Sukoonee) from Al-Saadiq (عليه السلام) from his fathers from ‘Alee (عليه السلام). He said: ‘Sitting long on the toilet inherits hemorrhoids.’”

Source: Al-Sadooq, Al-KhiSaal, vol. 1, pg. 18, hadeeth # 65
             Wasaa’il al-Shee’ah by Shaykh Hurr al-‘Aamilee, vol. 1, pg. 336, h. 886

Grading: Da’eef walakin Mu’tabar (Weak but Valid)

الْفَضْلُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الطَّبْرِسِيُّ فِي مَجْمَعِ الْبَيَانِ عِنْدَ ذِكْرِ حِكَمِ لُقْمَانَ قَالَ وَ قِيلَ إِنَّ مَوْلَاهُ دَخَلَ الْمَخْرَجَ فَأَطَالَ فِيهِ الْجُلُوسَ فَنَادَاهُ لُقْمَانُ طُولُ الْجُلُوسِ عَلَى الْحَاجَةِ يُفْجَعُ مِنْهُ الْكَبِدُ وَ يُورَثُ مِنْهُ الْبَاسُورُ وَ يُصْعِدُ الْحَرَارَةَ إِلَى الرَّأْسِ فَاجْلِسْ هَوْناً وَ قُمْ هَوْناً قَالَ فَكَتَبَ حِكْمَتَهُ عَلَى بَابِ الْحُشِّ

Translation: “Al-FaDl bin Al-Hasan Al-Tabrisee in Majma’ Al-Bayaan mentions a story of Luqmaan. He said: ‘And some say: ‘Verily, his master entered the exit. Then lengthened his sitting in it. Then Luqmaan called him ‘Sitting long upon necessity. It causes hepatitis from it and inherits hemorrhoids from it and elevates temperature to/for the head. Then sit ease and rise ease. He said: ‘Then he wrote his wisdom upon the door of Al-Hushsh (?).”

Source: Al-Tabarasee, Majma` al-Bayaan, vol. 8, pg. 495 (Under verse 31:15)
             Wasaa’il al-Shee’ah by Shaykh Hurr al-‘Aamilee, vol. 1, pg. 337, h. 887

Grading: Da’eef walakin Mu’tabar (Weak but Valid)

According to Science:

Hemorrhoids are abnormally swollen veins in the rectum and anus. They are much like varicose veins you might see on a person's legs. When bulging hemorrhoidal veins are irritated, they cause surrounding membranes to swell, burn, itch, become very painful, and bleed. Hemorrhoids are caused by too much pressure in the rectum, forcing blood to stretch and bulge the walls of the veins, sometimes rupturing them. Listed below are the most frequent causes of hemorrhoids:

• Constant sitting
• Straining with bowel movements (from constipation or hard stools)
• Diarrhea
• Sitting on the toilet for a long time
• Severe coughing
• Childbirth
• Heavy Lifting

Source: http://quickcare.org/gast/hemorrhoids.html

                “#7. Avoid straining at stool or sitting on the toilet for a long time.”

Source: http://www.acg.gi.org/patients/healthtips.asp

                “The hemorrhoidal veins at the lower end of the rectum may distend or even rupture during a movement or after prolonged sitting or standing.”

Source: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EG0pAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JugDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4204,4073946&dq=causes+of+hemorrhoids+prolonged+sitting&hl=en

According to some sources, the first traces in history of this theory of sitting for a long time in the restroom being one of the causes for Hemorrhoids was founded in the year 1959, December 28, 1959 to be exact.

(Here is a picture of a newpaper article that was written by Dr. T. R. Van Dellen talking about one of the causes of being prolonged sitting in the restroom)

How to cure Hemorrhoids - Hadeeth:

وَ بِإِسْنَادِهِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ جَدِّهِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ رَاشِدٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ الِاسْتِنْجَاءُ بِالْمَاءِ الْبَارِدِ يَقْطَعُ الْبَوَاسِيرَ

Translation: “And by his isnaad from Ahmad bin Abee ‘Abd Allaah (al barqee) from Al-Qaasim bin YaHya from his grandfather Al-Hasan bin Raashid from Aboo BaSeer from Abee ‘Abd Allaah (عليه السلام). He (عليه السلام) said: ‘Washing with cold water cuts the hemorrhoids.’”

Source: Al-Toosi, Tahdheeb Al-aHkaam, vol. 1, ch. 15, pg. 354, hadeeth # 19
            Wasaa’il al-Shee’ah by Shaykh Hurr al-‘Aamilee, vol. 1, pg. 354, h. 941

Grading: Da’eef

How to cure Hemorrhoids - Science:

               “Cold-Water treatment also helps the veins to shrink and tones up the walls. The treatment should be taken a day by sitting in a tub filled with cold-water up to the chin-level . Good Home Remedies for Hemorrhoids/Piles.

                Cold compresses applied to the rectal area for about an hour before going to bed at night is also beneficial.”

Source: http://natural-homeremedies.com/homeremedies_hemorrhoids.htm