ummtaalib

Session 2 – 3rd April 2020 The Anger Games – Dealing with the toughest emotion The session is titled “anger games” because anger is something which requires different tactics, strategies and techniques to control it, much like a game. Anger is an emotion on which a lot has been written and is a widespread problem in all spheres; public and private. In work places it is somewhat subdued due to the professional environment however it is at its worst in domestic cases. Some people are extremely nice in public however, they have extreme anger issues in private. It is important to understand that Anger is a necessary emotion and it is not bad in itself. The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam also felt anger. It is mentioned in Hadith how, when the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam was angry, his face changed colour however he did not react angrily in word or act and he became angry only for truth. Positive anger is a combination of fear and anger which results in courage. Negative anger is the uncontrolled, destructive anger which controls a person’s life. To be completely devoid of anger manifests as cowardice. Therefore, it is not about subduing anger, but controlling it. Imam Ghazali (Rahimahullah) says, "When anger is under control it results in courage. Its excess and defect lead to rashness and cowardice." Anger is necessary to fight any wrong however it has to be applied with justice and righteousness. Imam Ghazali (Rahimahullah) says, “Anger is acceptable only at the right time, at the right place, for the right reason and with the right intensity.” Therefore, there are conditions attached. In a commentary on Imam Al-Ghazali’s “The Forty Foundations of Religion” the author says, “Anger is like a hunting dog that does not oppose the hunter who trained it. Anger is led, like a hunting dog, by the intellect and sacred law, abiding by their guidance. This is only possible after a great deal of spiritual struggle against the self and becoming habituated to forbearance and resisting those things that cause anger.” Imam Birgivi (Rahimahullah) says there are two types of anger; excessive anger which comes out of stupidity and anger which is a sickness of the heart. Therefore, excessive anger is a sign of the person being stupid. Anger due to the sickness of the heart can flare up much like a physical illness which is fine at times and flares up at times. Anger with one’s own self Imam Birgivi (Rahimahullah) says, “To be annoyed at yourself because you have been lax in worship or you realize that you have sinned is correct, so long as it is not excessive. When your anger leads you to decide to redeem yourself by good actions and extra prayers, it is commendable.” Causes for Anger There are many causes for excessive anger. It can be genetic or due to environment. Anger can be contagious and it can be a learnt behaviour. Children especially learn from the angry, aggressive behaviour of their parents. Other underlying causes can be: · Takabbur (Pride/arrogance) – leads to anger at being slighted or criticised even a little. · Hirs (Desire) – leads to anger when things do not go according to desire and the remedy for this is having Tawakkul i.e. do we trust in Allah ta’ala’s plans or ours? Imam Ghazali (Rahimahullah) says, “There is no cause for your anger except the denial that a thing occurs by the will of Allah rather than by your own will…the anger of Allah upon you is greater than your own anger, and the grace of Allah is greater…” · Hasad (Jealousy) and jesting and mockery can make a person angry · PMS - mood swings, fatigue and irritability lead to anger in premenstrual days How to deal with Anger In the present situation of the Corona virus pandemic, lockdown and social distancing, amid fear, uncertainty and stress, anger can become a great problem affecting relationships. How do we deal with anger when it erupts within ourselves or facing it in others? Being aware one has anger issues and understanding why and when one gets angry, helps in dealing with it. If facing anger in someone else, try to understand their anger i.e. a child may be showing anger due to jealousy of a sibling or a husband may be angry due to stress, an elderly person may be angry due to feeling unwell, etc. Treatment of Anger through self-help Therapy Remember TEA - thoughts affect your emotions which lead to actions Pause to reflect. Avoid reacting immediately to any situation - Identify your thoughts. Analyse the cause of the anger. Therapy through the Qur’an & Hadith Restrain/control your anger وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ And those who control their wrath and are forgiving toward mankind; Allah loveth the good; [Surah Aali ‘Imraa:134] “Swallowing/restraining/controlling” anger it is not that which gets stuck in the throat and later manifests itself into vengefulness. It is do Ihsaan, to overlook and forgive. The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “He who has the strength, the opportunity, and favourable conditions for success in expressing anger by violence, yet restrains himself, will be shown to the resurrected crowds on the Day of Judgment as an honoured servant of Allah and asked to choose his own rewards.” (Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi) Understanding the verses of the Qur’an and absorbing them is very important as the message is brought to the forefront when required. Umar ibn al-Khattaab RA was a powerful leader yet he welcomed criticism. He used to say, “May Allah have mercy on the one who shows me my faults.” Sunan al-Dārimī 649 Ibn 'Abbas RA narrated: "A man sought permission to speak to 'Umar bin al-Khattab RA, then he said: "O Ibn al-Khattab, you are not giving us much and you are not judging fairly between us." 'Umar was so angry that he was about to attack the man, but al-Hurr bin Qays - who was one of those present - said: "O Commander of the Believers! Allah ta’ala said to His Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم): {"Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the foolish."} [al-A'raf; 199], and this man is one of the foolish." By Allah, 'Umar could go no further after al-Hurr had recited this verse to him, as he was a man who was careful to adhere to the Book of Allah." ['Fath al-Bari'; 4/304] Ask yourself, is the anger for the sake of Allah ta’ala or is it for personal reasons? It is related about Ali RA that once when he was in the midst of a battle, he was about to slay his opponent. As he rose to strike his foe, the man spat on his face. Ali immediately dropped his sword and left him. When he was asked why he did not kill the man when he had full control of that situation, he replied that if he had killed the man after he spat on his face, his intention would not have been solely for the cause of Allah, but out of personal anger. Upon hearing this, his opponent accepted Islam. Remind yourself, would I like Allah ta’ala to treat me for my shortcomings as I am about to treat my detractor? Abu Mas'ood al-Ansari RA reported: When I was beating my servant, I heard a voice behind me (saying): Abu Mas'ood, bear in mind Allah has more dominance over you than you have upon him. I turned and (found him) to be Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). I said: Allah's Messenger, I set him free for the sake of Allah. Thereupon he said: Had you not done that, (the gates of) Hell would have opened for you, or the fire would have burnt you (Muslim) Having humbleness in the heart وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا True servants of the Compassionate (Allah) are those who walk on the earth in humility and when the ignorant people address them, they say: "Peace;" [Furqaan: 63] Forgiving - Yusuf AS was thrown in a well and abandoned at a tender age yet he forgave his brothers قَالَ لَا تَثْرِيبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ ۖ يَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۖ وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ He said, “No reproach upon you today! May Allah forgive you, and He is the Most- Merciful of all the merciful. [Yoosuf: 93] Yoosuf AS did not remind them of their evil action or reproach them and instead made Du’a for forgiveness for them saying Allah ta’ala is Most Merciful of all the merciful. Some practical tips to keep anger under control: · Diffuse the situation by: Ø Keeping quiet - "If any of you becomes angry, let him keep silent." Sahih al-Jami' Ø Reciting the Ta’awwudh - "I know a word, the saying of which will cause him to relax, if he does say it. If he says: 'I seek Refuge with Allah from Satan' then all his anger will go away" Bukhari Ø Walking away Ø Changing posture - “When one of you becomes angry while standing, he should sit down. If the anger leaves him, well and good; otherwise he should lie down.” Abu Dawood · Perform Wudhu – “Anger comes from the devil, the devil was created of fire, and fire is extinguished only with water; so when one of you becomes angry, he should perform ablution.” Abu Dawood · Apologising · Remind yourself that this is but a test from Allah ta’ala and was written in one’s Taqdeer · Breathing exercise · Keeping a journal to vent feelings · With children, changing the way of talking i.e. talking in whispers or playing a game i.e. each person thinks of 3 things to do shukr for – puts family in better mood Shukr brings contentment and Dhikr brings peace. A peaceful heart will not be an angry heart.

