Islamic Psychotherapy Online

(Revised version)

Volume 9, September 2009

St. Louis, Missouri

Editor: Hajji. Mohamed Ziauddin

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST BENEFICENT AND MOST MERCIFUL

WHERE DO WE DRAW THE LINES OF TOLERANCE?

EDITORIAL:

It is true, that Islam is a religion of TOLERANCE based on the teachings of Prophet Mohamed (pbuh) and the Holy Quran. On one hand all Muslims should strive for UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD and be tolerant and loving of one another. However when it comes to differences in lifestyles, including sexual orientations, the actions of the Ummah does not seem to reflect the degree of tolerance that Islam is ideally supposed to stand for. So the question is "Where do we draw the lines of tolerance"?

Based on Allah's command in the Holy Quran: "There is no compulsion in Religion", we are of the belief that we have no right to force our values on others. The least we can do to respect an adult human being is to accept them for what they are. Having said the above, if we do observe something that we feel is wrong, it is better that we work to address it in ways that is not overly critical, hateful, domineering, demeaning et.c. Trying to impact a change in anyone from the negative to the positive using the tools of affection, love, knowledge would be far more affective than using tools of force, reprimand, neglect, ostracism et.c. Any long lasting change COMES FROM ONE'S HEART and it comes VOLUNTARILY. As tolerant Muslims we need to take the above two into consideration.

We would love to have feedback from other Muslims in terms of their unique approach to deal with major differences that they find in the sexual lifestyles of other Muslims. Below is one example of a regular gathering of Muslims from sexually diverse lifestyles that do not include heterosexuals in GERMANY.

(The crowd at Gayhane, monthly party for Arab and Turkish gay men, lesbians and bisexuals at SO36, a Berlin nightclub) Berlin Journal

Berlin, Germany: (Berlin Journal):

GAY MUSLIMS PACK A DANCE FLOOR OF THEIR OWN:

“Six men whirled faster and faster in the center of the nightclub, arms slung over another’s shoulders, performing a traditional circle dance popular in Turkey and the Middle East. Most of the people filling the dance floor at the club SO36 in the Kreuzberg neighborhood were gay, lesbian or bisexual, and of Turkish or Arab background. They were there for the monthly club night knows as Gayhane, (hane means home in Turkish) an opportunity TO MERGE THEIR IMMIGRANT CULTURES AND THEIR SEXUAL IDENTITIES. Above event’s organizer was Fatma Souad a TRANSGENDER PERFORMER who was born as a male but dresses and appears like a female.

Gay men and lesbians from Muslims families in Germany say that they face extraordinary discrimination at home. A survey of roughly 1000 young men and women in Berlin, widely cited in the German press, found much higher levels of homophobia among Turkish youth. “These differences are there”, said Bernd Simon, who led the study and is Professor of Social Psychology at Christian-Albrechts-University in Kiel. “We can’t deny them. The question is how do we cope with them”. He added “The answer is not to replace homophobia with Islamophobia, pointing out that homophobia is also higher among Russian immigrants and in other, less urban parts of Germany.

Kader Balcik, a 22 year Turk from Hamburg, said: “For us, for Muslims, it’s extremely difficult. When you are gay, you are immediately cut off from the family”. He was cut off from his mother because he is bisexual. “A mother who wishes death for her son, what kind of mother is that?”, he asked, his eyes momentarily filling with tears.

Hasan, a 21 year old Arab man, sitting at a table in the club’s quieter adjoining cafe stated: “They would kill me. My brothers would kill me.” Asked if he meant this figuratively, he responded,” No, I mean they would kill me”. He added “I’m living one life here and the other one the way they wish me to be,” Hasan said, referring to his parents. He said he still planned to marry, but when he turned 30 rather than right away, as his parents wished. “I have to have children, to do what Islam wants me to do,” he said. “I would stop with everything in the homosexual life. I would stop it”. (New York Times 1/1/2008).

