Between Anxiety and Trust in Allah

 

Most of us have a routine. We wake up at a certain time, brush our teeth, go to the same job, eat the same foods, and so on.

But life is full of uncertainties. Life itself is uncertain. And every now and then the false sense of certainty that our routine gives us is pulled back and we experience the uncertain reality of life.

This uncertainty of life has been a defining factor of my life lately. Since I have moved from my home, and as my husband and I seek the means to build a new life, we have been in constant state of flux.

Our life together has been a series of packing, unpacking, repacking, moving, unpacking, and doing it all again.

Tethering to Allah

This may all sound like a great adventure to some who feel stuck in a rut or those who just like to be on the move.

But for me, someone who has suffered from pretty serious anxiety from an early age, uncertainty is like poison.

Stability and routine is a coping mechanism that many people with anxiety cling to.

And when the illusions of stability and certainty are pulled back from my life, it causes an extreme reaction.

My brain goes into overdrive sending signals that I am in constant, life threatening danger. It is a feeling and a state of distress that only those who have experienced it can really understand.

It is a feeling of terror that you are floating away into space not knowing if you can make your way back to solid ground.

However, for the past fifteen years since converting to Islam, I have made Islam my solid ground. No matter where I am, I pray at certain times.

No matter who surrounds me, I know that I have brothers and sisters in faith who know my heart. No matter what upheaval is happening, I know that in Islam I have certainty and stability.

To feel like I can and will make my way back to solid ground, I have tethered myself to my belief in Allah (SWT).

This is a part of the gift of Islam that Allah (SWT) gave to humanity because even for people who do not suffer from mental health issues these certainties provide comfort.

But for those of us with anxiety, or depression, or bipolar disorder, or borderline personality disorder this stability is so much more meaningful.

Allah’s Perfect Plan

But lately, even these stable touch points have not been enough to counter the intense anxiety that has swelled inside my mind.

Everything in my world is in upheaval. Nothing is certain, nothing can be planned, and even the simplest plans change a hundred times.

It came to a point where I felt as if I could not take much more. I ask Allah (SWT) in desperation to show me what I needed to learn, how I needed to change.

I needed to know what Allah was guiding me to or away from so that I could just feel better, stable.

After asking Allah to guide me, all I could think of was His plan. The reality is not that life is uncertain.

The reality is that we just don’t know what is certain. With Allah is certainty.

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:

“Allah wrote down the decrees of creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth.” (Sahih Muslim)

And Allah Almighty asks us to trust His plan. He tells us in the Quran:

{[…] and put your trust in Allah if you are believers indeed} (Quran 5: 23)

I realized that I could not and cannot know what harm Allah (SWT) may be keeping from me. I cannot know, at this point, what Allah may be directing me toward.

All I know is the bitterness of the prevention and/or guidance and I have to put my trust in Allah if I strive to be a mu’min (a believer).

After asking Allah to guide me, I could only think that it might hurt now, but Allah’s plan is perfect and if I trust in Him as He has asked, it will be more than OK.

The Prophet said:

“I am amazed by the believer. Verily, Allah does not decree anything for the believer except what is good for him.” (Muslim)

Allah’s Perfect Knowledge

After asking Allah (SWT) to guide me, I could only think that Allah knows it hurts, but sometimes the medicine is bitter.

But He also knows that and is with me as I struggle. He is with me in times when I feel like a puddle of pain, panic, and tears; and He has a perfect plan for what is on the other side of this instability, this upheaval. He is the ultimate knower, Al-`Alim (the All-Knowing).

{And He is the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful.} (Quran 30:54)

As I focused on Allah’s perfect plan and knowledge, and returned to these thoughts day after day, they started to become a few more tethers to solid ground.

Truly knowing and internalizing, as I move forward, that no matter where I am, what I am going through, Allah is with me in His knowledge and has a perfect plan has become a great comfort to me.

While I fully recognize and advocate seeking medical means to good health including good mental health– It takes medical attention, physical activity, and spiritual awareness– having faith in Allah’s plan and knowledge are a few more touch points of stability that I and anyone can use to cope with anxiety and other forms of mental health issues.

- aboutislam.net

About Theresa Corbin

Theresa Corbin is the author of The Islamic, Adult Coloring Book and co-author of The New Muslim’s Field Guide. Corbin is a French-creole American and Muslimah who converted in 2001. She holds a BA in English Lit and is a writer, editor, and graphic artist who focuses on themes of conversion to Islam, Islamophobia, women's issues, and bridging gaps between peoples of different faiths and cultures. She is a regular contributor for AboutIslam.net and Al Jumuah magazine. Her work has also been featured on CNN and Washington Post, among other publications. Visit her blog, islamwich, where she discusses the intersection of culture and religion.