Part 2 - Self-help Therapy for minor mental health problems People have a remarkable ability to adapt and we see this in our current situation of the global pandemic. Since no one can change their circumstances, people have to change themselves according to the circumstances and these sessions are about self-help therapy; knowing how to help ourselves practically, learning how to cope/manage the everyday problems mentally and emotionally i.e. to understand the problem (what are my thinking patterns and how are they causing the problem?) and then changing them. This is what Allah ta’ala says in the Qur’an; إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ The fact is that Allah never changes the condition of a people until they intend to change it themselves. [Surah Ra’ad: 11] Allah ta’ala changes the external conditions when we change our internal condition. For example, the pandemic we’re all in now, maybe Allah ta’ala is forcing us to look deep within ourselves and change our internal condition (negative thinking, diseases of the heart, etc.) To change our condition, we have to understand our own selves. There are different scenarios regarding stress: Ø A person has problems and stress Ø A person has problems and no stress Ø A person no problem and no stress Ø A person has no problem but has stress – many people say they are stressed but have no problems as they have everything they need. The Power of Thoughts Surah Hujuraat: verse 12 يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ O ye who believe! Shun much suspicion; for lo! some suspicion is a crime الظَّنّ refers to any thought which is negative or wrong. Therefore, avoid it, push it away, protect yourself from it. This verse shows the power of thoughts. A person’s thoughts result in their thinking pattern which develops into their emotional pattern (mostly in childhood). Example: a child has a bad experience in school so mum gives him a chocolate. Next time the child is sad he is given an ice cream and this develops into emotional eating. Some people go shopping to feel better. In extreme cases especially among youth, they harm themselves by cutting, scratching or slashing themselves. They do not do this to die but according to psychological research, their pain is so deep that to numb the internal pain they bring upon themselves, physical pain. Our awareness of mental health issues is so low that we cannot see the suffering behind the actions and call them crazy. We cannot judge people with mental health problems who need help. When a child complains and refuses to go to school because someone made fun of them, we should not dismiss it and negate their emotions. We have to see it from their point of view and have empathy. We can use different approaches to make them feel better and continue going school i.e. saying, “If you don’t go to school then you’re letting them win. Don’t let them win. Go to school and work hard and win.” This will change their thinking pattern. The Cognitive processes Beware of thoughts as they affect your emotions which lead to actions - (TEA) · Identify your thoughts – be aware of yourself and this is also part of Taqwa (Being aware/conscious of Allah ta’ala is the higher level) · Change your thoughts · Changing thoughts will change your emotions · Changing emotions will change your actions Example 1. A person fears failure and thinks to himself, “I can’t do this, I’m not good enough” - he will give up 2. Viewing it as a challenge - will change his feelings and use them to grow Both these responses affect the actions. Therefore, ظَنّ and safeguarding one’s self from negative ظَنّ is very important. Be aware of your thoughts and negotiate with yourself. Self-care, self-awareness and self-help work together for better minor mental health issues. This is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Following definition taken from psychcentral.com Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is a short-term, goal-oriented psychotherapy treatment that takes a hands-on, practical approach to problem-solving. Its goal is to change patterns of thinking or behaviour that are behind people’s difficulties, and so change the way they feel. It is used to help treat a wide range of issues in a person’s life, from sleeping difficulties or relationship problems, to drug and alcohol abuse or anxiety and depression. CBT works by changing people’s attitudes and their behaviour by focusing on the thoughts, images, beliefs and attitudes that are held (a person’s cognitive processes) and how these processes relate to the way a person behaves, as a way of dealing with emotional problems. Beliefs & Values One’s beliefs and values can also change the thought process. They can overcome and break the mental health problem caused due to life experiences. Emotions such as anger, jealousy, etc can also be overcome through self-awareness and self-help

Many of us usually live life dependent on an upcoming major event eg. “I’m going to start reading a page of Quran a day as soon as Ramadan starts; I’m going to start praying every Salaah when I come back from hajj; or I’m going to stop smoking when my child is born.” And because of this way of thinking we usually end up with an anti-climax; we don’t end up giving up smoking, we don’t end up praying Salaah and we start reading Quran but then get back to our normal old self after a few days or weeks. This is because these ‘statements’ or ‘feelings’ are based on impulse and not a real thought out plan. We usually don’t prepare for Ramadan or hajj or have a plan for our Imaan to stay at the increase; we just go with the flow and expect it all to happen. Well, it doesn’t! Wouldn’t you love to enter the month of Ramadan on a real high and have the effects of this beautiful month be a permanent impact on your life thereafter? How can this be done? Below are 7 steps for prosperous & productive Ramadan: Step 1 – Seek knowledge about Ramadan This will help you ensure you will do things correctly and perfectly for Ramadan, it will create a hype as there are many motivational aspects and events in the month to look forward to and finally it is a reward reaper. The more you know about Ramadan the more you can apply, hence multiplying your rewards. Step 2 – Make a Ramadan plan Be it reading the entire Quran or ensuring you pray Taraweeh every night; make a list of things you would like to achieve in the month and then how you plan on achieving these goals. It is important that goals are realistic and it is better that your life doesn’t need to entirely take a different road in this month (i.e. take the month off work or change work hours etc.) so that you may continue to do these deeds after Ramadan. Knowing what you want to achieve in the month will help you stay focused. Ensure you plan your day every night before you sleep when Ramadan starts (try to continue this even after Ramadan). Step 3 – Know your life Be aware if Ramadan affects anything that is happening in the month or shortly after. Do you have exams during Ramadan? Or is there a major family wedding after Ramadan by a short time? Moving house? If so, plan for these events from now. Study now so that you are prepared for the exams before the month starts. Be packed and ready to go before Ramadan or plan that you do it after so that it doesn’t take time away from your worship. The last thing you want to do is spend Ramadan at the shopping centres. Buy any Eid presents and prepare for any wedding before the month starts. Step 4 – Prepare spiritually We all know that Ramadan is about Fasting, Praying, Reading Quran and giving in charity. Start these worships early; don’t expect to just click into it as soon as the first day of Ramadan starts. Start performing extra prayers from now, start regularly reading Quran now, get used to being generous and following the daily Sunnah of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam. Step 5 – Prepare your mind Fasting is to refrain from more than just what we consume in our mouth. Start working on your patience; be extra vigilant with your conversations: ensure you are not backbiting, slandering or talking about useless things. Step 6 – Say ‘good riddance’ to bad habits Know what bad habits you have and stop them from now, don’t wait until Ramadan begins. If you sleep late, start sleeping early, if you are a Social Media junky start cutting down etc. It might sound much easier said than done, but once you’ve committed yourself, purified your intentions – make sincere Dua for guidance. Insha’Allah, these bad habits will be easier done with than you ever expected. Step 7 – Plan your life around your worship For instance; instead of working through your prayer or setting up meeting etc. at prayer times, plan that you have a break at prayer time. Don’t take your phone with you to the place you pray and forget the world as you stand before Allah Ta'ala. Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

