Western intellectuals' views on Spectator sports -- it's purpose and addictive effects
Noam Chomsky on the purpose of "Sports":
"The purpose of sports is to divert people, it's to create a community of people who by some overwhelming sense of irrational loyalty, are focused on insignificant things. Hence, you don't have to worry about them asking questions about serious things that matter to their lives and to their society."
"Sports are designed to occupy the population, and particularly the males of the population. And it's not an accident that you have the big sports, and you have the big entertainment industry, which are mostly male-oriented. This is a way of building up irrational attitudes of submission to authority, and group cohesion behind leadership elements — in fact, it's training in irrational jingoism."
George Orwell: "Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules, and sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence: in other words, it is war minus the shooting."
From Orwell's essay "The Sporting Spirit," published in 1945.
Aldous Huxley: "In regard to propaganda, the early advocates of universal literacy and a free press envisaged only two possibilities: the propaganda might be true, or it might be false. They did not foresee what in fact has happened, above all in our Western capitalist democracies — the development of a vast mass communications industry, concerned in the main neither with the true nor the false, but with the unreal, the more or less totally irrelevant."
From Huxley's book "Brave New World Revisited," published in 1958.
Chris Hedges: "The culture of professional sports is another mechanism to distract us from the realities around us. It does not enhance our lives but instead offers temporary relief from the anxieties and discontent bred by a decaying society."
From Hedges' book "Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle," published in 2009.
On the similarity between sports fans and other addicts:
Being a sports fan is a complex process that can resemble addiction. The highs and lows of your team's performance can create a cycle of emotional dependency. Expert quotes:
1. "For some, being a sports fan is like a drug. The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, it all creates a high that keeps them coming back for more."
— George Vecsey, sports columnist for The New York Times
2. "Sports fans experience the same dopamine rush that drug addicts do when they watch their team win. It's a powerful emotional experience that can be highly addictive."
— Dr. Daniel Wann, sports psychology expert, in his research on sports fan behavior
3. "The passion and devotion of sports fans often border on the obsessive, resembling the behaviors seen in addiction."
— Dr. John F. Murray, sports psychologist, in his work on sports psychology and fan behavior
Sunday, June 30, 2024
Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Towards a Shariah Compliant and Ibadah Friendly Hospital
Shariah Compliant and Ibadah Friendly Hospital
(Adapted from Journal of the British Islamic Medical Association - Vol. 7 - May 2021)
What is involved in establishing a Shariah Compliant and Ibadah Friendly Hospital? Is it important for us to know what it is all about? Do we need to establish this program in our hospitals?
It may not sound important to many of us, especially if we think we are successful in our career. The majority of Muslim Doctors do not pay much attention to this issue of Islamisation of their medical practice and hospital/clinic.
Points to ponder:
1. How many of our Muslim patients perform their salat while they are under our care?
2. Who is responsible for helping Muslim patients perform their salat in our hospitals?
3. Do our hospital staff guide the patients regarding how to modify Ghusl, Wudhu, Salah, Fasting, etc., due to their illness according to Fiqh?
4. Have we ever discussed Islam or spirituality with our patients?
5. Have we or our staff ever assisted terminally ill patients under our care in the final seconds of their life to die with Husn al Khatima by reciting the Shahada?
6. Do we follow Gender and Satr / Haya rules in our hospitals?
7. Do we follow the Shariah limits and guidelines in doing the various procedures like IVF, Abortion, Plastic Surgery, etc.?
To answer the first question, it is known that most of the patients in the hospitals do not perform their salat. Can we imagine if it happened to ourselves or to our families?
Below are some of the reasons why they do not perform their prayers:
1. Patients assume they can replace their prayers later(qadha)
2. They assume they are being excused from praying because of their illness and being in the hospital
3. Patients are ignorant about the Fiqh issues
4. No assistance and guidance from medical staff
5. Hospital management do not provide support and facilitate patients to perform their ibadah
6. The assumption that the Muslim patients should understand and know their responsibility.
Have we ever thought about who is going to help us to say Shahadah or remind us to remember Allah at the end of our life? How would we feel if our relatives died after resuscitation without being assisted to say the Shahadah? Are those duties expected from the Muslim staff? Are we aware that the ultimate goal of a Muslim is to die with Husn al Khatimah?
