Comments on: The Depths of Vanity -Ruth Nasrullah http://muslimmatters.org/2008/05/13/the-depths-of-vanity/ Discourses in the Intellectual Traditions, Political Situation, and Social Ethics of Muslim Life Wed, 23 May 2012 14:21:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Rema http://muslimmatters.org/2008/05/13/the-depths-of-vanity/#comment-28121 Rema Fri, 10 Oct 2008 01:54:13 +0000 http://muslimmatters.org/2008/05/13/the-depths-of-vanity/#comment-28121 A little late I know.... but I was just informed of this article today. InshaAllah i'm scheduled to have this surgery at the end of the month. I have never been able to breath through my nose properly for as long as I can remember. I never thought it was a big deal until recently. I found out that constantly breathing though your mouth is not healthy becuase there is nothing to filter the air like in your nose. Without proper airflow, other symptoms also arise like not sleeping properly, headaches, etc. InshaAllah I hope that the surgery will help me and improve other areas in my life as well. A little late I know…. but I was just informed of this article today.

InshaAllah i’m scheduled to have this surgery at the end of the month. I have never been able to breath through my nose properly for as long as I can remember. I never thought it was a big deal until recently. I found out that constantly breathing though your mouth is not healthy becuase there is nothing to filter the air like in your nose. Without proper airflow, other symptoms also arise like not sleeping properly, headaches, etc. InshaAllah I hope that the surgery will help me and improve other areas in my life as well.

]]> By: Abu Hafsa http://muslimmatters.org/2008/05/13/the-depths-of-vanity/#comment-20031 Abu Hafsa Fri, 16 May 2008 20:54:36 +0000 http://muslimmatters.org/2008/05/13/the-depths-of-vanity/#comment-20031 Sister Ruth, You're welcome. Our deen makes things like this very easy. Everything we do in life has a risk asosciated with it. We weigh the risk/benefit according to the best of our abilities, then pray salat-ul-istakhara and then go ahead with our decision, relying on Allah (SWT). It's quite simple. There is no need to come up with philiosophical./religious gymnastics because you felt squeamish going under the surgeon's knife. And BTW, every surgical procedure is like what you saw on you tube - and it looks pretty bad to most lay people. Sister Ruth,

You’re welcome.

Our deen makes things like this very easy.

Everything we do in life has a risk asosciated with it. We weigh the risk/benefit according to the best of our abilities, then pray salat-ul-istakhara and then go ahead with our decision, relying on Allah (SWT). It’s quite simple.

There is no need to come up with philiosophical./religious gymnastics because you felt squeamish going under the surgeon’s knife. And BTW, every surgical procedure is like what you saw on you tube – and it looks pretty bad to most lay people.

]]> By: Atif http://muslimmatters.org/2008/05/13/the-depths-of-vanity/#comment-20014 Atif Fri, 16 May 2008 15:48:59 +0000 http://muslimmatters.org/2008/05/13/the-depths-of-vanity/#comment-20014 I know that Sr. Ruth weighed the benefits against the risks/harms, but if you improved your quality of life, wouldn't that make you a better worshipper of Allah (by being less sick and offering more quality 'ibadah)? I haven't seen this mentioned yet. This intention would be one of the biggest factors for me if I had such a decision to make. I know that Sr. Ruth weighed the benefits against the risks/harms, but if you improved your quality of life, wouldn’t that make you a better worshipper of Allah (by being less sick and offering more quality ‘ibadah)? I haven’t seen this mentioned yet. This intention would be one of the biggest factors for me if I had such a decision to make.

]]> By: mcpagal http://muslimmatters.org/2008/05/13/the-depths-of-vanity/#comment-19955 mcpagal Thu, 15 May 2008 21:30:18 +0000 http://muslimmatters.org/2008/05/13/the-depths-of-vanity/#comment-19955 Lasik is laser eye surgery right? I don't think there's anything wrong with it really.. I mean, the alternatives are wearing glasses (which aren't exactly natural) or contacts (which have just about the same effect as surgery except with more hassle). It's not really vain, it's just for convenience. Personally, I'm sticking with contacts right now - I'd be too worried to mess with my eyes. I know the chances of something going wrong are remote, but if you did end up with damaged eyes you'd regret it forever. It's not really fixable... Here's another one: orthognathic surgery. It's basically the process of moving the jaws - either making the top one bigger and the bottom one smaller if the patients lower jaw sticks out too far (with the bottom teeth in front of the top one); or the other way round if the bottom jaw is too far back. It can make a huge difference to a persons life, but it's really invasive (since they're basically breaking the bone up and re-setting it). Is that okay? Does bad jaw alignment count as a deformity? There's also surgery that can be done to pin ears back if they stick out too much - I think that's bordering on the unnecessary side, since you can cover up sticky-outy ears with your hair or whatever, and there's no medical need. But can you explain that to a kid who's getting bullied for their ears? I saw a program on TV a while ago, it was about this guy who had a huge tumour covering his whole face. It really was hard to look at, and he stayed at home a lot because of the abuse he got on the street. The fact was, it wouldn't have gotten so bad if he'd had surgery at an earlier age when it hadn't progressed so much - but his mother was a Jehovah's witness and refused to let him have a blood transfusion :( Lasik is laser eye surgery right? I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it really.. I mean, the alternatives are wearing glasses (which aren’t exactly natural) or contacts (which have just about the same effect as surgery except with more hassle). It’s not really vain, it’s just for convenience. Personally, I’m sticking with contacts right now – I’d be too worried to mess with my eyes. I know the chances of something going wrong are remote, but if you did end up with damaged eyes you’d regret it forever. It’s not really fixable…

Here’s another one: orthognathic surgery. It’s basically the process of moving the jaws – either making the top one bigger and the bottom one smaller if the patients lower jaw sticks out too far (with the bottom teeth in front of the top one); or the other way round if the bottom jaw is too far back. It can make a huge difference to a persons life, but it’s really invasive (since they’re basically breaking the bone up and re-setting it). Is that okay? Does bad jaw alignment count as a deformity?

