ISLAMIC PSYCHOTHERAPY ONLINE
(Revised version)
Volume 6, June 2009
St. Louis, Missouri

Hajji. Mohamed Ziauddin

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful

FOCUS OF THE WEEK:

PART – TWO

Suicide Bombers


NEED TO INTEGRATE BEHAVIORAL KNOWLEDGE WITH THE GEMS OF ISLAM TO SOLVE SOME OF OUR UMMAH’S CONTEMPORARY PROBLEMS.

THE UMMAH COULD BE DOING A FAR BETTER JOB TO EXPLORE THE DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN OF BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE AND COME UP WITH PEACEFUL & INNOVATIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL TOOLS TO DEAL WITH CONFLICT HOWEVER SEVERE IT MAY BE AND IN WHATEVER FORMS IT MAY BE ( FORCED BRUTAL OCCUPATION OF A NATION, OPPRESSION, INJUSTICE ET.C) EITHER AT A GROUP & NATIONAL LEVEL OR RELATIONSHIP CONFLICT AT AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL (Eg. SPOUSAL, SIBLING AND PARENT-CHILD CONFLICT).

Since the EDUCATED MUSLIM PSYCHOLOGISTS, PSYCHOTHERAPISTS AND ISLAMIC SCHOLARS HAVE NOT TEAMED UP TOGETHER TO PRESENT TO THE UMMAH A JOINT PACKAGE OF PEACEFUL TOOLS TO DEAL WITH CONFLICT, IS ONE THEN REALLY SURPRISED WHY THE MOST FRUSTRATED AND DESPERATE EXTREMIST ELEMENTS UTILIZE THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE AND UNFAIR APPROACH TO RESPOND TO SUCH ONGOING CONFLICT BY RESORTING TO SUICIDE BOMBING ON A NATIONAL OR ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL AND IN CERTAIN CASES DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AT A FAMILY LEVEL?

SUCH VIOLENCE UNDERCUTS AND STABS AT THE VERY HEART OF THE CORE VALUES OF THE MOST PEACEFUL RELIGION ON EARTH – ISLAM. WE ALREADY HIGHLIGHTED THE GEMS FROM HOLY QURAN IN PREVIOUS ISSUE THAT EMPHASIZED ON PEACE, PATIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE ETC.

Prophet Mohamed (SAW) stated:

“WHOEVER SETS OUT ON A PATH FOR ACQUIRING KNOWLEDGE, FOR SUCH ALLAH PAVES THE WAY TO PARADISE”. AL-TIRMIDHI.

Such knowledge includes behavioral knowledge. “Islam encourages the use of science and the scientific method. Acquisition of knowledge is obligatory on every Muslim, male and female. In Islam, science and technology should be used for moral ends and serve all legitimate needs of mankind. Moreover, the use of science and the scientific methods is viewed as yet another means to understand and see the power and glory of ALLAH”. (Introduction to Islam - ISNA-US & CANADA)

As Counselor and Writer Abdul Lateef Abdullah stated: “People can manipulate religious teachings to say (or mean) virtually anything. The practice is often done to further personal or group agendas. It is embedded deep within the very history of religions themselves including Islam. IN CURRENT TIMES, ITS MOST NOTORIOUS CULPRITS ARE EXTREMISTS WHO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE NEEDY, OPPRESSED, AND IGNORANT TO JUSTIFY TERRORIST ACTS ON THEIR BEHALF”.

Dr. Muhammad Ali Al-Hashimi offers more than 60 practical tips for the “IDEAL MUSLIM AND HIS COMMUNITY”, which includes many (listed below) that are violated by the suicide bomber who exhibits OPPOSITE of below characteristics.

(1) He has a good attitude towards others and treats them well
(2) He is gentle towards people
(3) He is compassionate and merciful
(4) HE IS TOLERANT AND FORGIVING
(5) He is patient
(6) He strives for people’s benefits and SEEKS TO PROTECT THEM FROM HARM.
(7) He enjoins what is good and forbids what is evil.
(8) HE TRIES TO MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY
(9) He guides others to righteous deeds.
(10) HE IS EASY ON PEOPLE, not hard
(11) He does not oppress or mistreat others.
(12) HE DOES NOT REJOICE IN THE MISFORTUNE OF OTHERS
(13) He is generous
(14) He is hospitable
(15) HE PREFERS OTHERS TO HIMSELF
(16) He helps to alleviate the burden of the debtor
(17) He spreads the greeting of Salaam (peace)

Therefore the suicide bombers who are essentially “gross violators” of the characteristics of an IDEAL MUSLIM cannot claim to have made a SUPREME SACRIFICE under the name of ISLAM and even if they do, it is misleading. Such destructive actions just don’t add up to say it is EQUAL to positive Islamic behavior.