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

ISLAMIC PSYCHOTHERAPY ONLINE
(Revised Version)
Volume 8, August 2009
St. Louis, Missouri

Editor: Hajji. Mohamed Ziauddin

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST BENEFICENT AND THE MOST MERCIFUL

EDITORIAL NOTE:

GLOBAL UMMAH'S FIGHT AGAINST EXTREMISM:

The Ummah has been passive for too long in terms of not being frank and upfront with the extremist elements. Such passivity and silence had sent a wrong message to the extremist Muslims and further reinforced their distorted belief that they had the backing and support from the global Ummah.

On a positive note, we are now seeing that various Muslims and Islamic organizations are standing up to fight against such injustice perpetrated by extremist elements who advocate killing innocents falsely claiming that they are doing it in the name of Islam. In the process they are creating more hardship to the ordinary Muslim on the streets be it, Abdul or Fatima.

In Egypt, a new brand of young Muslims from a new generation are speaking up against terrorism and are successfully able to interpret the Holy Quran to represent peace, love and harmony among mankind. Below are two additional global examples.

Inshallah, the momentum for the global Muslims to assert that Holy Quran is a guide and masterpiece to guide humanity towards PEACE rather than BLOODSHED as portrayed by the extremists is already ON.

It would be good if Islamic Centers consider posting on their notice board a ZERO TOLERANCE to violence in the context of the Ummah’s opposition to killing innocents, regardless of what the cause is and to provide internet, phone and provider resources that could be utilized on issues pertaining to conflict resolution and ways to assist a particular oppressed individual or group or nation.

Anyone who strongly feels on a particular issue, should do so either by volunteer work to help towards the cause of such issue or exercise their strong commitment by using their checkbooks to sponsor an orphan or family on a year to year basis or to donate to other educational, social service related causes et.c. for that particular oppressed group or nation. Muslims worldwide are more than able to come up with hundreds of better suggestions than to respond by death and destruction in their intent to assist the distressed Muslims worldwide. ANYTHING IS WORTHY OF CONSIDERATION EXCEPT VIOLENCE TO SELF AND OTHERS THROUGH SUICIDE BOMBING.

The extremists had also unnecessarily dragged the peace loving Tabligh Jamaat in their actions. Because many of the Tabligh Jamaat members tend to wear traditional Islamic clothing along with sporting an untrimmed beard, they became visible targets of many western governments.

We know that in the United States, the government sent out secret agents in the form of Muslim converts who joined and infiltrated the tabligh jamaat and reported back to the government that the tabligh jamaat are NOT involved in any “cells” or “terrorist group”. Not surprisingly the US government had LIFTED THE BAN on tabligh jamaat’s activities.

HERE AGAIN THE ABSENCE OF ACCURATE KNOWLEDGE LEADS TO MISUNDERSTANDINGS AND SUSPICIONS. For example, one of the principles of tabligh jamaat before they go out on DAWAA work is NOT TO TALK ABOUT POLITICS. This fact is not known to many non-Muslims. One of the tabligh jamaat's basic principles is to avoid violence at all possible costs and in reality , they are one of the most disciplined and peace loving groups in the world. In summary, even such a peace loving Islamic group had come under the government’s radar screen for scrutiny, because of the horrific acts of the extremist group.

Misinterpreting the gems of Holy Quran not only apply to violence but also on women in some contexts. Below are two examples of Muslim organizations condemning terrorism in India and the United States and the last part of this issue has an example of how the gems of Islam were twisted to inadvertently create more hardship and difficulty for our Muslim sisters.

In as much as we stood up against misinterpretation regarding terrorism, we need to stand up against similar misinterpretation regarding women because trying to voluntarily crush half of Ummah’s (female) productive potential is like voluntarily diminishing half of Ummah’s human resources covering various aspects.

EXAMPLE: I

INDIA: Feb 25, 2008, DEOBAND (Uttar Pradesh, India): (Yahoo News)

OUTCOME OF CONFERENCE ON TERRORISM ORGANIZED BY DARUL ULOOM – Deoband.

Darul Uloom was established in Deoband, in late 19th century and remains a renowned religious and academic Center of Islamic thought and practice. In the sub-continent, it remains the largest institution for the dissemination and propagation of Islamic teachings and the biggest headspring of education for Islamic sciences. Followers of Deoband School practice Orthodox Sunni Islam. Deoband produced some renowned Muslim Scholars who resisted British rule in India, which ended with independence and the partition of the subcontinent in 1947.