There’s also surgery that can be done to pin ears back if they stick out too much – I think that’s bordering on the unnecessary side, since you can cover up sticky-outy ears with your hair or whatever, and there’s no medical need. But can you explain that to a kid who’s getting bullied for their ears?

I saw a program on TV a while ago, it was about this guy who had a huge tumour covering his whole face. It really was hard to look at, and he stayed at home a lot because of the abuse he got on the street. The fact was, it wouldn’t have gotten so bad if he’d had surgery at an earlier age when it hadn’t progressed so much – but his mother was a Jehovah’s witness and refused to let him have a blood transfusion :(

]]> By: Ruth Nasrullah http://muslimmatters.org/2008/05/13/the-depths-of-vanity/#comment-19928 Ruth Nasrullah Thu, 15 May 2008 14:31:05 +0000 http://muslimmatters.org/2008/05/13/the-depths-of-vanity/#comment-19928 Thanks for the thoughtful comment, Abu Hafsa. I didn't cancel the surgery because of religious reasons. Thanks for the thoughtful comment, Abu Hafsa. I didn’t cancel the surgery because of religious reasons.

]]> By: Abu Hafsa http://muslimmatters.org/2008/05/13/the-depths-of-vanity/#comment-19923 Abu Hafsa Thu, 15 May 2008 14:17:37 +0000 http://muslimmatters.org/2008/05/13/the-depths-of-vanity/#comment-19923 Salam, I think you just chickened out and are using the religion as an excuse. Salam,

I think you just chickened out and are using the religion as an excuse.

]]> By: Afzal http://muslimmatters.org/2008/05/13/the-depths-of-vanity/#comment-19920 Afzal Thu, 15 May 2008 11:40:23 +0000 http://muslimmatters.org/2008/05/13/the-depths-of-vanity/#comment-19920 I use a nasal drop for the congestion and it helps alot. I use a nasal drop for the congestion and it helps alot.

]]> By: Siraaj Muhammad http://muslimmatters.org/2008/05/13/the-depths-of-vanity/#comment-19852 Siraaj Muhammad Wed, 14 May 2008 03:15:03 +0000 http://muslimmatters.org/2008/05/13/the-depths-of-vanity/#comment-19852 I had one of my front teeth knocked out many years ago by an repeated elbows to the face (grabbing a rebound next to a college basketball player) and had to have surgery for that. I remember that day, they had someone who was seeing it for the first time, and the dentist told that person, you may not be able to handle it the first time, so be ready to leave, and leave he did, within one minute. I didn't feel any of it and the tooth works quite well, alhamdulillaah. Siraaj I had one of my front teeth knocked out many years ago by an repeated elbows to the face (grabbing a rebound next to a college basketball player) and had to have surgery for that. I remember that day, they had someone who was seeing it for the first time, and the dentist told that person, you may not be able to handle it the first time, so be ready to leave, and leave he did, within one minute. I didn’t feel any of it and the tooth works quite well, alhamdulillaah.

Siraaj

]]> By: Ruth Nasrullah http://muslimmatters.org/2008/05/13/the-depths-of-vanity/#comment-19848 Ruth Nasrullah Wed, 14 May 2008 00:49:53 +0000 http://muslimmatters.org/2008/05/13/the-depths-of-vanity/#comment-19848 I'm already at a botox-able age ;) but I don't think I'd do it. There are far more changes that come with middle age than wrinkles, and you just have to find a way to accept them. I’m already at a botox-able age ;) but I don’t think I’d do it. There are far more changes that come with middle age than wrinkles, and you just have to find a way to accept them.

]]> By: Nadia http://muslimmatters.org/2008/05/13/the-depths-of-vanity/#comment-19847 Nadia Wed, 14 May 2008 00:24:53 +0000 http://muslimmatters.org/2008/05/13/the-depths-of-vanity/#comment-19847 Alhamdulillah it's good that you did your own research and stuck to your instincts and didn't get the surgery done. Some people have told me to do the laser eye surgery as a "quick-fix" to my weak eyesight, but I'm always too suspicious of such procedures and the risk involved which has kept me away from them so far. Contacts work just fine! But I'll say again that I'm glad you were able to make a decision you were comfortable with mashallah, instead of relying on your doctor's words, like most people end up doing. Alhamdulillah it’s good that you did your own research and stuck to your instincts and didn’t get the surgery done. Some people have told me to do the laser eye surgery as a “quick-fix” to my weak eyesight, but I’m always too suspicious of such procedures and the risk involved which has kept me away from them so far. Contacts work just fine! But I’ll say again that I’m glad you were able to make a decision you were comfortable with mashallah, instead of relying on your doctor’s words, like most people end up doing.

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