Mother, Now I Know

 

When you are a mother, you will know. This is usually the closing statement at the end of a long-winded argument between mother and daughter.

The two bicker over everything under the sun, from what outfit the daughter should wear to Aunt Aliya’s dinner party to whether she should take up the job opportunity in Way-Too-Far-To-Even-Discuss-Town, USA.

Dominant cause: the generation gap. This phenomenon has led to the all too familiar “FINE!” which usually leaves a smoke cloud spelling the word irony, as both mother and daughter march off in opposite directions in a huff.

Therefore, in an effort to better understand my mother’s vantage point, and to finally purge myself of an embarrassing memory—picture an eleven year old girl, about to hit the popularity jackpot with new friends at a picnic, interrupted by a loud reminder from across the park to use the bathroom—I have decided to use an effective psychiatric tool: role play. 

Becoming a Mom

Begin magical, glittery, “Bibbidi bobbidi boo”-esque transformation from hot-blooded 25-year-old dressed in head-to-toe New York and Company pieces, to quiet, regal 53 year-old suburban “mom-arch.”

How can I allow her go to Atlanta all by herself? If she was married, sure, she could go with her husband. She would be taken care of, and we wouldn’t have to worry about her safety and security. Not to mention the burden of answering to the community!

What will people think? That we are so westernized that we would let our daughter roam around the world as she pleases? Allah save us from ever getting such a reputation! It was risqué enough to let her go away to university.

If she had gone locally, she would have done just as well in her studies, and probably would have found a nice boy to boot… Come to think of it, had she remained at home after high school, she would have surely been married by now!

We shouldn’t have let her talk us out of considering those proposals. Well, Allah knows best, but I really do hope that we can get her married off this year God willing. Now if only we could find her a nice, handsome, tall boy, preferably a doctor or a lawyer. Oohhhh, my head. I think I need a Tylenol.

Same Patterns?

Worrying about her is taking a toll on my health! Can’t she see that I am falling ill? Maybe that is her silent wish! What did we do wrong? Hasbunallahu wa ni’mal-wakeel. Allah is sufficient for us and is the best One to put trust in.

Oh, how I want grandchildren. Her father and I just want her to be happy. Or rather, happier.

I know she is a hardworking, intelligent girl, and I thank God for blessing us with the means to give her a good education. Inshallah, she will land a decent job.

I worry though with the economy being what it is. Had she enrolled in medical school like I had hoped, she would be having a far easier time now, but no one can force this generation to do anything. We are soft. If she were a doctor, we probably would have found a nice boy…

People tell me not to worry so much, but sometimes I feel they pity her. They look at her as if she is deficient in something because she is single at her age. Her friends are all married.

It’s like wherever I turn, I see a pattern… a pattern that my daughter does not follow for some reason. It feels like we are doing something wrong! Sometimes the pressure is too much. She will be fine though, by the grace of God. She does not need anyone’s pity! Not at all!

Watching her from the doorway as she combs her hair and gets ready to go volunteer at some event (I can never keep track of her engagements), I am suddenly nostalgic for my youth, when I too was a campus queen, and involved in a number of activities at my college.

Elections were always the most exciting time. How everyone cheered when I passed through and stood at the podium to deliver my speech.

I know she thinks I’m just her nagging mother, but she doesn’t know how popular I was amongst my peers! It’s quiet now. I don’t like it when she leaves. I tell her that, but she is quick to tease me with her always ready response- What if I meet my future husband there, mom?

Her hobbies are definitely not cooking and cleaning. She would rather be on stage. When I ask her to sweep and mop the kitchen floor, it has to become a Broadway production. She is so care-free and silly sometimes.

I hope she continues to have that spirit. I want her to be happy… always. (The clock strikes midnight. Cue piano music. “Abracadabra”…and POOF! Daughter returns to her original place.)

Mother, now I know…

- aboutislam.net

Are There Too Many Restrictions on Women?

 

Modesty

As for on women being restricted in dress, in the West, on the one hand women seem to be saying: “I am equal to a man, I have brains!” Then, on the other, they still want to be seen as pleasing to the male gaze.

And why is there no major outcry about the use of sex in advertising or the use of the female human being in strip clubs as sex objects for entertainment? 

