[Closing] MeM 2012 (Final Debate & 'Bahas' - Talkshow - Closing ceremony)

MeM 2012 (Final Debate & 'Bahas' - Talkshow - Closing ceremony)

Tentative:

8:00a.m - Arrival

8:30a.m - Final 'Bahas'

10:00a.m. - Final Debate

11:30a.m.- Friday Prayer

1:30p.m. - Talkshow "How YOU(th) can be a STAR"

3:35p.m. - Closing ceremony

4:20p.m. - Closing video MeM '12

4:30p.m. - Prizes delivery

5:30p.m. - Disperse

Organized by:

Academic Bureau of PERUBATAN (B-ACD) 2012/2013

~Read for the future, lead the world~

[Article writing competition] #6 Writing Obsession: A Black Voodoo?

Writing Obsession: A Black Voodoo?

Ever lying on your fluffy spring bed, counting ‘sheep’ for a nap? Sure, with the midnight cold breeze grazing your feet. Those little stars up there are flickering, sensing your deep true emotion. Even the nature is compromising you! If only ‘they’ are really ‘sheep’, with four legs and skin of wool. Instead, it is the sand of time that you keep splashing on your fullest imagination, resurrecting him from the deepest of your memory. Now you are obsessed.

Being defined as an act that you are always pre-occupied with differs it from passion. Passion, simply speaking, is the strong powerful emotion that fills your day, consuming a page of your thick diary, or even more. Transforming you into a living puppet where your obsession is the master playing the tiny strings that lock your joints. Here comes the crucial issue. Will you make a play of the Lord of Darkness, committing massacre or is it an angel giving blessing to others?

History then greets us with thousands of episodes, some are great to be passed to the next generation while some not. That is the ultimate rule of nature, nothing is perfect. As epitome, World War I (WWI) is one fair enough to be discussed. Although it did not involve the whole people on this spherical earth as it name deserves, it sequences do. Highlighting France as a part of the drama, it is just one of many European countries. Quoting Thomas J. Scheff in his epic book Bloody Revenge, it is the obsession that raise the France battalion to something that they can proud of. 43 years before the great war emerged, France was defeated in Franco-Prussian War (1871). It was such a shame to an imperial. The lost of French honor in the war was decried years after that it became an obsession. This is historically proven by the media of the era. Leading newspaper, poems, novels and plays openly vowing to regain the fallen pride. Revenge, a word of choice, shattering most of the heart of harmony. Soon, they made alliance with Russia, claiming it was an insurance against an attack by Germany. However, retrospectively, it was just a step forward taken by France’s obsessed leading military leaders in order to instigate a war against Germany.
Indeed, it was a successful revenge against Germany, as the historian recorded. For their utter dismay, they are living in a circle, a circle of obsession ( counter revenge theory ) , as termed by some psychology professors all around the world. Even the earth is a circle, physiologically. From another point of view, the Germany’s defeat possessed a young man, the uprising political leader, Adolf Hitler. He was obsessed. As the saying goes, an eye for an eye.

Who is Adolf Hitler? A common question, but the answer is never the common one. According to the testimony of his intimates, his personality is bizarre to the point of madness. His delusions, phobias, sadisms, sexual aberration and utter isolations are well documented. All the symptoms lead to a sure sign of mental illness. Such a paradox for a man that shaped his nation’s history. How come this kind of man able to gather the most united strength of the history despite of the fact that he is a dictator? The question puzzled our historians for centuries. Rationally, he is a man meant to fail, with no follower, as all of his facts are well known men. Yet, they are fanatically loyal saviors. There are no supporting reasons, virtually. 

Shame theory comes into the act, suggesting a logic solution. Hitler’s obsession of restoring his lost pride and his undertreated nation was the key to his vast appeal to the public and the followers. His book, Mein Kampf, and his recorded speech are thick with shame and humiliation. His feelings were exactly the same as his followers. The aftermath of the defeat in WWI and unfair Treaty of Versailles gives birth to anger and aggression amongst the people of Germany. These feelings are their loyal friends, in their attempt to cure their pain, an aggravating pain of shame and humiliation. As the circle cycled, the WWI is continued by World War II ( WWII ). Another obsession-borne devastating war.

Enough with that medieval era, of Napoleon and Hitler. As the time goes, even the modern history has watched hundreds of tearful yet complicated dramas. The swiping of World Trade Center ( WTC ) from the daily phenomenon on 11th September 2001 is too nice to be cited. This so called 9/11 has changed millions fates. From a child to a man and even an oldie counting his day. The doom stained Americans’ pride and honor, which should be cleared as soon as possible. The humiliation of the American security forces the president at that time, George W Bush came into action. Being haunted by the mistakes of his military in defending the nation, he was desperate enough to grant America its power again. Obsession came fitting its role, making this people a good puppet. A good actor indeed. Instead of acknowledging the humiliation and the security weakness, he masked it by an action against a nation that play no significant role. Iraq be the chosen one. Like a rampaging crazy man, all the victims are helpless bystanders.

Perhaps the most crucial question is not about the leaders, but the public. A war that consumes their money, life and even the beloved one seem irrelevant to silence them, but it is the fact, they are silenced. Perhaps, they are ready to live in a lie, so the fear, grief, sorrow and humiliation that they experience from the 9/11 can be hidden by the obsessive revenge, no matter how inaccurate the target is.

It is the obsession that results in millions of bloody events all around the world, and all around the history. No doubt at all, they are the fact! Nevertheless, it is also the obsession that gives Napoleon, Hitler and the American second life. They struggle, appreciating every second left on their journey of life.

Ever think of a superman? Is he just a fantasy of a lonely child? No, he is you, after you reveal your power. A power of will, usually starts with a passion, followed by an obsession.
Generally speaking, obsession is a hidden mass of energy that can force you to finish your work, achieving your goal and even setting for a better future.
A mesmerizing fact studied by the modern scientist, it is impossible for a couple to stand together the whole life with just love, the purest one though. It is the obsession that arises from the deep obsessive passionate love. 