Part 1 - What is Mental Health & What is our Reaction to it? Humans have a mind, body and soul and therefore we have mental health, physical health and spiritual health. Each has different forms of staying healthy and each can lose the quality of health. Just as a person can lose the quality of their physical health i.e. through an illness or injury, and would seek treatment for it, similarly, a person can lose the quality of their mental health. The heart can hurt after traumatic experiences and a person can get emotionally worn out and just as people need physical therapy for an injury, they need emotional therapy for mental health. Mental Health & Fear of Stigma Unfortunately, our community is naïve about mental health. When a physically sick person seeks medical help, we think nothing of it yet if someone we know tells us they are depressed or are having therapy, our reactions negate their feelings. Our reaction would be to make a judgement and tell them to pray more, make Sabr, recite the Qur’an or make Dhikr or say things like, “If you pray then you shouldn’t feel anxious or depressed”. Some even mock or make fun. This fear of being judged and stigmatised creates fear in people and some remain quiet about their mental health and carry on for years coping by themselves which worsens the state of their mental health and it becomes a never-ending cycle. We should realise that different people have different levels of stress and also different levels of coping with it. Some stress out earlier than others and some have stress in one aspect of their life while others have stress in other aspects. These differences in people can be due to being affected by their environment or having had trauma in childhood. Some may genetically be happy go lucky. Not having had emotional trauma or bad life experiences, they deal with problems better. Others need to work hard to be able to cope with problems. There is therefore, a crucial need to change our mindsets and destigmatise mental health therapy. Avoiding talking about mental health problems will not take the problem away and until people can talk about it without fear, they will suffer in silence and suffering in silence is the worst type of suffering. What advises do we find in the Qur’an? The story of Maryam AS فَأَجَاءَهَا الْمَخَاضُ إِلَىٰ جِذْعِ النَّخْلَةِ قَالَتْ يَا لَيْتَنِي مِتُّ قَبْلَ هَٰذَا وَكُنْتُ نَسْيًا مَنْسِيًّا Then the labour pains brought her to the trunk of a palm-tree. She said “O that I would have died before this, and would have been something gone, forgotten.” [Surah Maryam verse 23] Maryam AS was about to deliver baby ‘Isaa AS. She was naturally anxious, worried and fearful about facing the people so much, so that she said she wished she had died before that moment, having gone and forgotten. Alone and without any support, as she faced labour pains, in a moment of extreme anguish she wished she was dead. What was the response to her emotions? Verses 24 – 26: فَنَادَاهَا مِنْ تَحْتِهَا أَلَّا تَحْزَنِي قَدْ جَعَلَ رَبُّكِ تَحْتَكِ سَرِيًّا Then he called her from beneath her: “Do not grieve; your Lord has placed a stream beneath you. Jibra’eel AS called to her from below the hill upon which she sat telling her not to grieve as Allah ta’ala has created a stream beneath her. [Verse 24] Abdullah bin Abbas RA says that the stream began to flow when Jibra’eel AS struck his foot on the ground. Another narration says that there was a dry stream nearby which Allah ta’ala caused to flow and a wilted date palm which Allah ta’ala caused to bear dates. وَهُزِّي إِلَيْكِ بِجِذْعِ النَّخْلَةِ تُسَاقِطْ عَلَيْكِ رُطَبًا جَنِيًّا Shake the trunk of the palm-tree towards yourself and, it will drop upon you ripe fresh dates. [Verse 25] Jibra’eel AS told her to shake the trunk of the date palm which caused fresh ripened dates to fall on her. This was also miraculous because normally even a strong man will be unable to shake a date palm, let alone a weakened woman in labour. She was able to shake the tree so that dates fell. فَكُلِي وَاشْرَبِي وَقَرِّي عَيْنًا ۖ فَإِمَّا تَرَيِنَّ مِنَ الْبَشَرِ أَحَدًا فَقُولِي إِنِّي نَذَرْتُ لِلرَّحْمَٰنِ صَوْمًا فَلَنْ أُكَلِّمَ الْيَوْمَ إِنْسِيًّا So eat, drink and cool your eyes. Then if you see any human being, say (to him), ‘I have vowed a fast (of silence) for the All-Merciful (Allah,) and therefore, I shall never speak to any human today.’” [Verse 26] She was then told to eat and drink which are simple pleasures of life and to cool her eyes. The new born child will be the coolness of her eyes i.e. a source of comfort to her. Response to Maryam AS’s feelings of Anguish & Grief Her feelings were not negated or belittled. She was not told, “Oh Maryam! You are a Siddeeqah. How can you feel this way?” She was not told to continue her ‘Ibaadah or to have Tawakkul. Instead she was told not to be sad and many times that is all a person feeling down or depressed needs to hear. Thereafter she was told to be proactive. Allah ta’ala could have made the dates fall but she was told to shake the tree so that ripe dates would fall. Physical activity can often eradicate feelings of anger, depression, etc. This teaches us that the way to help someone who is overcome with grief, sadness, fear, etc. is to say comforting words, show ways to be proactive and provide them with some resources. Consolation for the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam Surah Kahf: verse 6 فَلَعَلَّكَ بَاخِعٌ نَفْسَكَ عَلَىٰ آثَارِهِمْ إِنْ لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِهَٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَسَفًا So, (O Prophet) perhaps you are going to kill yourself after them, out of grief, if they do not believe in this discourse. Despite the various miracles and replies to their innumerable questions, the Jews, Christians and the Mushrikeen adamantly refused to accept. Their disbelief greatly grieved the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam. Allah ta’ala knew that even after listening to the account of the people of Kahf, they would still not believe. Therefore, before revealing the story of the people of Kahf, Allah ta’ala first consoles, pre-empts and prepares the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam by saying that it should not be that you destroy yourself after them in grief because they do not believe. In Surah Dhuhaa, Allah ta’ala first reassures and then consoles him, مَا وَدَّعَكَ رَبُّكَ وَمَا قَلَىٰ Your Rabb has neither forsaken you, O Muhammad, nor is He displeased [93:3] وَلَلْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لَكَ مِنَ الْأُولَىٰ Certainly the later period shall be better for you than the earlier. [93:4] These episodes show the emotional states of Maryam AS and the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam. They were human and experiencing human emotions and the response was comforting and consoling to them in their grief. Save a life It is very stressful to deal with someone with mental health issues however if someone’s mental health state can be changed from a low dark spot to hope and comfort then that person will forever appreciate it from their hearts because coming out of mental health problems is like starting a new life and Allah ta’ala says in the Qur’an, وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَا أَحْيَا النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا and whoever saves a life, it will be as if they saved all of humanity [Surah Maa’idah: 32] We do not know what trauma people with mental health problems suffered in childhood and what they are suffering in silence so we should try to be patient and do what we can to relieve them of their suffering. Trials will come Allah ta’ala says in the Qur’an, أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَنْ يُتْرَكُوا أَنْ يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ Do the people think that they will be left alone on saying "We believe," and that they will not be tested? [Surah Ankaboot: 2] Spiritual Solutions · Seek help through Sabr & Salaah in times of difficulties, وَاسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ ۚ وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلَّا عَلَى الْخَاشِعِينَ Seek help through patience and prayer. It is indeed exacting, but not for those who are humble in their hearts, [Surha Baqarah: 45] · When some difficulty occurs, reflect on why/how this happened since calamities can befall us due to our sins; وَمَا أَصَابَكُم مِّن مُّصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَيَعْفُو عَن كَثِيرٍ And whatever befalls you of (the) misfortune, (is because) of what have earned your hands. But He pardons [from] much. [Surah Ash-Shura: 30] Ask yourself, how can I change? “If anyone constantly seeks pardon (from Allah), Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide sustenance for him from where he expects not.” [Abu Dawood] · What should I read? There are various Du’a, Wazeefah, Dhikr, etc. for different occasions and this is all ‘Ibaadah. In this way a person does Muhaasabah, taking account, and this is part of our Deen. With this method the problem itself may not be removed, but the anxiety/stress/fear will be removed. الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُمْ بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ Those who believe and whose hearts find comfort in the remembrance of Allah. Surely in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find comfort [Ar-Ra’ad: 28]