In contrast, by covering herself, a Muslim woman declares that she is equal to man and has brains. She closes the door to being seen as “a piece of meat”. She shuts out the male gaze, objectification, and declares complete ownership over her body and sexuality.

Prayer

As for women praying behind men, it is not because women are seen as inferior. They are not inferior. Muslim prayers involve bowing and prostrating. If women were next to or in front of men, their movements would be distracting. It is again, to keep their chastity and avoid focusing on their bodily existence. 

Marriage

On this topic Shakiel Humayun writes: 

Both Quranic and Old Testament verses that prohibited marriage to other faiths stated a rationalization- to not be turned away from God. However, the Quranic verse, stating the permissibility for a man to marry a Jewish or Christian woman, did not mention a rationalization.

Of course, this is not to say that a rationalization cannot exist simply because one was not mentioned. But, it does indicate that using the rationalization from the verse with the universal prohibition for the verse with the unilateral permissibility would be incorrect.

Likewise, misconstrued rationalizations for verses in both the Old Testament and the Quran, such as claiming the verses call for discrimination or unequal treatment of women also need to be rejected as they do not coincide with the spirit nor the letter of either law respectively.

However, the rationalization put forth that a Muslim woman is protected while married to a Muslim man by her Islamic rights, like the right to property ownership, the right to her identity (not changing her name), the right to vote, the right not to take on any financial burdens of the family if she so wishes, the right to inheritance, etc., seems to be a strong one, and even stronger in the past when women hardly had rights. (Continue reading here)

- aboutislam.net

How to Be Patient Like Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

 

The life of this world is a place of test and trial. It is not meant to be a phase of consistent, uninterrupted happiness, well-being, and goodness. 

Allah decrees tragedies, calamities, grief, and loss for us during the life of this world. No person among mankind is free from being destined to endure some level of difficulty.

Allah sent Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a messenger for the last of mankind. He was, however, meant to be more than just a person who conveyed Allah’s message of guidance. He was also meant to be a role model; someone for mankind to emulate.

Prophet Muhammad was a human being. During his life, Prophet Muhammad endured many trials that tested his human nature. What stood out prominently for bystanders was his patient demeanor. His attitude was always positive during the difficult times in his life.

He was the epitome of beautiful patience and fortitude.

Crying at the Death of Loved Ones

At some point in life, each one of us endures the death of a near and dear one. It can bring on a barrage of emotions. To know that you will never meet, see, or talk to them again, makes you cry.

The Prophet Muhammad would cry when his loved ones died. This means that shedding tears does not negate patience. We tend to have varying beliefs about watching a grown man cry with tears. The Prophet, however, did cry real tears when he was deeply aggrieved.

One such example was when his cousin, Ja’far ibn Abi Talib, the older brother of `Ali, died in the battle of Muta. Ja’far took command of the army when the previous commander, Zaid ibn Haritha, was martyred. Ja’far fought valiantly, but was also eventually martyred.

When the Prophet went to deliver the sad news to Ja’far’s wife, Asma, he requested to see Ja’far’s children. Upon seeing them, he hugged them, his tears flowing, before delivering the sad news. When Asma started grieving, however, the Prophet advised her commendably:

O Asma! Do not say any bad words and do not beat your chest.

He then commanded her women companions to prepare food for Ja’far’s grieving family. (Ibn Hisham, ibid, Vol. 4, p. 22; Ibn Sa’d, ibid, Vol. 8, p. 282)

His advice indicates that crying is not against patience. We can cry during a calamity. What undermines patience is to speak something that can anger Allah.

The Prophet also cried when his young son, Ibrahim, passed away. His eyes flowed with tears, but he was careful not to say anything that would displease Allah. (Jami`Al-Tirmidhi)

Ibrahim was his third son to pass away in early childhood. Yet, how patient was the Prophet’s behavior, in a society that looked down upon any man who had no son.

We learn, therefore, that if and when we lose someone beloved due to death, it is okay to cry in grief. However, we must be careful not to say anything to question the decree of Allah.

This is what the Prophet’s patience teaches us. He lost many of his loved ones to death during his life. Yet, he never once complained or expressed dissatisfaction at Allah’s decree.

Restraining His Anger

Another form of patience that a Muslim should practice is the control of anger. There are many factors that can contribute to making one angry.

Most causes of anger in everyday life are trivial, i.e. they do not warrant losing patience. Nevertheless, a Muslim is allowed to get angry for just causes and valid reasons. However, it is what they do when they get angry, that constitutes patience.