We do not really need a poet to express, what love is with beautiful and romantic words ever. Our anthropologist, Helen Fisher, states that love can be divided into three different chemical states. The lust, which is driven by androgens and estrogen, while romantic love, characterized by intensely emotional mood swings and obsessive craving, is driven by high dopamine and norepinephrine levels, along with low serotonin. The third state, of stable attachment, is driven by the hormones oxytocin and vasopressin. 

According to Fisher, the three states occur evolutionarily. It is somehow related to the evolutionary theory, a theory that stresses the presence of evolution if it leads to better survival of a species. Fisher says that lust evolved as a mechanism for people to be interested on a basic level in reproduction with others, while romantic love developed to focus one’s mating energy on just one individual. Stable attachment works to tolerate this individual long enough to raise children as a team. The obsessive energy output of being in love might seem illogical in the context of evolutionary theory, especially since love is often not reciprocated, but this ability to forgo short term efficiency in favour of greater long term reproductive success makes sense as an important adaptation for the continuation of the human race.

Unleashing the good and the dark side of obsession, it is just like our cerebral hemispheres. Each part plays it own role, funding a better society in the future.

Written by:
Muhammad Aiman Bin Mohd Azhari
2nd Year 

Ain Shams University

[Article Writing Competition] #5 Gender Confusion,Genetical or Hormonal? (2)

Gender Confusion, Genetical or Hormonal?

Understanding Gender Confusion

Our ancestors long ago easily identified a male as someone who has beard or moustache, physically and mentally stronger or typically one who leads the family. On the other hand, a female is someone whose movements more graceful, meticulous, motherly, associated with more indoor activities than outdoors and with sensitive instincts. William Shakespeare visualized a female’s beauty through his poem, ‘Sonnet 18’,

“…Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate;

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,

And summer’s lease hath all too short a date…”

Throw a bit spice of twist into the famous Shakespeare’s masterpiece about young lovers, Romeo and Juliet. Juliet’s father forbidden their affections because Juliet was actually borne genetically and physically male. Too bad for Romeo, he never aware of the truth for the rest of his life. How pity. Romeo lived in lies and Juliet’s father had to be the bad guy for the whole story line. Would such dramas be sensible in society during that era? Well, it happens in this very age of Wifi and those overrated iPhones.

 As much technologies and communication expand, mankind dilemmas got more complex. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) activists stand upon principle that Gender Confusion is not a disease after all. They claimed ‘male’ and ‘female’ titles are just limited to social recognition whereas gender is another subjective entity relying to what one is pleased with. Therefore, what is a male? What is a female? These provocative questions challenged legislations and scientists to confront idea brought by several parties telling them to sort out gender identity descriptions from strict traditional criteria. Gender Confusion or Gender Identity Disorder frequently becomes a subject of discussion particularly among puzzled psychologists.

Literally, ‘gender’ is derived from Latin word, ‘genus’ meaning kind or race. Scientifically, ‘gender’ is defined as the sex of an individual (male or female) based on reproductive anatomy while ‘confusion’ is an impaired orientation with respect to time, place or person. Gender Confusion is a condition where a male or female feels a strong identification with the opposite sex despite having normal biological reproductive organs.

So far, intellectuals have not reached the exact cause of Gender Confusion. However, various theories are proposed.

“Hormones, magical chemistry.”

Biological theory is based on evidence that high levels of the male hormone testosterone are associated with high levels of aggression in boys and tomboyishness in girls.                 

At around third month of pregnancy, male differentiation takes place when newly formed male hormones flood the brain. Such hormonal surge will repeat between second and twelfth week after birth. No feminizing hormonal surge occurs in female intrauterine development. Both hormonal amounts and rate of surge affect masculinization. An incompletely imprinted male may emerge from inadequate testosterone and bad surge (too slow or too fast).

Interruption on hormonal surges originates from diverse sources. For example, toxic substances and disorder in the mother's endocrine system (such as hormone secreting tumor, common maternal stress and maternal medications).  

 “It’s in my gene. It’s innate”

Some opinions suggest certain genes are not influenced by hormones. In addition, genes are increasingly being put forth as reason for complex behavioural traits including sexuality and gender differences. Back to basics, all human cells (except gametes) contain 46 chromosomes. They include 22 pairs of autosomes and a pair of sex chromosomes (also called gonosomes) represented as X and Y.  

Females have two X-chromosomes. One of the chromosomes is inactivated and converted into Barr body. Males have an X and Y-chromosome. By the presence of Y-chromosome, development is directed towards manhood. It is necessary for Sex Determining Region Y (SRY) gene localized on Y-chromosome to work collectively together with genes on other chromosomes in ensuring healthy testicles development.

Eric Vilain, professor of human genetics, paediatrics and urology at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)'s David Geffen School of Medicine had attempted to trace specific genes involved in gender identity by using laboratory animals, according to a report on WebMD Health News official website on October 20, 2003.

Foetuses were chosen for the investigation because the gonads were not yet to develop into testes or ovaries. Eric and his colleagues found no source of hormones when they analysed the mice foetuses brains but they found more than 50 genes expressed differently in males and females. The discovery opened up possibilities in which gender identity already existed in genes before reproductive organs are fully formed. Nonetheless, this assumption has its flaws since too many genes are involved and environmental factors still predominate.

“An evening with our therapist…”

Many studies support compelling relations between psychological development and Gender Confusion. Children’s gender-role behaviour is very much driven by their evaluation on males and females around them. Social Learning theory proposes that gender typing is the result of a combination of observational learning and differential reinforcement.

