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/

ISLAMIC PSYCHOTHERAPY ONLINE
(Revised Edition)
Volume 3, March 2009
St. Louis, Missouri

Editor: Hajji. Mohamed Ziauddin MSW LCSW ACSW

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

CAN THERE BE LITERALLY A LOVE AFFAIR BETWEEN FEMINIST AND DEVOUT MUSLIM ENTITIES?

What would be the first thought that comes to mind when you say to a devout Muslim, “there she is, the feminist that I was talking about”.

What would be the first thought that comes to mind when you say to a feminist, “there she is, the devout Muslim with the headscarf that I was talking about”.

On the surface, it may appear that Feminism and Islam are poles apart with differences too wide to ever reconcile. Both of above two groups see the other as a threat to their value system. Not surprisingly in the scenario mentioned above, very likely the first thoughts for both the Muslim and the Feminist regarding the “other” are generally negative thoughts, labels and stereotypes. WHY IS THAT?

Could it be intolerance from both sides? Could it be blind stereotypes based on misinformation about each other? How many Muslims have with an open mind really tried to understand the roots of feminism and the details of their value system? In the same way, how many feminists have with an open mind really tried to understand the roots of Islam, details of the life of Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) especially as it pertains to his championing the cause of rights of women? Because they have been consistently flooded with misinformation about Islam and lack of such accurate and true information, they may be wondering, “what is he talking about”?

Both sides are almost blind to the positives of the other. Misinformation from the media (against Islam) and from the unenlightened Muslims (against feminism) feed into each other breeding additional intolerance and hate for each other.

The hate between both the groups in the 21st century has reached a point of creating a blind spot – which is the POSITIVES THAT BOTH GROUPS HAVE TO OFFER FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF THE FEMALE.

It is here that Muslim organizations such as ours could call for a change in such rigid and intransigent attitudes on both sides against each other. While we are fully cognizant and realize that we cannot totally and successfully change the feminist’s organizations to our ideal expectations, we do believe that as a Muslim organization we can take the initiative in this direction.

Taking above initiative to FIND COMMON GROUND is within our control, although we acknowledge that we in the process may be fired from the extremists on both camps – the taliban style Muslims and the radical men-hating feminists. But both extremist elements may not be able to stop above positive initiative mainly because of the support from the majority on both sides of the isle, who generally do not carry such extreme positions of hate and intolerance towards the other? There is a small group in between that is symbolically a hybrid such as FEMINIST MUSLIMS.

IS THIS EXERCISE IN DILUTING INTOLERANCE AND FOSTERING TOLERANCE BETWEEN BOTH GROUPS SOMETHING NEW?

What we are basically doing is RESURRECTING THE LONG FORGOTTEN VALUE OF “TOLERANCE” THAT WAS PREACHED BY OUR LOVING PROPHET MOHAMMED (SAW)) AND WHICH UNFORTUNATELY GOT BURIED OVER LAYERS OF CULTURAL VALUES MANY OF WHICH HAD NOTHING DIRECTLY TO DO WITH ISLAM.

It is a paradox that even though the “feminists” are perceived to have moved away from the “feminine” concept that traditionally distinguished them from “masculine”, still their name falsely continues to signify a preponderance to be “feminine”.

As with any other kind of relationship, there will be irreconcilable differences between the feminists and Muslims. Further both may have to respectfully AGREE TO DISAGREE on certain issues.

HOWEVER THE QUESTION WE NEED TO ASK IS: "SHOULD THE ABOVE DIFFERENCES AMONG THE MUSLIMS AND FEMINISTS BE A VALID REASON TO CLOSE THE DOOR TO EXPLORE WAYS OF TEAMING UP WITH EACH OTHER AND FINDING COMMON GROUND TO HELP THE NEEDY FEMALES?

Most Muslims support the feminists for common issues such as EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK, EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR EDUCATION AND CAREER ADVANCEMENT et.c?

Who among you would think that the feminist organizations are going to deny a request by Muslim organizations to team up together?

(1) In order to help fight the unislamic and local cultural practice of Female Genital Mutilation that is SHOCKINGLY still continuing in some Muslim countries?

