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Date: July 23, 2022
The Initiative on Islam and Medicine (II&M)(https://www.medicineandislam.org/overview/) located in Brookfield, Wisconsin, conducts research on Islam and Biomedicine. Their research programs are focused on the theological, social, and biomedical aspects of religion and medicine and are meant to benefit the health of American Muslims and also in the development of an academic, multidisciplinary field of Islamic Bioethics. They support and provide scholarships to healthcare providers and religious leaders and act as a platform for impactful research and tailored education. Additionally, II&M provides educational opportunities, workshops, consultations, courses and certifications, medical student internships, and hosts events that facilitate the participation of medical and social scientists, Islamic studies experts, and Islamic scholars. After extensive pilot testing and methodical curation, as claimed by II&M, they have announced the launch of a self-paced, multi-modal course named “An Introduction to the Field of Islamic Bioethics”(https://www.medicineandislam.org/bioethics-course/) This course is said to benefit Muslim clinicians, healthcare practitioners, medical students and trainees, chaplains, religious leaders, bioethicists, and patients and is based on II&M’s principles of data-driven, theologically appropriate, and research-tested intellectual resources to engage with contemporary healthcare. The course will introduce learners to: * Critical concepts in Islamic theology and law that undergird normative ethical frameworks * Scholarly discussions regarding the methods, content, and scope of Islamic bioethics and * Extant normative rulings and discursive products of applied Islamic bioethics relate to end-of-life care, organ donation, and reproductive health. This course is based on adult learning theory and is a 10-module course that runs in 4-months cohorts. It involves: * Specially curated lectures and readings that allow for active learning as participants engage with the source material of Islamic bioethics, * Summative lectures that hit on the key points from the material with added experiential commentary and explanation from a practicing clinician, clinical ethicist, health policy consultant, and scholar * Short quick-hitting reflection questions and quizzes that allow for the learning to be concretized Additionally, the course yields 16.5 CME and MOC credits for physicians. At the completion of the course, participants will be able to: * Describe the sources of Islamic morality * Identify the producers, consumers, and the discursive material of Islamic bioethics * Describe the contentions around what constitutes the "Islamic" in Islamic bioethics * Apply critical analysis skills to decipher gaps in the Islamic bioethics discourse * Delineate the major Islamic juridical views on end-of-life healthcare, organ donation, and reproductive health Register now(https://www.medicineandislam.org/bioethics-course/) for the course at II&M’s website and avail of the introductory 50% discount.
"The best of what a man leaves behind are three: a righteous child who supplicates for him, ongoing charity the reward of which reaches him, and knowledge that is acted upon after him."
Sunan Ibn Mājah
"Every day two angels come down from Heaven and one of them says, 'O Allah! Compensate every person who spends in Your Cause,' and the other (angel) says, 'O Allah! Destroy every miser.'"
Sahih Bukhari
Common question that come across many in Islam religion is that to whom I should seek questions. Those who have deep understanding of the religion, and those who are well known for his religiosity and those who are established people of deep understanding. Don’t put your religious understanding with those who doesn’t have any religious understanding. The person to whom you are seeking religious knowledge should be striving and speaker of truth. When you seek knowledge, seek it from a tree that has fruits. Knowledge is not a bunch of information. It must incorporate some intellect and it must sound understanding. One who is having the right attitude and keeping away from sins is the right person to seek information and questions. You can seek knowledge from renowned persons and scholars who are providing speeches through internet videos; YouTube videos etc. while approaching a source for your doubts, be careful, consider and consult.
Read MoreReem Shaikh is a 17-year-old Muslim hails from Houston. Wonderful news is that she has finished memorizing Qur’an when she was just seven and traveled to Egypt to learn Arabic. She did not get an opportunity to go to regular schools. She was homeschooled until the age of 12. Then she pursued her bachelors in Islamic Studies at Qatar University. The very fact is that children who are homeschooled will be stereotyped as illiterates. But case for Reem is something different. She is now a social activist and joined Doha youth forum, a forum from UN to give youth an opportunity to voice their opinions, last year. She was the only young Muslim girl who addressed UN delegates and answered their questions on role of youth in fighting crimes around the world.
Read MoreThe month of Safar is one of the 12 months of the Hijri calendar, the month succeeds Muharram. Safar literally means ‘empty’ or a house that is empty. According to some scholars, it is named because of emptying (Isfaar) of Mecca. People used to travel extensively in this month. Some scholars say that the Arabs believed in the sacredness of the holy months: Dhul Qadha, Dhul Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab. They did not indulge in war or any other crime in theses months and used to wait for such months to be over. In Safar they used to fight other tribes during this month. Among the superstitions of the pre-Islamic days, the month of Safar was considered to be inauspicious and taken as an ill omen. It was believed that the month would bring calamities along with a lot of diseases and economies would be destroyed. The pagans didn’t start any important work or new project in this month. Islam is a religion of truth & veracity. It’s the religion which illuminated the world with belief in Tawheed (Oneness of God, the Exalted) and Risalat (Prophethood). With the emergence of Islam, the superstitions and heresies of all kinds that prevailed at the time of pre-Islamic era, have been ended. Unfortunately, many of the Muslims have imbibed these superstitions. On one hand, omens and bad lucks have been associated with the month and, on the other hand, self-made solutions for such things was proposed as well. Today too, some Muslims are still holding the incorrect beliefs regarding the month of Safar. Some of the erroneous believes are as follows: * A nikah performed in the month of Safar would not be successful. Sayyadina Ali (Radi Allahu anhu) and Sayyiditina Fatima (Radi Allahu anha) got married, in the latter days of Safar 2 A.H. * This month is full of calamities and misfortune. * To commence any important business, venture etc. during this month will be of great loss. * The first to the 13th of Safar is ill-fortune and evil. * A person who distributes food or money on the 13th day of Safar will be saved from its bad luck. What Muslims should do? * Shun all types of erroneous beliefs regarding the month of Safar. * Note that the most unfortunate person is he who disobeys Allah’s commandments e.g. does not perform the five daily Salah etc. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: "Pray, O Allah! - Cause not any of us to be a wretched destitute" Then he asked: "Do you know who is a wretched destitute? " Upon the request of the Sahabah he replied, "A wretched destitute is he who neglects his salaat." (Hadith). * We all should understand that all conditions which befalls us, favorable or unfavorable, good or bad are from Allah, (as a result of our actions). "Whichever misfortune befalls you, it is due to the things your hands have wrought, and He forgives many a sin." (Al-Quran: 42:30). This can be confirmed by the following Hadith: _"I have heard Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) saying, the descending of illness and evil superstition befalling in the month of Safar is not true."_ - Jabir (Radi Allahu anhu) (Muslim) There is nothing ominous in the month of Safar. Evil deeds & incorrect beliefs are ominous and should be given up & repented for. It’s incorrect to delay or postpone marriage or its proposal or a journey, etc. because of such beliefs. Rejecting the fake beliefs of the days of ignorance, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, ‘Belief in ill-omen is Shirk (polytheistic) (thrice he said) and the owl’s ominousness is nothing.’ The Mushriks of Arabia believed that a house near which an owl screeches will be ruined, hence, Rasoolullah Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam refuted this belief as false. Then, he said, ‘There is nothing ominous about the Month of Safar’. (Bukhari) The polytheists believed the Month of Safar up to the 13th day to be inauspicious, hence, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) rejected this superstition. It’s therefore wrong for all Muslims, who are the followers of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), to adopt the ways of the non-Muslims and to entertain the very beliefs which he had come to change. May Allah, the Exalted grant all Muslims the ability to accept and practice all the beautiful teachings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), Aameen.
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