On October 17, 2011, FoxNews.com revealed a lesbian couple were giving their adopted son who wants to be a girl, Tommy hormone blockers that delay onset of puberty in order for him to get more time in confirming whether or not he wants to change his gender. Apart from the issue of administering such risky drugs to an under aged child, critics question if Tommy learnt to believe he is a girl by himself or from observation on his same sex parents. Besides synchronization of what he seen or heard with his own values, how a child’s parents attach to and treat him play significant contributing role.

Cognitive-Developmental theory denotes gender understanding follows a prescribed time line. In other words, children know they are either boys or girls by the age of two or three. Over time, gender identity is stable. By the age of six or seven, children learn that gender is also stable across all circumstances. During that stage, a little girl entering rough quarrel with boys of her age does not proof masculinity. In contrast, it is unsurprising to find an innocent girl diagnosed with Gender Confusion unable to remember the last time being female.

Coming up with a Conclusion

It is neither genetical nor hormonal. With no signs of solid cause, majority agreed it is classified as a type of mind disorder. Like other medical problems, identifying Gender Confusion aetiological aspects is extremely important for successful treatment. Authors of the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association's Standards of Care for Gender Identity Disorders, Sixth Version mentioned,

“To qualify as a mental disorder, a behavioural pattern must result in a significant adaptive disadvantage to the person or cause personal mental suffering. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (DSM-IV) and The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10 (ICD-10) have defined hundreds of mental disorders which vary in onset, duration, pathogenesis, functional disability, and treatability. The designation of gender identity disorders as mental disorders is not a license for stigmatization, or for the deprivation of gender patients' civil rights. The use of a formal diagnosis is often important in offering relief, providing health insurance coverage, and guiding research to provide more effective future treatments.”

The feeling of being in the wrong body describes such discomfort, anxiety and depression haunting these confused children and adults. Isolation is not the best choice though many peers and relatives choose this short cut to cope with shock or disgust. Family members support is profoundly vital in keeping Gender Confusion individuals’ inner strength, motivation and productivity in school, college or work. Clearly to say, within his or her biological gender. 

Yes, everyone should be considerate and yes, people are free to express whoever they are. Freedom is not true freedom when it surpasses boundaries. In Gender Confusion case, some health professionals nod if a gender-confused adult requests for sex reassignment. Needless to speak about permanent effects and invasiveness, just how these surgeons are convinced it is a good alternative for this group?

Gender Confusion is commonly diagnosed by psychiatrist or psychologist. A detailed medical history and psychological exam are conducted to exclude other possible causes for the symptom. Gender Confusion is diagnosed when evaluation confirms persistent desire to be the opposite sex.

Misleading decision making by highly trusted knowledgeable figure sooner or later spins nature upside down. What if more intense psychological disturbance burdens a patient following genitoplasty and hormonal therapy? We cannot imagine one day Sandra wants to be Sean, then another day Sean wants to be Sandra back. This situation brings us to transgenderism issue.

Transsexualism is cursed by the Prophet Muhammad (Blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Al-Bukhari narrated from Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) as saying,

"The Prophet Muhammad (Blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) cursed the effeminate men (who imitate women) and the manly women (who imitate men).”

Any wise scientist must take attentive note of man’s brain limits. Infinite questions keep arising yet very few have been settled. A gigantic civilization without religion is not more than malignant cells. They multiply recklessly to tremendous number, aimless. Unaided human logics point us nowhere. We are in the urgency for wide exposure of Islamic perspectives about Gender Confusion so that Gender Confusion will not evolve into society confusion. Worst case scenario, human race menace.

Had we were given the chance to meet Ibnu Sina and other Muslim geniuses from the past, their voice could be loud enough in reminding physicians not to create hasty guessing in managing Gender Confusion individuals.

written by:

Siti Maryam Binti Mohd Sallehuddin

Third Year,

Kasr al-Ainy Faculty of Medicine,

Cairo University.

[Article Writing Competition] #4 Gender Confusion: Genetical or Hormonal?

Gender Confusion : Genetical or Hormonal?

“Read: In the name of thy Lord Who createth. Createth man from a clot. Read: And thy Lord is the Most Bounteous. Who teacheth by the pen. Teacheth man that which he knew not.”

Surah Al-Alaq (1-5)

            Recently the whole world saw the uprising of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transsexual (LGBT) community demanding equalities in both nationality and law aspects. In Malaysia itself, a non-political, independent group terming themselves “Seksualiti Merdeka”, demanded certain tweaks in Malaysia’s federal constitution for the benefit of the sexually-unconventional minorities. It became the mass media’s focal issue, questioning the group’s functionality and motives. Some extreme political groups and religious movements even declared “war” against the cause. Politics aside, as professional members of the science field, doctors should further dig into the cause of these abnormalities; seek answers from a medical perspective.

Gender confusion, or scientifically phrased as “Gender Identity Disorder” (GID) is defined as “a conflict between a person's actual physical gender and the gender that person identifies himself or herself as[i] ” – or in a simpler term, any individuals having the affinity to define him or herself as the opposite gender. A boy may feel or act like a girl, or vice versa. In this article, let us probe deeper into this sensitive and controversial issue.

            The scope of GID is very big, perhaps too big to be discussed in this piece of literature review. There are cases of GID which involve deviations and aberrations of human chromosomal DNA, resulting in Klinefelter’s Syndrome, or sometimes called XXY syndrome (a human male having an extra X-chromosome[ii], forming XXY karyotype instead of the normal XY human male karyotype); Turner’s Syndrome (Genetic condition in which a female does not have the usual pair of two X chromosomes[iii], having just one X chromosome, instead of the normal XX female karyotype, or XY male karyotype). These two syndromes are often diagnosed early as some signs may appear during infancy, but it is commonly detected after puberty, when the secondary sexual characteristics do not develop as expected. However without DNA screenings, these two conditions could not be determined easily. Researches done regarding these two phenomenon strongly suggest that the two incidences are genetic disorders[iv],[v] resulting from various causes such as radiation, or hidden genetic mosaicism (a condition in which cells within the same person have a different genetic makeup[vi]).