SAYINGS OF PROPHET MOHAMED (SAW)

(A) “Do good deeds with propriety and moderation and DO NOT WISH FOR DEATH; For one is either good and may increase in goodness, or one may NOT be good but could (change and) ask for forgiveness” Al-Bukhari.

(Suicide bombing is NOT a good deed and generally NO SUICIDE BOMBING would ever be successful without the individual NOT WISHING FOR DEATH. From above saying, the suicide bomber violates Prophet’s recommendations on two counts).

(B) “Happy is the man who avoids dissension, BUT HOW FINE IS THE MAN WHO IS AFFLICTED AND SHOWS ENDURANCE". Sunan of Abu Dawood Hadith 1996.

(A suicide bomber DOES NOT SHOW ENDURANCE. If he does, he would not proceed with his destructive actions).

(C) “Oh, Allah, Let me be GRATEFUL, LET ME BE PATIENT, AND LET ME BE SMALL IN MY OWN EYES AND BIG IN THE EYES OF OTHERS”.

(The suicide bomber is NOT PATIENT and has a distorted perception of viewing HIMSELF BIG IN HIS OWN EYES in terms of his extreme sacrifice that he is offering on behalf of the UMMAH, when in reality, it not only creates additional problems for the surviving members of the suicide bomber but also for the families of the innocent victims that lost their lives due to his act of self-destruction)

(D) "Oh Allah, ENRICH ME WITH KNOWLEDGE, ADORN ME WITH PATIENCE, honor me with piety, and beautify me with health (and a sense of pardoning)." Ibn an-Najjar.

(A suicide bombers act is against above wish for patience and destroys the issue of his HEALTH in a second).

(E) “ HASTE IS AN ACT OF SHAITAN”- Prophet Mohamed (SAW)

(Many of the suicide bombers who fear that they may be caught or identified do their senseless destructive act in HASTE. Who could disagree that it INDEED IS AN ACT OF SHAITAN?)

(F) “Oh, Allah, Let there be harmony among us; let there be affection between our hearts; SHOW US THE PATHS OF PEACE: guide us from darkness into light and help us avoid shameful deeds, whether open or secret”. Al-Hakim

(A suicide bombers act only brings more disharmony between the opposing groups in a conflict, destroys any chances of creating affection between the opposing groups, and IS NOT a path of peace but instead ends up committing a shameful deed)

(G) “He who sees an abomination must change it with his hands, and if he cannot then he has to oppose it with his tongue, and if he cannot do even that then he has to reject it in his heart”- Prophet Mohamed (SAW)

(Above is a very important saying because nowhere it says that he who sees an abomination should respond by violence and bloodshed).

(H) “He is NOT the best among you who neglects his worldly life for the sake of the Hereafter, or neglects the Hereafter for the sake of his worldly life, until he works for both. Realize that this life is a path that leads to the Hereafter, so do not become a burden on others”. IBN ASSAKIR.

(This is one of the writer’s most favored sayings of the Prophet. As you can see the focus is to work for both worlds. A suicide bomber through his irrational, dysfunctional and faulty thinking (details of which is for the next issue PART III of this newsletter) has voluntarily made a destructive decision to neglect his worldly life including his relationship responsibilities to his immediate family. A suicide bomber does not complete his destined path set by Allah in THIS WORLD and abruptly not only short circuits his life through violating Islamic values forbidding suicide but also the lives of innocent men, women and children around him through multiple homicides).

(I) Last but not the least, in his last sermon, Prophet Mohamed (SAW) stated:

“O People, Just as you regard this month, this day, this city as sacred, SO REGARD THE LIFE AND PROPERTY OF EVERY MUSLIM AS A SACRED TRUST”….”HURT NO ONE SO THAT NO ONE MAY HURT YOU”. ….”Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. …I leave behind two things, the Quran and the Sunnah (Hadith) and if you follow these you will never go astray…. All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listened to me directly”.


Islam emphasizes on social justice. It opposes all those who exploit, oppress and deal unjustly with people and this is applicable at all levels individual, terrorist organization and State.

CURRENTLY THERE IS A SEVERE ABSENCE OF ALTERNATIVE AND PEACEFUL TOOLS THAT THE UMMAH COULD UTILIZE IN RESPONDING TO INJUSTICE AND OPPRESSION.

THE IMAMS AND ISLAMIC SCHOLARS ARE SPECIALIZED IN ISLAM. WHO ELSE COULD BE MORE SUITABLE TO CONTRIBUTE EFFECTIVE “PEACEFUL TOOLS” THAN THE MUSLIMS FROM THE HEALING ARTS PROFESSION, WHO IN THEIR PRACTICE TEACH THE CLIENTS “SUCH PEACEFUL TOOLS” TO DEAL WITH RESENTMENTS, HOSTILITY, ANGER, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIORS ET.C. WHY HAS ABOVE ELEMENT BEEN MISSING ALL ALONG? COULD IT BE BECAUSE THE UMMAH HAS SEPARATED THE TWO AND KEPT THEM APART?