(2) In order to help the Muslim victims who have been partially burned and traumatized due to issues relating to dowry?

(3) In order to help build schools, vocational and career training centers for Muslim women?

(4) In order to help the girls in Muslim orphanages and Muslim women in shelters?

(5) Provide female volunteers to help in various social service agencies that are focused on helping females in crisis and other related situations?

By the way, MAY I ASK, WHAT IS THE UMMAH SERIOUSLY DOING FOR OUR SISTERS THROUGH THEIR INSTITUTIONS OF MOSQUES AND THEIR LEADERS? DUE TO PAUCITY OF RESOURCES TO HELP OUR SISTERS, WE ARE EXPLORING ALL PRACTICAL OPTIONS AND COMMON GROUNDS.

THE WRITER ARGUES THAT THE HATE AND NEGATIVITY BETWEEN THE FEMINISTS AND MUSLIMS HAS SHUT DOWN MANY AREAS OF CO-OPERATION THAT COULD HAVE EASILY BENEFITED THE MUSLIM FEMALES WORLDWIDE. IT IS SAD THAT THE ULTIMATE BENEFICIARY – THE MUSLIM FEMALE GETS TO LOSE, AS LONG AS THE POLARITY AND ONGOING TENSION CONTINUES BETWEEN BOTH OF THE ABOVE GROUPS AGAINST EACH OTHER.

ABOVE EDITOR CALLS FOR INCREASED PARTNERSHIP ON COMMON AREAS OF CONCERN TO BENEFIT ALL DECEDENTS OF THE FEMALE SPECIES OF EVE.

Having explained the above, it is to be noted that the focus is on COMMON GROUND. We as Muslims will continue to stick by the gems of Islam in terms of following Holy Quran and the teachings of Prophet Mohammed (SAW).

With increased awareness of the UMMAH in terms of professional Social Work and related Social Services, it is all the more important to enlist the assistance of females, especially when dealing with female clients.

Islamic values definitely prefer women to help women compared to men helping women especially in situations that call for both of them to be in the same office or being alone in the absence of a third person. Unfortunately most of the Muslim females globally still lag behind in their educational and literacy rates.

It does not hurt for the Muslims to tap into the feminist organizations talent, & expertise especially as it relates to assisting Muslim females with health, medical and psychological issues. There are tremendous possibilities for both the feminists and Muslims to work jointly as a team to reach out to all the Muslim females in need.

If feminists think that they could directly enter the world of Muslim women and change them as they please, without the direct support and encouragement of the Muslim men, then they may be wrong?

If Muslims think that they could reach out to the maximum number of needy Muslim females and help them all by themselves without enlisting the logistic support and other related forms of assistance from non-Muslim sources, then they are wrong too?

THIS ISSUE AIMS AT BRINGING BOTH THE MUSLIMS AND FEMINISTS TOGETHER TO WORK AS A TEAM FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF THE MUSLIM FEMALE. WE ARE AWARE OF VARYING DEGREE OF APPREHENSIONS ON THIS ISSUE, THE SAME WAS TOLD INITIALLY OF INTERFAITH WORK, BUT NOW YOU SEE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE JOINING THE INTERFAITH INITIATIVE FOR THE COMMON GOOD OF HUMANITY.

IF DIFFERENCES COULD BE PUT ASIDE IN INTERFAITH WORK FOR THE COMMON GOOD OF HUMAN BEINGS, WHY NOT BETWEEN THE FEMINISTS AND MUSLIMS FOR THE COMMON GOOD OF FEMALES, MORE SPECIFICALLY THE MUSLIM FEMALES?

THE END

Feel free to e-mail us at info@mehrunyusuficds.com.