Prophet Muhammad rarely got angry. But when he did, it was justifiable, praiseworthy anger, directed at an issue that warranted such anger. Still, he always refrained from harsh verbal rebukes and retaliatory physical aggression.

He remained silent and would go red in the face. At times, he would stop talking to the person who had done what made him angry. He would also not respond to questions of others about the matter.

What made him angry the most, was when he witnessed someone violate or dispute the laws and commands of Allah.  For example he once got very angry when he passed by two companions who were arguing about Qadr (i.e. Divine decree). (Sunan Ibn Majah)

He also expressed his anger when he saw a curtain in his home that had pictures of animate beings upon it. (Sahih Al-Bukhari) He once stopped talking to all of his wives for one month, when they collaborated on something that hurt him. (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

One thing that stood out about his anger, though, was that he did not express it as personal insults or mistreatment.

For example, once a Bedouin pulled him aside a bit harshly, to demand a gift from the war booty. The sudden jerk made a heavy mantle that the Prophet was wearing, leave a mark on his neck. Despite the physical abrasion, he still smiled and ordered the man to be given something. (Sahih Muslim)

The Prophet Muhammad’s suppression of his personal anger, and his measured expression of anger for the sake of Allah, teaches us valuable lessons about patience.

First, that we should try to control our anger as much as possible. And this is part of patience.

Second, that when we do get angry, it should be only for the sake of Allah.

Third, that we should express this praiseworthy anger in tempered moderation. We should be careful what we say and do, even when our anger is justified.

And this is a form of practicing beautiful patience, in accordance with the sunnah of the Prophet.

Submitting to Allah: The Supreme Form of Patience

Lastly, one of the supreme forms of patience of Prophet Muhammad was his submission to Allah. Despite personal difficulty, whenever Allah commanded him to do something as a Prophet, he did it. This included actions that had an adverse impact on his social life and well-being.

Often in the Quran, Allah mentions the constriction of the Prophet’s heart due to the hurtful things done to him by his own people.

For example, Allah commanded him to marry the divorcee of his adopted son, Zaid. This was very hard on him because Arabian society considered this to be a social taboo. He nevertheless went ahead with the marriage.

Similarly, it was very difficult for him to leave his city Makkah, which he loved dearly. Yet, when the command from Allah came to emigrate to Madinah, he submitted.

If we were to study Prophet Muhammad’s life, putting ourselves in his shoes, we would have an epiphany. It would hit us hard how difficult and painful a life he endured with patience after becoming a Prophet. It would make our hearts melt with love for him.

To know how to beautifully practice patience, we need to look no further than the harsh realities in the life of Prophet Muhammad.

- aboutislam.net

About Sadaf Farooqi

Sadaf Farooqi is an author, blogger and freelance writer based in Karachi, Pakistan. To date, Sadaf has authored over 300 original articles, most of which can be accessed on her blog, "Sadaf's Space" (sadaffarooqi.wordpress.com). She has recently started self-publishing her past articles as non-fiction Islamic books, which are available on Amazon and Kindle (www.amazon.com/author/sadaffarooqi)

Breaking the Chains of Lust: Ibn `Atta’s Timeless Wisdom

 

In his well-known book, Al-Hikam (Words of Wisdom), sheikh Ahmad Ibn `Ataa’illah As-Sakandari says:

Who finds it strange that the Lord saves him from lusts, and extracts him from inattention, has doubted the Majestic Power and Might: {… For God alone holds invincible power over all things.} (Al-Kahf 18:45)

Ibn `Ataa’illah expresses here Satan’s deception of those who deviated from the Straight Path of Allah and those who gave themselves over to their lusts and personal whims.

It happens that someone may wake up from the state of heedlessness, perversity and going astray from the Creator and His ordinances and may find in himself a desire to forsake all these and return to his Lord.

At this very moment, Satan appears and starts to whisper to him that he is too weak to resist these lusts and desires. He tries to convince him that he will always be subject to such immoral acts and responsive to their demands.

In so doing, Satan may also remind him of some of his past bad deeds and the taste of failure he found so many times following unsuccessful attempts to fight against these lusts and personal whims.

Satan affirms him that all his present or even future efforts will be of no avail no matter how serious he is. Consequently, one gives in, obeys Satan and, finally, gives himself up to lustful desires and fails to subject himself to reason.

Apparently, Satan’s sole aim behind this is nothing but to evoke into one’s self despair and certainty that one is incapable of resisting his own lusts and thus yield himself thereto until the inevitable end, namely death.

The question that begs answering here is: Is there anything that may protect one from getting misled by this deception?