Standards In Shariah Compliant and Ibadah Friendly Hospital (IFH):
The following discussion will focus on the proposed Standards In IFH. These standards should be taken into consideration when planning the implementation of this program.
1. HOSPITAL POLICY OF IMPLEMENTING IFH:
Adopting the IFH as a hospital policy
Integration and assimilation of good values in hospital administration
Vision and Mission of Hospital taking into consideration the IFH program toward excellent hospital services
Stakeholders should ensure that the IFH becomes an integral part of the hospital policy.
2. ORGANISATION STRUCTURE:
Establishment of an IFH Committee with specific job scope and organizational chart that reflects this aspiration.
Direct involvement of the Hospital Director and senior members of the management in the IFH Committee
Establishment of Spiritual Department or Shariah Department in ensuring the successful implementation of IFH programs
Regular meeting and report by the committee (at least 4x/year)
3. CULTURE IN IFH:
GENERAL CULTURE
-good values – (Itqan/Ikhlas/Ihsan)
SPECIFIC CULTURES
-Culture of smiling &salam
Reciting Bismillah/Alhamdulillah/Insha’Allah at appropriate time pre/during or post procedure
Remembering God
Campaign/poster/banner promoting these cultures and awareness of IFH
Continuous monitoring of the staff practices and assimilation of these practices
4. HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
Basic training – awareness about IFH
Introduction programs and basic trainings for all staff on IFH
Preparation of manual for basic training in IFH
REGULAR ongoing program – sustainability and monitoring
5. FACILITIES FOR IFH:
Orientation for patients about salat facilities and providing assistance to those needed
Salat reminder/assisting patients to perform salat
Audio visual facilities in reminding patients/staff on prayer
Facilities to perform salat (Qibla direction/proper attire/clean area)
Bottle spray/Tayammum powder/Books/Guidelines for prayer/wudhu/Tayammum)
Patients attire – covering Awrah in ward/during delivery/ procedure & surgery
Separate wards/rooms for different gender
6. SOPS IN IFH:
General SOPs – assimilation of good values at all levels-good character (akhlaq)
SOPs in all clinical settings – orientation for new admission
Pre & post procedures
Chaperone
Guiding and helping patients to perform ibadah
7. DIGNITY OF PATIENTS AND STAFF:
ECG, USG and other procedures by same gender
Catheter performed by same gender
Ensuring awrah/Satr of patients in OT/delivery rooms are being taken care of following shariah guidelines
8. HUSNUL KHATIMAH:
Establishing chaplaincy services – (talqin services/spiritual support for patients and relatives)
Assisting family in preparing WASIAT/Family support
Talqin – encouraging family to talqin patients/ensuring staff available to support patient during terminal stage
Assisting family for the funeral arrangement
9. QUALITY MANAGEMENT:
Quality Committee in monitoring the implementation of IFH
Internal and external audit
Patient’s feedback regarding the IFH programs in the hospital
Scheduled monitoring of the programs
These are some of the suggested elements which could become the essentials in the implementation of IFH.There are many additional programs which need to be implemented in IFH. All departments and sections need to prepare SOPs and programs related to the IFH.
What is involved in establishing a Shariah Compliant and Ibadah Friendly Hospital? Is it important for us to know what it is all about? Do we need to establish this program in our hospitals?
It may not sound important to many of us, especially if we think we are successful in our career. The majority of Muslim Doctors do not pay much attention to this issue of Islamisation of their medical practice and hospital/clinic.
Points to ponder:
1. How many of our Muslim patients perform their salat while they are under our care?
2. Who is responsible for helping Muslim patients perform their salat in our hospitals?
3. Do our hospital staff guide the patients regarding how to modify Ghusl, Wudhu, Salah, Fasting, etc., due to their illness according to Fiqh?
4. Have we ever discussed Islam or spirituality with our patients?
5. Have we or our staff ever assisted terminally ill patients under our care in the final seconds of their life to die with Husn al Khatima by reciting the Shahada?