            However, not all GIDs are caused by Klinefelter’s or Turner’s Syndrome. There are other theories that support the occurrence of gender confusion. One of these is the effect of hormones on the physiological and psychological developments of an individual.

            An endocrinology study by Garcia-Falgueras and Swabb states that in the intrauterine life, a foetus’ sexual organ is developed first, and later the brain is sexually differentiated under the influence of of hormones, mainly sex hormones such as testosterone, oestrogen, and progesterone. Garcia-Falgueras and Swabb also postulated that sexual orientation has a direct relation to the exposure of testosterone hormones on a developing brain[vii].

            Studies on pre-natal hormones’ effects on sexual identity are still vague and inconclusive. The studies, though important, are not effectively done due to the worldwide ethical guidelines that prohibit tempering with pre-natal hormones which may produce undesirable effects on innocent lives. Researchers depend entirely on natural occurrence of hormonal disorders in foetuses and observe the outcomes. The most extensive studies were done in cases of Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia and Congenital Androgen Insensitivity.

Female foetuses suffering from Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) are exposed to abnormally high amount of androgen. Observations done on these infants have shown that their play behaviours are more inclined towards balls, toy cars and machineries when relatively compared to female infants whom prefer dolls, soft toys and flowery objects. For male infants, however, deviations in their play behaviour during infancy have been largely associated with a syndrome called Congenital Androgen Insensitivity[viii]. These findings are ultimately inconclusive as the affected infants show abnormalities only in their playing behaviour. There is yet no conclusive evidence that the hormone androgen causes gender confusion.

Studies have also shown that males whom grew up without a father have higher affinity to be effeminate, and females growing up without motherly figures at homes tend to be emasculate. These findings were found to be related to hormonal changes in pre-puberty children

It is a common knowledge that secondary sexual characteristics such as the voice, body shape, hairlines, and sexual functions start after puberty. These secondary sexual characteristics are maintained by testosterones in males, and cyclic influx of oestrogen and progesterone in females. What would happen if the maintenance of these secondary sexual characteristics is disrupted?

Some over-ambitious sportswomen consume male hormones to enhance muscle development, strength and agility. When the level of testosterone in the body of a female is increased above normal, the female will start to show secondary sexual characteristics of a male. She may start to grow more hair, and later hair follicles would develop on the chest, face and back. Her larynx would widen, giving her a coarser voice, and her muscles would be more prominent. These changes are mainly physical at first. Studies have shown that in prolonged chronic cases, psychological changes may take place; she would start to show sexual interest in other females. This is believed to be caused by many factors, mainly the renewed way of people interacting with her. Normally, if we see someone with facial hair and prominent muscles, but with some effeminate features, we would treat the person like a man, for treating a ladylike man like a girl would be an insult.

When it comes to post-puberty intake of the opposite sex hormones in males, the cases were found to be mostly to be the result of prolonged gender confusion, most probably since childhood.

The world was once shocked with the news of the birth of a new technique to grow hens, by injecting them with oestrogen. Many postulated that these would cause the male consumers of these chickens would be effeminate. Studies have not yet proved this theory. However, scientific studies did prove that consuming soy milk would not make men effeminate, as soy milk does not contain oestrogen. It contains pro-oestrogen which has no effect on secondary sexual characteristics of humans.

Gender confusion has been widely associated with psychological deviation. The studies are done through behavioural observations and experiments. Though most of these studies are inconclusive; however, they give us explanations to some questions that boggle the minds of the gender-unconfused public. Why do they cross-dress? Why can’t they just be normal? And ultimately, don’t they believe in god?

A cross-sectional study has been done on some 300 people with GID. 60% believed that they were really the opposite sex, trapped inside their bodies. 30% felt comfortable cross-dressing in public, while over 83% felt comfortable to cross-dress in their homes. From the 300 subjects, 287 claimed to have religious faith. 43% of the 287 faithful subjects believed that they were committing sins[ix].

The most popular game for this case scenario – Who to blame? As usual, the society is quick to point a very long finger to the families, especially parents. This is over-generalizing. People with normal family backgrounds may turn up confused with their own gender identity too. A study has shown that adopted or surrogate children with two lesbian mothers or two gay fathers have no higher tendency to be attracted to the same sex than children with heterosexual parents[x]. However children with non-heterosexual parents were found to be more accepting towards the idea of same sex relationship.

Next in line in the blame game is the friends, peer pressure and education. Tasker and Golombok (1997) explained that there was no concrete evidence that social surrounding would affect one’s gender identity. However, social surrounding does show some impacts on one’s acceptance towards the gender-confused. A person who mixes with the sexually-unconventional people was found to be more open towards cross-dressing and same sex relationship for themselves. This budding idea in the society nowadays may be one of the biggest causes for the spreading of gender confusion syndrome.

Here comes the importance of faith. Religions promote the idea of ideas, but to a certain extent. Faiths bring us guidance and law. Without law and guidance, who are we to say we are the better species than animals. Referring to the Quranic verse above, it is obvious that Islam makes it compulsory for its disciples to read, or in other word, study. When we label a person “faggot”, “sissy, “tomboy”, or “gay”, do know that these people may have been born that way. Faith can guide us all.

Written by:
Syamsuddin bin Faruok
4th Year
Medical Faculty
Zagazig University

           

[Article Writing Competition] #3 Homeopathy, is it still relevant?

Homeopathy, is it still relevant?

