.
""Funerals and washing dead bodies in West African countries have led,
to a great extent, to spread the disease," a World Health Organization
spokeswoman recently warned....Last month, Red Cross workers in Guinea were attacked by family members
while trying to bury Ebola dead safely. In Sierra Leone, moreover, a
family took Ebola-ridden bodies secured in body bags from the Red Cross,
opened them up and exposed all members of the family to Ebola. They all
contracted the disease."
10/16/14, "Islamic Burial Rituals Blamed For Spread Of Ebola," Paul Sperry, Investors Business Daily
"Islam isn't just at the heart of the terror threat posed by the
Islamic State. The religion is also contributing to the other major
crisis plaguing the globe: the spread of Ebola.
Washington and its media stenographers won't tell you this, lest they
look intolerant, but Islamic burial rituals are a key reason why health
officials can't contain the spread of the deadly disease in West
Africa.
Many of the victims of Ebola in the three hot-spot nations there —
Sierra Leone and Guinea, as well as neighboring Liberia — are Muslim.
Roughly 73% of Sierra Leone's and about 85% of Guinea's people are
Muslim. Islam, moreover, is practiced by more than 13% of Liberians.
When Muslims die, family members don't turn to a funeral home or
crematorium to take care of the body. In Islam, death is handled much
differently.
Relatives personally wash the corpses of loved ones from head to toe.
Often, several family members participate in this posthumous bathing
ritual, known as Ghusl.
Before scrubbing the skin with soap and water, family members press
down on the abdomen to excrete fluids still in the body. A mixture of
camphor and water is used for a final washing. Then, family members dry
off the body and shroud it in white linens.
Again, washing the bodies of the dead in this way is considered a
collective duty for Muslims, especially in Muslim nations. Failure to do
so is believed to leave the deceased "impure" and jeopardizes the
faithful's ascension into Paradise (unless he died in jihad; then no
Ghusl is required).
Before the body is buried, Muslims attending the funeral typically
pass a common bowl for use in ablution or washing of the face, feet and
hands, compounding the risk of infection.
Though these customs are prescribed by Shariah law, they're extremely
dangerous and should be suspended. Mosque leaders must step in to
educate village Muslims about the dangers of interacting with corpses.
Ebola victims can be more contagious dead than alive. Their bodies
are covered in rashes, blood and other fluids containing the virus.
"Funerals and washing dead bodies in West African countries have led,
to a great extent, to spread the disease," a World Health Organization
spokeswoman recently warned.
WHO has issued an advisory to Red Cross and other relief workers in
African Muslim nations to "be aware of the family's cultural practices
and religious beliefs. Help the family understand why some practices
cannot be done because they place the family or others at risk for
exposure."
The document added: "Identify a family member who has influence with
the rest of the family and who can make sure family members avoid
dangerous practices such as washing or touching the body."
The warning appears to be falling on deaf ears, however.
Last month, Red Cross workers in Guinea were attacked by family
members while trying to bury Ebola dead safely. In Sierra Leone,
moreover, a family took Ebola-ridden bodies secured in body bags from
the Red Cross, opened them up and exposed all members of the family to
Ebola. They all contracted the disease.
The UN warns that if the spread of Ebola can't be contained within 60
days, it could turn into a global plague. The West African infection
rate is expected to jump from 1,000 a week to 10,000 a week.
President Obama argues that suspending travel with these West African nations would do more harm than good.
But the practice of these religious customs is even more reason to do so.
Even Saudi Arabia, the center of Islam, is now barring pilgrims from
Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, from traveling to Mecca for fear of
them bringing the virus into the kingdom.
So what's stopping us from barring travelers from those countries?" via Lucianne
==================================
"Earlier in the year, Saudi Arabia had
announced it will not issue visas to pilgrims coming from Sierra Leone,
Liberia and Guinea"...
10/1/14, "Saudi Arabia plans for Ebola as millions visit for hajj pilgrimage," UK Guardian, Saeed Kamali Dehghan
"Jeddah has coordinated with international health bodies, including the
World Health Organisation (WHO), and the countries where Ebola has
struck to protect the annual pilgrimage that takes place in the last
month of the Islamic calendar. Earlier in the year, Saudi Arabia had
announced it will not issue visas to pilgrims coming from Sierra Leone,
Liberia and Guinea due to the spread of Ebola in those countries."...
=====================
10/16/14, "Aid workers must heed local culture to save lives - Red Cross," Thomson Reuters, Megan Rowling, Barcelona
"When Ebola emerged in West Africa
this year, the virus was able to spread so quickly partly because burial
rituals in Guinea and Sierra Leone involve washing the dead - and it's
been hard to dissuade people from touching infected corpses."...
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