ISLAMIC PSYCHOTHERAPY ONLINE
(Revised Edition)
Volume 02, February 2009
St. Louis, Missouri

Editor: Mohamed Ziauddin MSW LCSW ACSW

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

SPOTLIGHT FOR THIS WEEK:

“A CASE STUDY OF RELATIONSHIPS:
A MUSLIM PSYCHOTHERAPIST’S PERSPECTIVE”

ISLAMIC EMPHASIS ON A STABLE SOCIETY AND STABLE RELATIONSHIP:

“The cornerstone of a society is a good and stable family. Islam encourages people to get married and have a stable family. The latter is based on rights and responsibilities on both husband and the wife. Islam recognizes the social necessity, the religious virtues and the moral aspect of marriages. There is no premarital relation as much as there is no extramarital relationship” (1).

Family in Islam is composed of: Parents children, grandparents, grandchildren, uncles, aunts, nephews and nieces from both sides of husband and wife. When a couple marries each other they are to socially integrate their extended families to unite as one. They become an integral part of the big family in the society. There are rules and regulations of a stable family. There are obligations and duties in as much as there are rights and privileges (1).

In a way, the married life is a matter of worship, just like those of praying, fasting and other religious acts. Hence, it is considered to be a fulfillment of the faith of the individuals. Marriage is for worldly and heavenly benefits, both at the same time. Marriage helps a person to live a stable life – morally, socially, psychologically, culturally, spiritually, economically and biologically et.c. (1)

Marriage and the subsequent steps of having children and raising a family is also a platform to transition not just the genes from one generation to the next but also a distillation and transition of vast gamut of values from the refineries of culture, society, religion et.c from one generation to the next.

Marriage and family are rooted in RELATIONSHIPS. While there are several hadith and verses from the noble Holy Quran emphasizing positive relationships, the reality on the ground for the current UMMAH is nothing but a series of challenges to the individual. One wonders why such an important issue of RELATIONSHIPS is frequently just brushed over or barely touched in the speeches and sermons that we hear.

THE SAD REALITY:

THE SAD REALITY IS THAT FOR MANY INDIVIDUALS THE PERSON WHO CREATED THE MOST HARM AND PAIN TO THEM IS EITHER A LOVED ONE OR FAMILY MEMBER OR RELATIVE.

YOU MAY HAVE YOURSELF NOT ONLY HEARD BUT WITNESSED A NUMBER OF SITUATIONS WHICH ATTEST TO ABOVE FACT. WHY IS THIS?

Of course, we should not forget that there are certain Muslims who are blessed to have a stable family, a stable relationship with their spouse and who could symbolically say with confidence that their marriage was made in heaven and if you want to see a sample, meet them. However the focus of this issue is not on the “happy campers”, instead it is dedicated to the majority of Muslim clients who have sought therapeutic services for relationship conflict issues.

THE SECOND SUCH SAD REALITY IS THAT AN INDIVIDUAL MUSLIM GOES OUT OF HIS OR HER WAY BY BENDING BACKWARDS AND HELPING HIS OR HER OWN FAMILY MEMBER(s) OR RELATIVE(s) OR FRIEND(s) TO THE MAXIMUM OF HIS OR HER ABILITY AND IN RETURN THE PERSON WHO RECEIVED ALL THE HELP BECOMES ALMOST AN ENEMY. SYMBOLICALLY THAT SAME MOUTH THAT WAS FED BY ONE’S GENEROUS HAND ALL ALONG, HAS NOW COME TO BITE THE SAME HAND. MANY CLIENTS HAVE REPORTED SUCH AN EXPERIENCE TO BE EXTREMELY PAINFUL MAINLY BECAUSE THIS WAS NOT WHAT THEY WERE EXPECTING IN RETURN.

THE POINT TO BE EMPHASIZED HERE IS THAT, IN REALITY IN MOST CASES, IT IS NOT SOME STRANGER FROM OUT OF THE BLUE THAT COMES TO CAUSE AN INDIVIDUAL THE MAXIMUM PAIN, BUT INSTEAD IT IS ONE’S VERY OWN LOVED ONE, OR KITH & KIN, RELATIVE POSSIBLY STAYING UNDER THE SAME ROOF OR WITHIN THE SAME SOCIAL CIRCLE THAT BECOMES THE GREATEST ENEMY AND THE MAXIMUM SOURCE OF ANGER & RESENTMENT.