“On the one hand terrorism should be condemned and on the other hand those who make accusations against the whole (Muslim) community should be countered because if the actual accused is not caught, then some innocent would get hanged. This will be our loss. ALL OF US BELONGING TO THE SAME (MUSLIM) COMMUNITY SHOULD COME TOGETHER TO FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM AND MILITANCY,” said Maulana Mahmood Madni, General Secretary, Jamiat Ulmea-i-Hind, who was participating in a debate on terrorism and other Islam-centric issues organized by the Darul-Uloom in Deoband.

PARTICIPANTS:

Ulema (Muslim Scholars) from six thousand Madrasas (religious schools) were participating in the debate called by the LEGENDARY SCHOOL OF ISLAMIC LEARNING IN ASIA. Apart from representatives of Madarasas, the other participants are Ahl-e-Hadith, Jama’at-e-Islami and Shi’ah schools of thought and the heads, delegates of their Madrasas and the Rectors (Sajjada Nashins) of the Dargahs of Ajmer Sharif and Kichhauchha Sharif. Further the heads and representatives of All India Muslim Personal Law Board, Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, Milli Council and the Darul Uloom Deoband’s Old Boys Association had also participated in above Conference.

Above organizers stated that they wanted that the DARUL ULOOM to take the initiative in stating that ISLAM DOES NOT SANCTION TERRORISM AND THAT DEOBANDIS DO NOT BELIEVE IN IT EITHER”.

‘WE WANT TO SPREAD THE MESSAGE TO ENTIRE WORLD THAT MUSLIMS AND ISLAM HAVE NO LINKS WITH TERRORISM. AND WE WANT TO GIVE THIS MESSAGE TO THE CENTRE THAT IF ANY MUSLIM IS ARRESTED IN ANY TERROR ACTIVITY THEN HE SHOULD BE TREATED JUST AS A CRIMINAL AND SHOULD NOT BE LINKED WITH ISLAM TO DEFAME MUSLIMS,” said Maulana Aadil Siddiquie, spokesperson, Darul Uloom, Deoband. The organizers of above conference REITERATED ITS DETERMINATION TO PROMOTE PEACE, NATIONAL SOLIDARITY AND BROTHERHOOD IN THE COUNTRY.

EXAMPLE: 2

UNITED STATES:

If you want to know details regarding the Muslim voices against extremism and terrorism, go to THE AMERICAN MUSLIM website at www.theamericanmuslim.org and you will find a series of article collections in the topic of MUSLIM VOICES AGAINST EXTREMISM AND TERRORISM, Muslims Denounce Terrorism, Quran and Hadith against extremism, Fatwas, Statements by Organizations, Statements and Articles by Individuals, A few quotes, THE MUSLIM MAJORITY WHO DON’T GET PUBLICITY, Muslims and Arabs in the U.S. Military, Selective Hearing of Muslim Voices Against Extremism, Sunni-Shia Unity Resources as well as many more collections on specific subjects including Resources for Responding to Claims against Islam and Muslims, and documentation of ISLAMOPHOBIA – Polls, Statistics, and surveys, alarming statements by year, incidents at mosques, incidents and hate crimes, media and propaganda et.c. If you want to keep up with Islam in America and topics of interest to Muslims in America and the West, above is the site to visit.

Below is an excellent note by the Founding Editor of THE AMERICAN MUSLIM (TAM).
“One of the most common statements made by non-Muslims is “Where are the Muslim Voices?”. We want our fellow Americans to know that the Muslim Voices are there, but they are being drowned out in the dim from those who see a clash of civilizations as inevitable. American Muslims know that extremists and terrorists don’t represent Islam, but our fellow non-Muslim Americans do not. The millions of Muslims in the US are indeed trying to communicate their disgust and opposition to extremism and to clearly differentiate between Islam and the actions of some Muslims. Our scholars have spoken out loudly and clearly, as have our national Muslim organizations, community leaders, and ordinary Muslims and still we are asked,” Where are the Muslim Voices”? We need to get our message out in every way possible until we are heard”.—Sheila Musaji, Founding Editor, Sheikh Mohamed Nur Abdullah, Religious Advisor. THE AMERICAN MUSLIM- Journal of Islamic Thought.