“O you who have believed, do not consume one another's wealth unjustly but deal [in lawful] business by mutual consent.” (S:4 ; V:29) Below are some key business principles that Muslim businesses should adhere to: Be Honest and Truthful Honesty and truthfulness is especially important for Muslim businesses because of the need to make a profit and the temptations to enhance the attributes of their product of service during a sales pitch. This is why Rasulullah Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “The honest and trustworthy merchant will be with the prophets, the truthful, and the martyrs.” (Sunan Tirmidhi) “The merchants will be raised on the Day of Resurrentction as evil-doers, except those who fear Allah, are honest and speak the truth.” (Sunan Tirmidhi) Keep Your Word Rasulullah Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “If you guarantee me six things on your part I shall guarantee you Paradise. Speak the truth when you talk, keep a promise when you make it, when you are trusted with something fulfill your trust, avoid sexual immorality, lower your gaze, and restrain your hands from injustice.” (Musnad Ahmad) Love Allah More Than Your Trade We must love Allah even if we have to sacrifice everything else. Allah warns us in the Qur’an: Say, “If it be that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your spouses, or your kindred; the wealth that you have gained; the commerce in which you fear a decline; or the dwellings in which you delight – are dearer to you than Allah, or His Messenger, or the striving in His cause - then wait until Allah brings about His Decision: and Allah guides not the rebellious.” [Al Qur’an 9:24] Do Not Deal in Fraud Businessmen should avoid deceitfulness. They should treat others in the same righteous and fair manner that they themselves would like to be treated. “Woe (destruction be) to those that deal fraudulently. Who, when they take a measure from people, take it in full, but when they give by measure or weight, they give less than what is due. Do they not think that they shall be raised (taken to account)? (Al Qur’an 83:1-4) Do Not Bribe Businessmen may sometimes be tempted to offer bribes, attempt to persuade another party to gain 'special concessions' or get embroiled in dishonest practices. These practices of bribery and dishonesty are forbidden in Islam. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah Radiyallahu anhu reported that Rasulullah Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam cursed the one offers bribes and the one who takes bribes. (Sunan Tirmidhi) Deal Justly. The general principle that applies across all transactions including those pertaining to business is that of justice. Allah emphasizes this point in the Qur’an: “Deal not unjustly, and you shall not be dealt with unjustly.” [Al Qur’an 2:279] May Allah Ta‘ala grant us the ability to deal honestly and justly in our businesses and may He grant us Halaal sustenance that is full of barakah, Ameen. Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

Therapy through the Qur’an Series Aalimah S. Ahmed Zaynab Academy Online Session 1 – 27th March 2020 Aim of this Series Disclaimer: This series will not focus on major mental health problems like suicidal thoughts, clinical depression, etc and does not replace medical treatment. The series will focus on minor mental health problems and learning how to cope/manage, mentally and emotionally through practical and spiritual solutions. The focus will be on understanding and changing our thinking patterns (caused due to life experiences) because thoughts affect our emotions, which in turn affect our actions. Therapy through the Qur’an One’s beliefs and values can change the thought process. What we learn in the Qur’an is theoretical, and this series is about how can we incorporate it into our thought process and overcome and break the mental health problems. Introduction At present we are living in an unprecedented time of a pandemic – unprecedented in terms of being globally affected. With physical illness, families being closed in together in homes where there may be arguments, issues, etc., together with anxiety, fear and an uncertain future, mental health problems are likely to increase especially for people already suffering from anxiety and depression and for women who need to be strong to hold the family together. It is therefore very important to understand mental health especially through the Qur’an. The introduction session will cover understanding mental health, how to deal with minor mental health problems and how to approach mental health.

There was once a pious man, living with his family in the wilderness. They had a dog, donkey and rooster. The rooster would awaken them for salaah, the donkey would be used to carry their water and grain etc., and the dog would guard and protect them. One day, a fox arrived and snatched away the rooster, causing his family to grieve over its loss. However, since the man was a pious man, his response was, “Perhaps there is some good in what transpired.” After some time had passed, a wolf arrived and attacked the donkey, splitting open its belly and killing it. They grieved over the loss of the donkey, but the pious man once again responded saying, “Perhaps there is some good in what transpired.” Sometime later, the dog also died, and once again, the pious man’s response was, “Perhaps there is some good in what transpired.” Thereafter, they awoke one morning to find that during the night, all the people living in the nearby vicinity had been captured (and taken into slavery). The reason for this was that the people who had raided the area had been able to find those people and capture them, in the darkness, due to the noise that their animals had made. As for this household, since they had no animals to make noise, they had remained undetected and were thus saved from being captured. (Musannaf Ibni Abi Shaibah #36024) Lesson: A true believer is always pleased with the decree and decision of Allah Ta‘ala. Never will he complain against Allah Ta‘ala or ask questions such as, “But why me? Could Allah Ta‘ala not find someone else? Have I not been through enough?” Rather, a true believer will trust in Allah Ta‘ala and believe that Allah Ta‘ala, in His infinite knowledge, knows best. There is definitely some wisdom in the decision of Allah Ta‘ala, even if we cannot comprehend the wisdom. Hence, what seems to be a calamity is often a blessing in disguise, although we may not realize it at the time. Thus, in hardships and adversities, we must trust in Allah Ta‘ala, turn to Him and hold onto sabr (patience and steadfastness). uswatulmuslimah

Pandemic… What should I do? Indeed these are very trying times. In trying times, one must not remain casual and carefree. A carefree and heedless attitude in such situations is in fact dangerous, as it indicates indifference to Allah Ta‘ala. While one must take the necessary precautions within the limits of Shariah, that alone is not going to take away the virus. There is much more to do. Hereunder are some aspects to undertake in order to treat the root of the issue: Shed tears before Allah Ta’ala Repeatedly make deep, heartfelt taubah and istighfaar, and shed tears of remorse and regret. Allah Ta‘ala has declared in the Quraan: “Indeed Allah loves those who constantly repent...” (Surah Baqarah, v.222) Rasululah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) has said: “The one who cries out of the fear of Allah Ta‘ala will not enter the Fire.” (Tirmizi #1633). If all of us repent sincerely, the mercy and blessings of Allah Ta‘ala will descend upon everyone and the hardships will insha-Allah be uplifted. Talk about Allah Ta’ala More severe than the challenge to life and health is the challenge to imaan. Therefore, during challenges and hardships, we are much more in need of boosting our imaan than at other times. This requires that we talk much about Allah Ta‘ala, His Greatness, Power and Might. Repeatedly discuss His Qudrat (Power), that Allah Ta‘ala made the fire a garden for Nabi Ebrahim (’alaihis salaam) and He brought Nabi Yunus (’alaihis salaam) out of the belly of the fish. He controls the heavens and the earth. He has full control over every virus and every atom in the universe. We must therefore turn to Him. Keep talking about Allah Ta‘ala until His greatness settles deeply in the heart. Prostrate before Allah Ta’ala Whenever there was the slightest concern about anything, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) immediately hastened towards salaah. In trying times, one should perform much salaah. There can be no question of missing the five daily salaah at any time whatsoever. In challenging times, one should try to perform as many of the nafl salaah as well, such as tahajjud, ishraaq, duha, awwaabeen, etc. Regularly perform salaatul haajah (salaah of need) and engage in earnest Dua. Be loyal to Allah Ta’ala This is a time to shun all sins and adopt taqwa (Allah consciousness). The Glorious Quraan declares: “He who fears Allah (adopts taqwa), Allah Ta‘ala will give him a solution (from every problem) and grant him sustenance from sources he cannot imagine.” (Surah Talaaq, v. 3) The essence of taqwa is to give up all sin. This is our greatest need – to give up sin and become loyal to our Creator and Most Compassionate and Most Merciful Allah Ta‘ala. Give sadaqah for Allah Ta’ala With utmost sincerity, give for Allah Ta‘ala. Give as much as you can – and give without any fear of a decrease in wealth. Sadaqah (charity) repels calamities and in fact increases wealth. Give to anyone in need, Muslim or disbeliever. Nevertheless the first priority is to give to relatives in need. Also, in Lockdown time, when many will not be earning their salary for the weeks ahead, it will be more rewarding to give one’s own needy workers before giving others. They are the apparent means of helping one to earn one’s wealth and hence deserve special consideration in these trying times. Join ties for the sake of Allah Ta’ala If family relationships have been broken, join them for the sake of Allah Ta‘ala. Breaking family relationships results in deprivation of barakah in life and wealth and prevents one’s Duas from being accepted. Once, Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas‘ood (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) addressed those who were seated in his gathering: “I plead in the name of Allah Ta’ala to those who have severed family relationships to please leave the gathering. We wish to make Dua to our Rabb, whereas the doors of the heavens are closed to the one who cut ties.” (AlMu’jamul Kabeer #8793). Turn to Allah Ta’ala In short, turn to Allah Ta‘ala. Turn to Him in all sincerity and earnestness by means of all the actions advised above... and much more. Become His, and He will become ours. He alone has power over everything and He alone will remove all calamities and difficulties. May Allah Ta‘ala protect the entire Ummah from every hardship and bless all with the best of both worlds, Ameen. Al-Haadi Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