IF THERE IS ONE POINT THE ABOVE EDITOR IS TRYING TO EMPHASIZE IN THIS ISSUE, IT IS THAT “ISLAM” AND “BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE” SHOULD NOT BE KEPT APART IN TERMS OF DEALING WITH CONFLICT RESOLUTION ISSUES. BUT INSTEAD BOTH OF ABOVE SHOULD BE INTEGRATED INTO ONE SINGLE ENTITY. THEN YOU WILL SEE THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF SUCH INTEGRATION AMONG THE UMMAH TO BE “ASTOUNDING”.

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE:

IN THE 1920’S MORE THAN HALF OF THE WORLD’S UMMAH WERE UNDER THE RULE OF THE BRITISH AND OTHER IMPERIALISTS. Later with the collapse of the Ottoman Empire there was a significant vacuum of leadership for the GLOBAL UMMAH for several decades. Many Muslim nations experiencing the fresh air of newly found independence were too busy trying to establish and consolidate their national, political, social and cultural identity.

Historically being tired from the ruthless oppression by the British, French, and other imperialist powers, THE UMMAH PREFERRED TO BE RULED BY ANY MUSLIM THAN A NON-MUSLIM. It is therefore not a surprise, as to why so many Muslim countries are led by dictators in one form or the other – either they are puppets of the West or they represent the extremist forces. Very few Muslim countries exist today that are truly democratic, for if true democracy be enforced by the majority, the UMMAH’s populous support would be on the side of MODERATION as our Prophet Mohammed (SAW) emphasized.

With lack of emphasis from the MUSLIM governing entities on seeking KNOWLEDGE from their contemporary times and integrating it to the gems of ISLAM, the way they dealt with difference of opinion was varied although most of them generally were non-democratic in their governing style. Little surprise the UMMAH had no shortage of ruthless dictators who used deadly force to crush the opposition especially in Iraq and Syria.

While acknowledging varied differences, in general, the tolerance to political dissent in Muslim countries was very thin and SUCH INTOLERANCE from the highest governing authorities CONTINUED TO TRICKLE DOWN through the different layers of society and groups and to this day, we find remnants of such SEVERE INTOLERANCE down to the people who create terror towards the innocent men, women and children.

The non-democratic and autocratic governments had laws in place to justify their actions as per their whims and Royal or Presidential decrees. The terrorists initially grew out of a group that was the most economically down and politically disenfranchised, besides being desperate, helpless and worst of all MISGUIDED in terms of inappropriate and false interpretation of the Holy Quran. Gradually their following increased from GROUND UP and went from lower economic group to higher economic group such as the doctors from the terrorist’s acts in England.

Such misguidance from certain leaders made the extremist elements have a FIELD DAY not only to “pick and choose” but also to “twist and modify” the Holy Quranic verses and hadith to suit their purposes to force their unrealistic view of the world and impose it on others. Blowing themselves up in pieces and in the process hurting others was a graphic expression of their terrible built up anger and seething resentments against whom they perceived as hard-core enemies.

WHERE ARE THE MUSLIMS FROM THE HEALING ARTS PROFESSION? WHAT ROLE THEY COULD HAVE PLAYED IN CALMING DOWN THE RAGING POLITICAL AND SOCIAL FIRES THAT ENDS IN THE ANTI-ISLAMIC PRACTICE OF SUICIDE BOMBING?

WHERE ARE THE IMAMS AND ISLAMIC SCHOLARS WHO COULD HAVE FROM THE VERY FIRST PHASE, CONDEMNED SUCH GRAPHIC ACTS AND CALLED UPON EMULATING OTHER PEACEFUL WAYS TO EXPRESS ONE’S OPPOSITION FOR WHATEVER CAUSE IT MAY BE?

WHERE ARE THE “LIBERAL” MUSLIM GOVERNMENTS WHO COULD HAVE EASILY CREATED TASK FORCE COMPOSED OF ISLAMIC SCHOLARS, IMAMS AND MUSLIM PROFESSIONALS FROM THE HEALING ARTS PROFESSION TO COME UP WITH A CLEAR PLAN AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPLEMENT IN TERMS OF RESPONDING TO PEACEFUL MODES OF OPPOSITION FOR WHATEVER LEGITIMATE CAUSE IT MAY BE?

IN THE ABSENCE OF AN ACTIVE ROLE OF ABOVE THREE IN THIS AREA OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION, WE THE GLOBAL UMMAH ARE PAYING A HUGE PRICE TODAY.

With no significant leadership from Muslims who could INTEGRATE KNOWLEDGE FROM THE CONTEMPORARY TIMES with the GEMS OF ISLAM TO OFFER ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF ABOVE NEGATIVE EXPRESSION, ABOVE DESTRUCTIVE PRACTICES CONTINUES TO THIS DAY.

