Here is something you should certainly try out. Walk backwards. That’s right! Spend about ten minutes walking backwards and see how you feel. You need to be careful that you don’t bump into anything, or trip and fall. That could be quite serious.

If you tried this out, you would have noticed a few things. First, if you are bent or slouched when you walk, your body unconsciously straightens up when you walk backwards. This is one of the reasons that a lot of people have begun practicing retro walking (i.e. walking backwards). Many of us have become so bent by working in front of the computer that we have forgotten, how to stand up straight. When we try to straighten up, it’s almost always unnatural and rigid. Therefore, when you do retro walking you will know the exact position your body considers straight and you can make a note of that, and hold yourself up in the same position when you walk forward.

Bad posture (or the way you hold your body up), is something many people don’t think about, but it is quite serious. When you slouch, you bend at the chest, and this compresses the heart. When your heart gets compressed, it has to work harder to pump blood, and this could lead to weaknesses in the heart over time. Also, when you slouch, your lungs cannot expand fully restricting the amount of oxygen you can take in. This in turn puts more strain on the heart.

Over a long period of time a weakened heart and bad posture can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure and congestive chest problems. Walking and sitting in the wrong way are also known to create knee pain, hip pain and back pain a large number of people.

Retro walking not only corrects your posture, it also helps with knee pain and hip pain if you have already developed them. Research here shows that retro walking practiced for three days every week can reduce chronic knee pain in six weeks. 

So, give it a go, and let us know what you think.

 The entirety of 2020 was spent with confusion and uncertainty. Some of us felt it more than others. Many of us are trying to forget that awful year and are eager to get back to the "old normal". Doing so is a huge gamble and is best avoided. Instead, let us take a hint from the experts who have dubbed the current situation the "new normal", and embrace it for what it is.

One thing that should change immediately is how we spend our free time. Avoid attending crowded places, such as public parks and recreation spaces. These places are under the watchful eye of the Public Health Units (PHU) and quite possibly the military. Random checks can be carried out, and the resulting inconvenience may not be worth it. This is obviously a secondary concern to contracting COVID-19 yourself. The PHU’s random testing at Galle Face in Colombo should serve as a stark warning.

Continuing the theme of avoiding large gatherings, please refrain from hosting any functions at your home that involves a large number of people, such that the crowd is visible from the outside. Weddings and Walimas are best conducted discreetly, with a minimum number of people attending the function. Contact tracing is real, and should a person that attended the function test positive for COVID-19 the family and the couple may also be inconvenienced.

Finally, there has never been a better time to take a good hard look at your finances. If you are a salaried person, remember the golden rule of having three month’s salary in the bank and one month’s salary in the hand. COVID-19 has a friend, and that friend is called poverty. This last one is probably the trickiest. It is unfortunate that many of our people live from a salary out of pocket. But if there was ever a good time to change, that would be now.

This article only speaks of the precautions above because they are the most likely to be forgotten. Obviously, all other precautions such as washing your hands and so on, must be adhered to. 2020 took us all by surprise, so let’s be a little restrained in 2021 until we see how things unfold.

Its been a year since Sri Lankans lost their ability to secure the rights of their dead. Many have already been lost to the fire, and still more are given an undignified and uncertain stay inside morgue freezers. As the fundamental rights of our people are being eroded, it is important to note who, from this so-called global Ummah, has came to our assistance. The sad truth is, only a very few. The only people to raise any kind of action have been from a few of our own brethren in Britain and similar countries.

Therefore, seek unity within the community. The Muslim community of our blessed island welcomes diversity, but let not that diversity allow the crows of evil to pick us out individually and destroy us collectively. Being part of a global community or Ummah is a great thing! But it is not the safety net that we thought it was. Mobilizing such a large group is complex, and for a small community like ours, it is too slow to be of use at a time of crisis. 2020 was a great teacher, and it taught us that the term “api wennuwen api”, is not just for the Singhalese.

Salmonella is a bacterium that can make you very sick. This bacterium is widely found in fresh farm produce, but is a special concern when it comes to chicken meat. Salmonella naturally occurs in the gastro intestinal track of all birds and when a chicken is slaughtered, the carcass can be contaminated by spillage from the intestines. This has become a big problem in modern times due to factory farming techniques, where a single mistake in processing one bird can contaminate a large number of carcasses, making this a more serious issue for the modern consumer, than those of years past.


Food poisoning caused by Salmonella results in symptoms such as stomach cramps, bloody stools, diarrhea and fever. If left unattended, or medical attention is delayed, the situation can become serious to the point that death from Salmonella poisoning becomes a real possibility. However, if we adopt a few good habits in handling and preparing chicken, we may never have to face the threat of Salmonella poisoning, and still enjoy the benefits of this highly nutritious and convenient food.

Salmonella in chicken is unavoidable, and a global survey has shown that almost 33% of all chicken meat is contaminated with Salmonella at threatening levels. Given that this bacteria spreads easily, consumers are advised to assume that all meat is contaminated. However, this does not mean the meat is unsafe for consumption after it is cooked.More often than not it is improper handling of raw chicken, while its being prepared that causes the damage, allowing Salmonella to contaminate kitchen surfaces and utensils which ultimately leads to an infection. Therefore, here are a few handy tips to keep in mind when handling chicken.

Add chicken to your shopping cart right before going for checkout

Don’t add chicken to your shopping cart early, and let it warm up. Complete your shopping list and pick up the chicken from the freezer as the last item. Make sure the chicken is put in a separate bag for you to take home, and immediately put it in the freezer. This will prevent dormant bacteria from becoming active.

Use a separate chopping board for chicken

Chopping boards have fine grooves in them created by knife cuts, making them impossible to clean properly. No matter how thoroughly you wash your board, those grooves, give Salmonella a place to hide during rinsing. So, keep a separate chopping board just for chicken.