Pandemic & its Effect People stuck at home are coming up with all kinds of things; some create fear and some bring a smile : ) You need to be careful, people are going crazy about being in lockdown. I’ve actually just been talking about this with the microwave and toaster while drinking coffee and all of us agreed things are getting worse. I didn’t mention anything to the washing machine as she puts a different spin on things and certainly not to the fridge as he is acting cold and distant. I did discuss it with the hoover and he said the whole thing sucks. Meanwhile, the blender has mixed feelings and the taps kept running hot and cold about the idea. The whisk refused to talk about it because she didn’t want to whip things intoa frenzy and the eggs kept quiet because they didn’t want to get a beating. I didn’t check with the oven because she’s far too hot headed. The bin justspouted a whole load of rubbish about the situation and the freezer just gave my a frosty reception. In the end, the iron calmed me down: she said everything will be fine - no situation is too pressing. The tin at the back of the cupboard with no label on thinks it’s a total mystery. The knife made some very cutting remarks. The squash was very cordial about it all. Unlike the lemon who was very bitter about it

It did not take much time to spread the news in Malabar, through Arab merchants, about the emergence of a prophet named Muhammad (peace be upon him) in Makkah and his religion, Islam. When the moon was split into two as a miracle from Prophet Muhammad, many people inside and outside the Arabian peninsula had witnessed it. Cheraman Perumal Rama Varma Kulashekhara was said to be the king of Kerala at that time. He saw the miracle while he was relaxing on the rooftop of his palace in Kodungallore in a moonlit night. The king had come to know about Islam through Arab merchants and became more curious to know about the Prophet and his religion after the moon-splitting incident. Luckily a group of Arabs came to Kodungallore at that time, met the king to get permission to visit Ceylon, the present Sri Lanka. They wanted to visit the mountain which has the footsteps of Adam, the first human being and the first prophet. King Cheraman asked his Arab guests about the miraculous moon-splitting incident. Sheikh Sahiruddhin bin Baqiyuddhin Al-Madani, a prominent member of the team replied: “We are Arabs, we are Muslims. We have come here to visit Ceylon.” The king became more curious to hear about Islam directly from the residents of Madinah, the center of Islam and the first capital of the Islamic government. Sahiruddhin gave convincing reply to all the questions asked by the king. Cheraman then expressed his desire to embrace Islam and travel with them to meet the Prophet. This incident is well documented by M. Hamidullah in his book “Muhammed Rasulullah,” William Logan in his book “Malabar Manual” and Ahmed Zainudhin Makthum in his work “Thufhathul Mujahideen” as well as in the interview with Raja Valiya Thampuran of Kodungallore. Before going to Makkah, the king divided his Kingdom into three parts and appointed his sons and nephews to rule each province. He also visited many of his relatives and employees to give them instructions. He went to Kalankara to see his sister Sreedevi and told her about her decision to visit Makkah and embrace Islam. His nephew, son of Sreedevi, was appointed to rule the present Kannur district. He later embraced Islam and became Muhammed Ali, who established the Kannur Arakkal royal family and became the first Adiraja. The Arab visitors returned to Kodungallore from Ceylon to take King Cheraman along with them on their way back to Arabia. The king was waiting for them. They arrived in Shehr Muqlla. It is said the king met with the Prophet and this was mentioned by Balakrishnapillai in his book “History of Kerala: An introduction.”This historical meeting has been mentioned in the Hadith by Imam Bukhari and Abu Saeed Al-Khudri. The Hadith says: “A king from India presented the Messenger of Allah with a bottle of pickle that had ginger in it. The Prophet distributed it among his companions. I also received a piece to eat.” King Cheraman declared his conversion to Islam in the presence of the Prophet and adopted a new name, Thajuddin. He later performed Haj. As per the wishes of the Prophet, a team of his companions led by Malik bin Dinar started their journey with Thajuddin to propagate Islam in Kerala. But along the way the king fell sick. Before his death the king had written a letter to his sons to receive Malik Bin Dinar’s team and to give them all necessary help. The king later died and buried in Zafar (now Salalah) in Sultanate of Oman. After landing in Musris (Kodungallore), Malik Bin Dinar met the ruler of the area and handed to him the king’s letter. The ruler made necessary arrangements for them to propagate Islam. Some history books say that a temple named Arathali was converted to a mosque and named after Cheraman in Kodungallore. Bin Dinar and his colleagues built mosques in 12 places. Surprisingly all of them are situated along the coastal areas of Arabian Sea. Bin Dinar died when he was in Butkal, Karnataka, and was buried there. It is mere coincidence that King Cheraman and Bin Dinar were buried on the two banks of the Arabian Sea: Salalah and Butkal. Three conditions are to be fulfilled for a person to become a Sahabi or companion of the Prophet. First, he should embrace Islam from the Prophet or from his companion, second, should spend at least a small period of his lifetime with the Prophet, and third, should die as a Muslim. Cheraman fulfilled all the three conditions and can be said that he was the only Sahabi from Kerala, known to history. Source

Part 1 – The reward for Illness and Hardship 1. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam has stated, “No hardship, discomfort, worry, sorrow, grief, pain or distress afflicts a Muslim, to the extent of the pain of a thorn prick, but Allah will pardon his sins in lieu of it.” (Sahih Bukhari) 2. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam has stated, “Do not curse fever, for it removes the sins of the children of Adam as a furnace removes rust from iron.” (Sahih Muslim) 3. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam has stated, “When Allah tests a Muslim with physical illness, Allah instructs (the angels), ‘Continue recording the good deeds he would perform while healthy.' If Allah thereafter grants him cure, He washes and cleanses him (of sin); and If He takes his soul, He pardons him and grants him mercy.” (Musnad Ahmad) 4. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam has stated, “When Allah decrees a certain rank (in Jannah) for a person which he cannot reach through his deeds, Allah afflicts him with a test in his body, wealth, or children, and then grants him the patience to bear that test until he reaches the rank decreed for him.” (Abu Dawud) 5. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam has stated, “When those who suffered (in this life) will receive their reward on the Day of Qiyamah (judgement), those who enjoyed good health and prosperity will wish that their skins were cut with scissors in the world (so they may attain the same reward.)” (Sunan Tirmidhi) To be continued...

Longing for our True Abode Introduction بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم نحمده ونصلي ونسلّم على رسوله الكريم In the early 1900s, a cholera pandemic broke out in India and spread to many countries across the globe. The pandemic began in 1899 and only abated in the year 1929. Historical records place the number of fatalities at 800 000 in India alone with more than half a million deaths reported in the years 1918 and 1919. The bewilderment, fear and panic that gripped the masses at the time cannot be described in words. We may well imagine the state of mind at the time when medical facilities were rudimentary, living conditions were abject, every home was visited either by sickness, death or despair and hundreds of Janaaza Salaah were performed after every Salaah. During this period, Allamah Ashraf Ali Thanwi (RA) began a series of discourses aimed at bringing calm to the minds of the terrified local populace. These discourses centred around the life of the hereafter and the joys and delights it holds for the believer which are only attainable upon death. The focus was on rekindling the desire and longing for our Final Destination and True Abode. This life of the world is but a pastime and a game. Lo! the home of the Hereafter - that is Life, if they but knew. (Quran 29:64) The effect of these discourses was profound. The dark clouds of morbidity and gloom dissipated, and sparkling rays of serenity and tranquillity fell on the faces of his captive audience. Such was the impact of these discourses that many were those who began to long for death to meet their Creator and take delight in the rich reward promised to the believers in the hereafter. Hassaan bin Aswad (RA) stated, “Death is the bridge that unites the lover with his beloved.” (Irshadus Saari) Shortly thereafter, Allamah Thanwi (RA) decided to pen the subject matter of his discourses for the benefit of the greater public. He titled this work, “Shawqe Watan” (Trans.: Longing for the Abode) as the true abode and home is without doubt the hereafter and it is therefore only fitting that its desire be in the heart of every believer. While the fatality risk of the present Covid-19 outbreak is significantly lower than the decimating effect of the plagues of the past, I felt it, nonetheless, important that the content of this book reach the Muslim Ummah who may be experiencing a similar type of mental anguish and crisis. In order to facilitate this, I have condensed the subject matter of the book and separated its contents in a collection of articles. In acknowledgment to the original source, I have used the title of the original work (albeit translated in English) as the name of this collection. I beg of Allah, the All-Mighty, to accept this humble endeavour solely for His Pleasure and use it to bring hope, comfort and solace to troubled and despondent hearts. Say: “Never will anything afflict us except what Allah has decreed for us, He is our protector.” And on Allah let the Believers put their trust. (Quran 9:51) Mufti Moosa Salie Jamiatul Ulama KZN 27 March 2020