With no other creditable and peace-loving Muslim group armed with contemporary behavioral knowledge and gems of ISLAM available to advice the Muslims, the Ummah had no choice but to reluctantly and involuntarily be dragged by the non-Muslim world to be blamed by default to all the atrocities committed by a very small percentage of violent group of misguided Muslims.

The extremist forces have continued to have a field day but this may not last too long, since many EDUCATIONAL AND KNOWLEDGEABLE MUSLIMS today have been successfully able to INTEGRATE THE GEMS OF ISLAM WITH CONTEMPORARY KNOWLEDGE and are silently working to displace the extremist elements.

They are global in nature and from grass root organizations symbolically incubating and currently in a literal embryonic stage. The emergence of such long over due MUSLIMS and PEACE LOVING ISLAMIC GROUPS are expected, ALLAH WILLING to gain a wide range of support from majority of the GLOBAL UMMAH and will Inshallah win not by the unIslamic practice of blowing themselves up but by propagating their views in the global market place of ideas and respecting the wishes and differences of the people regardless of whether they receive the support from them or not.

DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE VERSE: “The ink of a Scholar’s pen is more precious than the blood of the martyr”. NOW YOU HAVE THE ANSWER AS TO WHY ISLAM PLACED MORE EMPHASIS ON THE INK OF THE SCHOLAR’S PEN TO THE BLOOD OF THE MARTYR. A PEACEFUL MUSLIM WOULD ALSO WAGE A BATTLE AGAINST INJUSTICE AND OPPRESSION BUT NOT WITH BLOODSHED INSTEAD WITH INTELLECTUAL POWER IN THE MARKET PLACE OF IDEAS.

THE NEED OF THE HOUR FOR THE GLOBAL UMMAH IS NOT ONLY TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THE BEACON OF HOLY QURAN AND HADITH AS OUR SPIRITUAL AND BEHAVIORAL GUIDE, BUT ALSO TO INTEGRATE IT WITH THE REALITIES OF THE CONTEMPORARY TIMES AND SUCH A STRATEGY MAKES IT MORE PRACTICAL, FEASIBLE AND EASIER FOR US TO PRACTICE ISLAM IN OUR DAY TO DAY LIFE.

Holy Quran and Hadith are essentially a foundation and guide for the Muslims. They are the “battery posts”, “leads” and “starters” from which solutions to other worldly day-to-day details should emanate. The most effective solution to problem solve the complexities of the UMMAH in the 21st century is the one that has a combination of above Islamic gems as well as EXPERT SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE from contemporary fields of behavioral research. All Muslims readily use expert specialized medical knowledge for their benefit but WHY MISS OUT UTILIZING EXPERT SPECIALIZED BEHAVIORAL KNOWLEDGE?

So to all the Imams, Islamic Scholars and Muslims of the Healing Arts, COMMON, LET’S ALL JOIN OUR HANDS TOGETHER AND WORK TOWARDS WHAT OUR ISLAM STANDS FOR – P.E.A.C.E.

As usual feel free to give your valuable feedback by contacting us at info@mehrunyusuficds.com.

ISLAMIC PSYCHOTHERAPY ONLINE
(Revised Edition)
Volume 5, May, 2009
St. Louis, Missouri

Hajji. Mohamed Ziauddin

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful

FOCUS OF THE WEEK:
PART – I
VIEWING THE SUICIDE BOMBERS THROUGH THE ISLAMIC LENS: ARE THEY TRULY MARTYRS OR MISGUIDED MUSLIMS ?

(a) Prophet Mohamed (SAW) stated: ‘Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. SO YOU SHOULD NOT BE EXTREMISTS, but try to be near to perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded.” Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 2, Number 38.

(b) Prophet Mohamed (SAW) stated: “Sometimes, I enter prayer and I intend to prolong it, but then I hear a child crying, and I shorten my prayer thinking of the distress of the child’s mother”. Fiqh us-Sunnah, Volume 2, Number 51

(Imagine if our loving Prophet Mohamed (SAW) was willing to cut down on the time for his prayer being sensitive to the distress of the crying child’s mother, then do you really believe that he would have ever approved the barbaric and atrocious act of suicidal bombing that involves innocent women and children being blown to pieces?)

INTRODUCTION:

It is not just the mainstream media that lacks a proper understanding of Islam but also many non-Muslim professionals from the Healing Arts Profession. Well known politicians, close-minded Christian fundamentalists and non-Muslim psychologists still believe the laughable myth that the suicide bombers kill themselves in order to go to Paradise since there is the promise of 72 virgins waiting on heaven for any martyr in Islam. Does their myth also apply to Muslim female suicide attackers from “Black Widows of Chechnya”, “Palestinian and Turkish female suicide attackers” who blow up themselves to get seventy-two (male) virgins? OR if they postulate that it is a “MAN”S WORLD” even in the HEREAFTER, then perhaps they may believe that the female suicide attackers were lesbians.