The only thing capable of protecting one from this deception is to remember Allah’s Power and Kindness and to recall that it is Him Who put down in the human self its lusts and desires as He put down therein its innate faith and lofty aspiration. Allah says in the Ever-Glorious Qur’an,

{And by the soul and Him who fashioned it – and informed it with consciousness of its wickedness and its righteousness!}. (Ash-Shams 91: 7-8)

If Satan is the one who tempts man to be super responsive to his lustful desires, it is Allah Alone Who helps man to curb them and stop them at their legal boundaries. It all depends on man who should seek help from Allah to bridle his own lusts just as he/she surrendered – in the beginning – to Satan and unleashed his/her lusts.

Man, here as a disobedient slave, should approach his Creator through humility and poverty, begging Him to ease what is hard, and to elevate him to the levels of the virtuous. Indeed if Allah approaches the sinners and wrongdoers, He will change their sins into good deeds. Allah says in the Qur’an,

{And should there be any insinuation by Satan to instigate you to do otherwise, then seek refuge in God. Indeed, He is all-Hearing, all-Knowing}. (Al-A`raf 7: 200), and

{For, indeed, those who are God-fearing remember God’s covenant when touched with a passing impulse from Satan- and at once they see things as truly they are}.(Al-A`raf 7: 201), and

{God is the Patron of those who believe. He brings them out from the veils of darkness into the light. And those who disbelieve, their patrons are false deities. They bring them out from the light into the veils of darkness. These are the Companions of the Fire of Hell. They shall abide therein forever}. (Al-Baqarah 2: 257)

It is by the Grace and Kindness of Allah that He always reminds His slave of his own weakness and inability in a way to lead him to direct his face towards Him to ask for sustenance, help and relief from all difficulties. An aspect of this weakness is the fact that man recurrently gets defeated by lustful desires in a way that may paralyze one’s mental powers and impede his/her free will.

Therefore, it is the duty of the believers upon seeing such danger; namely, their human weakness as well as their inability to resist it; it is their duty to instantly flee to Allah, take refuge in Him, and ask Him for help.

Then, it would be Allah’s Pleasure and Grace to rescue them, answer their prayers and protect them from the evil of their own lusts and desires.

All people are equal in terms of this weakness; there is no doubt about this. Yet, they differ according to their differences and variation in fleeing to Allah and seeking protection in Him. This is Prophet Yusuf (Peace be upon him) as complaining to Allah about his weakness before the seduction of the wife of the then High Minister of Egypt as saying,

{He said: My Lord! Prison would be dearer to me than that to which they call me. For if You do not turn their cunning away from me, I might incline toward them and so become one of the wayward and ignorant}. (Yusuf 12: 33)

Swiftly, the answer to his invocation as well as salvation come to him in Allah’s saying,

{So his Lord answered him. Thus He turned their cunning away from him. Indeed, it is He who is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing}. (Yusuf 12: 34)

To conclude, whoever depends on himself to get released from his lusts and sensual desires will surely suffer from despair when his attempts are gone with the wind. And, whoever finds it strange or impossible that Allah will save him from his lusts and take him out of his heedlessness has declared divine power impotent and this is even worse than despair.

However, whoever depends on Allah with the certain belief that he is incapable of resisting by himself and that there is no power or might save with Allah, despair will never find a way to his heart. This is because the former depends on himself, while the latter depends on Allah the Almighty Who Alone holds invincible power over all things.

---

References

• Hammad, Ahmad Zaki. The Gracious Qur’an: A Modern-Phrased Interpretation in English. Arabic-English Parallel Edition. 2009. Lucent Interpretations, LLC. USA.
• Al-Bouti, M. Said Ramadan. Al-Hikam Al-`Ataa’iyyah: Sharh wa Tahlil [The Words of Wisdom by Ibn `Ataa’illah: Explanation and Analysis]. Dar Al-Fikr Al-Mu`asir, Beirut, Lebanon; Dar Al-Fikr, Damascus, Syria. 2003.
• The Book of Wisdom [The Hikam of Ibn Ata’Illah As-Sakandary] with translation of the explanation and commentary by `Abdel Magueed Al-Sharnouby Al-Azhary, an abridged version of the initial explanation and commentary by Ibn `Abbad Al-Nafary Al-Rundi. Electronic Version.

- aboutislam.net

About Dr. Ali Al-Halawani

Dr. Ali Al-Halawani is Assistant Professor of Linguistics and Translation Studies. He is an author, translator, and writer based in Canada. To date, Al-Halawani authored over 400 original articles on Islam and Muslims, most of which can be accessed on www.aboutislam.net and other famous websites. He has recently started to self-publish his articles and new books, which are available on Amazon and Kindle. You can reach him at alihalawani72@hotmail.com.