            ‘Similia Similbus Curantur’ audibly may be mistaken as one of those ludicrous magic lines in Harry Potter, but in reality it is the central tenet of Homeopathy dated back since its foundation 200 years ago by Samuel Hahnemann. The principle ‘Likes Cures Likes’ is uphold by Homeopaths all over the world by treating ailments with natural substances that if given to a healthy person will produce symptoms of the ailment. A quick glance of this practice in Homeopathy can be seen in the use of Alium Cepa, of red onion origin, given to patient who has the symptoms of sneezing, excessive nasal discharge and profusion of tears. This laudable principle which is a revival of idea conversant with Hippocrates however is overshadowed by the unusual preparation of Homeopathic remedy. Homeopathic remedy is prepared through potentiation, of which the mother tincture, an extract of the original substance is diluted with water to an astronomical ratio, up to a level of which no molecules of the medicine could have being present, as perceived by modern day science. This strange preparation of Homeopathic remedy never fails to raise eyebrows among skeptics. To make thing stranger, Homeopaths believe that the more chemically diluted the remedy, the more therapeutically enhanced it is. In an era that demands a succinct scientific explanation of the universe, does Homeopathy deserve a place in today health care amidst its surrounding controversy?

              Last year, a prolific health care author, Dr. Madelon Lubin Finkel, published the book ‘Public Health in the 21st Century’ in which she addressed the new health challenges around the globe, all too frequently associated with the confluent effects of pollution and inevitable post industrial environmental changes. A growing concern is the prevalent increase of respiratory and allergic-associated diseases including asthma. ‘The Global Burden of Asthma’ is a term designated in depicting the finance and energy consume in battling with asthma, not only at individual level but up to governmental level. This global catastrophe is in fact has economically exceeds those of AIDS and Tuberculosis combined. In face of such dilemma, Homeopathy offers an initiative, both financially and practically useful, without lifetime medication and hospital admission. In The Lancet (December 10, 1994) a research on Homeopathic medicine was conducted in a small scale of 24 patients by professors at the University of Glasgow. The asthmatic patients are given individualized Homeopathic remedy of substances to which they are most allergic to, in accordance to Law of Similarity. Within the first week of treatment, there is a significant relief of asthma reported by patients, not to mention the side effect of the remedy is virtually nil. Homeopathy might be of minuscule role in emergency asthma attack, but it clearly provide better choice in reducing or eliminating asthma symptoms, hence alleviating the global burden of asthma.

            Conventional medicine relies mainly on man-made drugs that are able to control the patients’ symptoms but sometimes give rise to unavoidable side effects. In recent decade, there is an increase awareness and consensus view even among the public about the ill-effect of common drugs in the long run. Nowadays patients are looking for an alternative way out, and many have discovered the benefits of using Homeopathic remedy in lieu of taking common drugs. Homeopathic remedy, unlike its conventional counterpart, is claimed by many as safe and has no toxic side effects as it is derived mainly from natural sources.  Common drug likes Panadol may reduce the pain in a rapid manner but the consumption need of pain killer will increase with time as the body becomes habituated to the drug, not to mention its adverse effects on liver. In Homeopathy, if the right remedy is given, its efficacy is similar to that of common drug although some patient may undergo Homeopathic aggravation, a temporary worsening of existing symptoms. The condition usually subsidised with time and there is no reoccurrence of symptoms, annihilated them truly. It is believed that instead of suppressing the disease, Homeopathy treat the root cause, not the symptoms. On the other hand, conventional medicine has gone to the extent of suppressing the immune system in order to get rid of a symptom. The usage of cough medicine for example suppresses the cough reflex which is supposed to be our body defense mechanism. It does not address the underlying issue but only the symptoms. As Dana Ullman, a well known Homeopath said; “Symptoms, then, are sign or signal of something else, and treating them does not necessarily change that ‘something else’”. Homeopathy might not be able to replace the need of drugs in anesthesia for surgery, or surgical procedure itself but it can definitely provide a favorable alternative in treating daily illness and avoid the unwanted effects of common prescribed drugs, consequently decrease the rate of doctor-induced diseases.

             Despite the booming flood of new drugs for treatment, modern day healthcare has witnessed a backward fashion of patients’ satisfaction. Doctors today approached patients as cases needed to be solved instead of a person longing to be healed. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why many more are shifting to Homeopathy.  Homeopathy provides a holistic approach of medicine that treats the patients as a whole, taking into accounts their personality and mental state rather than just the physical symptoms. A Homeopathic practitioner will try to match the physical symptoms and mental state of patients to the right remedy. For example, patients of common physical symptoms but different emotional states will be given two different individualised remedy and only one remedy is given to address all the symptoms. This is very different from conventional medicine, in which a drug is given to tackled only one symptoms. A patient will be given a drug concurrently with other drugs, each targeted at specific symptoms and even another medication to address the side effect of the given drug. Not only that, the number of drugs prescribed will increase with the increase of age of the patient, to the extent that they have to swallow a cocktail of drug in elderly age. It is very disheartening that these patients often resemble that of drug addicts, unable to cut their dependency to their medications. On the other hand, patients have a high regard of Homeopathic approach in treating them compare to the time spend with common physicians, many of which devoid of eye contact and spend only a few minutes before prescribing a drug. Thus Homeopathy fills in the hole of conventional medicine, and improves the relationship between patients and practitioner. It is due to the fact that physicians nowadays, despite all the scientific approach and novel technology, failed to provide the basic human support for their patients: quality time and empathy.

            Homeopathy might also be the solution to relieve the plight of the third world countries as it could provide a cheap accessible health care to counteract spreading epidemics that was exacerbated by low hygiene and lacks of quality health care. In Tanzania, two years ago, Jeremy Sherr, a prominent Homeopathic figure has founded Homoeopathy for Health in Africa project, co-contributed by many homeopaths around the globe in providing better health care for AIDS patients.  Sherr has described how Homeopathy helps in improving the life of the AIDS patients by inducing the body self immune system. Other Homeopathic figure, Jennifer Jacobs, Homeopathic MD and also a master in Public Health, carried a landmark study published as “Treatment of Acute Childhood Diarrhea with Homeopathic Medicine: A Randomized Clinical Trial in Nicaragua” (Pediatrics, 1994). The study shows a positive result towards Homeopathy. Diarrhea, an unabated cause of death in children in developing country could have been minimise by Homeopathy. Meanwhile, in developing countries like Pakistan, Cuba and Mexico, Homeopathy is assimilated into mainstream medicine. While in India its legislation is on par with that of mainstream. Over recent years, Homeopathy is able to establish numerous prestigious Homeopathic medical colleges, given birth to many licensed practitioners. Homeopathy practice in such countries has continued to remain a popular choice among local people because of its effectiveness and low cost. The practice of Homeopathy is not only limited to developing countries. In France and Germany too, Homeopathy share the same spotlight as mainstream medicine. In United Kingdom, Homeopathy receive funding from NHS, National Health Service in establishment of Homeopathic hospital and most general practitioner are also allowed to prescribed Homeopathic remedy. This is a tremendous indicator that even many patients in developed countries, despite the high accessibility to mainstream medicine, have resorted to Homeopathy.