Above misinformation is all the more reason why Muslims should take a personal responsibility to educate the non-Muslims of what the peaceful religion of Islam is really about.

The facts that they don’t know is that as per Prophet Mohamed (SAW), a woman who dies during childbirth obtains the rank of a shaheed (martyr). A woman who exercises patience when her child dies, will be destined to enter Paradise immediately and even the partly-formed child in a miscarriage will take his or her mother to Paradise…Difficulties and calamities should not, therefore, lead to impatience, frustration and ingratitude or to any destructive acts.

Unfortunately certain Muslim Psychologists instead of integrating their learned contemporary psychology along with the gems of Islam and using such combination to work on solving problems, they have abandoned Islam and have joined a (may I add “pseudo”) elite group. On the other hand there are very good Muslim professionals from Psychology and related disciplines that may want to combine the two but find it new and too cumbersome to venture into applying such combination in their professional practice.

OUR UMMAH HAS BEEN LITERALLY TAKEN AS HOSTAGE BY AN EXTREMELY THIN MINORITY OF EXTREMIST ELEMENTS WHO HAVE INADVERTENTLY MISINTERPRETED CERTAIN GEMS FROM OUR HOLY QURAN AND HADITH.

THEIR ACTIONS FOCUSED ON VIOLENCE, AGGRESSION, SUICIDE BOMBING IN OPEN MARKET PLACES, MOSQUES, COLLEGE CAMPUSES ET.C. THEIR KILLING HELPLESS INNOCENTS, HAVE UNNECESSARILY CAUSED OUR UMMAH A LOT OF PAIN, GRIEF, SUFFERING, AND ALL THE MORE BAD PUBLIC RELATIONS WITH THE NON-MUSLIM WORLD.

THEY ARE PARTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MUSLIMS TO BECOME VICTIMS OF BOTH:
(1) THEIR RELENTLESS CAMPAIGN OF TERROR, VIOLENCE, DESTRUCTION AND DEATH OF INNOCENT CHILDREN & WOMEN ET.C
(2) AS WELL AS FROM BEING VICTIMS OF “SECONDARY TERROR” FROM IGNORANT AND EXTREMIST ISLAM BASHERS.

The repeated emphasis from ISLAM to SEEK KNOWLEDGE has not been seriously implemented and this has resulted in the extremist elements trying to utilize every opportunity to misguide the UMMAH. Their world view is exclusively rooted in the past with deliberate rejection of the realities of the contemporary times and they have repeatedly defamed Islam by drawing international attention and condemnation to their extremely violent, anti-Islamic and destructive acts and thereby pushing the UMMAH into further hardship and misery.

Imam Al-Ghazali was a specialist in treatment of bad conduct and he concluded that the treatment of all misbehavior among the people would not come only by wishes, but by the use of medicine formed from two ingredients.

(1) The first is KNOWLEDGE and
(2) The second is IMPLEMENTATION OF KNOWLEDGE.

"If either of these two is missing, this problem will not be cured. He also added that because the taste of most medicines is sour, people don’t use it. Or if they use it, they will not complete the dosage. And who does not have enough patience to use the sour medicine, he will not reach the sweetness of the cure".

The suicide bombers attempt all short cuts and end up NOT ONLY destructing themselves against the will of Allah but also destructing the lives of other innocent individuals around them, especially women and children.

In terms of above two highlights by Imam Al-Ghazali, the extremist elements basically closed their door of learning to KNOWLEDGE from the PRESENT. By so doing, they had not only lost the golden opportunity to integrate the gems of ISLAM with the KNOWLEDGE of the present but also lost the ability to “IMPLEMENT” SUCH COMBINED KNOWLEDGE. Their exclusive focus and obsession to the past roots of ISLAM in the absence of facing the CURRENT realities, has already turned the tide of their long-term outcome towards their own downfall.

In reality, they give a hoot to Islam’s emphasis on PEACE, LOVE, and UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD but instead focus on destruction. Such a destruction starts by them blowing themselves up to begin with, followed by destroying the lives of hundreds of other innocents including women, children and worshipers who came to the HOUSE OF ALLAH to pray.

Such victims HAPPENED TO BE IN THE WRONG PLACE AND IN THE WRONG TIME by being around the suicide bombers. Despite being an extremely small minority, they have through their destructive acts created a new generation of orphans, widows and loss of breadwinners of the family creating multiple economic and social stressors in the society.

It is not important what the writer has to say, but it is IMPORTANT WHAT THE HOLY QURAN and HADITH had to say on this matter. Let’s begin our analysis below:

(1) Holy Quran (5:32)
“ WHOSOEVER KILLS A HUMAN BEING (for other than manslaughter or corruption in the earth), IT SHALL BE AS IF HE HAS KILLED ALL MANKIND, and whosoever saves the life of ONE, it shall be as if he had saved the life OF ALL MANKIND”.