AN EXAMPLE OF HOW A RELATIVE COULD IN A SUBTLE WAY DEVASTATE AN INDIVIDUAL’S LIFE:

What would a young innocent beautiful female immigrant from another country do, when her own relative who supported the sponsorship of her violates Islamic and local laws and makes indirect sexual advances towards her. If she discloses this “secret” to her host relatives, then a conflict may ensue among the family members that could possibly result in one or more of them ending up to live in a women's shelter. Obviously she did not leave her country of birth to end up at a “women’s shelter” in the U.S. This was never a way to start a new life with an intent to permanently settle down in a new country.

Further due to “strong family values”, the young female voluntarily suffered such unwelcome sexual advances in order to prevent major conflict within the family. This in her eyes was a “sacrifice” she was making to continue to see the family “happy”. But how long can she continue to suffer and at what cost? What options are out there for the resolution of above problem?

If this drives her to seek any decent Muslim man in her local community to get married and permanently get out of her host relative's house, would such a hasty decision to marry be a wrong judgment on her part?

To begin with, would this be a legitimate reason to get married? What if the stressors she face from the new husband are far worse than the current stressors from her male relative who was making sexual advances to her.

From whom can she get advice in this newly adopted country of hers, when she cannot even speak proper English?

Even if the Ummah is concerned about helping other fellow Muslims, WHAT STRUCTURE OR PROCESS DOES THE UMMAH HAVE IN PLACE TO IDENTIFY SILENT VICTIMS LIKE HER AND PERPETRATORS LIKE HER MALE RELATIVE WHO DISCREETLY WALK IN THE DARK SHADOWS OF UN-ISLAMIC AND UNLAWFUL PATH?

THE MASJIDS (HOUSE OF ALLAH) WAS THE LAST BASTION WHERE SHE COULD HAVE EASILY GONE AND CONFIDED TO A SELECTED MEMBER OF HER OWN FAITH IN HER OWN LANGUAGE?

BUT UNLIKE THE GOLDEN DAYS OF OUR PROPHET MOHAMMED (SAW), WHERE THE MASJID WAS USED FOR SOCIAL SERVICES TOO, AMONG MANY OTHER PURPOSES, TODAY THERE IS NO VISIBLE SIGN OR PERSON IN THE HOUSE OF ALLAH, WITH A “WELCOME SIGN”, ENCOURAGING HER TO EXPRESS HER PROBLEMS WITH THE ARDENT HOPE THAT IT WILL BE LOOKED INTO AND RESOLVED.

WHEN THERE IS NO FORMAL OR INFORMAL STRUCTURE IN PLACE, THE QUESTION OF UTILIZING OUR INVISIBLE TALENT OF MUSLIM PROFESSIONALS FROM THE HEALING ARTS DOES NOT EVEN ARISE.

Most of the Social Service Committees of Masjids at the present time are focused on financial and material related services to the needy besides organizing dinners and other specific functions, which is good, but it is recommended that they move into the psychological and social domain as well, creating a structure and process to enable receiving voluntary assistance from Muslims who are more than willing to assist as needed.

THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF MUSLIMS WITHIN THE U.S. TODAY FROM THE HEALING ARTS PROFESSION WHO ARE SINCERE AND WILLING TO VOLUNTEER THEIR SERVICES TO FELLOW MUSLIMS, BUT WHEN THERE IS NO FORMAL STRUCTURE IN PLACE TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS, HOW CAN THEY EVEN IDENTIFY WHO THE PSYCHOLOGICALLY NEEDY MUSLIMS ARE?

Coming back to the main focus of this issue, as you see, what an havoc and devastation indirect and subtle unislamic acts can do to shatter the stability of a helpless individual who is currently meeting her basic needs of food, housing and clothing from her own perpetrator.

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW A RELATIVE OR FAMILY MEMBER CAN CAUSE SEVERE PROBLEMS TO AN INDIVIDUAL. EMOTIONAL PAIN CAUSED DUE TO ECONOMIC RELATED REASONS IS YET ANOTHER MAJOR AREA BETWEEN AN INDIVIDUAL AND HIS OR HER FAMILY MEMBER OR RELATIVE.