Dealing with Coronavirus A booklet compiled by Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat (Hafidhahullaah) Islamic Da'wah Academy (Leicester UK) Whilst the recent outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has brought about a sense of fear and panic amongst many, a true believer will have complete faith in his Creator and firmly believe that everything is from Allāh S and that He is All-Wise, hence in whatever He does lies goodness for us. Through this belief, one will find solace and peace in regards to the current situation. Read more... dealing_with_the_coronavirus

Use of alcohol based hand sanitizers & disinfectants Q. Is it permissible to use Alcohol based Hand Sanitizers and to disinfect the Masjid with Alcohol based Disinfectants? A. Generally, the hand sanitizers and disinfectants available today in the market that are described as alcohol-based, contain ethanol/ethyl alcohol. Ethanol Alcohol is a synthetic/artificial based Alcohol. It is not alcohol that is prohibited in Shariah. Therefore, it is permissible to use hand sanitizers or disinfectants that contain ethanol alcohol to sanitize the hand and to disinfect the Masjid. And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Mufti Ismaeel Bassa Confirmation: Mufti Ebrahim Desai (The answer hereby given is specifically based on the question asked and should be read together with the question asked. Islamic rulings on this Q&A newsletter are answered in accordance to the Hanafi Fiqh unless otherwise stated.) Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

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Seven advices from Shaykh Muhammad Saleem (hafidhahullah) from Qur'an and Hadith (Click on image to enlarge)

Guest Post by Hosai Mojaddidi The notion that adults, and in particular, parents and caregivers, are to be unequivocally trusted is something that most young children naively believe, unless or until that trust is broken. Typically, this involves some form of neglect or act of abuse, be it verbal, emotional, or physical or a combination of all three. Examples of such abuse may include humiliating a child in public, repeatedly ridiculing them or calling them cruel names, withholding love and affection from them, violent unprovoked outbursts, slapping, punching, etc. When a child is deliberately hurt by a parent, whether it’s ongoing abuse or an isolated traumatic incident, it can be especially difficult to overcome for the child, even years after the abuse is over. How can one determine if they have truly moved on from their traumatic past? Is “forgiving” your parents enough? The Cycle of Abuse Most people hold true that the purest form of love is between a parent and child and that somehow by simply becoming a parent one learns to love “unconditionally.” So naturally we expect that parents instinctively should love their children and treat them accordingly. The unfortunate truth is that many parents are not only abusive but are very capable of doing great harm to their children. In fact, a simple survey of the headline news on any given day will yield countless examples of seemingly “normal” parents who hurt, abandon, and in the most tragic cases even murder their own children. More than 8 out of 10 abused children are abused by their own parents. Every 6 hours in America a child dies in the US due to abuse or neglect.In 2005, more than 3.5 million children were reported as victims of child abuse or neglect. So while a person may know and understand on a rational level that their parents are human and flawed and capable of making mistakes, it can still be very difficult to disconnect from the negative memories and move past the feelings of betrayal. Such a person may grapple regularly with anger, resentment, passive-aggressiveness, hostility, apathy, or even hatred towards their abusive parent(s). At any given point, one can feel the full spectrum of these emotions or they may have learned to suppress their emotions and feel nothing at all. This is partly because of the destructive effect the abuse has on a child’s emotional development and self-esteem, which can carry well into adulthood if unresolved: “Children of abuse do not develop healthy self-esteem. They often blame themselves for the arguments and the violence. They may also believe that it is their own failing that they receive little love. Violence also creates low self-worth: For example, if a parent does not realize what happens to the child who witnesses or receives the abuse, the child may believe that, “My feeling (of fear or pain) are ignored, and my needs (for peace and comforting) are not being met…I must not be important. Fighting parents cannot attend to the child’s emotional needs. Often, the ups and downs of abusive homes are ignored: the child feels anxiety and agitation as the tension builds up; the child feels fear and helplessness during the battering; and then the child feels guilt and shame afterward. Without intervention, these feelings are never resolved.” – “Understanding Domestic Violence,” by Barbara Correy, M.A Some people carry on for years not realizing that they are still plagued with feelings of inadequacy, self-blame, and low self-esteem because of the abuse they experienced as a child. These feelings may manifest themselves in different ways, for example, how you perform in school or at work, how you allow your partners to speak to you or treat you, or how you feel about your own abilities and accomplishments. So even if you never confronted your parents or sought some type of treatment, you may falsely think you are “past” the abuse because of how long ago it occurred or because you deliberately suppress your memories, but the residual effects of it are actually with you every day. If one or more of your parents abused you as a child and you are now an adult, consider the following to know if you are truly over the abuse: 1) Do you feel any anxiety talking/interacting with your abusive parent(s)? 2) Do you try hard to impress them by sharing your accomplishments and goals? 3) Do you take their criticisms to heart more than you do other people in your life? 4) Do you constantly feel like nothing you ever do is good enough for them? 5) Do you feel a greater sense of value when they show you affection or approval? Forgiving & Moving Forward In Islam, we are constantly reminded throughout the Qur’an and in the hadith literature, that it is better to forgive those who wrong you than to have rancor towards them or cut them off. This is even more the case for parents, where children are told to be humble towards them and never even utter a single word of frustration to them: “Pardon them and overlook – Allah loves those who do good.” (Qur’an 5:13) “Those who control their anger and are forgiving towards people; Allah loves the good.” (Qur’an, 3: 134) “Your Lord hath decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honour. And, out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say: My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood.” (Qur’an 17:23) To “forgive” one’s parents is therefore something anyone can do if they feel compelled enough to try; it can be as simple as telling them you forgive them or supplicating to God and asking for their pardon. The more difficult process is learning how to move forward from the abuse and become whole again. This isn’t as much about your relationship with your parents as it is about you. It’s about learning how to break away from the effects that the abuse had on your own self-image. This requires a deep level of introspection and a certain degree of faith and spiritual practice. And it’s important to note, that depending on your past experience with abuse, simply praying and offering forgiveness may not be sufficient. Yes, it’s important to put our faith in God and supplicate for relief from our tribulations, but we must also remember that He’s given us tools, such as science and medicine to learn and benefit from as well. Additionally, every person copes with trauma differently, so there isn’t a single approach to the healing process. Victims who’ve suffered through severe violence or sexual abuse, for example, typically need to do much more longterm work with the help of a mental health professional to overcome their trauma. Even so they may or may not ever reach the point of forgiving their parents; that decision is solely theirs.Violent/Sexual Abuse Cases In the Muslim community, oftentimes because of family pressure or culture, many victims of sexual abuse or domestic violence never report the abuse or if they do share it with someone they are pressured to keep it to themselves and “get over” what happened to them. A parent, sibling, friend or even the imam at a masjid may not know how to properly console the victim and defers to telling them to “forgive and forget,” or “let it go for the sake of Allah.” In this way, the victim may experience a form of revictimization, where they are once again silenced and their trauma dismissed and forgotten. Victims of severe abuse cases such as these need to be given a voice no matter how long ago the abuse occurred; they need to feel empowered and reassured that they have nothing to be ashamed of and they are not at fault. It is best to seek the help of a mental health professional who has experience helping victims of domestic violence and abuse. Others, even if they have the best of intentions and want to help, may end up causing more harm than benefit. mentalhealthfor muslims