(From the above Quranic verse, it is obvious of the tremendous emphasis that Allah has given to avoid killing a human being and multiplying the rewards of saving the life of a human being. Needless to say a suicide bomber has the destructive power to symbolically kill “all human beings” multiple times. If the suicide bomber accurately received the message from the Holy Quran he would implement acts of kindness to symbolically SAVE the life of HUMANITY multiple times).

(2) Holy Quran (2:152-153):
“O you who declare faith, seek divine assistance through patience and prayer. Surely, Allah is with those who patiently persevere”.

(The suicide bomber through his destructive act has showed that he is not willing to “seek divine assistance through patience and prayer”, even though Allah clearly states that He is “with those who patiently persevere”).

(3) Prophet Moses asked: “Oh, my Lord, WHO IS DEAREST TO YOU AMONG YOUR SERVANTS? Allah said: THE ONE WHO FORGIVES WHEN ABLE TO PUNISH”. Al-Bayhaqi.

(Many of the suicide bombers feel that by doing such a destructive act they are punishing their enemies. From the above, when Allah had told Prophet Moses that the DEAREST to HIM are the ones “who forgives when able to punish”, then, is not this a paradox? The suicide bomber feels that he is going straight to PARADISE when Allah through the above indicates exactly the opposite).

(4) Holy Quran (12:90)
“Indeed he who fears Allah, and is PATIENT, then surely Allah makes not the reward of the doers of good to be lost”

(The destruction brought on by a suicide bomber is a violation of above Quranic guidance because if one were to be PATIENT, then one would not destruct self and other innocents nearby. On the contrary suicide bombing is a clear act of SEVERE IMPATIENCE. Allah not only encourages one to be patient but also promises that when one fears him and remains PATIENT, he would not make the rewards of doers of such good be lost).

(5) Holy Quran (4:85)
“Whosoever aids and encourages goodness is a partner to it, and whosoever aids and abets wrongfulness is a partner to it; and Allah has supremacy over all”.

(Is blowing oneself in a marketplace or other public places involving loss of lives to innocents around – an act of “goodness” or “wrongfulness”? For sure, it is an act of WRONGFULNESS. If majority of the UMMAH feels it is wrong, then they have a historical responsibility to speak out against it and not be passive spectators or observers. Further they are encouraged to aid and encourage acts of kindness and goodness and work towards PEACE as the gem of Holy Quran indicates above)

(6) Holy Quran (6:82)
“Secure and rightly-guided are those that have faith and taint not their faith with injustice and wrongfulness.”

(Killing innocents through suicide bombing is an act of wrongfulness and injustice not only to the innocents who died but also their families)

(7) Holy Quran (42:37-39)
“(Such put their trust in Allah)…. who avoid the greater sins, shun shameful deeds and FORGIVE EVEN WHEN ANGRY. …Those who conduct their affairs by mutual consultation…. Those who, when an oppressive wrong is inflicted on them (are not cowardly, but) HELP AND DEFEND THEMSELVES”

(SUICIDE to begin with, is against ISLAM. Suicide accompanied by killing innocents especially women and children is indeed a very shameful deed. As indicated in above verse, Quran encourages FORGIVING WHEN ANGRY; a suicide bomber’s act is OPPOSITE of forgiveness. Concealing one self with bombs and deceiving the public and entering a peaceful public place such as a marketplace or House of Allah and then blowing oneself is DEFINITELY not defending oneself when an oppressive wrong has been done)

(8) Holy Quran (7:199)
“Be forgiving, command what is right and avoid (indulging in the ignorance of) the ignorant.

A suicide bomber’s act is NOT FORGIVING but rather an act of (indulging in the ignorance of) the ignorant.

(9) Holy Quran (16:97)
“ALLAH WILL REWARD THE DOERS OF GOOD, WHETHER MALE OR FEMALE, WITH THE REVIVAL OF A GOOD LIFE AND WITH APPROPRIATE REWARD ACCORDING TO THE BEST OF THEIR DEEDS”

(An act of killing innocents through suicide bombing is not act of DOERS OF GOOD and is definitely NOT THE BEST OF ONE’S DEEDS. Instead it is an act of double sin - self destruction and destruction of other lives).

CONCLUSION:

The writer recognizes the fact that above is only one such perspective of viewing the horrible act of a suicide bomber and fully understands that there are many other perspectives. It is encouraged for the UMMAH to have an open mind and be receptive to different perspectives without being judgmental and immediately giving a negative label to a person whose opinion does not mirror theirs.

It will be difficult for the UMMAH to successfully move forward unless it exercises more tolerance to different perspectives of a particular burning issue for the UMMAH. Let this perspective be ONE OF THE MANY perspectives in the intellectual marketplace of ideas. The Ummah has its own synergy to pick up momentum behind a certain perspective that has a judicious mixture between the historical Islamic roots and the fluid, dynamic and ever changing contemporary realities.