This issue of severe harm done to self by close family members has not received the attention it deserves. Such harm comes partly by violating ISLAMIC PRINCIPLES AND VALUES. This violation must be addressed and condemned when we speak of UMMAH and ISLAMIC BROTHERHOOD.

It is recommended that the Islamic Centers open the doors of their Social Service Committees to help the needy who are undergoing various forms of psychological and emotional pain and hardships. The easiest way to do it is by identifying the Muslims in the HEALING ARTS PROFESSION and welcoming them to contribute their noble services.

“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” (4:85).


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
“Introducing Islam: Foundation for Islamic Knowledge”- Ahmad Sakr.

As usual feel free to give your valuable feedback. Our e-mail address is info@mehrunyusuficds.com.

THE END

Islamic Psychotherapy Online
(Revised Edition)
Volume 01, January 2009
St. Louis, Missouri

Mohamed Ziauddin MSW, LCSW, ACSW

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

FOCUS OF THIS WEEK:

CLUTTER:

THIS ISSUE IS DEDICATED TO ONE MUSLIM CLIENT WHO HAD A VERY SEVERE PROBLEM WITH CLUTTER AND WHO WAS BRIEFLY REFERRED FOR CONSULTATION TO THIS WRITER FROM A MUSLIM AGENCY:


HOW DO I KNOW IF I AM A CLUTTERER?
(Clutterer Anonymous)

(1) Do you have more possessions or items in your life than you can handle comfortably?

(2) Do you find it difficult to dispense of many things, even those you have not used in years?

(3) Do you rent storage space to house items you never use?

(4) Do you spend time looking for things that are hard to find because of all the clutter?

(5) Do you find it easier to drop something than to put it away, or wedge an object into an overcrowded drawer or closet rather than to find a space for it?

(6) Do you collect things to give to others?

(7) Do you bring things into your house without establishing a place for them?

(8) IS YOUR CLUTTER CAUSING PROBLEMS IN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS?

(9) Are you embarrassed to have visitors because your home is never presentable?
Do you hesitate sharing about this problem because you are ashamed of your cluttering?

(10) Are you constantly doing for others while your own home is out of order?

(11) Do you miss deadlines or abandon projects because you can’t find the paperwork or material you need to finish the work?

(12) Do you sometimes get buried in details, making projects take much longer than is really necessary?

(13) Do you procrastinate about cleaning up because you believe you must do it perfectly or you won’t do it at all?

(14) Are you easily sidetracked, moving from one project to another without finishing any of them?

(15) o you have problems with time management and estimating how long it takes to do things?

(16) Do you believe there is all the time in the world to clean your house, finish those projects and read all those piles of old magazines?

(17) Do you use distractions to escape from your clutter?

(18) Have you tried to clean up from time to time but find yourself unable to stick with it?

(19) Does the problem appear to be growing?

IF YOU ANSWERED “YES” TO THREE OR MORE OF THESE QUESTIONS, THERE IS A CHANCE YOU ARE A CLUTTER OR WELL ON YOUR WAY TO BECOMING ONE.

ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE:

“The purpose of the hygiene regime in Islam is to create a community, which is healthy and immune against infectious diseases and the healthy individual (in body and mind) who is capable of understanding and applying God’s message and carrying it away to the whole world” (2)

BODY CLEANLINESS: Islam recommends bathing for 23 reasons. Seven of them are compulsory and sixteen are preferable.

HANDS CLEANLINESS:
Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) stated:

(a) “Wash thy hands before and after eating”.

(b) “Wash thy hands after awakening. No one knows where his hands lay during his sleep”.

CLOTHING CLEANLINESS:
Islam recommends clothing cleanliness and elegance. “Ameliorate thy clothing and thy mount”.

FOOD AND DRINK CLEANLINESS:
Orders for protecting food from dust and insects, the Prophet Mohamed (SAW) stated: “Cover they vessels and drinks”.

