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Working Together: A Conversation on Mental Health and Addiction
2-10-2015
The time has come for us as an Ummah to come together. Gone are the days of trying to hide our troubled youth, for fear of community shame and stigmatization. No more families should retreat into themselves, adamant on containing the issue within their own home. Mental health and addictions, two very taboo topics in our society, are ones that everyone has encountered, directly or indirectly. Then why are we so afraid of each other? We have become so far removed from the Book which should govern our ways, the Holy Quran.
Allah (SWT) Says:
And hold fast all together by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you) and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allah’s favor on you; for ye were enemies and He joined your hearts in love so that by His grace ye became brethren; and ye were on the brink of the pit of fire and He saved you from it. Thus doth Allah make his signs clear to you: that ye may be guided. (Al-Imran 3:103)
Why then are we afraid of asking our friends for help? Why are we so afraid of our own community, our Ummah? It seems that in our quest for the opportunities and innovations that our technologically advanced society provides us, we have forgotten how to connect with our own brothers and sisters. We have forgotten the importance of helping out our community. The Prophet (SAW) says:
“Faithful believers are to each other as the bricks of a wall, supporting and reinforcing each other. So saying, the Prophet Muhammad clasped his hands by interlocking his fingers.”
(Al-Bukhari)
It is time we must embrace the one another and help each other grow, for the sake of Allah (SWT). And it all begins with our children, our youth. We must show our youth we are with them and support them through the good times as well as the bad. We must unite and support our youth who are at risk of mental health and addictions. By educating ourselves on the issues, we will better understand the issues and how to connect with our youth who are suffering. Together, we will be able to build a stronger, loving Ummah.
The HOPE Project presents the first ASPIRE symposium- Hope, Health and Healing: A Conversation on Addictions and Mental Health Issues in the Muslim Community. This free event on March 7 aims to bring together our community, health care professionals, religious leaders and youth for awareness, education and capacity building. Change begins with you!
Register at www.muslimfoodbank.com/upcoming-events
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