WOMEN:

MISUSE OF THE GEMS OF ISLAM:

Ban on women driving cars - “based on ISLAM or based on one’s TWISTING THE FACTS FROM ISLAM AS WE PERCEIVE IT”? You be the judge and decide for yourself as to what is truly the TRUTH.

This is what Majlis-Ul-Ulema from South Africa had to say about DRIVING AND WOMEN in their book “THE PIOUS WIFE” Page: 26-27.
(Reprinted word for word).

“Undoubtedly, for Muslim women to drive cars is contrary to the spirit and teaching of the Quran and Sunnah. The Quran Shareef commands Muslims females: “And remain within your homes and make not a display (of yourselves) like the display of the (time) of jaahiliyyah”.

The Quran and Ahadith place restrictions upon the emergence of females from the home. Islam exhorts and commands its female adherents to conceal themselves; hence Rasulullah said,” Woman is aurah” (i.e. to be concealed). When she emerges (into the public), shaitaan casts surreptitious glances (evil glances) at her.” Islam emphasizes Purdah – concealment – for women but western culture in a variety of ways and means (of which women driving cars is one) emphasis “self-expression” i.e. exhibitions of jaahiliyyah. Islam lays stress upon modesty and shame. (Hayya) whereas driving destroys the hayaa of women.

By means of driving, woman places herself in the forefront of exhibition. She barters away her hayaa by aping the ways and mannerisms of males in the driving seat. Her place is not in the driving seat to wander around, putting herself up for public gaze and display. Her place is the home – to live in dignity, respect, hayaa and honor. The greater her self-exhibition, the greater the destruction she brings to her natural modesty. And about this hayaa, Rasulullah said: “Hayaa is a branch of Imaan”. It is virtually impossible for a woman who drives, to observe the Islamic laws of Hijaab. Even if she is a bit conscious of Islamic Purdah restrictions, her constant projection and exhibition which driving entails corrodes her hayaa and reduces her to utter shamelessness. She then qualifies for the Quranic description of “tabarruje jaahilyyah” (exhibitions of the times of ignorance).

The argument advances in favor of women driving are all fictitious and designed to appease the lowly nafs of man. Those women who are observant of the Divine restrictions and prohibitions – those women who remain within the confines of Islamic Hijab will, Insha’Allah not be confronted with the fictitious ‘emergencies” and exigencies imagined and sometimes confronted by the women of exhibition. Those who have Trust (Tawakkul) in Allah Ta’ala will be well cared for”.

(ED NOTE: Dear Brothers From Majlis-Ul-Ulema, Thanks for spending your valuable time to write on above issue as part of your book “THE PIOUS WIFE”. With all due respects to you and appreciation for your eloquent language, I have some questions with regard to the manner in which the gems of Islam were wrongly interpreted and blended in your above note. I believe that I am not a loner walking in the wild on this issue and I suspect there are millions of Muslims worldwide who probably would be more inclined to raise similar questions as I raised on above note.

We all must try our best to avoid criticizing each other. Therefore while I appreciate your good intentions to contribute a guide for Muslim women, I am afraid that your advice may harm our sisters more than benefit them. Anything that would hurt our brothers or sisters would be a pain for us and therefore, we need to make a good faith attempt to address and if possible correct it to the best of our ability. Let above note from the brothers of Majlis-Ul-Ulema and the below note from the writer through this platform of newsletter be placed in THE MARKETPLACE OF IDEAS and let the UMMAH be the judge.