10 Islamic Guidelines on Pandemics and Epidemics by Mufti Faraz Adam 1. Quarantine The Prophet encouraged quarantine:“Do not put a sick one (animal) with a healthy one (animal)” (Sahih al-Bukhari) “If you hear that a plague has hit a land, do not go to it; if it breaks out in a land where you are present, do not leave” (Bukhari) 2. Hygiene & Disinfecting The Prophetic practice which Muslims are recommended to follow are full of hygienic practices: a. Washing hands upon awakening b. Performing ablution and washing five times a day for prayers. c. Washing before/after eating d. covering mouth when sneezing 3. Impermissibility to consume rodents, reptiles, insects and other potential carriers of disease According to the Hanafi school, it is not permissible to consume rodents, reptiles, insects and other such creatures as they are from the Khaba’ith (filthy creatures) 4. Permissibility to cull infected creatures It is permissible to cull infected creatures and animals to stop the spread of the outbreak. 5. Not sharing essential and hygiene items Ibn Hajar advises against sharing items that are commonly used during an outbreak to prevent the spread of the outbreak. (Fath al-Bari) 6. Burying deceased immediately Islam encourages immediate burial. One of the wisdoms of this is to contain any disease in the carrier from being passed on. 7. Researching for potential vaccines The Prophet told us:“There is a remedy for every malady, and when the remedy is applied to the disease it is cured with the permission of Allah, the Exalted and Glorious.” (Sahih Muslim) 8. Correct belief We believe in what the Prophet told us:“Diseases are not intrinsically contagious.” (Sahih al-Bukhari) One only becomes infected by the permission of Allah. However, all precaution is encouraged due to knowing that Allah permits transfer through contact and His practice is to transfer through contacting infected people generally. 9. Cure is from Allah One’s belief and focus should solely be on Allah as the Prophet Ibrahim taught us:“It is He has created me, and it is He Who guides me; And it is He Who feeds me and gives me to drink. And when I am ill, it is He who cures me. (Qur’an 26:78-82) 10. Constant dua Make constant due to Allah for protection from this pandemic, as He alone is the ultimate saviour and refuge. Jamiatul Ulama

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Scrupulosity in Islam Dr. Nafisa Sekandari “He who has health has hope, and he who has hope has everything.” – Arabian Proverb Wikipedia defines scrupulosity as a psychological disorder “characterized by pathological guilt about moral or religious issues. It is personally distressing, objectively dysfunctional, and often accompanied by significant impairment in social functioning”. Religious practice and devotion are not necessarily the cause of scrupulosity. Scrupulosity is considered a form of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). OCD can occur in different forms. There are a variety of different types of obsessions and compulsions. The nature of intensity of these symptoms may vary over time. In some cases, aggressive, sexual and religious obsessions can occur together in the same individual. The obsessions in OCD are the recurrent thoughts or impulses that make an individual anxious (such as the fear of germs in public places making one sick). Despite an individual’s efforts to control and suppress the obsessive thoughts, the obsessions persist. The thoughts often feel intrusive and disturbing despite the individual’s awareness of the thoughts being produced in their own mind. Obsessions can include fear of harming someone, becoming contaminated, and/or doing something embarrassing. Compulsions, however, are repetitive behaviors or mental acts the person feels driven to perform. These acts are often with ritualistic rigidity aimed to prevent the anxiety connected with the obsessions. These actions may include the urge to wash, count, check, or repeat phrases to oneself. OCD appears to be a biologically based disorder with severe psychological consequences. According to the OCD foundation about 1 in 100 adults – or between 2 to 3 million adults in the United States have OCD. The OCD foundation also estimates at least 1 in 200 – or 500,000 – kids and teens that have OCD in the United States. OCD statistics is assumed that up to 2.5 percent of the world population is affected obsessive-compulsive disorder. Some compulsive symptoms are detected in approximately eight percent of population. People suffering from OCD also end up suffering from depression, a lack of self-esteem and self confidence, very weak willpower, relationship problems, and social withdrawal. How Scrupulosity differs from devout faith and practice According to the hadith “Abu Huraira (may God be pleased with him) reported the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The religion of Islam is easy, and whoever makes the religion a rigour, it will overpower him. So, follow a middle course (in worship); if you can’t do this, do something near to it and give glad tidings and seek help (of Allah) in the morning and at dusk and some part of the night” [al Bukhari]. Scrupulosity is when the individual is overpowered by their devotion and practice of their faith. The scrupulous individual will focus excessively on a few specific rules and rituals while neglecting other aspects of the religion. It often involves mistakenly thinking that innocent or unavoidable things are sin and so feeling needlessly guilty. When scrupulosity turns to obsessive thoughts, it can generate upsetting, uncontrollable blasphemous thoughts or images about God, or exalting the devil. Just as some people with OCD feel compelled to keep checking locks or washing their hands, others might feel compelled to obsess over blasphemous thoughts that they hate or to keep doubting their salvation. Due to the doubting nature of scrupulosity, it has been also been called “pathological doubt”. OCD sufferers will take a simple act of locking a door, switching off the oven, or seeking Allah’s forgiveness, and then worry abnormally over whether they did it correctly. They feel driven to keep seeking assurance far beyond what is rational. Scrupulosity is considered a hidden disease due to the fact that it can fill people with such false guilt that many are unlikely to admit to it, while others have no idea that they have an unhealthy sense of guilt and so suppose there is nothing wrong with them. In Islam, such unwanted thoughts are called wasawis (plural of waswasah), which are whispered into the minds and hearts of people by Shaitan (Satan). These wasawis play a significant role in many mental disorders that involve anxiety and cognitive distortions. Although wasawis can affect individuals regardless of age, sex, faith, or creed, the nature, content, severity, and influence of these thoughts varies in individuals. For some, they only cause mild anxiety and worry, while others are more severely affected to the point of becoming spiritually, mentally, emotionally, psychologically, and socially paralyzed. Recurring thoughts about catching germs, being unclean, and questioning one’s faith appear to be the most common form of OCD amongst Muslim men and women but those suffering from scrupulosity, the unwanted thoughts tend to be more debilitating. In the process of wasawis, Shaitan doesn’t care about the thoughts and doubts he sets buzzing around in our heads. Shaitan knows we will not be judged for the thoughts he has implanted in our heads because they are his thoughts, not ours. It is an impossible task to stop unwanted thoughts from coming in our minds. While we are busy battling unwanted thoughts from our mind, Shaitan accomplishes his goal of distracting us from the essential teachings of Islam. The goal of every Muslim should be to strengthen our faith and connection to Allah and not waste time avoiding certain thoughts or feelings. Shaitan will try and distract us from his real schemes and instead focuses our attention on past sins instead of present forgiveness. Shaitan will also try and trick us into becoming so preoccupied with needlessly worrying about dishonoring God with words that we do not even mean, that we don’t notice that we are dishonoring God by not believing the extent of His love and forgiveness, even towards those of us who feel certain we are the worst sinners ever to walk this planet. No matter how terrible the words or images that invade our mind are, we are not “sinning”. Shaitan will also try and entice us to fear Quranic verses that apply only to people who until their dying day stubbornly refuse to repent from their deliberate sin/backsliding and refuse to seek forgiveness. Shaitan’s hope is that we become so alarmed by the few words in the verses that do not apply to us that we lose sight of the enormous number of joyous verses that do apply – those promising salvation to everyone who repents and believes in Allah and His messenger. Shaitan’s dirty trick is to put despicable thoughts in our mind and then blame us or Allah for it. Allah isn’t fooled into blaming us for Shaitan’s trickery and we shouldn’t be fooled either. Just like we can’t stop Shaitan from being Shaitan, we can’t stop thoughts of temptation from popping into our thoughts. All we can do is stop ourselves from being deceived by the thoughts. All in all, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is an anxiety disorder. It is fear/anxiety that keeps us hounded by doubts, guilt feelings or unwanted thoughts that keep repeating in our minds. It is the very nature of deceiving spirits to foster and exploit fear for their evil purposes, and their highest goal is to fool us into losing faith in our religion. Treatment of Scrupulosity Like other forms of OCD, scrupulosity responds to medication and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). About 60%–80% of patients show some degree of response to treatment. The neurotransmitter serotonin appears to be involved in the pathology of OCD. Medications that boost the level of serotonin in the brain such as SSRI’s (e.g. clomipramine, fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, fluvoxamine, and citalopram) are the most effective in treating OCD. Cognitive-Behavioral therapy (CBT), specifically Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) has been successfully used for the treatment of OCD. ERP focuses on the fact that compulsions provide only a temporary reduction of the anxiety produced by obsessions. The only way to experience more permanent relief is to habituate (get used to) the anxiety caused by the obsession, without performing the compulsion. The key factor of ERP is habituation. While this type of therapy typically causes some short-term anxiety, this facilitates long-term reduction in obsessive and compulsive symptoms. Facing the negative, unwanted thoughts will create anxiety. It is highly unpleasant, but they must disregard their fears in order to benefit from treatment. Facing their anxiety is an unavoidably unpleasant experience, but they must continually force themselves to stay close to God, even though their fears of rejection and divine displeasure are immense. As the person with scrupulosity begins to face his/her fears, he/she may experience a temporary increase in anxiety but with continued support and medication, the anxiety will decrease and symptoms will improve When overwhelmed by unwanted thoughts: Keep in mind, first and foremost, Allah (swt) has prescribed a balanced approach to Islam and reassured us His mercy and forgiveness are ever so near. So if fear, anxiety, or condemnation comes upon us, it is not from God. It is simply a dirty trick of Shaitan trying to get us to take our eyes off the infinite saving power of Allah (swt). When unwanted thoughts or fears hit, do your best not to let the attack distress you. Let it wash over you, keeping as calm and unconcerned as you can. The thoughts or images won’t hurt you, and God does not accuse you. Allah (swt) knows best, even better than you do, that these thoughts are not yours. Temptation usually takes the form of thoughts being satanically placed on our minds, and temptation is not sin. When you reach the point where you don’t react to the unwanted thoughts of doubt, oppressive guilt feelings, and spiritually repulsive thoughts, the attacks themselves will lessen. Psychological fact: Anxiety is a driving force behind Obsessive Compulsive Disorder so if you are not anxious about the thoughts, you’ll notice a significant reduction in the attacks. Spiritual fact: When Shaitan is thoroughly convinced that he can no longer use such things as unwanted thoughts to annoy you, or undermine your faith, he will eventually begin to tire of that approach and only try it now and again, just to check that you have not reverted to being concerned by such attacks. We give pleasure and power to Shaitan when we fall into his trap of supposing that his plan is to get us to think or feel wrong things. Shaitan’s main goal is to get us distracted so he can ambush us. Shaitan’s evil scheme is not to entice us to think or feel anti-God things but to fool us into denying the saving power of Allah (swt) by us forgetting Allah’s power to continually forgive every person who repents and puts faith in him. Daily Exercises: When unwanted thoughts creep in your mind, catch them and write them down. Right below the thought, challenge the thought by asking if that is a true thought. Is it 100% true about you? Below that write down, “it’s just a thought”. Practice daily affirmations such as “I’m doing the best that I can”, “My thoughts are just thoughts and only have power over me if I give them power and I choose not to empower these unwanted thoughts”, “I put my trust and faith in Allah’s mercy and forgiveness”. The affirmations might not feel true for you but repeating them daily will help you replace the negative thoughts with the positive affirmations, thereby lessening the power of the negative unwanted thoughts. Practice deep breathing exercises and repeat to yourself “I am safe and with Allah’s blessings, Shaitan can’t hurt me”. Actively get involved in a deeply engrossing activity that you enjoy such as exercising (yoga, running, biking, etc.) or playing a board game where you are not focused on the negative thoughts. Force yourself to smile. This simple act will automatically make you feel happier and relax. Your mind is incapable of having a good and bad thought at the same time. When you smile, you force your mind to focus on the positive rather than the negative. Work with a mental health professional to address the symptoms of scrupulosity. Past traumas (like sexual/physical abuse) and unsavory conduct and lifestyles of the past that may be responsible for severe guilt leading to OCD, must be dealt with in therapy with a trained mental health professional. Overall, relaxation, daily practice, education, medication, and cognitive behavior therapy can be combined to treat OCD and Scrupulosity. Coordination Between Islamic Leaders and Mental Health Professionals It is often useful for mental health practioners and religious leaders to work together in raising awareness and educating the community about Scrupulosity. The religious leader can help the community members distinguish legitimate concerns about faith and guilt from stereotyped religious obsessions. If an individual is compulsively repeating a ritual until it is perfect, the Imams may need to give individuals special permission to perform a ritual in a less than perfect manner. This can lead to freedom from excessive guilt and stereotyped religious obsessions. Ultimately, the individual is freed to experience a richer life in his or her family and faith community. mentalhealthformuslims