            For centuries skeptics with great panache have try to classify Homeopathy as a mere placebo effect. They believe that the healing power of Homeopathy is all in the mind of patients, who, due to the empathic attitude and the quality time given by Homeopathic practitioner, becomes better no matter what medication is given. However this reiteration proved to fail when Homeopathy also gives profound effects on animals. Unlike human, animals can’t be convinced that it is going to be healed by Homeopathic remedy, neither can the doctor provide emotional assurance to the animal. Despite of that, this still does not subsidies the benefits animals obtain from the intake of Homeopathy, physically and emotionally. In line with the Homeopathic consultation to human, history taking by the Homeopathic veterinarian also involved the personality of the animal, as told, of course, by the owner of the pet. Homeopathy is also used in treatment of farm animals and wildlife rehabilitation.  Veterinary Homeopathy has been established a decade after the establishment of Homeopathy itself. In 1984, the British Association of Homeopathic Veterinary Surgeons was established indicating not only medical general practitioner has embraced Homeopathy, but also professional veterinarian. At present, there is an expanded Homeopathic veterinary community all around the globe.

            In the field of alternative medicine, Homeopathy might have been the beau idéal of what holistic healing is. Though it has been deliberately misconstrued and vehemently criticized by many that were unable to comprehend a system of medicine so against quantum physics and rational mind. The mechanism of action of Homeopathic remedy may not be able to be explained yet in term of modern science, but the problem is not of how it works, rather does it works? The acceptance on Homeopathy should not be on halt until we find an explanation satisfying enough to scientific community, for it may takes forever. Homeopathy, a medicine of small doses, but of magnanimous value in the 21st century.  Hence, the question as to whether Homeopathy is still relevant should have been discarded because Homeopathy, unlike the now infamous Harry Potter, will always survive the fate of time and remain popular due to its efficacy.

Written by:

UMMU HELMA HASSAN

2nd YEAR, FACULTY OF MEDICINE

CAIRO UNIVERSITY

[Article Writing Competition] #2 Darwinism Dalam Sains Perubatan : Dilema Penolakan Muslim

Darwinism Dalam Sains Perubatan : Dilema Penolakan Muslim

“Ali awak tu dulu monyet sebelum menjadi manusia”.

Bayangkan kalau kata-kata di atas pada hari ini diungkapkan pada seorang muslim, baik di Malaysia, mahupun di mana sahaja di pelusuk dunia. Apakah reaksinya pada sang pengucap? Marah, terkejut? Saya yakin ramai akan dengan melulu menuduh sang pengucap jahil, otak udang, malah mungkin dengan panggilan-panggilan pedas seperti kafir dan murtad. Kadang-kadang situasi ini melucukan saya. Professional muslim di seluruh dunia, khususnya dalam bidang perubatan berjuang siang dan malam bagi mengukuhkan nilai-nilai Islam dalam kehidupan sebagai doktor, tapi ramai yang tidak sedar, ramai yang terus leka dengan jarum-jarum halus Darwinism yang terus menusuk dalam  ruang lingkup dunia perubatan pada hari ini.

Sebelum kita bawakan persoalan ini ke ruang astakona perdebatan, suka penulis mengupas apakah yang dimaksudkan dengan gagasan Darwinism itu sendiri. Darwinism, seperti mana yang didefinisikan oleh John Wilkins dalam artikelnya yang bertajuk “So You Want to be an Anti-Darwinian”  bermaksud sebuah gerakan dan konsep yang berkaitan dengan idea transmutasi  spesis, sama ada yang dibawakan atau yang tidak dibawakan oleh Charles Darwin. Gagasan Darwinism berkompaskan konsep pemilihan semulajadi atau “natural selection” yang secara langsung menolak kesemua sekali teologi ketuhanan yang wujud dalam mana-mana agama. Charles Darwin, pengasas kepada ideologi Darwinism, dalam bukunya yang bertajuk “The Descent of Man” secara sinis telah menyebut “mempercayai tuhan, agama, tiada bukti bahawa manusia sejak zaman azali telah diperintahkan untuk mempercayai kewujudan tuhan yang maha agung”.  Dalam penulisan seterusnya, Darwin secara jelas memperkecilkan falsafah ketuhanan apabila menyebut “Idea ketuhanan tidak lahir melainkan melalui kebudayaan yang dibawakan dalam tempoh masa yang panjang”.

Sidang pembaca yang dihormati, cukup dengan sekali imbas, mana-mana orang Islam pasti akan mengakui bahawa idea Darwinism adalah bersalahan dengan akidah seorang muslim. Sepastinya kita semua akan sepakat untuk menolak kebenaran gagasan itu sendiri. Sayang sekali, sedang hati membenci, kita terus terbelenggu dalam jerat-jerat atheis yang sekian lama telah ditanam dalam bidang perubatan. Doktor-doktor pakar, para saintis dan ahli bijak pandai atheis sejak kurun ke-18 telah membiakkan ideologi Darwinism melalui terma-terma mereka dalam bidang perubatan moden. Fakta-fakta sains seperti Eukaryocyte ,mekanisma bersin dan penyakit-penyakit seperti buta warna berkait kromosom X dan Myopia, walaupun merupakan ilmu-ilmu sains yang pasti, namun kini, telah teruk dicemari dengan hampas Darwnism, khususnya dalam bidang pendidikan kuaternari.

Kadang-kadang, hati saya ketawa kecil melihat para senior cemerlang  di universiti dengan gah menyebut kalimah vestigial, rudimentary dan natural selection sedang tidak pernah sekali pun mereka terfikir, kalimah-kalimah ini sebenarnya mampu memudaratkan akidah mereka melalui ucapan! Lebih memeningkan kepala, situasi dunia hari ini menyaksikan bahawa hampir kesemua kolej-kolej perubatan masa kini telah pun berkiblatkan ideology Darwinism ini. Jangan terkejut jika pendedahan oleh journalis  Robert Lloyd pada tahun 2008 menunjukkan sekurang-kurangnya 14 buah negara-negara orang Islam di dunia telah menandatangani perjanjian tanpa sedar untuk mengajar teori Darwinism di sekolah-sekolah dan Universiti. Jika dilihat dalam dalam skop pendidikan di negara Mesir sendiri, tiada siapa boleh menafikan sedikit sebanyak, silibus pendidikan kita juga telah terkena  tempias gagasan Darwinism ini.

Darwinism merupakan suatu gerakan tersusun yang bertujuan menggelincirkan akidah umat islam melalui teori-teori sains. Akar umbi Darwinism menjalar terlalu dalam dalam dunia sains perubatan hinggakan, mana-mana orang yang menolak Darwinism dianggap menolak sains, lantas dianggap bodoh dan ketingg alan zaman. Professor Steven John, pensyarah kanan di University College London dengan angkuh telah menyatakan bahawa para pelajar yang tidak mahu mengakui kebenaran teori Evolusi bawaan Darwin tidak sepatutnya mengambil jurusan Biologi. Keadaan bertambah parah apabila tindakan segelintir pelajar muslim yang memboikot kelasnya kerana mengajar teori Darwinism terus diperkecilkan olehnya, lantas memburukkan nama Islam di mata komuniti sains United Kingdom. Dalam satu tindakan yang boleh dianggap kurang ajar, beliau menyatakan bahawa agama meracuni segalanya.

            Dilema-dilema yang lahir dari pengaruh Darwinism tidak berakhir di kolej-kolej perubatan semata-mata, malah terus berlaku apabila para saintis Islam dan mereka yang mengimani kewujudan tuhan melakukan kajian di peringkat Master dan PhD. Doktor Loren G. Martin sedari tahun 1999 telah menemui fungsi appendiks yang signifikan dalam tumbesaran kanak-kanak dan fetus. Teori ini juga telah disokong oleh Dr. Zaid dua tahun kemudiannya. Pun begitu, sayang sekali, pandangan ini  langsung tidak pernah dimasukkan di mana-mana buku teks perubatan, hanya kerana teori tersebut bersalahan dengan ideologi Darwinism. Lebih memeritkan, kajian Doktor Loren yang telah dibuktikan melalui kajian-kajian sains yang mendalam dan menyeluruh telah secara terancang dilitup dalam lipatan masa dan dikaburi dengan teori Pusat Bakteria yang dibawakan Professor Bill Parker, hanya kerana teori rapuh ini lebih bersifat pro-Darwinism.

            Nah sidang pembaca sekalian, mari kita berfikir sejenak, apakah ada jalan keluar pada kemelut atheism dan Darwinism yang kini menjadi tulang belakang pada kajian-kajian sains pada hari ini? Kajian penulis mendapati teori Creative Darwinism, atau yang kini dipopularkan dengan nama Neo-Darwinism merupakan antara gerakan paling berjaya mutakhir ini untuk menolak gagasan Darwinism. Neo-Darwinism yang dibawakan oleh Doktor Bergson’s menolak teori natural selection yang terkandung di dalam gagasan Darwinism kerana teori tersebut tidak mampu menerangkan pelbagai pekara misteri yang berlaku dalam sains moden, misalnya dalam kejadian isomerism dan chirality. Malah hakikatnya, jika insiden-insiden misteri ini dikaji diluar kotak pemikiran Darwinism, para saintis tidak dapat menolak bahawa teori Darwinism sebenarnya merupakan imaginasi kanak-kanak kecil yang tidak logik untuk dibincangkan sama sekali.

Doktor Bergson’s dalam teorinya menerangkan bahawa kewujudan alam dan kelahiran manusia tidaklah terjadi melalui natural selection, sebaliknya berlaku atas pengaruh suatu kuasa yang tidak diketahui lagi. Doktor Bergson’s menamakan kuasa ini élan vital. Doktor Bergson’s dalam penulisannya menegaskan bahawa kuasa ini bukanlah suatu khayalan, sebaliknya tidak dapat diketahui melalui kaca mata sains kerana kekurangan aplikasi moden untuk mengkajinya, sebagaimana kewujudan graviti yang tidak boleh dibuktikan melalui sains kerana ketiadaan alat pengukur graviti pada kurun ke-18. Dalam kertas kerjanya pada tahun 1911, Doktor Bergson’s mencadangkan bahawa kuasa ini mungkin wujud di dalam DNA setiap organism dan kuasa itu memberikan arahan kepada organism untuk membentuk suatu rupa dan susunan. Idea Doktor Bergson’s diterima oleh ramai para saintis yang menolak teori Darwinism dan pada tahun 1927, beliau telah menerima hadiah Nobel diatas kajiannya itu.