I say above because, many Muslims in the 21st Century have a very low tolerance for difference of opinion. The moment they differ, they immediately give the other a LABEL. For example, “He is a munafiqeen” (hypocrite). What is important today is the right of every single Muslim to assertively express his or her ideas. The Ummah should be tolerant enough at least to hear what one has to say. We can always analyze or discuss our response once we know the opinion of the individual. We should avoid making quick judgments based on stereotypes. For example, “Oh, after all, she is just a woman, from what she said, you know where she is coming from”.
EDITOR'S NOTE:

It is in such context mentioned above, that the important aspect of ISLAMIC PSYCHOLOGY steps in. Brothers of Majlis-Ul-Ulema, I believe your world view is totally disconnected from the present realities and your thinking is still anchored to history. In your world view, there are no “emergencies” and if any, they are “fictitious”. In your world view, all one has to do is trust in Allah and everything will be taken care of.

In your world view, a husband can never die before his wife, therefore the question of whether the wife would live independently and may need independent transportation would never arise. Your world view is free of emergencies, domestic violence and in a nutshell, no existence of single parent families, and that all household families are headed by a husband who takes care of hundred percent of the family’s finances and transportation needs. Although husband has gone to job in the morning and returns in evening, somehow transportation is arranged to pick and drop the children from school, husband does hundred percent of shopping using his vehicle and there is no need for wife to help with shopping if husband is busy and is unable to shop.

There are no broken families; there is not a single opportunity that may arise where the wife may need a car to commute. Husband will be in the best of health all the time and never be admitted at a hospital therefore there is no need for her to drive and visit the husband, OR there is guaranteed public transportation available between the wife’s home and the hospital.

This is ONE of many examples where good practicing, sincere, honest Muslims inadvertently distort Islam and not only create additional stressors in the life of the Muslim woman by depriving her of a basic transportational need that ALLAH has gifted to humanity, but also decreasing the potential productivity by fifty percent of the UMMAH thereby by default retard the optimal output from the global UMMAH. In simple words, we believe that their distorted world view has done MORE HARM than good for the UMMAH.

For example, in the real world, once a Muslim husband dies or divorces from his wife, how much more hardship will the wife have to undergone to become economically independent. Being in home and raising children all her life, she probably may have very limited income, how is she going to improve her educational standard, get a job with no prior job experience and how is she going to support herself and her children ?

WE BELIEVE THAT NO MUSLIM SHOULD PREACH ISLAM IN A WAY THAT DEPRIVES ONE OF THEIR BASIC RIGHTS AND IN THE LONG RUN LEADS TO INCREASED MULTIPLE STRESSORS. Instead we need to spread the golden message of Islam in a way that maximizes our ability not only to practice ISLAM in our personal lives but also to be a productive and contributing member, not only to our immediate family, but to the local community and society at large.

Even at the present time, although a Saudi woman is allowed to drive a plane, she is not allowed to drive a car. (There is currently at least one Saudi female pilot). Needless to say, below is an example of a step that was taken backward by abusing the gems of ISLAM i.e for women not to drive a car and thereby creating hardship for half of the Saudi Ummah. GOOD NEWS IS THAT SAUDI ARABIA HAS FINALLY DECIDED ON A PLAN TO LIFT ABOVE BAN AND IS WORKING TO IMPLEMENT ABOVE PROMISE VERY SOON. But who is going to compensate the thousands of Saudi women for all the hardships they had to face all along? NONE. WHO IS TO BLAME FOR THEIR HARDSHIPS?

On the other side, we are not advocating forgetting our Islamic roots and being obsessed with the contemporary times which symbolically is a combination of good and bad. THAT’S WHY ISLAM HAS STRONGLY ADVOCATED FOR US TO SEEK KNOWLEDGE, WHICH BY DEFAULT IS A POWERFUL TOOL TO ENABLE US TO DIFFERENTIATE FROM THE RIGHT AND WRONG AND PICK ONLY THE RIGHT.

INSTEAD WHAT WE ARE REALLY ADVOCATING is building a foundation on Islam but integrating it with the positives of the contemporary times. Needless to say blindly focusing on the contemporary times will equally destroy us, we need to gain KNOWLEDGE about the contemporary times and inshallah, with Allah’s guidance and blessings pick the appropriate positive contemporary KNOWLEDGE and combine it with the gems of ISLAM.