Wa'alaykumus salam warahmatullah sister Fatimah Welcome to the forum. The following is quoted from the question/answer above (towards the end) - I've underlined the important part Therefore it is not inserted inside the private part. I hope this is of help insha-allah

Angels playing with the beard Q. Is the following narration correct to quote? It is reported that Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam saw a man with a little hair/beard (on his chin) and he smiled. The man then stood up to shave his beard/little hair (feeling ashamed of having little hair on his chin) …Then Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam informed him that he saw angels playing with his beard. In another report Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said that the reason I smiled was because I saw an angel assigned to guard every hair. (Question published as received) A. There is no basis found to the above narration in any of the books of Ahadith. Hence, it is not suitable to quote or narrate without a valid basis or source. The angels of Allah have been assigned by Allah to protect human beings as a whole without any mention of being assigned specifically to protect the hair/beard on the chin of a person. Allah Ta’ala says: "For every one (among you), there are angels rotating with one another, in front of him and behind him, who guards him under the command of Allah." (Surah Ra’d, Verse 11) Ibn Katheer writes, there are four angels at night and four angels during the day. Two angels record the deeds, one angel on the right records the good deeds and one angel on the left records the bad deeds. The two other angels guard and protect a person, one angel protects one from the front and one angel protects one from the back. So, there are four angels by day and four angels by night, rotating with one another. (4/437) And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Mufti Ismaeel Bassa Confirmation: Mufti Ebrahim Desai (The answer hereby given is specifically based on the question asked and should be read together with the question asked. Islamic rulings on this Q&A newsletter are answered in accordance to the Hanafi Fiqh unless otherwise stated.) Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

What a reminder!

Q. Is there any belief in Islam that after a person passes away, a person’s soul moves into another form, like a form of an animal, bird or insect and roams around one’s house, family and friends looking over them? A. The belief in resurrection and life after death is one of the fundamental and core beliefs of Islam. The belief of reincarnation i.e. believing that one’s soul moves into another living form or body after exiting one’s body in an endless cycle contradicts this fundamental and core belief of Islam. The belief of reincarnation exists most commonly amongst the Hindus, Buddhist, Sikhs and also has roots in Greek philosophy. None of these has any basis in Islam. As Muslims, we believe that once the soul exits the body, it enters an intermediary state between this world and the hereafter (Barzakh) and remains there until the time of resurrection. When resurrection takes place, the soul is placed in a new body to face Judgement in the court of Allah Ta’ala. The soul does not move into another living form or body in this world after death and neither does it roam around one’s house, family or friends. If a Muslim believes in reincarnation and negates the fundament belief of resurrection and life after death, such a belief takes one out of the fold of Islam. (Ar-Rooh – Ibnul Jawzi 1/114 - Fataawa Darul Uloom 12/215) And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Mufti Ismaeel Bassa Confirmation: Mufti Ebrahim Desai (The answer hereby given is specifically based on the question asked and should be read together with the question asked. Islamic rulings on this Q&A newsletter are answered in accordance to the Hanafi Fiqh unless otherwise stated.) Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians