Post Partum Depression

As Salamu Alaikum

I started reading this thread because it was regarding depression. Well one always gets surprised on IC.

Sister Najamsahar you talk about a Filipino woman who left Islam. You should have asked her to explain to you why she left. The answer is in the Saudi society. I have met many, many women who could not believe that Muslims (especially in the GCC) countries can behave in such cruel ways. They leave their homes and loved ones and come to work for their Muslim brothers and sisters, and feel at the same time they can enjoy living in a Muslim environment and what happens, disillusion. Nothing but disillusion! So they blame Islam and apostate. On the other hand I have also met many, many Reverts who embraced Islam because of the behavior and kindness of Muslims. It works both ways.  Unfortunately the world is not perfect we lose some and we win some. Sister please don�t think I am attacking you or the Saudi society, I am only making a point from personal experience (you have pointed out experience counts) and since you spoke about the Filipino and I have met many Filipinos returning home, I am making this point. Alhamdulillah most of them did not apostate but a few did because their sponsors were very cruel to them and in their ignorance they thought Islam was about cruelty. I put it down to Nisab (Fate) Allah Subhanahu wa Ta�ala guides whom HE pleases and lets to stray whom HE pleases.

But like brother Peacemaker, I don�t pay much attention to anti-Islamic sites or figures that come from there. It is very disheartening when we have to take the opinions of non-Muslims or anti-Islamic sites over Muslims. They goal is to disunity us and they are succeeding in doing so. Do we find Christians referring to Muslim/Islamic sites to see how many Christians reverted to Islam?

It is very sad Islam is still judged by the behavior of the Muslims and not by what is required of the Muslims by the Shariah.

Taking a cue from a point made my sister Fatima: Those scholars do thier utmost to explain the rulings of islam, they cant force it upon people, can they?  Today it has become a norm to criticism scholars, not only the recent ones but the great yesteryears scholars as well.  I met a woman once, to whom I quoted a Fatawa from the Late Bin Baz (may Allah have mercy upon him) and she told me that he was blind so what does he know. To most people he is regarded as one of the greatest scholars of our time but to some he was a blind man without knowledge. Audho Billahe minash Shaitanir-Rajim! It was only after about 4-5 months that I found out that his Fatawas to not appeal to the modern Saudi thinking.  He was their Mufti till his death. We all have our favorite scholars, and he (Bin Baz) still is one of my favorite.

One Japanese (ex-Buddhist) woman recently asked me: �Why does the West fear Islam when every book that I read about Islam, so far, points to its Beauty?� But I ask myself these days �Why do the MUSLIMS FEAR ISLAM?�  I wish I knew the answer??????????? Maybe I should start a new thread with this topic.

Btw I found the responses on depression very informative.

Salams

najamsahar wrote: Peacemaker, In some ways I think I have misunderstood you. I will respond only to your last comment about the scholars in this post. Scholars have a greater responsibility than ordinary muslims. Also they will have a higher criterion for being judged than us. There is no restriction from pointing out faults, but there is a right approach to doing things. There was once a town where the people had crossed all limits of trangression. Allah SWT ordered His Angels to destroy the town. But the angel said, there is an extremely pious scholar in that town. Allah SWT ordered that "first destroy that scholar and then the rest of the town" Allah SWT does not need to give us explanations, but the reasoning here is that the scholar had to shoulder the burden of the situation as he was knowledgeable whereas the other trangressors were not. Wallahi, I cannot give you the reference to the above! I have heard this incident time and again. the last time from Sh Mohammed Saleh of Huda TV, someone I respect immensely. If you are in doubt please go ahead and find the references. Najamsahar

Assalamu Alaikum,

Yes, Scholars have greater responsibilities. Their primary responsibility is to do research on Islamic affairs and convey message of Islam. That they are doing within available means. How do we know if they are not doing their job? Let us leave that to Allah. If you have any concern with any Scholar, it is better to discuss that matter with him/her. We have strict rules here at the forum regarding dealing with Islamic issues: Qur'an, Hadith, Scholars etc. See the guidelines:

4. When discussing issues dealing with Islam, please support your comments with the Quran or Sunnah. Mocking any Quranic reference, Hadith, scholar, or member will not be tolerated. If you are stating something about a religion, please list your source. If it is an opinion, please state this fact.

As I said before, it is time for us to concentrate on our individual responsibilities. Social affairs such as shelters for women, children, orphans, old age people require financial resources. This should be our responsibility. Therefore, if ISNA, for example, didn't help you, let us work to make another ISNA with those facilities that you would like to see in them. Can we think along this line?

True, there is no islamic country present in the world in spirit, we can still not be exempt from our individual responsibilities. Can we build media similar to BBC, CNN etc where we can invite Scholars to convey the message of Islam? Why can't 1.5 billion Muslims do that? I think if 100 millionaires out of population of 1.5 billion Muslims sit together, they can do it.

If I have that kind of money, I will buy major channels, insha Allah. For the time being, I don't have, don't know if I will ever have.

But, yes, we can do this job collectively. It would really be wise to ask us all such questions.

I would like to quote one of US presidents ( John F Kennedy, isn't it? ):

"Ask not what your country can give to you, ask what you can give to your country."

I would like to put it this way:

"Ask not what ummah or humanity can give to you, ask what you can give to ummah or humanity."

May Allah guide us all.

Peace

peacemaker wrote:   I would like to put it this way: "Ask not what ummah or humanity can give to you, ask what you can give to ummah or humanity." May Allah guide us all. Peace

As Salamu Alaikum

Subhanallah! I totally agree here, we should start working on ourselves first and foremost.

Salams

Whenever, any moderator makes an attempt to enforce guidelines or busy with handling those who consider themselves cyber missionaries, please stay away from those threads. - Peace Maker

Peace Maker, I can only assume this comment was aimed at me since I am the one who posted the books and links that you are talking about.

I feel that you are lying on me by this statement.  I have never said nor claimed to be a Cyber missionary.  Please find a post where I have stated this? Please point out to me where in any post I have claimed to be a cyber missionary?

You asked for references and I found what I knew of, based off personal experiences of reading and interacting with persons from those websites. Who are you to even imply other wise?

What American, Candanian, or European Islamic orgnaization is going to list Apostates and create a support group for them? Please educate me brother I'm waiting. All the years I've been on this earth, surely I can learn more?

Just becuase I am talking about issues I believe to be important to Muslim women that happens to call for the personal accountability of Muslim men because Allah appointed them as the protectors and maintainers of women?

And furthermore, why isn't there a matured female moderator for the women's section instead of a man? This is exactly what I'm talking about. How can a Muslim man speak for me? Until you give birth brother, I don't need you or any other man advising me on PostPartum depression which this thread was supposed to be about.

It is clear that you have personal problem with me, and now I have one with you, because I feel you are lying on me, and I feel you are trying to determine my intentions which only Allah knows.

Mrs. Dia