DISCLAIMER: We strongly believe that ISLAM is a religion of tolerance and it applies to tolerance to accept divergent and extreme points of view. Whether you want to send a supportive e-mail or angrily worded hate mail, we not only welcome and respect your opinion but would defend at any costs for your RIGHT to express it. TO US, THIS REPRESENTS ISLAMIC VALUE OF “TOLERANCE” IN ACTION AND NOT JUST IN WORDS OR FROM OUR SPEECHES.

As usual, feel free to e-mail us at info@mehrunyusuficds.com.

ISLAMIC PSYCHOTHERAPY ONLINE

(Revised Edition)

Volume 7, July 2009

St. Louis, Missouri

Editor: Hajji Mohamed Ziauddin

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST BENEFICENT AND THE MOST MERCIFUL

Focus of the Week: ANALYSIS OF THE SUICIDE BOMBER – Part III

In Part I of this E-Zine's focus, we highlighted verses from the Holy Quran to support our perspective that SUICIDE BOMBING is wrong. In Part II of this E-Zine ,we highlighted teachings of Prophet Mohamed (SAW) that supported above perspective. In this issue of Part III, we are highlighting the same from a Social perspective, which includes ideas from Islamic thinkers.

Islam is a beautiful religion advocating universal brotherhood, peace and love among mankind. In the past two issues, the virtues of peace, patience and perseverance were highlighted. Muslims in some parts of the globe perceived themselves victimized as a national group who were going through severe injustice and oppression. They became increasingly desperate, felt helpless & knew fully well that they were no match to fight face to face against their enemies who were loaded with very effective hi-tech weapons.

Ummah – especially the Religious Leaders and Intellectuals were unable to offer such a desperate, vulnerable and helpless group of Muslims, ALTERNATIVE PEACEFUL WAYS TO DEAL WITH SUCH INJUSTICE.

There was absolutely no co-ordination between the Imams, Psychotherapists and other professionals from Behavioral Medicine, Communication experts and the Govt to work on a concrete plan to come up with ALTERNATIVE PEACEFUL MEANS OF RESPONDING TO INJUSTICE.

A vacuum in above made it easier for a minority of misguided religious leaders to win the following of a very small but dangerous group of Muslims and mislead such a vulnerable and desperate group to resort to the worst possible violence currently seen on the face of the earth by essentially blowing themselves and others around them into pieces of flesh and bones. They not only focused on the enemies but on their own members of Ummah as well, with total disregard to the loss of innocent lives including women and children. It is an issue not only of loss of lives, but also being responsible for making many innocents who survived such violence by becoming permanently disabled with loss of vision, limbs et.c.

Such Muslims unfortunately were misguided and deviated away from the mainstream religion of peace – Islam by resorting to violence, bloodshed and mayhem.

From a clinical perspective, most behaviors emerge from mind of the individual. If the mind is corrupted or misguided then its implementation in behavior would be misguided too and in the case of the suicide bomber, it would be destructive.

The above Editor argues that this is not only a issue of Muslims who were religiously misguided but it is also a CLINICAL issue that needs to be addressed by both Muslim Professionals from Behavioral Medicine and Islamic leaders, especially when it comes to developing alternative peaceful strategies that could be positively utilized by individuals and groups.

In general, when an individual talks about suicide or homicide, he gets evaluated by a mental health professional and if needed involuntarily hospitalized against his or her own will. ISN’T IT STRANGE, THAT WHEN A MISGUIDED MUSLIM TALKS ABOUT POSSIBLE PLANS OF SUICIDE AND (MULTIPLE HOMICIDES) BY INTENT TO BE A SUICIDE BOMBER, THE CLINICAL ASPECT IS COMPLETELY IGNORED AND ONLY THE LEGAL, RELIGIOUS and POLITICAL ASPECTS BECOME THE FOCUS? WHY?

In the process of such a response, two mistakes are being committed. (1) There is an assumption that he is mentally sane. (2) There is an assumption that he is following the teachings of Islam.

We never hear the fact that he is a wrongly misguided Muslim who misinterpreted the teachings of Islam. Why? Could it be because of lack of proper understanding of Islam?

Br. Jamaal al-Din Zarabozo in his book PURIFICATION OF THE SOUL had one of his topics titled as: “Jihad in All of Its Other Forms” he quoted the Quranic verse: “And those who strive for Our (Cause), We will certainly guide them to Our Paths, for verily Allah is with those who do right” (al-Ankaboot 69).

Commenting on this verse, Ibn Al-Qayyim wrote: “Allah has connected guidance with jihad….The forms of jihad which are most obligatory upon a person are the jihad against the soul, jihad against desires, jihad against Satan and jihad against (being overcome by this) worldly life. …ONE CANNOT FIGHT THE EXTERNAL ENEMY UNLESS ONE FIGHTS THESE INTERNAL ENEMIES. WHOEVER IS GIVEN VICTORY OVER THEM WILL BE GIVEN VICTORY OVER HIS (EXTERNAL) ENEMY”.

Hence, this makes it clear that jihad in all of its various forms is actually part and parcel of the process of purification of the soul as it is one of the means of success and prosperity which can only be achieved through the purification of the soul. (Karzoon, Vol 1, p.285).

As indicated above, a true jihad primarily focuses its energy within one’s self and not projected violently outwards and not for worldly life issues. One could argue “for and against” that occupation of land is a materialistic worldly issue and by default whether such worldly issue is worth not only dying for in terms of voluntarily blowing oneself to pieces but also committing double sins in Islam - suicide and multiple homicides? This by no means is indicative that one should be passive when attacked or occupied. Instead the focus is on exploring alternative means of resistance or opposition to such oppression and injustice.

Ibraaheem bin Abdullaah al-Haazimee in his Compiler’s Foreword in the book: “Diseases of the Hearts and their Cures” stated:

“The heart forms the foundation, it is the owner of the limbs, and the limbs are its soldiers, so when the owner becomes purified its soldiers become purified, and when the owner becomes sullied then its soldiers become sullied”.

Al-Haafidh ibn Hajr al-Asqalaanee, May Allah have mercy upon him and provide us with his knowledge, said:

“The heart has been singled out for this because it is the leader of the body, and through the purification of the leader the subjects become purified, and with its corruption they become corrupted. So if you, O servant of Allah, wish to cure your heart then it is upon you to be truthful with regards to seeking refuge with Allah and putting your trust in Him, to pray a great deal of supererogatory prayers, to perform the actions of obedience to Allah frequently, to pray the night prayers while the people are sleeping, and to treat your heart by making it continuously stick to the remembrances and by befriending only the righteous…and to frequently recite the Quran. And Allah will indeed allow all of this to be preserved by him”.

Compared above gems with our misguided Muslims who put explosives right in front and around the “HEART” to blow it up.

Such a barbaric act of suicide bombing by being blown to pieces is one of the worst ways for a person to abruptly die and here we have in the 21^st century a group of misguided Muslims VOLUNTARILY SIGNING UP TO BE BLOWN TO PIECES in such a manner.

Dealing with a potential suicide bomber is not to RESPOND VIOLENCE WITH VIOLENCE because two wrongs don’t make it right. To truly understand a suicide bomber’s motives, we need to understand his psyche and the perspective he is coming from.

From a psychological perspective, the “fight OR flight” response does not apply to the suicide bomber since he does both. Through his self-destructive act, he FIGHTS the enemy head-on and kills those around him and in the process he also takes a permanent one way “FLIGHT” away from this world to the next. Can anyone guess what would be the stress level of a suicide bomber?

POINTS TO REFLECT:

How many times have you heard Islamic peaceful alternatives offered in terms of expressing anger or holding it in? Is a Muslim responsible for his own emotions and acts or are other people, be it oppressors or any body else, responsible for his emotions? How can a Muslim more effectively deal with anger, resentment and frustration, no matter what the reason may be (including occupation)? Do Muslims feel stressed out by problems that others place on them or by problems that they place on themselves? How best can we integrate the contemporary psychological knowledge dealing with CONFLICT RESOLUTION with the gems of Holy Quran and Hadith to deal with current group or organizational stressors faced by the global Ummah?

As usual, feel free to send your comments to info@mehrunyusuficds.com