Breast Cancer Advice Center | Breast Cancer Treatment Knowledge Base - What religion prevents women from seeking treatment for breast cancer? And on what grounds?

What religion prevents women from seeking treatment for breast cancer? And on what grounds?

“One Saudi woman ignored the cancer growing in her breast because she didn't want to risk a referral to a male doctor. Another was divorced by her husband on the mere suspicion she had the disease, while a third was dragged away from a mammogram machine because the technicians were men.” “Breast cancer is the No. 1 killer of women in the United Arab Emirates, according to official statistics, with many dying because the stigma surrounding the disease prevents them from seeking early detection.” http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071024/ap_on_he_me/saudi_breast_cancer Guess what religion it is that scares women into living with (and dying of) cancer because treatment might violate “moral” standards -- that is, necessitate an examination by a male doctor? (Here’s a hint: it’s an Abrahamic religion, but it’s neither Judaism nor Christianity) AngelsAndJinns: that's not culture. How do you explain that the same "culture" can be found in Islamic countries around the world? If you argument is that Islam imports "culture", then you are on the right track (it's not "culture", though, so much as uniform repression); but if you want to argue that problems like these are cultural NOT religious, you need to explain why these elements of "culture" exist throughout the Muslim world (be it in Europe, the middle east, etc.) Finally Mrs.B: Just because it's not the STATE preventing women from seeking treatment, that in no way invalidates the claim that this prevention is religiously motivated; the religious direction simply occurs on an individual or family level, rather than a national level. shab m and CuteMe: The idea that a woman cannot be alone with a man comes directly from Islamic law. The article says many times that one of the chief reasons that these women do not seek treatment is that they fear (or someone else fears) that they will be alone with a male doctor. This is not cultural; it’s Islamic. In how many Islamic countries, after all, is it a crime for unrelated women and men to be alone together? Just recently some Muslim fruitcake divorced his wife because she was “alone” with a man -- that is to say, she watched a television show hosted by a man while alone. In Pakistan, I believe, a young (unrelated) couple recently caused a massive traffic accident to avoid being caught by police after committing the “crime” of being alone together. These things come from Islamic law codes, not culture; that’s why many Muslims across the globe believe (and act) the same.

Public Comments

I KNOW! I KNOW! ISLAM!!
I knew it was Islam because it treats its women like animals (quite literally)!

"Allah permits you to shut them in separate rooms and to beat them, but not severely. If they abstain, they have the right to food and clothing. Treat women well for they are like domestic animals and they possess nothing themselves. Allah has made the enjoyment of their bodies lawful in his Qur'an." Tabari IX:113

"Allah said, ‘It is My obligation to make Eve bleed once every month as she made this tree bleed. I must also make Eve stupid, although I created her intelligent.' Because Allah afflicted Eve, all of the women of this world menstruate and are stupid." Tabari I:280

"Allah directs you in regard of your Children's (inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females.... These are settled portions ordained by Allah." Qur'an 4:11

"The Prophet said, ‘Isn't the witness of a woman equal to half of that of a man?' The women said, ‘Yes.' He said, ‘This is because of the deficiency of a woman's mind.'" Bukhari:V3B48N826

"Tell the men with you who have wives: never trust a woman." Ishaq:584
islam
That would be the cult who's name i won't mention because i will get another violation notice.
It's the culture, not the religion.

Convenient how no one is bothering to read the whole article:
The problem is not a matter of resources. The kingdom has some of the world's best equipment and doctors and even the poor have access to free medical care.

The problem is in people's mindsets. Many Saudis, like other Arabs, won't even refer to cancer by name, calling it just "that disease" because of the fear surrounding it. Some families are afraid no one will marry their daughters if a mother's illness becomes known.

They're not telling them they can't get treated. And I'll bet you anything that woman who was dragged away, was dragged away by family. What about JW? They can't get blood transfusions. I don't see you crying about that.
guess what religion it is that denies science meanwhile praising their god for the work of mere men?

what religion denies science yet embraces it at the same time?

you care as much about the answer to my question as i care about the answer to yours.

edit: touché with kellie
Christianity scares people into not getting treatment, if you think about it.... considering how often you hear that it's "god's will" that people get diseases.