It is an established fact that globally the majority of the UMMAH are following Prophet Mohamed’s (SAW) recommendation of being MODERATES. The global UMMAH has two extremes, one extreme is the Muslims whose life is anchored to history and are disconnected to the present, and the other extreme are secular or anti-Islamic Muslims who luckily are also a very negligible minority.

Most of the Muslims fall in between and continue their struggle to lead a lifestyle that has a balance of both.

Above Editor concludes by recalling Prophet Mohamed’s (SAW) advice:
“He is NOT the best among you who NEGLECTS HIS WORLDLY LIFE for the SAKE OF THE HEREAFTER, or NEGLECTS THE HEREAFTER FOR THE SAKE OF HIS WORLDLY LIFE, UNTIL HE WORKS FOR BOTH. Realize that this life is a path that leads to the Hereafter, so do not become a burden on others”. IBN ASSAKIR.

As usual feel free to e-mail your comments to info@mehrunyusuficds.com.

ISLAMIC PSYCHOTHERAPY ONLINE

(Revised Edition)

Volume 4, April 2009

St. Louis, Missouri

Editor: Mohamed Ziauddin MSW LCSW ACSW

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful

SPOTLIGHT OF THE WEEK:

POTENTIAL PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF PSYCHOLOGY THAT THE UMMAH COULD UTILIZE IN HELPING ITSELF.

In the gems of the Holy Quran and Hadith, there is emphasis on PEACE, TOLERANCE, and CARING FOR EACH OTHER AND UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD. Then why do we still see such graphic violence in the behavior among some sections of our UMMAH?

While the gems of the Holy Quran and Hadith could be the foundation and building blocks of our interpersonal and social behavior, we as Muslims need to learn additional skills and tools when it comes to responding to difference of opinions and negativity. Such tools can be used both at a micro level and macro level, at an individual level and global level. Dealing with difference of opinion and negativity can be between a husband and wife on a marital level or between Shias and Sunnis at a sectarian level.

ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL IN TERMS OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION. Needless to say the responses for conflict resolution would vary depending on the individuals or groups involved. But we need to start somewhere and at an appropriate later stage, blend in the expert advice of both Islamic scholars and Islamic psychologists and psychotherapists to get the most effective, practical interventions to address above interpersonal or inter group conflicts. This is only the first step and it can be enhanced organizationally with the help of legislative, governmental and non-governmental entities.

Listening to the above Islamic gems in speeches and practically integrating it with contemporary psychological tools and applying it in practice to resolve conflict in our interpersonal lives is likely to be more effective than just listening to the Islamic gems and missing out on above aspect of integration.

Is it then a surprise why there has been so much emphasis in Islam to seek KNOWLEDGE? All knowledge is from ALLAH and for effective problem solving we must integrate the contemporary knowledge of various behavioral disciplines with the Islamic foundational concepts derived from Hadith and Holy Quran.

Above Editor argues that the optimal benefit of the application of Hadith and Holy Quranic gems cannot be fully maximized in issues pertaining to interpersonal conflict, until it is integrated with contemporary psychological tools. Such tools come with the contemporary behavioral knowledge that is in a constant state of change, all from the grace of Almighty Allah. Muslims must continue serious pursuit of KNOWLEDGE as recommended in the hadith and Holy Quran.

In general, we should try to do our very best to avoid criticizing others since we could better utilize the time by correcting ourselves in whatever ways possible. Below examples is NOT with intent to pinpoint one particular national group (nationals of Qatar) or one particular occupational group (maidservants), but rather it is an honest attempt to address an issue of INJUSTICE and EXPLOITATION.

As Muslim professionals of the HEALING ARTS PROFESSION we have an obligation to address such a critical exploitative issue, create awareness of the plight of the silent victims and implement our Islamic duty to assist those in need in whatever ways practically possible even though such a terrible event is occurring on the other side of the globe by our own Muslim brothers and sisters.

Further, before we point our fingers at other non-Muslims and scapegoat them for our problems, it is good for us to take a deep and serious look at our own Ummah’s social backyard and work on ways to correct ourselves. This is told from our Ummah’s global perspective.

PLIGHT OF MAID SERVANTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST:

ONE SUCH ISSUE IS THE TREATMENT OF MAIDSERVANTS THAT COME FROM VARIOUS COUNTRIES TO WORK IN THE MIDDLE EAST. LET’S TAKE FEW EXAMPLES IN THE COUNTRY OF QATAR.

TORTURE AND ABUSE OF DOMESTIC WORKERS REMAINS A PROBLEM IN QATAR. REQUESTS FROM HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS GO UNHEEDED. THE AUTHORITIES HAVE SO FAR FAILED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS FACED BY THOUSANDS OF DOMESTIC WORKERS BY REFUSING TO BRING THEM UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE EXISTING LABOR LAW. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, THOSE HOUSEMAIDS WHO FLEE THEIR ABUSIVE EMPLOYERS ARE CONSIDERED AS ILLEGALS AND DEPORTED.