Make sure your knife does not carry contamination to other food items when cutting

When you cut up your chicken, Salmonella can get on the knife, and be transported to other food items. Therefore, cut your chicken after cutting your other ingredients, or keep a separate knife for it. If you do want to reuse your knife, wash it in warm water with soap, and let it rinse for at least 20 seconds.

Wash all utensils and dishes that have come into contact with raw chicken properly

All dishes and utensils that have been in contact with raw chicken should be washed with warm water and soap, and left to rinse for at least 20 seconds. Take your time here. Reuse the items after they have completely dried. This includes your hands as well, so don’t go touching anything else after handling raw chicken, before a proper wash up.

Cook chicken well before consuming

Last but certainly not least, cook your chicken well. Many food safety organizations recommend cooking your chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 75 C, where the heat is high enough that bacteria cannot survive. However, it is easy to undercook chicken, especially if it came out of the freezer. So always cut up the piece and make sure, no blood or raw meat is visible in the center before serving.

Modern techniques make many things safer, but sometimes, they also introduce risks that were never there before. Taking simple measures, and ensure our food is nothing but barakath, for us and our offspring.

May Allah keep you healthy and strong!

Assalamu alaikum, ya nesan!

Arsi Kanji (كانجي الأرز) is a fixture of the ifthar table. It is nutritious, easily digestible, and releases energy slowly so that it does not spike your blood sugar level. Therefore, it is a shame that this dish almost completely disappears from our menu, the moment Ramadhan is over. Arsi Kanji is a great breakfast dish as much as it is a great break-fast dish, and in this post, Ibn Serendib would like to urge his fellow Saraceni to consider this dish as a staple meal throughout the year.


Arsi Kanji is thought to have originated in China when Xuanyuan Huangdi, third of ancient China's mythological emperors also known as “the Yellow Emperor”, born around 2704 B.C, steamed and then boiled rice, to aid the recovery of sick people. The easily digestible Kanji seemed to give the patients more strength, and aided in curing digestive ailments. Later on, a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine that lived during the Han Dynasty, named Zhang Zhongjing formalized and popularized the Kanji, in his work “Treatise on Colds. Pathogenic and Miscellaneous Diseases.” Ancient Saraceni sea men acquired the recipe from the ports of China, where it may have been served as a fast meal.

...originated in China by Xuanyuan Huangdi, third of ancient China's mythological emperors also known as “the Yellow Emperor”, born around 2704 B.C

The ease of digestibility is key to this dish, as the stomach is sensitive after prolonged periods without food, like when fasting, or just waking up from a good night’s sleep. The slow cooking allows more of the nutrients from rice to escape damage from heat, and is accessible through the liquid of the kanji. Adding vegetables and protein only improves the nutrition of this dish. It is uncomplicated, easy and quick to consume, making it ideal for the morning rush. In addition to all this, it is delicious and refreshing. Therefore, consider giving your children Arsi Kanji before school, it might make all the difference in their performance.

Therefore, consider giving your children Arsi Kanji before school, it might make all the difference in their performance.

Assalamu alaikum, ya nesan!

Wake up early, and start your day in earnest. From East to West this is one thing that is shared by successful people in all spheres of life. Our bodies are designed to maintain a cycle throughout the day, and though our bodies adjust to exceptional situations, maintaining the cycle is when the body performs at its optimum. Part of that cycle is waking up early, and Subahu or Fajr as some call it, should not be just a prayer that we wake up for, it should ideally be the start of the day, as the blessings of this time is mentioned in the hadith -

اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لأُمَّتِي فِي بُكُورِهَا

Sakhr Al-Ghamidi narrated that, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

"O Allah, bless my nation in their early mornings (i.e., what they do early in the morning)."

Sunan Ibn Majah, English reference : Vol. 3, Book 12, Hadith 2236, Arabic reference: Book 12, Hadith 2321

Everything about the morning hours are beautiful. The Sun which beats down on us throughout the rest of the day is benevolent at this time, and catching its rays upon your bare skin will ensure that your body generates Vitamin D, which is essential in keeping your body healthy, and more importantly elevating your mood. Vitamin D is not easily absorbed through food, therefore catching the morning Sun shine is an opportunity every Saracen should try to exploit. From sun rise to about 10 a.m. let the rays of the Sun onto your skin for about half an hour. This is sufficient to boost Vitamin D production which will keep you in a good mood for the rest of the day.

The morning hours are when the air is at its cleanest. If you live in an urban or suburban area, your air is toxic, with carbon monoxide, rubber and tar dust. Therefore, doing your breathing exercises nice and early will allow you to inhale pure clean air from which pollutants have settled out, overnight. Find a quite spot near a window, and sit cross legged with your back straight. Inhale slowly and steadily until your lungs are full, and then exhale just as slowly and steadily. Many of us “modern people” lack enough oxygen in our blood, and this will help counter that to a certain extent.

If you are a desk worker your lack of exercise will catch up with you eventually. You may not have the time to exercise throughout the day, and at the evening times, the roads are dusty and crowded that taking a stroll may be frustrating. In the morning hours though, this is not the case. As you breathe hard during your work out, you are spared the lung full of dust and instead rewarded with refreshing clean air. The pavements are yours to walk around your neighborhood, and hopefully notice things you hadn’t before. In addition, the birds are out as well, to cheer you on in your effort to maintain a healthy life.

Therefore, dear Saracen, Ibn Serendib hopes you will consider waking up early, and make Subahu (or Fajr) the start of your day. Allah keeps practical benefits with prayer, so let us exploit them.

May Allah make you happier, and healthier!

Assalamu alaikum, ya nesan!

The Sun’s rays are becoming ever more toxic to our eyes. Ultraviolet light (UV) present in sunlight is the major cause of eye damage, poor vision, and ailments such as cataracts. UV light is especially intense in the tropical belt where our island is situated, and therefore a greater concern for the Saracen that inhabits its blessed shores. We go about their daily lives unaware of the beating that their eyes are receiving, until it is too late. Medical attention for eye ailments is expensive, and sometimes dangerous, and having poor eye sight can impact the quality of your life.


One of the easiest ways to protect your eyes is to wear a pair of sunglasses when you are outdoors. Sunglasses are widely available but they are not all equal. Some of them are mere fashion accessories, and offer little to no protection for the wearer’s eyes. Therefore, when selecting a pair for yourself, look at the labeling for two key features.

The first, is the amount of protection it offers from ultraviolet light. Look for a label that says UV400 or greater, printed on the temple piece (the arm that hooks on to your ear). This indicates, that the lens cuts out 99.9% of UVA and UVB type ultraviolet radiation. Lens that wrap around the eye are preferable because they prevent light from entering through the sides of the sunglasses and bouncing off the lens directly into the eye. This type of reflective radiation is not trivial, and research has found that it contributes considerably to the amount of UV radiation you receive.

Look for a label that says UV400 or greater, printed on the temple piece (the arm that hooks on to your ear). 

Polarized lenses are the next feature you should look for in your sunglasses. These lenses are better than ordinary tinted lens, because they effectively cut out glare without darkening your vision too much. Polarizing lenses is a costly affair, and therefore, a pair of sunglasses that are polarized will cost you roughly twice as much as one that is merely tinted. On first glance tinted sunglasses and polarized sunglasses look the same, however you can find out whether the sunglasses are in fact polarized, by performing the test shown in the video below –



As you can see, holding two polarized lenses in the same orientation to each other, allows light to pass through both of them, so you can see through both the lenses. However, if you turn one of the lenses ninety degrees to the orientation of the other, it completely blocks out the light. If the sun glass does not display this behavior, its merely tinted, and of inferior quality.

On first glance tinted sunglasses and polarized sunglasses look the same, however you can find out whether the sunglasses are in fact polarized, by performing the test

Therefore, while you are on your last-minute Eid shopping, consider buying yourself a pair of good sunglasses. A decent pair should cost you around three thousand Serendib coins. Cheaper ones are available, but many of them do not feature polarized lenses and are merely tinted, but do come with a UV protection coating, so they are better than nothing.

May Allah preserve your vision for decades to come!

Assalamu alaikum, ya nesan!

The humble egg is a food that we cannot afford to ignore. It is packed with many different Vitamins and other nutrients that we need to maintain our health. Its cost-effective, convenient and easily available, and therefore should be a part of our regular diet. Hard boiled or soft-boiled eggs are preferred, as these methods make the nutrients within the egg easier to absorb in the body, in other words the nutrients become more bio-available.


Eggs fell out of favor in the 1960’s when a researcher named Ancel Keys, a physiologist at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, made the revelation that eggs contain a high level of cholesterol, and that it should be avoided to prevent heart attacks and strokes. He was faithful in admitting that his research was non conclusive, but at the time, heart disease and strokes were on the rise, and people were quick to misinterpret his work. Cholesterol in eggs are not bio-available as much as other types of fat, and therefore consuming eggs does not really increase blood cholesterol, and thereby cause heart disease as much as people believed. However, this misunderstanding brought a sharp decline in egg consumption, and that gave rise to other ailments.

Eggs fell out of favor in the 1960’s when a researcher named Ancel Keys, a physiologist at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, made the revelation that eggs contain a high level of cholesterol

Eggs are important for eye health, and reduced consumption for fear of heart attacks contributed to weakening eyesight. They are one of the few common foods that provide us with Choline, a nutrient essential in preventing the degeneration of the eye muscles, that help our eye lenses focus on objects we see. The sudden decline in egg consumption caused by the “cholesterol scare”, coincided with the sharp increase in poor eye sight amongst the population. People began developing vision problems at younger ages than ever before, because not only were the population not nourishing their eyes, they were also straining them more and more, with reading, computers, smartphones and video games. The result of this is that spectacles are now quite common among young adults and even children than they have ever been before.

Eggs are one of the few common foods that provide us with Choline, a nutrient essential in preventing the degeneration of the eye muscles ...

Another reason people avoided eggs, was the excessive use of hormones in poultry farming throughout the 1990’s. Hormones that were injected into chickens, to make them fatter, and prevent disease in the farms, were finding its way into the eggs they lay in alarming concentrations. This revelation contributed significantly to the egg’s already tarnished reputation, and triggered a further decline in its consumption.

However, today the egg is very different. Medical research has cleared its reputation as a source of “bad cholesterol”, and urge the public to include it in their diet more frequently. Poultry farming techniques have improved as well, and many farms certify their eggs as “hormone and antibiotic free”. Eggs are a good source of Vitamins A, B2, B5, B12, Phosphorous, and Selenium, all very important nutrients. In addition, it has decent amounts of Vitamin D, E, K and B6 as well as Calcium and Zinc. And more importantly, it is still a good source of Choline, that is essential in protecting our eye muscles from the constant abuse from modern technology. Therefore, Ibn Serendib urges the Saracen to include hard-boiled or soft-boiled eggs in their diets, and that of their children, so we can arrest and even reverse the “spectacle epidemic” plaguing our society.

Ibn Serendib urges the Saracen to include hard-boiled or soft-boiled eggs in their diets, and that of their children, so we can arrest and even reverse the “spectacle epidemic” plaguing our society.

May Allah save our eyes so we can see his might!

Assalamu alaikum, ya nesan!

The importance of dressing properly has gone beyond modesty and has become vital for our well being and good health. Our earth is not what it used to be, and with each passing year, the Sun light that reaches us is becoming more and more hazardous. Therefore, protecting yourself from its harmful rays is an ongoing concern, for those that are out and about in the rays of the Sun. Tropical and equatorial regions like our blessed island, have the highest exposure to these harmful rays, and therefore, this is a bigger concern for the Saraceni than most others.


According to the Cancer Council of Australia, 99% of all skin cancers are caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation present in the Sun’s light. In the past the ozone layer, made up of a special type of oxygen molecule, situated about 9 to 18 miles above sea level, filtered the light and reduced the amount of UV radiation that made its way to the earth surface. But, with each passing year, industrial green house gasses and the ever-increasing carbon dioxide levels in our atmosphere are thinning the ozone, and has caused the amount of UV rays in our Sun light to increase sharply. Those that are exposed to it frequently are at a very high risk of developing a variety of skin cancers, and eye ailments.

... 99% of all skin cancers are caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation present in the Sun’s light.

Ultraviolet light, is a type of electromagnetic radiation that has a higher energy level than ordinary visible light. Therefore, it can penetrate deep in to the skin of someone exposed to it and cause cell death. The melanin that makes a person’s skin dark, protects us against UV radiation, but only up to a certain extent, and if that limit is exceeded, dark skinned people are at the same risk of those with lesser melanin levels, such as fair skinned people. When the amount of cell death caused by UV radiation exceeds its limit, the body can no longer maintain healthy cell replacement, and cells begin to divide uncontrollably, leading to cancer.

Too much ultraviolet radiation is also bad for your eyes. It is responsible for a variety of eye problems including cataracts, macular degeneration, pingueculae, pterygia and photokeratitis. Cataract incidences have increased sharply over the years, and the age at which a Saracen is undergoing treatment for this problem is dropping rapidly. Many people are quick to blame, computers and mobile phones for this problem, and yes, overuse of these devices do play a part, but we underestimate the Sun’s contribution, which according to research is the primary culprit.

Too much ultraviolet radiation is also bad for your eyes. It is responsible for a variety of eye problems including cataracts ...

Pharmaceutical companies have developed a wide range of creams, and lotions meant to protect our skin. However, studies have shown, that a single application lasts for at most 2 hours but often much less, and differs by manufacturer. You have no way of knowing whether the sunscreen that you applied is still working or not, and the sunscreen itself, which is a cocktail of chemicals, may lead to other skin problems. Therefore, the only cost-effective and dependable method of protecting ourselves is to ensure that we are properly clothed when we are in the Sun’s gaze. This is important for both men and women, and more so for children.

The women of the Saraceni, are probably the least affected by this problem at present. The hijab together with the overall garments they wear for the sake of modesty keep them well protected from harmful rays. However, the men need to consider their wardrobe more closely. They should opt for long sleeves whenever they can, and a cap of some sort is highly beneficial. A reasonably thick growth of beard too will assist in keeping radiation off the face. Sunglasses should not be considered a fashion accessory anymore, rather an essential part of outdoor attire. When selecting a pair for yourself look for markings that say “UV protection” and/or “Polarized lens”, as these are the best kind.

Sunglasses should not be considered a fashion accessory anymore, rather an essential part of outdoor attire. 

May Allah protect us, and give us a healthy life!

By Kubra Jawher 
Founder, Muslimahs for Circumcision

Female Circumcision! No, it’s not what you think it is! It is not Female Genital Mutilation, it does not curb women’s sexual experience, it is not a cultural tradition. It is Islamic! It is healthy! It increases the experience of sex!


Female circumcision is gaining popularity day by day as Muslim women become aware of its importance. In the early days of Islam – which were its best days- all Muslim women were circumcised. It was regarded as a fitra duty like male circumcision and treated as such. All fitra duties are applicable to both males and females. This includes shaving our pubic hair, plucking out our armpit hair and clipping our nails. Could anybody in his right mind argue that these are applicable only to males? So it’s clear that circumcision must apply to both males and females.

Imam Bukhari is best known for the compilation of the book Saheeh Al Bukhari. But did you know he compiled another book on Good Manners. It was called Adab Al Mufrad. In this great work, Imam Bukhari records two very important incidents in the days of the Sahabah which proves the blessed companions of our beloved Prophet (Sal) regarded it as necessary for women -

Umm Al Muhajir says: “I was captured with some girls from Byzantium. (Caliph) Uthman offered us Islam, but only myself and one other girl accepted Islam. Uthman said: ‘Go and circumcise them and purify them” 

Umm Alqamah says that when the nieces of Ayisha's brother were circumcised, 'A'isha was asked: "Shall we call someone to amuse them?" "Yes" she replied.

In later times, some madhhabs regarded it as wajib (obligatory) like the Shafis and a good part of the Hanbalis like Sheikh Ibn Taymiyyah, while others like the Malikis saw it as recommended and the Hanafis viewed it as a good thing to do for a Muslim wife. Disagreements whether it was obligatory or not, the reluctance of male scholars to deal with a woman’s issue and the lack of awareness among women of later generations led to its decline in certain parts of the world like in Turkey, Central Asia and India where the Hanafi Madhhab dominated. Since it was thought of as only recommended, the women in these areas conveniently neglected it.

... some madhhabs regarded it as wajib (obligatory) like the Shafis and a good part of the Hanbalis like Sheikh Ibn Taymiyyah, while others like the Malikis saw it as recommended and the Hanafis viewed it as a good thing to do for a Muslim wife.

But an unbiased mind shows it is a must for females as much as males. Why would Hazrat Ayisha have her nieces circumcised and Caliph Uthman order women who had embraced Islam to be circumcised if it were not obligatory?

So what must be done in circumcising the girl? Very simple really, all that is required is to remove the bit of dirty skin around her clitoris. This skin is like the foreskin of boys taken off at circumcision and breeds germs and gives out bad smells. So what are its benefits?  A lot really. It prevents smelly smegma buildup that causes infections. It prevents occurrence of Urinary Tract Infections and it protects your partner, since it prevents transmission of oral cancer-causing HPV to your spouse through oral sex if you ever think of indulging in it. Female foreskin, ew, take it off!

Why would Hazrat Ayisha have her nieces circumcised and Caliph Uthman order women who had embraced Islam to be circumcised if it were not obligatory?

Is that all? No, there’s more to it! Circumcision by removing the female foreskin exposes the surface area of the clitoris for greater stimulation during sex, and this translates to greater sexual pleasure for us ladies. Even posh American women are now going for it as a very costly cosmetic procedure known as hoodectomy paying thousands of dollars, and to think we can get it done for less than 100 dollars here in Asia.

Many clinics now offer Islamic female circumcision. Rumah Sunatan, Indonesia’s largest chain of circumcision clinics now offers circumcision for girls as well. The Fatwa Committee of the Malaysian Government, the Central Islamic Council of Switzerland and the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama of Sri Lanka have all declared female circumcision as an obligatory duty for Muslim women. These developments are bound to change women’s attitudes to circumcision positively so that they choose it for themselves and their daughters, knowing that it is for their own good.

I end this brief piece with the hope and prayer that all Muslim women will be circumcised in the near future. It gives us beauty and barakah, and makes us a blessing to our ummah, like it did in the early days of Islam- the best days of Islam!

Assalamu alaikum, ya nesan!

Blackseed is a common spice used the world over since ancient times. The oldest known mention of this spice comes from the Assyrians of ancient Egypt, and the oldest specimens of this spice were found in Hitite settlements which existed in 2000 B.C., in modern day Turkey. Blackseed oil has even been found in the tomb of the famous Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun who died in 1323 B.C.


Blackseed is famous amongst the Saraceni, and the greater Islamic world because of the following Hadith, where it is referred to as “al -hubat al-suwda” (الحبة السوداء) -

Narrated by Abu Huraira:

فِي الْحَبَّةِ السَّوْدَاءِ شِفَاءٌ مِنْ كُلِّ دَاءٍ إِلاَّ السَّامَ

I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, "There is healing in black cumin for all diseases except death."
- Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 76, Hadith 11

A closer look.

This hadith is quite the endorsement for the humble blackseed, and therefore let us look at it a little closer. Blackseed is the seed of the Nigella Sativa plant, and forms within its fruits. This plant is native to South East Asia, but has permeated Africa, the Mediterranean, Middle East and even the Americas over time. This seed is also called Bharaka seed, Nigella seed, and Kalonji seed, but is incorrectly referred to as black cumin and black caraway seeds, which are somewhat similar in appearance but come from different plants, and contain different properties. In Sinhala, it is called "Kaluduru" (කළුදුරු).

Blackseed, in its various forms have been part of traditional medicine since time immemorial, and still is an important and revered ingredient in folk medicine. Scientific study of blackseed is on the rise, and has brought us deeper insight into its beneficial properties. Research shows that there are three main compounds within the seed that are of medical interest, namely Thymoquinone, Thymohyroquinone and Thymol. Thymoquinone is a powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant, Thymohydroquinone acts as an effective acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, and Thymol is a powerful anti-microbial agent. Together these compounds are a powerful trifecta, that maybe able to cure all diseases except death. Because almost all diseases are a result of either inflammation, oxidation, degeneration or microbial activity.

Despite the potential of this age-old spice, modern medicine is yet to formulate medication that includes blackseed. However, scientific studies have shown that using blackseed is effective against a range of ailments that plague us. For example, consuming blackseed powder daily helps eliminate triglycerides (commonly referred to as “bad cholesterol”) and controls high blood pressure. And blackseed oil and/or extracts are effective in controlling a range of diseases including, type 1 and type 2 Diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis, malignant cancer tumors, Leukemia, Asthma, Epileptic seizures and a range of other diseases. It has special benefits for men, in that it protects sperm from damage, and makes them more active, easing the effects of infertility. Scientists have even managed to formulate prescription doses targeting specific conditions –

For asthma: 2 grams of ground black seed has been used daily for 12 weeks. Also, 500 mg of black seed oil has been taken twice daily for 4 weeks. In addition, 15 mL/kg of black seed extract has been used daily for 3 months. A single dose of 50-100 mg/kg has also been used.

For diabetes: 1 gram of black seed powder has been used twice daily for up to 12 months.

For high blood pressure: 0.5-2 grams of black seed powder has been taken daily for up to 12 weeks. Also, 100-200 mg or 2.5 mL of black seed oil has been used twice daily for 8 weeks.

To improve sperm function: 2.5 mL of black seed oil has been used twice daily for 2 months.

For breast pain: A gel containing 30% black seed oil has been applied to breasts every day for two menstrual cycles.

Before his esteemed readers begin using blackseed medically, Ibn Serendib very strongly recommends consulting a physician, especially if you have a preexisting health condition, as self-medication is against wisdom.

Since ancient times blackseed has been a potent medication proven by trial, and even today under the scrutiny of science, it hasn’t failed to impress. Therefore, Ibn Serendib is very confident that humanity will, hopefully within his lifetime realize, the potential of this amazing creation of Allah, and make its benefits available to all.

May Allah preserve our health, and save us from ailments!

Assalamu Alaikum Ya Nessan!

Humans are living longer than ever before. With advances in medical science, our life expectancy could reach 100 years on average, very soon. Therefore adults need to continue nourishing their bodies well into adulthood to remain healthy. Milk is a great source of nourishment giving us a whole host of vitamins and minerals and especially Calcium, which our bodies need to, keep our bones, teeth and brain healthy.

The type of camel known as the "dromedary" or single humped camel is best for milk.

Cow’s milk is great for children, but its high Lactose content makes it unsuitable for adults because humans become Lactose intolerant as they age. Adults stop producing an enzyme called Lactase in their digestive system which breaks down Lactose contained in milk and makes this fat available to the body. Therefore drinking cow’s milk can cause mild discomfort at best, and can get as bad as all out diarrhea for some adults.

Camel’s milk is low in Lactose and other short chained fats, known as the bad fats. Although its fat content is higher than cow’s milk, much of the fat is in long chained unsaturated fats, known as the good fats. This makes camel’s milk ideal for adults. Not only can it be ingested without a negative reaction, it is also low in saturated fat, helping adults to maintain a healthy body weight, while containing all the Vitamins, Minerals and trace nutrients as cow’s milk. Many of us are familiar with brands like Bonlac, Anchor Non-Fat, and Anlene, which are processed cow’s milk, modified to contain less fat. Since camel’s milk is naturally low in fat it will be a great natural alternative to these processed milk products.

Camel’s milk has been part of the Middle Eastern, Central Asian and North Indian diet for millennia, and consumed by children and adults alike. It is higher in Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron and other minerals when compared to cow’s milk, and therefore ideal for a healthy adult body. Many Hadith describe how Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) made a meal consisting only camel’s milk and dates, a testament to its nourishing capabilities.

What makes camel’s milk more interesting than milk of other animals is that it contains something called immunoglobulin. These proteins mimic proteins within our immune system. For this reason camel’s milk has been prescribed as a medicine for common illnesses in the Hadith, and within Indian Ayurvedha, to boost the immune system and fight disease. Modern scientific research has pointed out that consuming camel’s milk regularly does boost the immune system in a measurable way.

Further, camel’s milk also contains insulin, and is currently under study as an insulin supplement, for mild diabetics. Getting insulin from a food source, even for non-diabetics, can reduce the demand we place on our Pancreas, and therefore can prevent the onset of diabetes, which is caused by the Pancreas being over worked, and ultimately malfunctioning.

In 2010, the deputy minister of the Ministry of Livestock Development, Honorable H.R. Mithripala, launched a project to import a pilot stock of camels from Pakistan, to study the feasibility of rearing camels in Sri Lanka. Adding camel’s to our livestock has many benefits including diversifying our livestock, making use of the Dry Zone for livestock cultivation, and producing milk and meat to supplement our diet. Ibn Serendib is unaware of how this project faired, but thinks that it is something the Saracen should be keen on, and pursue with the government.

Assalamu Alaikum Ya Nesan!

The definition of female circumcision in Islam, and in the English language began to diverge in the mid 90’s. Today they are no more the same. While Islam defines female circumcision as the removal of the prepuce skin of the genitals, the definition in the English language is far more general and often includes removal of the clitoris itself, and even the vaginal labia. Removal of the clitoris, and/or the vaginal labia is highly traumatic, unnecessary and should be avoided at all costs. This is why it is important to visit a Muslim doctor for circumcision who understands the Sunnah.


The difference between the two definitions of female circumcision stems from the work of feminists and purported women’s rights groups, mainly those of western culture and their offshoots. As Islam began to increase in popularity in the West during the pre 90’s much of the Western literati focused their attention on demonizing this foreign religion. It is at this time that female circumcision took center stage, and was made a point of criticism as a barbaric Islamic practice, meant to subjugate women by physically disabling her. Volumes of literature appeared with wild claims of suffering, and horror stories of religious devotion. However this attempt barely took off, as western medicine itself prescribed Islamic female circumcision (although they did not refer to it as Islamic), and many circumcised women in the West came forward to discredit these claims, thus banishing these feminists back to their dark desks of propaganda to re access their literary diarrhea.

By the mid 90’s these feminists, together with politicians and culturists who shared their aversion to Islam, changed the meaning of female circumcision in the English language, to include other procedures, namely Clitorectomy (removal of the clitoris), and Labiodectomy (removal of the vaginal labia). These later procedures are indeed traumatic and heinous, and after observing some obscure African tribes performing them, they concluded it was a reasonable inclusion to the definition of female circumcision, and more relevantly it validated the criticism of female circumcision they had painstakingly developed and published earlier. This attempt was also doomed to fail, as people began questioning as to why “male circumcision” only refers to removal of prepuce skin, while “female circumcision” refers to other things aside from the removal of the prepuce skin. If “female circumcision” is defined this way, what does the word “circumcision” on its own mean? This loss of symmetry between male and female circumcision once again sent the feminist literature on the subject into a tail spin, and saw a considerable loss in their credibility.

As the turn of the millennium approached, feminists and their associates have abandoned re defining the term “female circumcision” and instead replaced it with the term “female genital mutilation” or FGM for short. This term not only embodies their opinion of the procedure (i.e. it’s a mutilation and of no benefit), but also serves to distance it from the more wide spread and better understood term “circumcision”. In addition, this term also “muddies the water”, so that when they criticize FGM, it is difficult for a reader to determine which of the procedures they are actually talking about. Is it circumcision? Is it Clitorectomy? Or is it Labiodectomy? This inability to distinguish between the procedures often spares the writer of these articles criticism.

Critics of female circumcision today are well funded by big pharmaceutical companies. It is in the interest of these companies, that women of the middle, and lower economic classes purchase medication for bacterial and yeast infections periodically, so these companies may enjoy revenue. Protecting their market, by making sure misinformation makes the western and even international population of women, select their medications, over precautionary procedures is paramount, to keep their profits coming in, and therefore it isn’t un reasonable to think a large part of their marketing budget will be devoted to make sure women are well and truly weary of circumcision.

May Allah guard us from the misleader!

Assalamu Alaikum Ya Nesan!

Circumcision is an optional practice for women in the Islamic tradition. It is widely practiced within the Muslim Ummah of the Middle East, Central and South Asia, and is fast gaining traction in other parts of the world. This article is about female circumcision as defined in the Islamic tradition, and does not include female circumcision as defined in the English Language. Although the term is the same, they refer to widely different practices, and I talk more on that in my article titled "Female circumcision in the English Language vs. Islamic tradition".

Female circumcision, just as in male circumcision, involves removing the prepuce skin, which covers the sensitive gland in a woman’s genitals. In men this skin is known as the foreskin that covers the penile head. In women this is called the clitoral hood, a small piece of skin that covers the clitoris. This procedure is an effective way to reduce the chances of bacteria, and yeast infections taking root on the genitals. Bacterial infections often occur to women in hot and humid climates, where heat and sweat in the genital area allows them to multiply effectively. Yeast infections are more common in women that live in temperate and colder climates. These infections can be repugnant and painful at best, and cause infertility and trauma at its worst.

The prepuce skin helps these infections, by providing them a quiet and moist environment within which to multiply and grow stronger. Once these bacteria and/or yeasts establish themselves under the prepuce skin, infecting other areas of the genitals is quick. By circumcising, you remove this “incubator of pathogens”, denying these organisms a safe haven to establish themselves and prevent a possible infection.

Men have foreskins and women have clitoral hoods for a good reason, namely to protect the sensitive nerve glands of the genitals (i.e. penile head / clitoris), however as humans began to wear cloths this skin became a liability rather than a defense, much like your pubic hair, and arm pit hair. They harbor moisture, and prevent water from effectively cleaning these areas during washing. This in turn makes them habitats for our enemies, and removing them has been recommended by our beloved Prophet (P.B.U.H). A range of modern medical studies have established that circumcision is effective in preventing genital infections, and this is what is driving the trend for women to adopt this Sunnah today, more than ever before.

Domestic enterprise and being a house wife have become luxury occupations today, with the number of families able to afford this dwindling to a few. A vast majority of women have to supplement the house hold with a second income by joining the labour market, intellectual or physical. Working a minimum of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. affords few opportunities to attend to hygiene, and the new millennium will see a more women fall victim to infections in the genital areas. Pharmaceutical companies have introduced a whole range of products to treat such infections, but prevention is better than cure, and we will see more women joining their male folks in circumcision than ever before.

Circumcision for women, just like in men is best attended to before puberty. Visit your local Muslim doctor who can perform this procedure in a matter of minutes. The important thing is your doctor understands the Islamic tradition of female circumcision, uses correct antiseptics, and gives you the advice you need to maintain yourself, during the few days it takes to heal. Circumcision done in this way will greatly improve the quality of your life.

May Allah preserve your health!

Assalamu alaikum dear reader! Disposing garbage on public roads is a crime. So don’t do it. It seems sensible that the smelly garbage bags that the municipal council failed to collect is better off away from your home in some make shift garbage pile elsewhere. After all problems that are out of sight are out of mind, right? But your efforts to keep your home front clean should include the streets and locale that surrounds it. Keeping your garbage at home in these situations allow you to keep an eye on it, but when it has been irresponsibly disposed, you lose control, and your garbage will come back looking for you.
Just like the concrete high rises will become homes for us and our children, the garbage high rises we create will become home for our arch enemies. Garbage piles are luxury accommodations for disease creating bacteria, poisonous toxins, and noxious gases. And as these nasty things develop they will come back to thank us for their accommodation, in the worst possible way. Garbage consists primarily of perishable items. When these items decompose, they create a veritable feast for bacteria and parasite carrying animals such as rats, cats and dogs, which are also attracted to garbage piles. These bacteria hitch a ride on these animals straight back to our place. When it rains, the rainwater flows through the garbage leaching off toxic chemicals that have been freed during decomposition, and flow on to our streets. When we walk on our roads on a rainy day, the splashes that we face from vehicles isn’t just rain water, but a toxic mixture of leached chemicals that we have no option but to tolerate on our clothing. When the rain dries out, these toxins remain on the road, with no visible marker to tell us it is there, and when we inevitably step of them, or drive over them; these toxins hitch a ride back to our home, in our foot wear and car tires. In dried dust form, they will eventually enter our lungs. Rats and cats can be avoided, and if your are extremely fortunate, maybe you will never have to walk on the street, or get splashed by toxic water. But nonetheless the evil of garbage will get you. They will send disease and irritation into your house through air courier, by way of mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are the single largest threat created by irresponsible garbage disposal. Even if you took extreme care to dump your garbage a kilometer away, these mosquitoes will transport problems to you. We have all heard of Dengue, Malaria, Elephantiasis and the list goes on. Mosquitoes don’t just put you “in touch” with the evils of your garbage, like trampling it or being smeared with it, they deliver it directly into your blood stream. These mosquitoes are so good, that twenty four hours since the last rain is all the time they need to home deliver evils that may take you to the grave. Therefore avoid dumping your garbage irresponsibly at all costs. Take action against those who do. Our municipal council does a spectacular job in ridding us of our garbage. But it is inevitable that they too will have an off day (… or week), and in these cases people should have a plan on how to dispose the garbage. May god keep us healthy!

Greetings and salutations dear reader!

Fasting is difficult in the hot and arid regions where Islam was born, due to excessive heat and dehydration caused by the merciless Sun, and the dry surroundings. Indeed the suffering of the Prophet and his companions are mentioned in the Islamic tradition. But in an island paradise such as our beloved Serendib this should not be the case.


When fasting, it is normal for many of us to get hungry during our regular meal times as our body follows a natural cycle, but you should not feel like you have no strength. Despite your stomach growling, you should not feel like you are fatigued or lethargic, usually expressed as feeling “lifeless”. Your Sahar meal should supply you with ample energy for the day. Because if you think about it fasting amounts to merely skipping Lunch. Similarly thirst should not bother you either. Unless you have spent time travelling in the hot sun, or engaged in physically demanding activities, regular Saraceni activities should rarely make you thirsty. Therefore if fasting creates lethargy, fatigue and thirst your problem maybe that you are consuming too much salt and sugar during your meal times.

Salt is an important constituent of our diet. Salt (Sodium Chloride, in scientific parlance) breaks down in digestion and the Chlorine that it releases goes to form various acids in our body, chief of which is your stomach acid. The Sodium that is released, dictates fluid retention which impacts our blood volume, and levels of water retained by our body’s cells. If you consume too much salt with your food, it will make you thirsty, as your body uses its water reserves to dilute the salt and reduce your body’s salinity. This is the reason why we feel so thirsty when we eat salty foods like potato chips. So though you may not be losing your water by sweating and dehydration, your body is using it up to control salt levels. If you feel that you are getting very thirsty during your fast you may want to reduce the amount of salt added to your Sahar and Ifthar meals. Beware of consuming commercially processed foods during this time, as many of them contain copious amounts of Salt.

Food companies love to make their food salty, because not only does it taste better, it also gives there produce a long shell life. Therefore if you are consuming any packaged foods during Sahar or Ifthar, make sure you do so with modesty to avoid too much salt in the body. Although rarely store bought, our humble Kanji is probably the chief offender in many Saracen households for containing too much salt, so be mindful of this.

Glucose is the fuel which our body burns to produce energy. Our body synthesizes Glucose from the carbohydrates that we eat. Sucrose (commonly known as Sugar) is a high power carbohydrate that can release large amounts of Glucose into our blood in a short time. And that is one of the reasons we love it so much. Consuming sugar (Sucrose) gives us a direct energy boost, which makes us happy and energetic. Significant amounts of sugar in our diet keeps Glucose in our blood high, making it unnecessary for our body to burn fat, which is one reason people consuming too much sugary foods tend to get obese. Converting Sugar to Glucose is far simpler for the body, than burning fat or breaking down other carbohydrates, and therefore regular consumption of sugar makes our body prefer it, and when it doesn’t get the sugar it will throw a tantrum.

Glucose in our blood is high soon after a meal, but as this glucose gets used up, our body should faithfully convert fat stores into Glucose without us even knowing it. However when you are used to consuming a lot of sugar, this behavior changes, and your body decides that demanding more sugar is much easier than burning fat stores, and therefore sits back and lets your blood sugar level drop, trusting you will eat soon. This drop in blood sugar is what makes you feel lifeless and lethargic. Your body will eventually start burning fat, but not until it has made you feel like a famine victim. If you are experiencing this symptom during your fast, I would strongly recommend reducing your sugar intake so your body once again goes back to its regular function of starting to burn fat without troubling you.

Some foods that maybe giving you a super dose of sugar during our Ramazan season may be those Bombay Sweets. These are nothing but sugar and flour that is mixed together and cooked. Your chocolate bar (… ladies?) can just as well be called a sugar bar, as they have more sugar in them than chocolate, so opt for dark bitter chocolates whenever you can. If you are in the habit of consuming commercial soft drinks and sodas, you may want to reduce them as they contain unbelievable amounts of sugar. Therefore reducing or eliminating these foods, can make sure your energy levels are maintained throughout the fasting day.

Sugar is addictive, and therefore unlike reducing Salt, reducing sugar will definitely take a toll on your mood. But persevere, as the changes recommended here will make your fast easier.

May god ease your pain and bring prosperity to you!

Assalamu alaikum ya Saracen!

The rains have come and gone in our beloved Serendib, leaving with it a mixed bag of blessings. It was very welcome at first, a pleasant change from the seething, humid unbearable heat that came before. And just when we began to fall in love with its coolness, the rains broke our dams and flooded houses, and ended many lives. How cruel is kindness in this wicked world?

Now that the rains have for the most part gone, and the Sun embraces us more warmly, the puddles left behind by the rain may land you in jail. Yes my dear Saracen, it is time to inspect your home, for mosquito breeding places, before the government inspectors show up. Doing so will make your life and their’s a whole lot easier, and our nation a whole lot healthier.

Many of you may have already been convicted of some sort of dengue related offence, and if you haven’t – well done. To inconvenience you less this time, Ibn Serendib lists some places you should check, before they get checked –

• Your fridge / freezer’s drip pan, located beneath or behind your refrigerator. Make sure it does not retain water.
• Flower pots and fixtures are notorious for having shallow pools of water in them, especially places where you have stacked pots in disuse.
• If you are lucky to have a tube well on your property, make sure the pump and piston do not retain water.
• Check your rain gutters on a sunny day. Make sure there are no stagnant pools of water down its length.
• Drains and drain gullies are notorious for harboring stagnant pools of water, especially if they are poorly constructed. These areas almost always have water in them, so to make sure if you see water puddles to confirm its fresh and free of mosquito larvae. If there are mosquito larvae in the water they will be visibly as tiny wriggling strands that are black. Deal with this immediately.
• If you have sheet roofing, water may be retained in dents, so check this as well.
• Check your garden, outdoors for pits in the soil where water can retain. Add soil and fill if you find any.
• If you are careless enough to dispose coconut shells, plastic containers and other water retainers in your garden, please rid yourself of them as soon as you can. They will attract the inspectors just as strongly as the water puddles attract the Dengue mosquito. Collect them all into a trash bag, and give it off to the municipal council as soon as possible.
• Lastly, check around for any place that has water retained and dry it out. Make sure water cannot retain there again as well.

There is no doubt that the number of potential mosquito breeding grounds far exceeds those that are listed above. If you feel you know a place in the house that people will most likely miss, please comment below and God himself will reward thee. For their part the government has published some tips here on some potential Dengue breeding sites, which I think is best read and attended to. I'm sure the inspectors will be motivated by this list as well. Also please see here on some solid tips to prevent Dengue in your home. It's got pictures as well!

Where ever you choose to include in your dengue search, ensure that you give it a go. The hassle this kind of thing can bring you is just not worth your precious time. And your safety is Ibn Serendib’s desire.

May Allah bless you with health and long life!