Night Prayer and Human Body Clock

 

The sleep-wake cycle of the pineal gland becomes disrupted as we increasingly eat, socialize and sleep, not questioning the psychological and physical effects of our pre-occupations.

In trying to keep up with the schedules of the day,  it becomes increasingly difficult to switch off the problems of the outside world we take home affecting domestic commitments.

“Surely in the daytime you have prolonged occupation” (Quran 73:7).

This implies that there is counter-balance in the night to daily preoccupations. What could be achieved in the evenings could sustain and nourish us into the day.

However, we use artificial light to extend those pre-occupations. Once the daylight ends, the pineal gland goes into increased production of melatonin. By extending light artificially to levels of and above 500lux, we impede its production.

A darkened room with a 100watt bulb provides 100lux if we are five feet away. This doesn’t compromise the release of melatonin.

Factors Affecting Melatonin Production

Factors in our working lives can affect melatonin production. Electric utility workers based at a generation station were found to have reduced melatonin levels being exposed to electro-magnetic fields.

Their colleagues in the administrative section working below 60hz of alternating current working in low light offices in the daytime also had reduced nighttime melatonin levels (Penton p.1).

Other elements also compromise the pineal gland like tranquilizers, beta-blockers, calcium channel blocking drugs, sleeping pills like benzodiazepines, Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs like Ibuprofen and excessive (3mg daily) intake of Vitamin B-12 (Nedley p.6, 7).

Night-time Praying

When the sun sets, the pineal gland shifts gear and produces its primary hormone melatonin in larger quantities until it peaks from 2 – 3.00a.m in the morning (Majidali p.7)

The question on the purpose of sleep continues to haunt scientists. In vibrational medicine, one hour of sleep balances each chakra, with a minimum of three hours in total for really healthy people.

For the really healthy, three hours is all that is needed by the higher chakras, which in turn balances the four lower ones (Gurudas p.60).

So what do we do with the rest of the night?

“Rise for prayer in the night, except a little, Half of it or less. Or add to it – and recite the Qur’an in slow, measured, rhythmic tones” (Surat Al-Muzzammil 73:2-4).

Fadhlalla Haeri informs us that these verses tell us to take what we need for rest and if we rise from rest there is balance in it.

“Surely rising in the night is stronger in impact, and straighter in speech (Surat Al-Muzzammil 73:6).

He continues saying that ‘Nashiatul-layl’ is the maximum darkness during which one’s sleep is sound, the energies are low, and the field of reflection is clear and empty. This part of the night has the best results (Haeri p.12-14).

The part of our body that functions in this capacity is the pineal gland. In the Indian tradition, it is the Seat of Consciousness, the seventh energy point, the Crown Chakra. The pituitary and the pineal gland work in unison through relaxation and meditation which Rasulullah (saw) practiced much before The Revelation.

Flashes of intuition occur with increased practice, raising consciousness from an emotional nature to awareness. Haeri continues, “when we go into sajdah our individual profiles are obliterated when performed meditatively. We are in Tawhid (unity) echoing the cosmic expansion” (Haeri p.38).

In Indian tradition the seventh chakra spiritualizes the intellect and is associated with the personal ability to integrate with Allah (swt). Then spiritual fulfillment is able to resolve negative emotions.

Pineal Gland

When the sun sets, the pineal gland shifts gear and produces its primary hormone melatonin in larger quantities until it peaks from 2 – 3.00a.m in the morning (Majidali p.7). It is a derivative of the amino acid trytophan, and rises and falls daily within our blood according to the circadian cycle (Ultranet p.1).

This cycle sets the biological clocks, turns on the immune system and inhibits tumor promoters like estrogen (Penton p.1) Jet-lag is a disturbance in this cycle (Sleep p.7).

The center of navigation in birds and other animals, the light sensitive pineal gland produces the hormones: melatonin, epithalamin, serotonin, vasotonin and melanin. Epithalamin is related to our learning capacity and slows aging; serotonin has a strong influence on sleep, pain and well being and vasotonin is related to rapid deep sleep (Gates p.1).

The hormone antigonadotropin suppresses ovulation (Medic p.8). Melatonin regulates the sleep-wake cycle and inhibits sex hormones before puberty. In addition, Jordanian scientist Samer Hattar’s recent research has discovered that a single protein cell –melanopsin- in the retina seems to detect light by which the human body’s internal clock is reset. (Hattar p.1).

Modern-day Living and Melatonin Production

Melatonin production is reduced by late-night TV viewing.

The 1995 National Sleep Foundation polls revealed that half of American adults have sleeping problems at one time or another.

Habits like drinking alcohol too late, exercising before bedtime, sleeping at different times, concentrating on work before trying to sleep and shift work are contributory factors (NSF p.4).

In addition, production of melatonin is reduced by excessive exposure to artificial light, late-night T.V viewing, electromagnetic fields, chemical pollutants like pesticides and beta-blockers for heart disease, high blood pressure and headaches.

Studies indicate that even the most modest exposure to extended light stresses our bodies, accelerates aging and debilitates the immune and nervous systems.

Caffeine in coffee, black tea and certain types of sodas reduce melatonin jeopardizing its natural antioxidants, which are vital to cell protection during waking hours. Yet it must be said it is the quality not the quantity of sleep that restores and rejuvenates the body.

In children, melatonin levels are 120 picograms dropping to 60 picograms at ages 20 – 30.  Seen as a ‘youth drug’ store bought melatonin has reportedly caused fatigue, depression and arterial constriction (NSF p.2, 3). In England and Canada, it is considered a drug and only obtainable by prescription.  The FDA has yet to remove it from US health stores.

Modest food restrictions increase the number of melatonin receptors in the body, so short-term fasting is seen as a plus increasing day-time plasma melatonin levels to night-time levels (Majidali p.2, 7, 12).

One can also increase one’s melatonin levels naturally from foods like oats which contains 1,796 picograms, sweet corn at 1,366 picograms, rice at 1,006 picograms, ginger at 583 picograms and barley at 378 picograms (Gates p. 1, 2).

In vibrational medicine when the chakras are aligned and balanced there is a greater appetite for food in its natural state and greater sensitivity to the chemical environment that man has created for himself (Gurudas p.170).

However, Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri reminds us, “All it takes is purification and awareness of our intentions, and then our intentions unify with our actions, then we are in tawhid (unity) with Allah (swt) and ikhlas (sincerity).”

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References:

• Gates, Jeffrey.“Getting Melatonin Naturally”. 1-3. Archives. NewCenturyNutrition.com. 12/24/01.
• “Gem Elixirs and Vibrational Healing. Vol.II”. USA: Cassandra Press. 1986.
• Haeri, Fadhlalla. “Nuradeen”. Britain: Zahra Publications. 1983.
• Hattar, Saad. G. “Jordanian Scientist Determines Single Cell Could Control Body’s Internal Clock”. Jordanian
• 06/07/02. 2.Middleeastwire.com. 07/11/02.
• com. “The Glandular System”. 5. 12/26/01.
• com.“The Age of Estrogen Overdrive”. Rats, Drugs and Assumptions. 1-9. 12/26/01.
• Medic-Planet.com.“ Hormonal System”.1-9. Medic-Planet.com. 12/26/01. Article.
• com/MP_articleNSF.“Melatonin: The Facts”.  1-11. Publications. National Sleep Foundation. 10/10/01.
• Nedley, Neil.“Melatonin: Miracle or Magic?’11/1/96. 1 – 9. Medical Reporter. 12/2401.
• Penton Media Inc. “Electric Magnetic Fields Reduce Melatonin”.  Oct’99. 1. Nutrition Science News.  News, Healthwellexchange.com. 10/10/01.
• Ultranet.com. “Melatonin and the Pineal Gland.”1. Biology. 10/13/01.

- aboutislam.net

About Hwaa Irfan

Late Hwaa Irfan, may her soul rest in peace, served as consultant, counselor and freelance writer. Her main focus was on traditional healing mechanisms as practiced in various communities, as opposed to Western healing mechanisms.

What Freedom Does Islam Give?

 

Allah gave us Islam which frees mankind from all sorts of oppression one can face.

When we submit to Allah, we find the path to freedom.

Not only do we free our soul, but our mind, correct our behavioral patterns, abolish unjust laws, polytheism, slavery, injustice, and so many other things.

We are freed from all evils as long as we actively seek to improve ourselves and to please Him.

The Prophet Muhammad was sent as a “mercy to mankind” to teach us about the blessings and freedoms that Allah has granted us.

All mankind is morally free, with the ability to be immoral, or moral. We are born in a natural state of submission to Allah with an innate sense of right and wrong. We must nurture our morals to improve ourselves to make this world a place of peace, and a place to grow as servants of Allah.

