Baseless and Senseless claims of muddai

This is one of the many replies to the baseless and senseless claims of laeen muddai doing the rounds on different media. 

Mr. Khuzaima Qutbuddin

I am writing this letter in reply to the blasphemous email and video that has not only disturbed each and every mumin but stirred and driven them to the height of passionate fury. it is indeed the teachings of our beloved Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA and his equally illustrious and rightful heir apparent Aqa Moula Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS, that today in spite of this seething pain and anger we are sitting in the cool shade of Raudat Tahera praying for the long life of Aqa Moula TUS and trying to ignore your disturbingly disgusting video. 

You claim rights to the lofty office of Ad-Dail mutlaq and by doing that you have chosen the title of "Muddai" and torn off from your attire the grand and lofty title of Mazoon ud Dawat and shunned away from the exalted designation of  "Al-Mumin". You have finally liberated us from the bonds of "muruvat" and duty that have obliged us to call you mazoon saab since the past few years. Your deeds and your attitude have for years led us to doubt and question your position, but the silence of our Moula TUS and his allowing your name to be read in the Ahd al-Awliya has refrained us from coming to any conclusion and in fact often rendered us wounds of guilt instead. 

Mr. Khuzaima, since the day i began to understand this world, in my small humble capacity, and recognize the efforts of my Moula TUS as a mature mumin and human being, i have failed to find even a few shades of these qualities in you. What you did in East Africa causing so much havoc and confusion, leading mumineen to give misaq again, is something no one can fathom even today. It was an act of sheer madness. You had hurt our Moula RA yet Moulana al-Muqaddas RA covered your ignonimous deeds with kindness and generosity. Mr. Khuzaima, I am sorry but according to me an adna mumin, from what i perceive of you from not only my personal experience but from all that i have witnessed throughout those years, that you dont possess the qualities of an adna Mumin, and have the nerve to call yourself Al-Dai al-Mutlaq. 

Doing what you did with a humble mumin for a personal grudge though not acceptable, is understandable. But yesterday you crossed all limits. When not only each and every mumin but the whole world was mourning, you chose to gather your gang in your den and give them a discourse about your supposed virtues. No doubt we have witnessed the event of saqifa being repeated in this era. You claim your right to do imamat, well if u were so afraid to unveil true self in public you could have adhered to your ways of "taqiyat" and prayed namaz with Aqa Moula TUS. What you give in your tiresome incomprehensible speech is lame excuses. How can you do what you did on the day of wafaat of a Moula TUS who has given you so much. Whatever you have today is the result of Moulas generosity and benevolence and that you can never deny. This is how you show your gratitude? 

You say you were waiting for Moula RA to get shifa so he would clarify personally thus you absconded for the innumerable events. Your son spits poison and barks that Moula RA was brought to such events forcibly. So where were you during the celebrations of the 100th Milad Mubarak? We dont see you playing any role anywhere. When Moulana Mohammed Burhanuddin Aqa would come amidst us on that noorani chair we saw a farishta descending from the heavens. A spirit that is not bound by any physical restrictions lifted us in darajaat through nazaraat that you and your likes can never feel. You saw the discomfort boiling inside you come in front of your eyes. We saw peace and sukun. Moula RA found peace in being amidst mumineen and we offer laakho sajadaat of shukr in Hazarat Aaliya of our Aqa Moula TUS that he strived so hard to make it possible for both Moula RA and Mumineen. 

Where were you when we saw Al-Anwar, Al-Aqmar and all jawame of the fatemiyeen revived? How dare you use the lofty word fatemidawat in your blasphemous propaganda. Where were you when Moula revived the Fatemi saqafat through "Al Multaqal Fatemi al-Ilmi"? where were you when Moula RA opened the doors of Al-Jamea tus Saifiyan and let the Nile of Ilm-e-Alemohammed flow through. Where were you o sheikh when we saw this Moizzi Era in its grandeur and glory??? Wherever we saw Moula RA hoist the flags of Fatemi Sultan, we saw you missing. And on occasions where you luckily made it, we have seen on your face expressions of anger and envy when mumineen would be crying tears of happiness. Thousands of mumineen bear witness to what I say. 

You say that you were the chosen one. Syedna Taher Saifuddin Aqa RA conferred Nass upon you and it cannot be changed. You question in your ridiculous monologue the authority of Imamuz zaman RA as to how could he fail in his tayeed. Well Mr Khuzaima, a student from the primary section of Jamea would suffice to answer that. History has witnessed many such occurrences when a Dai has done nass and the Mansoos has passed away. Did the tayeed of Imam fail then? Al-iyazo billah. Similarly it may be possible according to your claims that Moulana Taher Saifuddin Aqa RA may have wished to see you reach this lofty position. But it is possible and now evident that you never rose to his expectations. Your soul died. What we see and understand today is that those words of Taher Saifuddin Moula RA were his attempt to stop you from straying. That is our perspective and your deeds have proved it to be the right one. And what do you try to prove and achieve by showing the hand-written letter of Taher Saifuddin Moula RA? Havent you seen "Aali Qadr Mufaddal" written by Syedna al-Muqaddas? How can you fail to see in those divine letters what even a small mumin child can register? Your deeds are against each and every word of the rasail shareefa of your illustrious father. You have insulted the living risalah of Moulana Taher Saifuddin RA and Moulana Mohammed Burhanuddin RA and you blaspheme the living Quran - e - kareem by holding in your hands the Kitaabullah that cannot be touched but by only those who are pure.

You challenge in your unintelligible speech anyone who doubts you to confront you. Well you are the Muddai. You are the one who is supposed to confront. And trust me, we dont need even geniuses. Little novices like me will suffice our Moula TUS and lay bare for the world your true face. Why do you fear that you will be beaten? we mumineen are a peace loving community and the whole world knows it. We were waiting impatiently for you to come and submit yourself in the feet of our Moula TUS so we could embrace you. But you failed not only Moula but each and every mumin. The so called attacks are fabrications or your imgination. We mumineen are brought up to meet the enemy with dignity. The weapon we yield is mohabbat and dua. And the name of our Moula TUS is enough to spoil clothes of Khalid and his likes. 

The pages of Quran and the pages of Dawat history stand testimony to the fate of those who have stood against Haq na Dhani. I need not say more.

Abde Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS

[As received on the common forum]

Sign Online petition

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/Mumbai_Mirror_Editor_Apology_for_the_ill_framed_article_against_Dawoodi_Bohra_Community_Leader/

Previous post:

http://wakeup-mumineen.blogspot.in/2014/01/we-demand-apology-from-mumbai-mirror.html

We Demand Apology from Mumbai Mirror

Dear editor,

It is with shock, dejection and almost a sense of shame at the trite standards that your journalistic practices have fallen to these days that I write to you this evening.

I was highly impressed by your advertising campaign - I Am Mumbai - last year which seemed to project your newspaper as a truthful, honest, real representative of the people of Mumbai. To a large extent, I believed it too with flashes of doubt depending on the quality and nature of articles you published over the past one year.

However, the sensationalist, ill-informed, poorly researched, largely opinionated, allegation-hurling and fact-starved article headlined "A Perilous Transition" on the front page (with extensions on page 6) of your tabloid today has forced me to not just review my positive opinions about your editorial standards but actually discard them altogether.

In the garb of presenting a fair observation, it is quite clear through the language and content of the article that it was not just influenced by a group of people discussed in the article, i.e., a small number of personally frustrated people who consider Khuzaima Qutbuddin to be the successor of the Late His Holiness Dr Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, but written with deliberate bias and almost a hint of vendetta against the Dawoodi Bohra community and its new spiritual leader.

As a newspaper that is read widely and held in high regard, I was appalled that your editorial team would even allow such a poorly written article to be published in the first place. Considering you'll have high standards in place, the publishing of this article, therefore, clearly reflects that this was a considered attempt at being sensationalist, drawing unnecessary attention to a non-issue and maligning the hard-earned and globally respected reputation of the Dawoodi Bohra community and its new spiritual head, His Holiness Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin.

It's also in poor taste from a humanitarian point of view because it has been published at a time when the Dawoodi Bohra community over the globe is in mourning and still trying to recover from the unexpected loss of the beloved Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin.

Instead of offering sympathies and condolences to the community or paying a much-deserved tribute to the impeccable and prolific achievements about the late Syedna who was a beacon of peace and progress in India and a globally consulted stalwart for wisdom and developing human potential, your newspaper chose to talk about an issue that is hardly a subject for discussion in any Dawoodi Bohra household. Even more so, it chose to adopt an intellectually bereft stance and demonstrate journalistic lewdness in doing so.

I'd like to argue my case on a few facts -

1) Your article does not shed any light on the actual investiture process (nass) from one Dai-el-Mutlaq (Vicegerent to the Imam) to the next and makes its own assumptions about what happened 49 years ago or 3 years ago without any evidence or facts.

In the first place, how can any ambiguity about the new Syedna arise because Khuzaima Qutbuddin has never presented any evidence regarding the investiture he claims was made to him 49 years ago. Moreover, as a regular, practising Dawoodi Bohra who has had the privilege to attend many sermons of the late Syedna, never in the past 49 years did the Syedna ever refer to Khuzaima as his successor. Nor does he have any witnesses to his investiture whereas there are witnesses to Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin's proclamation in London and Mumbai.

Any doubts about this historic event can only imply that the doubters believe that the alive and conscious Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin was not in charge after his stroke and leadership issues were being handled without his consent. Is that what Khuzaima's associates are suggesting? If so, then their own faith in the late Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin can be called into question and, more importantly, their trust in their own senses and intellect can be questioned because there have been countless instances in the past 3 years where the late Syedna has appeared publicly with Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin as his successor.

Moreover, even after Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin fell ill in London 3 years ago and appointed Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin as his successor, never did Khuzaima Qutbuddin ever stake a claim or mention to the late Syedna that he was being denied or being wronged. After all, as part of his faith, he would believe that the Syedna would do justice and listen to his plea if he merited a hearing.

2) Without any evidence, it portrays the benevolent and benign Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin as a "radical hardliner". On what basis?

I'm sorry to say this but the article's author suffers from the most basic of flaws when making an objective argument - selective perception. How can such an article be published?

For instance, how can a dignified, respected leader holding a legal, constitutionally recognised office be morally assaulted without any proof? How can a leader under whose administrative guidance - for the first time in human history - women were institutionally freed from the domestic chores of cooking as a result of the "community kitchen" be portrayed as someone who advocates limited educational access to women?

How can a leader who personally supervised de-addiction and rehabilitation programmes be labelled as having a divergent school of thought in Islam?

Moreover, he personally beseeched and facilitated Dawoodi Bohras in Yemen to avoid growing 'khat' (a flowering plant that is classified by the WHO as a drug of abuse and has damaging physiological and psychological effects) and take up organic fruit and vegetable farming practices instead for the benefit of society at large. How can he not be a moderate, progressive liberal with a humanistic aspect of Islam at the heart of his teachings? 

How can a leader who personally preaches women's rights within a family and propagates non-violence and fair treatment of women at home have hardline views on gender?

The issue here is not just of journalistic callousness but of a planned systematic attempt at publicly demeaning the Dawoodi Bohra community and its new spiritual leader. The issue here is grave as your article is based on blatant lies and claimed representations of opinions such as "He is seen as a right-wing radical ...", "Dawoodi Bohras faced with having to select from two individuals..."

In the first place, a Dawoodi Bohra, by definition of his faith, would unconditionally accept whoever has been handpicked by the late Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin as his next leader. And those who doubt his decision, are by definition, not Dawoodi Bohra and, hence, have no moral or legal right to comment on this decision.

And in the past three years or even now, never has a Dawoodi Bohra been faced with a choice as the late Syedna never suggested that there was a choice to be made. Hence, this article lies. Spiritual leadership is a highly responsible and serious task and is not some trivial game show where there is a draw of lots or choices to be made without fundamental and complete knowledge.

A big lie in the article is that the late Syedna was unable to utter a word in front of a large assembled gathering in Mumbai after he appointed Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin. I was personally a witness to that ceremony (over a live telecast) and can clearly remember the late Syedna pronouncing his successor's name.

Another glaring lie in the article is that "Mufaddal Saifuddin claimed...". Never can a Dai-el-Mutlaq claim his succession. He can only accept the investiture made in him by his predecessor in front of witnesses. Mufaddal Saifuddin was publicly appointed by Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin. Whereas the reality is that it is Khuzaima who is staking a "claim" and has no witnesses.