RESIDENCE CLEANLINESS:
(PRIMARY FOCUS OF THIS ISSUE)
“CLEAN THY COURTYARDS AND THY RESIDENCES AS WELL AS STREET CLEANLINESS”. “IT IS CHARITABLE TO REMOVE HARMS (HARMFUL THINGS) FROM THE ROAD”.

CLEANLINESS OF WATER SOURCES:
Such as wells, rivers and shores. Therefore urinating and defecating are forbidden in any of them.
Prophet Mohamed stated:
“Avoid three evils: defecation in water sources, shades and in the road”.

IF THESE INSTRUCTIONS ARE FOLLOWED ACCURATELY IN THE 21ST CENTURY, MOST OF THE GASTROINTESTINAL INFECTIONS COULD BE REDUCED AND HARMFUL INSECTS SUCH AS FLYS, (COCKROACHES - SPECIALLY DUE TO CLUTTER AND FOOD DIRT AROUND HOME) AND OTHER RELATED PROBLEMS COULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED.

Severe clutter problems at home may be indicative of a more serious pathological issue, which the editor prefers to discuss in a different issue.

In ISLAM, cleanliness is an important issue so much, so that, the prayers offered without being clean may be invalid.

Islam emphasizes on the cleanliness.

The seven pre-requisites of Prayers are:
(1) Cleanliness of the body
(2) Cleanliness of the clothes
(3) Cleanliness of the place (where prayer is being offered)
(4) Hiding (covering) parts of the body-ordained to be covered.
(5) Time being proper for the prayer
(6) Facing the Qiblah and
(7) Saying the “intention” (Niyyah).

IT IS HIGHLY VIRTUES TO REMAIN IN WADU CONDITION IN ALL TIME.

As per the focus of this issue, CLUTTER at HOME is the main point that is highlighted. CLA has done a tremendous job in terms of helping clients with problems with clutter. It is but natural to discuss about their origin and programs.

WHAT IS CLUTTER?
(Clutteres Anonymous)

Per definition by CLA, Clutter is anything we don’t need, want, or use that takes our space, and destroys our serenity. It can be - outgrown clothes, obsolete papers, broken toys, disliked gifts, meaningless activity, ancient resentments or unsatisfying relationships. We may be selective in some areas, but not in others, objects may be strewn about or wedged into drawers, neatly stacked or stowed in storage.

Our Clutter seems to have a life of its own, to multiply without effort on our part. We may feel overwhelmed controlled by our possessions, doomed to be hopelessly disorganized. No matter how we deal with our clutter, it can be a source of pain and shame to ourselves and to those we live with.

Despite this pain, we fear throwing things out. We think we might need it, fix it, and wear it again. We don’t want to be wasteful or ungrateful. We don’t know what to keep and what to discard. We don’t know how much is enough.

De cluttering is not merely eliminating, but gradually transforming our space so that we surround ourselves with things that express our purpose. It means turning something useless into something useful, creating more leisure and space, being more honest in our relationships, eliminating distractions and simplifying our lives in order to find our spiritual roots.

Although we may cling to our clutter, what we really yearn for are surroundings of beauty, order, serenity, a balanced life and harmonious relationships.

CLA believes that their “dis-ease” is threefold – physical, emotional and spiritual.

PHYSICAL:
This is the behavior that results in the stacks, the piles, and the objects that fill our home, our car, our workplace, and our world. Whether organized or strewn about, it is all so overwhelming. We find ourselves drowning in a sea of clutter. We have become owned by our possessions.

EMOTIONAL:
This is the fog we create in our heads- resentments, unfinished thoughts, emotional baggage, daydreams, worries about the future, regrets about the past Our mind is a constant spin, we lose today because our time is spent living in yesterday and tomorrow.

SPIRITUAL:
This is the deep emptiness we feel inside – the emptiness we compulsively try to fill by clinging to useless objects, non-productive ideas, meaningless activities and unsatisfying relationships.

HOW CLUTTERS ANONYMOUS GOT STARTED?

CLA (Clutterers Anonymous) was started on February 26, 1989 by two California women who wanted to bring order into their lives. They founded CLA to simplify their lives so that they could free their time to use their God-given talents and help others to accomplish the same thing. The first meeting was held in Simi Valley California, May 1989.


