This
question is raised by many Muslims and none Muslims over and over again.
It
is amazing how simple things like this can
lead to such confusion in a faith. The only reference to the drinking
of Camels
urine is in the Hadith. There is NO mention in the Quran.
The
Hadith normally referred to on this matter is the
following.
Medicine
Bukhari
: Book 7 :: Volume 71 :: Hadith 590
Narrated
Anas:
The
climate of Medina did not suit some people, so the Prophet
ordered them to follow his shepherd, i.e. his camels, and drink
their milk and urine (as a medicine). So they followed the shepherd
that is the camels and drank their milk and urine till their bodies
became healthy. Then they killed the shepherd and drove away the
camels. When the news reached the Prophet he sent some people in
their pursuit. When they were brought, he cut their hands and feet
and their eyes were branded with heated pieces of iron.
In Islam we
are required to think and make an intelligent judgment on things we are
told or
asked to do. God gave us the ability to think and reason. Now can the
drinking
of camel’s urine it be considered reasonable by an
intelligent person?
So let us
consider what is urine?
Urinating
is a method of expelling toxins and other surplus chemicals from the
body. So
one has to ask the question why you would want to drink the toxins
expelled from
a camel’s body. The
simple answer is a reasonable
and intelligent person would NOT do this.
Although
there may be some chemicals in the urine that may be considered
beneficial the toxins
are defiantly not. There
are beneficial chemicals
to be found in many strange places. You can find beneficial trace
chemical in
sewage water, dead animals, human waste and even camels droppings. Yet
we would
never consider any of these as acceptable to eat or drink.
So there is
no scientific basis for any of the claims made for the drinking of
camel’s
urine. The Hadith is clearly weak and should not be followed.
Muslims
should ask the question does this Hadith describe the Prophet as shown
in the Quran.
The Prophet was kind, merciful and forgiving. Would such a person
inflict torture
on other human beings as described in this Hadith?
The Prophet
of Islam would never behave like this. The Hadith should not be
followed.