In fact, here are a few facts that haven't been mentioned in the article -

1) Against people's wishes and without their consent, members of the Dawoodi Bohra community are being sent text messages and emails and being coerced to give up their faith and acknowledge Khuzaima Qutbuddin as their leader. A key pillar of a Dawoodi Bohri's faith is her/his allegiance to and unconditional belief in the Syedna. Since Khuzaima was never officially anointed or appointed by the late Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, choosing Khuzaima as her/his leader would mean giving up a lifetime of faith in the late Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin himself and adopting an un-Islamic belief system.

2) Khuzaima Qutbuddin's family members are forcing people (especially young children) to renounce Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin as their leader and sending MMS videos of such forced renunciation to people (again, without consent).

3) Khuzaima Qutbuddin's history has rarely been saintly. He has been linked with various traits and activities that do not befit a spiritual leader and certainly not one who can uphold the faith of a million-strong community.

Therefore, I sincerely request and, in fact, demand an unconditional apology from Mumbai Mirror for publishing an article that lacks objectivity, malevolently maligns the reputations of a highly respected global leader and the entire Dawodi Bohra community at large and, by virtue of indulging in such a tawdry and unprincipled standard of journalism, has brought the highly reliable Indian press into disrepute.

Regards

Yousuf
[As received on common forum]

Sign the petition for your support

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/Mumbai_Mirror_Editor_Apology_for_the_ill_framed_article_against_Dawoodi_Bohra_Community_Leader

Next Article:
http://wakeup-mumineen.blogspot.com/2014/01/baseless-and-senseless-claims-of-muddai.html

Common Islamic Terminologies

The use of Islamic Terminology in our daily affairs is something we all indulge in, though largely unconciously, since it is a way of communicating that is ingrained in us, as intrinsically as manners and character are..

• AL-HAMDU LILLAHI RABBIL 'ALAMINThis is a verse from the Qur'an that we recite and say many times per day. Other than being recited daily during prayers, a mumineen reads this expression in every activity of his daily life.
  The meaning of it is: "Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds."
  A mumineen invokes the praises of Allah before he does his daily work; and when he finishes, he thanks Allah for His favors. We are grateful to Allah for all His blessings. It is a statement of thanks, appreciation, and gratitude from the creature to his Creator.
  
• ALLAHU AKBARThis statement is said numerous times. During the call for prayer, during prayer, when we are happy, and wish to express our approval of what we hear, when we sacrifice an animal, and when we want to praise a speaker. It is the most often repeated expression in the world.
  Its meaning: "Allah is the Greatest."
  A mumineen praises Allah in every aspect of life.
  
• ASSALAMU ALAIKUMThis is an expression Muslims say whenever we meet one another. It is a statement of greeting with peace.
  The meaning of it is: "Peace be upon you."
  The other forms are: "Assalamu 'Alalikum Wa Rahmatullah," which means:"May the peace and the Mercy of Allah be upon you," and "Assalamu Alalikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatohu," which means :"May the peace, the mercy, and the blessings of Allah be upon you."
  
• WA 'ALAIKUM AS-SALAMThis is an expression that a Muslim is to say as an answer for the greeting. When a person greets another with a salutation of peace, the answer for the greeting is an answer of peace.
  The meaning of this statement is: "And upon you is the peace."
  The other expressions are: " Wa Alaikum as-Salam Wa Rahmatullah." and "Wa 'Alaikum as-Salam Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh."
  
• LA ILAHA ILLALLAHThis expression is the most important one in Islam. It is the creed that every person has to say to be considered a Muslim.
  The meaning of this statement is: " There is no god except Allah."
  
• SUBHANAHU WA TA'ALAThis is an expression that is used whenever the name of Allah is pronounced or written.
  The meaning of this expression is: "Allah is pure of having partners and He is exalted from having a son."
  We believe that Allah is the only God, the Creator of the Universe. He does not have partners or children. Sometimes Muslims use other expressions when the name of Allah is written or pronounced. Some of which are: "'Azza Wa Jall": He is the Mighty and the Majestic; "Jalla Jalalahu": He is the exalted Majestic.
  S.W.T. These letters are abbreviations for the words of "Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala".
  
• ASTAGHFIRULLAHThis is an expression used when we want to ask Allah's forgiveness.
  The meaning of it is: "I ask Allah for forgiveness."
  A Muslim says this phrase many times, even when he is talking to another person. When a Muslim abstains from doing wrong, or even when he wants to prove that he is innocent of an incident he uses this expression. After every Salah (prayer), mumineen perform a tesbih on this word.
  
• SADAQALLAHUL 'AZIMThis is a statement of truth that we say after reading any number of verses from the Qur'an.
  The meaning of it is: "Allah says the truth."
  The Qur'an is the exact words of Allah in verbatim. When Allah speaks, He says the truth; and when the Qur'an is being recited, a Muslim is reciting the words of truth of Allah.
  
• IN SHA' ALLAHWhen a person wishes to plan for the future, when he promises, when he makes resolutions, and when he makes a pledge, he makes them with permission and the will of Allah. For this reason, we use the Qur'anic instructions by saying "In Sha ' Allah."
  The meaning of this statement is: "If Allah wills."
  We are to strive hard and to put our trust in Allah. We leave the results in the hands of Allah.
  
• INNA LILLAHI WA INNA ILAIHI RAJI'UNWhen a Muslim is struck with a calamity, when he loses one of his loved ones, or when he has gone bankrupt, he should be patient and say this statement.
  The meaning of it is : "We are from Allah and to whom we are returning."
  We believe that Allah is the One who gives and it is He who takes away. He is testing us. Hence, a Muslim submits himself to Allah. He is grateful and thankful to Allah for whatever he gets. On the other hand, he is patient and says this expression in times of turmoil and calamity.
  
• JAZAKALLAHU KHAYRANThis is a statement of thanks and appreciation to be said to the person who does a favor. Instead of saying "thanks" (Shukran), the Islamic statement of thanks is to say this phrase.
  Its meaning is: "May Allah reward you best"
  It is understood that human beings can't repay one another enough. Hence, it is better to request Almighty Allah to reward the person who did a favor and to give him the best.
  
• MA SHA' ALLAH
  This is an expression that is used whenever we are excited and surprised or to express our happiness.
  The meaning of "Ma sha' Allah" is: "Whatever Allah wants." or "Whatever Allah wants to give, He gives."
  This means that whenever Allah gives something good to someone, blesses him, honors him, and opens the door of success in business, a Muslim says this statement of "Ma Sha' Allah."
  
  
  Source : Saifee Surka email on common forum

Ya husain ibne Ali - Tere Sadke se mili zindagi hamko yahi

FATEMA (AS) - Lady of the light

Lady of the Light

Fatemah (x4)

You are the Lady of the Light, You are the Highest of the High

The Light of our Prophet's  Eyes

You are the Prophet's Daughter, Whose Bloods Runs in your Veins

Who Brought Islam to Us and the whole world knows his name

You are the Wife of Haider, The Mother of Hussain

Who Gave his Life for his Deen, And Suffered so Much Pain

Fatemah, wherever you are the truth goes

You are the Prophet's precious Rose, your Status only Allah knows

Fatemah,

You are the Lady of the Light, You are the Highest of the High

The Light of our Prophet's  Eyes

You taught us how to live life, you showed us how to Care

You taught us how to give and you showed us how to Share

You emphasised on morals and trained us to be fair

No matter if we're Paupers or even Billionaires

Fatemah, no matter how much I may try

Your qualities how can I write, you are the Light of every Life

Fatemah,

You are the Lady of the Light, You are the Highest of the High

The Light of our Prophet's  Eyes

You are the Hidden Diamond, you are the Shining Star

You are the scent of Heaven, your Love flows in my Heart

I always feel your presence, you're Never very Far

Whenever I am wounded, you always Heal the Scar

Fatemah, you are the Holy Prophet's Pride

I will follow you stride for stride, you are my Leader and my Guide

Fatemah,

You are the Lady of the Light, You are the Highest of the High

The Light of our Prophet's  Eyes

The Angels send their Blessings, upon you all the time

You are the Purest Lady and are the Prophets's Sign

That household that you come from is Sacred and Divine

For you in Heaven there is a special place assigned

Fatema, your Father always said of you

You are so Honnest and do True, there is no one with your Virtue

Fatemah,

You are the Lady of the Light, You are the Highest of the High

The Light of our Prophet's  Eyes

Fatemaah

Source : http://nawhaslyrics.com/qassidas/125-shabbir-abbas-zainab-tejani/322-lady-of-the-light

Alcohol and Cancer

The below mentioned article has been published with the intent of making people aware of the ill affects of consuming alcohol.