Clutterers Anonymous is a fellowship of individuals who share experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem with clutter and help others to recover. The only requirement for membership is a desire to eliminate clutter and bring order into their lives. They don’t have any dues or fees for membership; they are self-supporting through their own contributions, neither soliciting nor accepting outside donations. Clutterers Anonymous is not affiliated with any public or private organization, political movement, ideology, or religious doctrine, they take no position on outside issues. Their primary purpose is to eliminate clutter, to establish more order in their lives, and to carry their message of recovery to clutters that still suffer.


TOOLS OF RECOVERY:

ACTION:
Action is the magic word. They have found these actions helpful to create for themselves an environment of order, beauty and serenity.

MEETINGS:
They attend meetings to learn how the program works and to share their experience, strength and hope with each other.

TELEPHONE:
They use the phone to keep in touch with other members of the fellowship between meetings. They make calls before and after any critical action (Book ending). Talking on the phone helps both members.

DAILY ACTION:
They do something each day to further their recovery, doing what they can, no matter how small. Their goal is progress not perfection.

BUDDIES:
Buddies are CLA members and helpmates in recovery. They can be called with the caller’s daily plan or ask for help with a project.

SPONSORS:
Sponsors are CLA members who are committed to recovery through the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions. A Step sponsor leads us through the 12 Steps of recovery. They choose a sponsor who has what they want. The sponsor and buddy may be the same person.

LITERATURE:
They use CLA literature and that of other 12 Step programs. Literature is an ever-available tool that helps them gain insight as well as strength to deal with their problem.

SERVICE:
Service is giving back to the fellowship, from holding office to doing cleanup. It helps them to feel a part of the group and to solve problems cooperatively.

FOCUSING:
Their goal is to do one thing at a time.

STREAMLINING:
They honor what they own by setting limits on their possessions. They keep only what they use, and have space for. They realize that the more they acquire, the less they enjoy what they already have.

EARMARKING:
They provide a place for their possessions and return them there. They create a home for anything before bringing it in. When they add a new item, they release an old one. For accessibility, beauty and peace of mind, they keep some empty space.

They believe that they can recover from cluttering and use their experience to benefit others.

They believe that they are entitled to surroundings of serenity and order and joyous lives.

They simplify their lives, believing that when they need a fact or an item, it will be available to them.

They nurture their spirit by surrounding themselves with beauty and harmony.

“THE TWELVE STEPS:

(1) We admitted we were powerless over clutter – that our lives had become unmanageable.

(2) Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

(3) Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God, as we understood God.

(4) Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

(5) Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

(6) Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

(7) Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings.

(8) Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

(9) Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

(10) Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.

(11) Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood God, praying only for the knowledge of God’s will for us and the power to carry that out.

(12) Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.


THE TWELVE TRADITIONS:

(1) Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon Clutterers Anonymous unity.

(2) For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority – a loving God as expressed through our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.

(3) The only requirement for Clutterers Anonymous membership is a desire to eliminate clutter and bring order into our lives.

(4) Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups of Clutterers Anonymous as a whole.

(5) Each group has but one primary purpose – to carry its message to the person who still suffers.

(6) A Clutterers Anonymous group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the Clutterers Anonymous name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.

(7) Every Clutterers Anonymous group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.

(8) Clutters Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional but our service centers may employ special workers.

(9) Clutterers Anonymous, as such, ought never be organized, but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.

(10) Clutters Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the Clutterers Anonymous name ought never be drawn into public controversy.

(11) Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we always maintain personal anonymity the level of press, radio or films.

(12) Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities”

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:

(1) CLA-Clutterers Anonymous – A brief guide. You can subscribe to their newsletter, obtain additional literature & attend their meetings listed by STATE (Within U.S), Weekday, Time, Place, and City et.c. by checking out their website: http://www.clutterersanonymous.net/.

(2) Health: An Islamic Perspective: Dr. Ahmed Shawky Al-Fangary, KUWAIT” (http://www.islamset.com/)