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Plagued by Thoughts of Faith in Allah

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Ustadha Raidah Shah Idil advises on how to deal with troubling and recurring thoughts.

I am troubled with waswasa concerning the rightness of my belief in Allah, and nothing helps to put me at ease. What do I do?

I pray this finds you well. May Allah reward you for reaching out to us.

Troubling thoughts

Dear questioner, it sounds like these thoughts plague you, and cause you deep distress.

I strongly advise you to consult a trustworthy local scholar about the specifics of your situation

Knowing Allah

You need a trustworthy teacher to help ground you to a framework of what is pleasing to Allah. Please don’t leave your thoughts to circulate in your head and create your own counterarguments. This leaves the door wide open to even more waswasa, which will only torment you further.

I encourage you to study both of these courses: Introduction to Islamic Logic: Abhari’s Isaghuji Explained: Mental Inference in the Islamic Sciences  and Introduction to Islamic Theology: Sanusi’s Umm al-Baraheen Explained: Why Islam is True.

Holistic healing

You need to have spiritual medicine to counter your waswasa. I encourage you to speak to Sidi Zuhair Girash of Aafiyah Healing.

I pray this has been helpful.

Please see A Reader on Waswasa (Baseless Misgivings).

Raidah

Checked and approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.

Advice for Sufferers of Extreme Waswasa or OCD in Issues of Purification

I Have Baseless Misgivings (Waswasa) About the Soundness of My Faith and My Marriage…

Satanic Whisperings (Waswasa) as a Trial from Allah: Punishment or Blessing?

Ethics of Healing – Dr. Ingrid Mattson

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We need to step back and look at our community holistically and ask ourselves: is this a healthy community? How is the Muslim community at a global and domestic level?

Join Dr. Ingrid Mattson at an interdisciplinary theological conference regarding the relationship between ethics and medicine and its direct impact on the Muslim community and  polity. She invites the listener to ponder on the relationship between ethics and medicine in the context of the community.

“As Muslims we are a work in progress as a community. Being a Muslim is fundamentally about becoming rather than being and there are times when we are in flux more than certainty and uncertainty makes humans anxious,” states Dr. Mattson.

Our age and communities have become defined by change and mobility. We have never been as mobile as we have been today, and it’s not going to end.  If there is no accurate understanding of the demographics of a particular community there can easily be corruption and wrong-doing even if it stems from well-intentioned minds and hearts. What defines our regulatory bodies? Our policies and concerns? What connects our communities in the hospital setting?

“Chaplains are equipped to be the bridge between medicine and ethics,” declares Dr. Mattson.

Chaplains bring the healing presence that the Prophet (SAW) represented. They bring full presence and the human touch. We have evidence that touch is healing, presence is healing and caring is healing and that is the tradition of the Prophet (SAW). These actions are the healing and human presence in the medical setting.

We are grateful to Initiative on Islam and Medicine for the video. Cover Photo by  Alex E. Proimos

 

Resources for Seekers :

"They Are Not Our Teachers" – Ustadh Amjad Tarsin

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“They are not our teachers”  said Omar Mukhtar, the leader of Libyan Mujahideen, when asked why he would not avenge the way Muslims had been treated by the Italian Colonists. His declaration demonstrated a deep understanding of the way of the Prophet ﷺ.

In this video, Ustadh Amjad Tarsin uses this example and others from the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to show how the way of the Prophetic way can heal us and the world around us.

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Resources for seekers:

Cover photo by Wallace Parreiras.

What Dua To Recite When Sick, from Habib Muhammad bin Ali al-Junayd

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Shaykh Yahya Rhodus mentioned what he described as a “prayer for healing” that was given to him by Habib Muhammad bin Ali al-Junayd. With his permission, we produce it here for all to benefit.

BISMILLAH AL-RAHMAN AL-RAHIM

Dua To Recite When Sick
Allahumma Salli wa sallim ‘ala Sayyidina Muhammadin al-Hadi ila tariq al-milla. Allahumma salli wa sallim ‘ala Sayyidina Muhammad wa bi jahihi isrif ‘anni kulla maradin wa alamin wa waja’in wa ‘illa (then, mention the particular sickness), wa ‘ala alihi wa sahbih.
Oh Allah bless and bestow peace upon Sayyiduna Muhammad, the Guide to the path of religion. Oh Allah bless and bestow peace upon Sayyiduna Muhammad, and through his rank, remove from me every illness, pain, ailment, and disease, and upon his Family and Companions.

Dua To Recite When Sick and Other Resources for Seekers:

What Would Be the Safest Way to Behave Towards the Person Who Assaulted Me?

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Answered by Ustadha Raidah Shah Idil

Question: I was physically assaulted a few weeks ago but unfortunately live in the same house as the assaulter. Neither of us are in a position to move out. This person now wants to apologize but I do not wish to have any interaction with this person. Can I have your input on this situation?

Answer: Assalamualaykum wa rahmatullahi wa bakaratuh,

I pray this finds you well. May Allah help you heal from your trauma, and grant you closeness to Him.

Healing From Assault

Being physically assaulted is a serious matter. Not only is it unlawful, but it sows deep mistrust between people.

It is very difficult to forgive your abuser, especially if he/she is a parent or relative. You may be struggling with feelings of fear, betrayal and anger. Please consult a trained family therapist who can help you heal, move forward, and come up with a viable plan of action. Because you are unable to move out of your home, you will need to learn ways to protect yourself, draw boundaries, and interact peacefully with your abuser. Ignoring him/her is not a viable long-term solution. Avoidance can only take you so far.

Dua

Make constant dua for Allah to heal you and help you forgive this person. When the time is right, Allah will help you let this go, inshaAllah. May this be a means of tremendous expiation for you. Remember that there is no veil between the one who is oppressed and Allah. Pray Salatul Hajat and ask Allah for a way out of this situation, in a manner which is most pleasing to Him.

Marriage

Before you get married, please complete this course Islamic Marriage: Guidance for Successful Marriage and Married Life. Please think carefully before committing to marriage. Many young women think marriage is the quickest way out of an abusive home. However, unless they have worked through their issues, many of them end up marrying abusive men, replicating their original trauma. I pray that Allah grants you lasting healing, and blesses you with a righteous and loving husband.

Boundaries

The next time somebody approaches you with well-meaning advice, please smile, thank them for their concern, and say that you are working on it. Unless they have been also been abused, most people are unable to imagine the trauma that comes with being physically assaulted, let alone provide beneficial advice. This is a test of your patience and good character.

Please refer to the following links:

What Are Some Prophetic Supplications That Can Help Me Deal With Trials in My Life?

Wassalam,
Raidah

Checked & Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Feeling unmosqued, demosqued and no-thank-you-mosqued?

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Are you a Muslim woman who feels unmosqued, demosqued and no-thank-you-mosqued? You’re not alone but you must be part of the change. Ustadha Anse Tamara Gray has some excellent advice on how to move forward, with healing and positivity, in this video for Muslimah Media.