6. Do we follow Gender and Satr / Haya rules in our hospitals?
7. Do we follow the Shariah limits and guidelines in doing the various procedures like IVF, Abortion, Plastic Surgery, etc.?
To answer the first question, it is known that most of the patients in the hospitals do not perform their salat. Can we imagine if it happened to ourselves or to our families?
Below are some of the reasons why they do not perform their prayers:
1. Patients assume they can replace their prayers later(qadha)
2. They assume they are being excused from praying because of their illness and being in the hospital
3. Patients are ignorant about the Fiqh issues
4. No assistance and guidance from medical staff
5. Hospital management do not provide support and facilitate patients to perform their ibadah
6. The assumption that the Muslim patients should understand and know their responsibility.
Have we ever thought about who is going to help us to say Shahadah or remind us to remember Allah at the end of our life? How would we feel if our relatives died after resuscitation without being assisted to say the Shahadah? Are those duties expected from the Muslim staff? Are we aware that the ultimate goal of a Muslim is to die with Husn al Khatimah?
Standards In Shariah Compliant and Ibadah Friendly Hospital (IFH):
The following discussion will focus on the proposed Standards In IFH. These standards should be taken into consideration when planning the implementation of this program.
1. HOSPITAL POLICY OF IMPLEMENTING IFH:
Adopting the IFH as a hospital policy
Integration and assimilation of good values in hospital administration
Vision and Mission of Hospital taking into consideration the IFH program toward excellent hospital services
Stakeholders should ensure that the IFH becomes an integral part of the hospital policy.
2. ORGANISATION STRUCTURE:
Establishment of an IFH Committee with specific job scope and organizational chart that reflects this aspiration.
Direct involvement of the Hospital Director and senior members of the management in the IFH Committee
Establishment of Spiritual Department or Shariah Department in ensuring the successful implementation of IFH programs
Regular meeting and report by the committee (at least 4x/year)
3. CULTURE IN IFH:
GENERAL CULTURE
-good values – (Itqan/Ikhlas/Ihsan)
SPECIFIC CULTURES
-Culture of smiling &salam
Reciting Bismillah/Alhamdulillah/Insha’Allah at appropriate time pre/during or post procedure
Remembering God
Campaign/poster/banner promoting these cultures and awareness of IFH
Continuous monitoring of the staff practices and assimilation of these practices
4. HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
Basic training – awareness about IFH
Introduction programs and basic trainings for all staff on IFH
Preparation of manual for basic training in IFH
REGULAR ongoing program – sustainability and monitoring
5. FACILITIES FOR IFH:
Orientation for patients about salat facilities and providing assistance to those needed
Salat reminder/assisting patients to perform salat
Audio visual facilities in reminding patients/staff on prayer
Facilities to perform salat (Qibla direction/proper attire/clean area)
Bottle spray/Tayammum powder/Books/Guidelines for prayer/wudhu/Tayammum)
Patients attire – covering Awrah in ward/during delivery/ procedure & surgery
Separate wards/rooms for different gender
6. SOPS IN IFH:
General SOPs – assimilation of good values at all levels-good character (akhlaq)
SOPs in all clinical settings – orientation for new admission
Pre & post procedures
Chaperone
Guiding and helping patients to perform ibadah
7. DIGNITY OF PATIENTS AND STAFF:
ECG, USG and other procedures by same gender
Catheter performed by same gender
Ensuring awrah/Satr of patients in OT/delivery rooms are being taken care of following shariah guidelines
8. HUSNUL KHATIMAH:
Establishing chaplaincy services – (talqin services/spiritual support for patients and relatives)
Assisting family in preparing WASIAT/Family support
Talqin – encouraging family to talqin patients/ensuring staff available to support patient during terminal stage
Assisting family for the funeral arrangement
9. QUALITY MANAGEMENT:
Quality Committee in monitoring the implementation of IFH
Internal and external audit
Patient’s feedback regarding the IFH programs in the hospital
Scheduled monitoring of the programs
These are some of the suggested elements which could become the essentials in the implementation of IFH.There are many additional programs which need to be implemented in IFH. All departments and sections need to prepare SOPs and programs related to the IFH.
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