Islam prohibits consumption of alcohol and even one drop of it is haram (forbidden)

Mumineen who are still indulging in this vice are urged to give up the same and obtain khushi of Mola (TUS) and Aliqadr Mola (TUS). May Allah grant strength to such people to give up all such vices.

Alcohol and cancer

·         There is no doubt that alcohol can cause seven types of cancer.

·         The more you cut down on alcohol, the more you reduce your risk of cancer.

·         There is limited risk if you only drink a little - such as one small drink a day for women or two for men.

·         You don’t need to be drunk to increase your risk.

·         Drinking and smoking together are even worse for you.

The consequences of drinking too much alcohol go well beyond the evening’s embarrassing antics or the morning’s hangover. Scientific studies have confirmed that alcohol can also cause cancer.

Obviously, not everyone who drinks will develop cancer. But on the whole, scientists have found that cancer is more common in people who drink alcohol than people who don’t.

Which cancers are affected?

Drinking alcohol can increase your risk of:

·         Mouth cancer

·         Pharyngeal cancer (upper throat)

·         Oesophageal cancer (food pipe)

·         Laryngeal cancer (voice box)

·         Breast cancer

·         Bowel cancer

·         Liver cancer

Every year, alcohol causes around 4% of cancer cases in the UK, about 12,500 cases.

Along with smoking, alcohol causes the majority of mouth and food pipe cancers. In the last decade, mouth cancer has become much more common and this may be because of higher levels of drinking.

Can light drinking increase the risk of cancer?

Alcohol can increase the risk of cancer at levels far too low to make an average person drunk. It’s not just people who have ‘drinking problems’ who have higher risks.

As little as 3 units a day can increase the risk of mouth, throat, food pipe, breast and bowel cancers. That’s the amount in one pint of premium lager or a large glass of wine!

Alcohol has a weaker effect on the risk of breast cancer than on other cancers, but it starts having an effect at a lower level.

What about heavy drinking?

The more alcohol you drink, the higher your risk of developing cancer. Heavy drinking can cause cirrhosis of the liver, which can in turn cause liver cancer.

Heavy drinking can also cause heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, stomach ulcers, pancreatitis and, of course, injuries.

Are there safe limits? [Not applicable for muslim, as even single drop is haram]

There is limited risk if you only drink a little, such as:

·         one small drink a day for women (about two units a day).

·         two small drinks a day for men (about three to four units a day).

But remember that:

·         your risk increases the more you drink, and

·         some drinks may contain more alcohol than you imagine.

Which is worse: binge drinking or spreading my drinking across the week?

Research tells us that the total amount of alcohol you drink over time has a much bigger effect on cancer risk than when or how it is drunk.

People are more likely to develop cancer if they drink a lot of alcohol, no matter whether they save it up and drink it in one go, or drink it steadily over a week.

Does drinking matter if you smoke?

People who smoke and drink multiply the damage they receive, because tobacco and alcohol work together to damage the cells of the body. Alcohol makes it easier for the mouth and throat to absorb the cancer-causing chemicals in tobacco.

Studies have found that, on average, people who smoke and drink are up to 50 times more likely to get some types of cancer than people who neither smoke nor drink.

Do all types of alcohol increase the risk of cancer?

All types of alcohol increase the risk of cancer, even red wine. It is the alcohol itself that does the damage, regardless of whether it is in the form of beer, wine or spirits.

Elsewhere in this section, you can read about whether alcohol has any benefits for your health.

Why are women recommended to drink less than men?

The slightly different recommendations for men and women are based on biological differences between the two sexes.

·         A woman’s liver produces less of an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase that breaks down alcohol. So alcohol stays in a woman’s body for longer.

·         There is some evidence that drinking just one unit of alcohol a day can significantly increase the risk of breast cancer. Smaller bodies can absorb less alcohol than large ones and on average, women are smaller than men.