Apa yang lebih mengagumkan, teori Doktor Bergson’s ini sebenarnya pernah dibawakan oleh Isaac Newton pada akhir kurun ke 17. Dalam salah satu kajiannya, Sir Isaac Newton menegaskan bahawa “Graviti mampu menerangkan pergerakan planet, tetapi graviti tidak mampu menerangkan siapa yang meletakkan planet didalam kedudukannya sebegitu rupa. Tuhan mentadbir segalanya dan mengetahui apa yang boleh dan mahu dilakukannya.” Walaupun kedua-dua pandangan tidak secara langsung menyebut akan keesaan Ilahi, sekurang-kurangnya, kedua-dua pandangan ini mampu menjadi senjata saintifik umat islam untuk menafikan bahawa manusia merupakan produk evolusi daripada monyet.

            Melihat dari kacamata yang berbeza, para saintis yang menolak gagasan Darwinism telahpun menubuhkan sebuah persatuan yang dikenali sebagai  “ A Scientific Dissent from Darwinism” bagi menegaskan pendirian tersebut. Tertubuh sejak tahum 2001, petisyan yang diwujudkan oleh persatuan ini telah mendapat melebihi 850 tandatangan saintis dan doktor-doktor pakar seluruh dunia. Persatuan ini menghadkan kebenaran untuk menandatangi petisyan itu kepada cendikiawan-cendikiawan sains perubatan yang memiliki sekurang-kuragnya ijazah PhD bagi meningkatkan nilai petisyen tersebut. Pelbagai petisyan lain juga telah diwujudkan untuk memperjuangkan isu yang sama walaupun memiliki kumpulan sasar yang berbeza. Antara tokoh-tokoh terkenal yang memperjuangkan ideology anti-Darwinism adalah seperti Dr. Barbara J. Shaw,  Dr. Ralph Seelke  dan  Professor Colin Reeves.

            Berbalik kepada persoalan dasar kita iaitu dilema penolakan Darwinism oleh umat Islam sendiri, apakah yang boleh kita lakukan bagi menghindarkan diri dari terjebak dengan lapun yang telah dipasang oleh para atheis untuk menarik kita kearah kekufuran ini? Baru-baru ini, penulis berkesempatan untuk mewawancara beberapa orang pelajar yang sedang menuntut dalam bidang perubatan di Mesir. Apabila ditanya tentang pendapat mereka tentang tindakan pelajar muslim yang keluar dari kelas kerana tidak berpuas hati dengan pengajaran teori evolusi oleh Professor Steve John seperti yang baru penulis dedahkan tadi, Saudara Saufi, Pelajar tahun 5 dari universiti Kaherah berpendapat adalah wajar pelajar-pelajar tersebut mengambil tindakan sedemikian rupa kerana gagasan Darwinism ini berkait rapat dengan falsafah dan pembentukan pemikiran mahasiswa dan mahasiswi itu sendiri. Gagasan tersebut mampu merosakkan minda pelajar-pelajar perubatan, maka  kerana itulah perkara tersebut harus diatasi. Pun begitu, Saudara Saufi berpendapat , sekiranya Wakiq atau suasana semasa tidak sesuai untuk diambil sedemikian rupa; sebagai contoh dalam situasi pelajar-pelajar di London tersebut di mana tindakan mereka boleh memberikan nama buruk kepada Islam, maka lebih baik jika pelajar-pelajar tersebut terus duduk di dalam dewan kuliah. Saudara Saufi menambah, pada pendapatnya, jika pelajar-pelajar tersebut berkemampuan, mereka bolehlah berbincang dengan penuh hikmah bersama Professor tersebut akan kebenaran dan kesahihan teori Darwin itu sendiri.

            Saudara Naim Che Khalid, pelajar tahun tiga Universiti Azhar menyampaikan pandangan yang sedikit berbeza dengan saudara Saufi dalam menghadapi isu ini. Bagi Saudara Naim, adalah tidak salah malah sewajarnya pelajar-pelajar muslim memahami dengan baik teori Darwinism ini agar kita mampu mengenalpasti kelemahan-kelemahannya dan kemudian berhujah dengan pihak yang pro kepada idea ini untuk membuktikan bahawa teori Darwinism hanyalah satu falasi. Saudara menegaskan, sekiranya para pelajar muslim tersebut tetap berpendirian untuk keluar dari kelas Professor Steve John, mereka haruslah melakukannya dengan cara terhormat bagi membuktikan bahawa Islam mendidik umatnya agar memiliki akhlak yang mulia dna berkeperibadian tinggi. Apabila ditanya tentang cara-cara menjauhi tipu daya pihak atheis ini, rata-rata pelajar perubatan di Mesir mengakui bahawa cara terbaik untuk menghindari dakyah Darwinisme adalah dengan memiliki pemahaman  yang kukuh dan mapan tentang akidah islamiah serta selalu memohon kepada Allah agar dijauhkan daripada  kekufuran.

            Sebagai khulasah kepada ruang perbincangan yang telahpun dibuka oleh penulis ini, penulis ingin menegaskan bahawa umat Islam, khususnya para mahasiswa dan mahasiswi mestilah berhati-hati dengan perkembangan gagasan Darwinism yang semakin hari semakin merajai segenap sudut lapangan sains pada hari ini. Pun begitu, penulis ingin mengingatkan para mahasiswa dan mahasisiwi agar tidak mengambil tindakan terburu-buru dalam menghadapi isu ini demi memelihara kesucian dan nama baik Ad-din kita sendiri. Sebagai mana halus tusukan-tusukan kekafiran dimasukkan ke dalam kalbu cendikiawan-cendkiawan Islam, sehalus itulah gerakan balas perlu dilakukan bagi menangani segala dakyah golongan atheis ini. Sebelum mengakhiri penulisan ringkas penulis, penulis ingin mengingatkan para pembaca agar sentiasa memohon kepada ilahi agar dipelihara iman kita dari jarum-jarum dan bisikan-bisikan jahat syaitan yang senantiasa peka mencari jalan bagi menyesatkan anak-anak Adam.

Muhammad  Ihsan Bin Khalib Jaafar,

Tahun 2,

Kuliah Perubatan,Universiti Kaherah