Update (5/19/2010): I noticed a lot of traffic coming to this blog post with the search words “is hookah haram.” I think it’s a disservice for me to leave the post as it is without any sort of (authoritative) explanation as to what the above is all about. If you’re curious about the actual legal rulings regarding hookah (which is the same as the legal ruling regarding cigarette smoking), please see the following Q&A: http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=677&CATE=115

The following summary was sent out over the American Muslim Health Professionals list. For the full article, see: http://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/news/20100510/hookahs-safer-than-cigarettes-thats-a-pipe-dream

Toking on Water Pipes Gaining in Popularity, but Full of Health Risks

“Little is known about the addictive nature or health risks of water pipe smoking, but it may be at least as harmful as cigarette smoking,” the authors write.

Water pipe smoke contains nicotine, carbon monoxide, and carcinogens and may contain even greater amounts of tar and heavy metals than cigarette smoke, the researchers say.

Water pipe smoke has been linked to lung cancer, heart disease, infectious diseases, and pregnancy-related complications.

Researchers say that water pipe smoking has increased recently in North America and Europe.

SOURCES:

News release, American Academy of Pediatrics.

Duglas, E. Pediatrics, June 2010; vol 125: pp 1184-1189.

Original Article: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/peds.2009-2335v1.pdf

Also see:

Pediatrics 2005;116;e113-e119

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/116/1/e113