THE SRI LANKAN GOVERNMENT ESTIMATES THAT 15 TO 20 PERCENT OF THE 100,000 WOMEN WHO LEAVE EACH YEAR FOR THE MIDDLE EAST RETURN PREMATURELY, DUE TO PHYSICAL ABUSE OR NONPAYMENT OF SALARY.

A 26-year-old Qatari woman has been sentenced to three years imprisonment after she was found guilty of beating her Sri Lankan maid to death. The 24-year-old maid, who came to Qatar two months before her death, was admitted to hospital with severe injuries and succumbed to her wounds in the hospital three days later. The court also ordered the convict to pay QR 150,000 to the family of the deceased as blood money. The accused had confessed to attacking the maid with her hands “on several parts of her body to teach her a lesson because she was lazy and non-obedient”.

The accused also told that the maid was “unclean and used to dress indecently in front of her husband” and therefore she used to beat her up. She denied using any weapon to attack the victim. The accused said that she pushed the maid against the wall repeatedly after discovering a local telephone number that she had.

A Qatari couple walked free (of jail time) despite beating their Indonesian housemaid into an irreversible coma and later death. A Doha court sentenced the couple of five years of imprisonment, but they never served the term after agreeing to pay QR 300,000 to the maid’s family as compensation.

An Egyptian couple has been accused of torturing to death a 24-year-old Filipina housemaid, a local Arabic daily has reported. The woman, who was employed with the family for 14 months, died after a horrifying sequence of abuse and torture, whereby she suffered burns and severe beatings, the Al-Rayah daily reported quoting a police report. There were burn injuries all over the maid’s body and a medical report described these as “imprints of torture”. The report said one of her fingernails was also removed. Investigators also found bloodstains on the walls and curtains of the apartment.

BRIEF ANALYSIS:

Where is the element of pearls of Islam - "Compassion and Tolerance" in the above? Many of us are ourselves immigrants settled in different countries. We cannot easily forget the send off, our own family and friends may have given us from the airport when we first left our home countries to go overseas for either higher education or higher wages or just joining our family in our new country of settlement.

Above victims had also like us, left their home countries to improve their lives, having no clue of the tragedy that was awaiting for them. The worst part is that the perpetrators were not non-Muslims but someone from our own peace loving faith of Islam. As far as we are concerned, they had grossly violated Islamic values of tolerance, compassion and peace.

From an occupational perspective, should the relationship between the maid and the family that she stays with, be considered an Employer-Employee relationship?

If yes, then of course the maidservant could avail of whatever limited rights the employee may have in such countries. If not, could not there be an alternative legislation to ensure that the basic human rights of such maidservants are protected? We are not claiming that the maidservants are perfect employees but rather what legal and Islamic course of action should the perpetrators as employers take, if they are not happy with the work performed by their maidservant. It is totally unislamic to torture, burn and kill as reflected in the examples above.

Why is such gross injustice towards the maidservants not addressed by the Imams in their speeches in Friday prayers in the Middle East? FIGHTING AGAINST INJUSTICE IS PART OF ISLAMIC VALUE.

From a psychological perspective, what new tools and skills can the families that employ maidservants learn when they have to deal with a maidservant that they are not happy with for whatever reason, besides the unislamic practice of torture and killing them.

One can only guess the pathetic level of communication between the perpetrators towards the maidservants. Is not there other more humane ways for the perpetrator to convey to the maidservant about their dissatisfaction with their work, if that is the main issue? Or if the perpetrators feel she is not fit to meet their expectations of a maidservant, why not just allow her to return back to her country (Alive) rather than in a casket?

While we don’t claim to have solutions for all problems, we want to start a spark by addressing such a problem that has repeatedly missed in the global Ummah’s radar screen, in the hope that it could pick up support and momentum to reach the desired location where it needs to be changed.

As Muslim Social Workers and Psychotherapists, we are strong advocates for the “poorest of the poor”, “victimized and traumatized”, “oppressed” et.c. And we encourage all Arabs of CONSCIENCE to work towards alleviating this issue at the grass roots level. OUR HEARTS GOES OUT TO ALL THE MAIDSERVANTS WHO ARE BEING CONTINUALLY OPPRESSED, SUBJUGATED AND EXPLOITED BY PERPETRATORS IN VIOLATION OF THE RELIGION OF PEACE – ISLAM.

DISCLAIMER: Focus is on the perpetrators and the victims in Qatar. This article in NO way intends to be a stereotype for all nationals of Qatar. We acknowledge that there are many nationals of Qatar who truly follow the gems of Islam in terms of taking good care and showing tolerance and understanding in dealing with their maidservants and our deep respects to them.

Acknowledgements:

http://www.peacefulmuslimah.wordpress.com/