Middle East Focus: Faith and Disease, Old Testament, New Testament, Our Testament…….

Arabia Deserta

Faith and Disease, Old Testament, New Testament, Our Testament…….

"He hinted at commercial interests behind it.

Shaikh al-Lehaidan, member of the Council of Ulema, was answering a query about the “theology of the sick” about a sick person praying at home rather than going to a mosque for fear of the Swine Flu. The sheikh said “I don’t know the seriousness of this illness. We didn’t see any more funerals this past Ramadan than last year. So where this epidemic they are talking about?......... He added that he knows people who did not get the flu shots, and never got sick “this is from our Lord for he is the One who….”…..…The Dean of the School of Medicine at Imam Mohammed Bin Saud University disagreed with him, although he said the swine Flu is not as dangerous as the regular flu………..”

Ulema means “scientists” and it also has come to mean “men of religion”, the clergy. Interesting since the tow are often at odds in Islam, as they are at odds in some Christian, and probably Jewish, circles as well.
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mhg

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