There are 1.9 billion believers of Islam in the world, making it the second-largest religion, after Christianity, which has 2.3 billion followers. The Muslim faith is also the world’s fastest-growing faith. There are currently about 50 countries where more than half of the population is Muslim. 

Religious Muslims are currently observing the month-long fast of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and set aside for fasting, prayer, reflection and communal events. The annual observance of Ramadan is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam[ and lasts twenty-nine to 30 days, from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next. 

Fasting from dawn to sunset is obligatory for all adult Muslims who are not acutely or chronically ill, travelling, elderly, breastfeeding or diabetic. It begins with a pre-dawn meal called suhur and a nightly feast that breaks the fast, that is known as called iftar.

All agree is that one is forbidden to smoke during the fasting on Ramadan, because tobacco smoke contains particles that can reach the stomach, which would mean that you would be breaking your fast. This is similar to incense, which is also not permitted during Ramadan because of the particles that people can inhale.

But many Islamic religious leaders around the world contend that it is forbidden to smoke at any time. Though tobacco or smoking in general is not explicitly mentioned in the Quran or the Hadith – the record of the traditions or sayings of the Prophet Muhammad – it has been condemned by scholars in some Islamic countries as potentially harmful or prohibited (haram) outright because of the serious and extensive harm to health that it causes.

However, according to Israel’s Health Ministry’s recent reports on lung cancer, it has become clear that the smoking rate among Arab men in the countryThe Ministry of Health recently published reports on cancer in the country is 40% to 50% higher than Jewish men (depending on the age group). Countless studies have shown beyond a shadow of a doubt that most lung cancer patients are heavy smokers. 

Dr. Waleed Kian, a Muslim physician in the medical oncology department of Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center, has just expressed his urging that Arab Israelis (and others) not smoke during Ramadan and that they kick the filthy and dangerous habit throughout the year. 

“Despite the great knowledge on the subject in recent years, the phenomenon of smoking, especially in Arab society, continues and more and more and every year. About 3,000 new Israeli patients are diagnosed in the country (many of them Arabs and many more men than women). It is a cruel and difficult disease, but on the other hand it can be prevented first and foremost by stopping or preventing smoking,” said Kian.

“The state has enacted a number of laws against smoking in public places and many clerics have also issued rulings against smoking. Despite all this and studies showing the clear link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer, many Arab men still continue to smoke,” the Jerusalem oncologist continued. “One of the surprising figures is that even Arab men with higher education smoke cigarettes at a high rate – about twice as much as Jewish men with higher education.”

Kian added that Israeli Arab children and teens are much more exposed than their Jewish counterparts to smoking cigarettes directly and indirectly. In addition, there is a higher rate of initial experience with cigarette smoking from an early age among young Arabs than among Jews.

In recent years, new smoking products have been marketed alongside ordinary cigarettes and the traditional hookah; these are e-cigarette and rolled tobacco. Severe damage from the these new tobacco products is similar to the damage of smoking that we are familiar with. 

Every year, about 8,000 Israelis die from smoking. About 10% of them are considered “passive smokers” who were near smokers or even touched furniture or other objects and absorbed the toxins. Smoking clearly causes premature death from heart disease and a large number of others besides lung cancer. 

“Believe me,” concluded Kian. “If you don’t want to meet me in the cancer ward, don’t smoke! Do yourself and your family a favor and continue with the smoking ban even after Eid al-Fitr.

The 20 kinds of cancer most common in Israeli men (Arabs in red; Jews in blue):

Above: The most common types of cancer that cause death in Israeli men (red for Arabs, blue for Jews). Arabs constitute 21% of the nine million people in Israel.