"God has a plan"
"Disease is punishment for our sins"
I've heard it all

Who would want to challenge god's will? Certainly not a true Christian....
You sound like you are an intelligent woman, so you should be able to distinguish what religion dictates and what is cultural or tradition.

I don't see you doing that because you are out to make a point.

Too bad!

UPDATE: What you don't understand is that Islam would NEVER condone anything that would cause harm to the human body or soul. That's just a fact of this great religion. This is not what Islam is all about. People, Muslims and possibly non-Muslims, have fears, and they end up putting their faith in God. It's part of their obedience and trust in their creator. Sometimes, you will see them use the phrase "leave it to God", which is okay if you've exhausted all means of repairing it yourself. However, many people simply give up too fast and prematurely put their trust in God without attempting to do anything about it first. You can debate this issue as much as you like, what is the correct way of thinking can also be endlessly debatable because it contains an element of faith.

This is what God says in the Qur'an:

Say: "Nothing will happen to us except what Allah has decreed for us: He is our protector": and on Allah let the Believers put their trust.
-Qur'an [9:51]

And people have to remember also that...

There are among men some who serve Allah, as it were, on the verge: if good befalls them, they are, therewith, well content; but if a trial comes to them, they turn on their faces: they lose both this world and the Hereafter: that is loss for all to see!
-Qur'an [22:11]
A few years ago in Afghanistan no woman was allowed to visit an all male doctor system without husband permission. She would never dare to go to the police to complain about her husband, either... The poor ones usually die of the untreated ailment. Others are divorced from their husbands and go on to beg on the streets until they die... When they die nobody bothers with the body until it becomes a nuisance.
Wow...so much for trying to let us answer.

I would still say the Christians who believe that all medicine and science is evil and "of the Devil" I actually heard of one such person, his wife died of breast cancer, and all he could say was, "Her faith wasn't strong enough." I was ready to kill the bastard...so I guess that makes another one for you....
"If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Galatians 3:29)

Only those who respect life and follow Christ are Abrahamic in the spiritual sense. Islam is not one of them.
This makes me sad and angry at the same time. The answers that say it's culture are just wrong. Saudi has Sharia Law. These women are afraid of their husbands, afraid of Allah, afraid of laws that don't allow them to mingle with men, even male physicians. Instead, they just die. All their Muslim brothers and sisters around the world should be fighting this kind of ignorance, but they won't. They'll wait for something important to get mad about...like a cartoon.
yes i say this is really a stupid thing. i was reading this earlier today.

I say that these people have no logical thinking... they are not wise people.

Rachel i like your questions way better then mine you are much more qualified to ask then my self. your my fan :P
peace!

Sometimes, you will see them use the phrase "leave it to God"
yes God is all powerfull and can fix the problems but what God helps a person that does not first help them selves? in other words God does not support lazy people and one must try as hard as they can then when they fail God will step in and cary them. this is the action that is requird of faith.
Where are ""women words"" where they said they didnot seek medical treatment for religous reasons ?

Those are your own words !

that was their decision , but in Islam it is prohibited if you have a disease and you dont seek treatment !

but,

did you hear about Jehovah's Witnesses .angelicans ...etc
where abortions,blood transfusion ... are prohibited !!
realy for religous reasons NOT JUST SHAMING
you know nothing about Islam , so it's better to keep silent !!!
Moslem's scientist and doctors were the light and the start of all sciences specially medicine (who discovered and draw the 1st blood circulation??)

that's because our religion and our prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) ask us to know the disease and to be cured and there is no differ between men and women in that .

better to be treated by women doctors then if it's not available she goes to the second step and treated by men doctors

that's what our religion tell us
but we have nothing in Islam that let a woman or a man lose his life like that .

Question:
The west accuses Islam of oppressing women. What is the status of woman in Islam?

Answer:

http://www.islam-qa.com/index.php?ref=21...