When a person faces oppression in any form, it destroys their self-image and naturally triggers a search within the self for spiritual growth, and seeking a higher purpose.

Islam gives mankind the motivation to break free from the chains of all of today’s social ills.  However, with freedom comes responsibility and dedication required to continue on the path of freedom by making healthy and righteous choices. If we slack in regards to any of these matters, we will fall back into the worldly prisons that we create for ourselves.

What freedoms has Allah bestowed upon us?

Freedom to Exercise Free Will

Mankind must adhere to limits within our choices available, actions, and deeds, otherwise we will witness a breakdown of moral conduct in society as a whole. Each one of us plays an important role in society.

However, freedom does not permit one to do just anything they please. We must stick to the teachings of Islam while striving and maintaining freedom to keep our souls, and society intact.

Allah gave man free will, but does this mean he is free from punishment?

No. We are free to do as we want, but we must respect the fact that there are consequences to our choices. Allah is most infinite in His wisdom. He gave us free will because if we didn’t have free will, we would never seek to please Him and society would fall into destruction!

When we know there are consequences to our actions, we become more God-conscious of our actions and choices. However, while having free will, if we commit a mistake, knowing there will be consequences to be faced, we are more likely to seek forgiveness, and strive to lead a morally upright life. It is a perfect system.

Freedom from Racism

Islam gave us freedom from racism 1400 years ago, but mankind is still plagued with this social ill. Why?

Mankind hasn’t implemented the teachings!

Allah gave all mankind equality, regardless of race or nationality. He told us:

O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you… (49:13)

Malcolm X, also known as Al-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, was originally an extreme racist, but after making his pilgrimage to Hajj, he witnessed the absence of racism amongst millions of pilgrims from all over the world. It changed his view forever, and he is now an icon identified with anti-racism to the world.

He began an anti-racism movement within the USA, and just a few decades later, we see racism diminishing. It still exists, but we know it is nothing like what it used to be.  All it takes is one person to make a difference to make an impact on the world.

Freedom from Social Status Barriers

Unlike other religions that exist today, Islam doesn’t consist of a caste system based on social status.

Islam promotes kindness and helping one another, regardless of who they are, or the social status.

Freedom from Financial Struggles

Islam came with a financial system that gives financial security to all mankind. Zakah (almsgiving) was commanded by Allah for those who have wealth that is unused for a period of one year to pay 2.5% on it to the poor.

This is a perfect balance, because zakah is not due upon anyone who doesn’t have excess money that year. He becomes free from this obligation, making a balanced system. Allah does not require the poor to pay zakah, and may actually be qualified to be the receiver.

Allah provides all mankind with sustenance (rizq):

And there is no creature on earth but that upon Allah is its provision, and He knows its place of dwelling and place of storage. All is in a clear register. (11:6) 

Freedoms Given to Women

Did you know that Allah gave women rights through Islam, long before society gave women their rights?

Human Rights – In Surat an-Nisa’ 4:1 Allah told us women were to have the basic human rights as men.

Social Rights – Women were given a duty to be educated, it is not just the right of their male counterparts. The Prophet said:

“Seeking knowledge is a duty upon every Muslim…” (Ibn-Majah)

Civil Rights – There are many narrations of the Prophet which indicate women would ask him questions directly as well as offer their opinions concerning religion, economics and social matters. The woman is also given the right to choose her spouse, and keeps her family name, because at that time when a wife married, she became the “property” of the husband and she took his name. She also has the ability to testify in legal matters.

Economic Rights – A woman was allowed to work, keep her earnings for herself, to own property, and be given support during marriage, kind treatment by her husband, and even supported through divorce, and child support if she has children. This was unheard of until the 19^th century in Europe.

…For men is a share of what they have earned, and for women is a share of what they have earned…(4:32)

Rights as a Wife – There are numerous verses throughout the Quran telling women that they are to be protected, fully supported, treated with kindness, and given numerous other rights in marriage that were not given to women previously.

Political Rights – In the Quran, Allah tells Prophet Muhammad that when the believing women come to him and swear their allegiance to Islam, he must accept their oath. It established the right of women to select their leader.

Finally, Islam does not forbid a woman from holding important positions in government. Women were consultants during the appointing of Uthman ibn Affan to the Caliphate.

- aboutislam.net

About Shannon Abulnasr

Shannon Abulnasr: An American convert sister who accepted Islam in 2006, and since has dedicated her efforts as an advocate supporting new Muslims after their shahadah. You can read her reversion story here and visit her website created for new Muslims and non-Muslims.