·         Because of their curvy shape, women also tend to have more body fat and less body water than men. This means that any alcohol a woman drinks becomes more concentrated in her body that it would be in a man of the same size.

How does alcohol cause cancer?

There are many possible explanations for how alcohol causes cancer. It is likely that it causes different types of cancer in different ways.

Here are the most likely theories:

1.    Acetaldehyde, the hangover chemical

In your body, alcohol is converted into a toxic chemical called acetaldehyde. This is one the main reasons why we get hangovers.

But acetaldehyde does more than give you a headache in the morning. It can cause cancer by damaging DNA and stopping our cells from repairing this damage.

Acetaldehyde also causes liver cells to grow faster than normal. These regenerating cells are more likely to pick up changes in their genes that could lead to cancer.

2.    Oestrogen and hormones

Alcohol can increase the levels of some hormones, such as oestrogen, testosterone and insulin. Unusually high levels of oestrogen increase the risk of breast cancer.

3.    Liver cirrhosis

Drinking lots of alcohol can damage the cells of the liver, causing a disease called cirrhosis. Cirrhosis makes you more vulnerable to liver cancer.

4.    Other chemicals

Alcohol makes it easier for the tissues of the mouth and throat to absorb the cancer-causing chemicals in tobacco. This is one reason why people who smoke and drink multiply the damage they receive and have especially high risks of cancer.

5.    Folate

Folate is an important vitamin that helps our cells produce new DNA correctly. People who drink alcohol tend to have lower levels of folate in their blood and some studies have found that cancer is more common in people with low folate levels.

Can alcohol be good for you?

You may have heard that some types of alcohol can be good for you. Many people believe that drinking can be good for the heart, or that red wine can protect against cancer. Is this true?

Alcohol and heart disease

Drinking small amounts of alcohol can protect against heart disease but this does not apply to younger people.

Drinking alcohol specifically to improve your health is unlikely to work. And heavy drinking can actually increase the risk of heart disease. Around the world, alcohol causes twice as many deaths from heart disease as it prevents.

Red wine

Red wine contains high levels of a chemical called resveratrol, which has some anti-cancer effects in laboratory cells. But this is a far cry from saying that drinking red wine can protect people from cancer. For a start, red wine contains many other chemicals, which may not be so beneficial, including alcohol itself.

Based on studies done so far, there is no strong evidence that red wine could protect against cancer. One small but widely reported study claimed that men could halve their risk of prostate cancer by drinking 1-2 units a day. But much larger, stronger studies have contradicted this conclusion.

Recently, a newspaper report claimed that red wine could prevent breast cancer, based on a study which found that resveratrol blocks some types of DNA damage in breast cancer cells. But we can't conclude from this that red wine protects against cancer. 

Wine in general

It is clear that all types of alcohol can increase the risk of cancer, including both red and white wines.

The bottom line is that it is a bad idea to drink wine to prevent cancer. There is no strong evidence that this would work. And moderate drinking can easily turn into heavy drinking, which can definitely cause cancer.

Reasons for cutting down

Eight million adults in the UK currently drink at risky levels and British teenagers are some of the heaviest young drinkers in Europe.

The more you cut down on alcohol, the more you reduce your risk of cancer. But there are many other benefits of drinking less.

Reduce your risk of several diseases

Aside from embarrassing injuries, alcohol can also cause heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, stomach ulcers, and pancreatitis. Cutting down can help you reduce your risk of these conditions.

Lose weight

Alcoholic drinks are very high in calories. But these are ‘empty calories’ with virtually no useful nutrients. Alcohol also increases your appetite, so you might eat more heavily when you drink.

If you want to lose weight, you’ll need to consider reducing the amount you drink.

Feel better, sleep better

Alcohol is a depressant. Sometimes this effect can relax you, but at other times, it can lead to feelings of unhappiness and depression.

Alcohol can also interfere with your natural sleep patterns, so by cutting down, you may find that you sleep better.

Save money

If you’re a regular drinker, you might find that you save a lot of money by cutting down.

Source:

email from Batul Hafiji on common forum

·http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-info/healthyliving/alcohol/

·http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-info/healthyliving/alcohol/howdoesalcoholcausecancer/

·http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-info/healthyliving/alcohol/benefits/

·http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-info/healthyliving/alcohol/cuttingdown/