Jihad in the therapy room

Transcription

1 Jihad in the therapy room Faisal Mahmood 29 th Sep 2018 Marianne Fry Lecture, Bristol

2 Metaphor What metaphor, word or image comes to your mind when you think of Islam?

3 First Impression When was the first time you heard about the Islam? In what context? What was your response?

4 About me Born in Al-khobar Saudi Arabia

5 Lahore

6 London

7 What is. What is Islam? Your assumptions, judgements, prejudices

8 What is Islam Literal meaning - 'to submit' or 'surrender Peace Shahada (testimony) There is no god but God (Allah), and Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of God.

9 What is Islam Faith in Allah His angels His books His messengers The day of judgement The resurrection after death

10 Five pillars of Islam Shahada Faith Salah Prayer Zakat Charity Swam Fasting Hajj Pilgrimage to Mecca Testimony 5 times a day 2.5% Annually 30 Days Once in a lifetime

11 Islam a complete code of life Halal (do s) and Haram (don ts) Some basic fundamental religious agreements Significant cultural differences among Muslims Muslim population billions (PEW, 2010) By 2075 largest religion (PEW, 2010)

12 Islam Islamic worldview Racial diversity Monopoly on Truth? Quran the final testament?

13 A religion of terror Salman Rushdie 9/11, 7/7, Mumbai, Peshawar. Bin Laden ISIS Charlie Hebdo

14 A religion of terror Literal translation / Out of context Regressive Women Honour (Ghayrah); Modesty (Haya) Wedding night virginity testing Hymen restore surgery Oral and anal sex Covering up abuse Sexuality Gender re-assigning surgeries Conversion therapies

15 A religion of terror Intellectual stagnation Mashal Khan stripped, beaten, shot dead Corruption, political and religious oppression Poverty, moral famine, acute paranoia Suspended personal intelligence, creativity, and freedom Pathological obsession with the irrelevant details Banning printing press Ottoman empire Peppa pig & Three little pigs

16 A religion of terror What is the main problem? Quran Hadith Interpretation Culture Corruption moral and intellectual History Media West

17 A religion of peace Now here is the challenge

18 A religion of peace There shall be no compulsion in the religion (Quran 2:256) Pluralistic He has ordained for you of religion what He enjoined upon Noah and that which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and what We enjoined upon Abraham and Moses and Jesus - to establish the religion and not be divided therein. (Quran 42:13). Say, We believe in God and in that which He has revealed to us and to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, the descendants and that which was revealed to Moses, Jesus and that which was revealed to the prophets from their Lord, We make no difference between one and another and we bow in submission to Him (2:136).

19 A religion of peace Then, [O Muhammad], would you compel the people in order that they become believers? (Quran 10:99) Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly. (Quran 60:8)

20 A religion of peace To each of you We prescribed a law and a method. Had Allah willed, He would have made you one nation [united in religion], but [He intended] to test you in what He has given you; so race to [all that is] good. To Allah is your return all together, and He will [then] inform you concerning that over which you used to differ. (Quran 5:48)

21 Golden Era Dark Ages - 6 th to 13 th Century Two Muslim women, Fatima and Miriam al-firhi, created the world s first university, Al- Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morocco, in 859 AD Ibn Khaldun - one of the greatest historians ever and the founder of sociological sciences in the 14th and 15th centuries Jabir Ibn Hayyan - the founder of modern chemistry (8 th and 9 th century).

22 Golden Era Ibn Firnas is credited for creating the first parachute (9 th century). Qasim al Zahrawi, described as the father of surgery (10 th century). Al-Khwarizmi founder of the algebra, mathematician (10 th century) Ibn Haytham optics and vision; first ever pinhole camera (11 th century) Coffee 15 th century in Yemen

23 Golden Era Al-Biruni - Geography Al-Kindi Cryptography Avicena Physician, Philosopher Omar Khayyam Poet, Mathematician Al-Razi Medicine Ibn- Battuta Travelling ''If a dog dies hungry on the banks of the River Euphrates, Umar will be responsible for neglect of duty.'' (Umar Ibn al Khattab)

24 Muhammad s last sermon Quran and Sunnah Treat your wives with kindness + rights of women Finance no interest All mankind is from Adam and Hawwa (Eve), an Arab has no superiority over a non-arab, nor does a non-arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black, no a black has any superiority over a white except by good action.

25 Muslims Vs ISIS Muslim population: 1.6 billion ISIS: 30,000 Even if we treble the number: 90,000 Percentage: % To make 1% of the Muslim population supporters of the ISIS will require 16 million Muslims (that s all the Muslims in the Europe) It needs more than ISIS to make them representatives of Islam!

26 Jihad Vs Crusades 500,000 people died in Iraq since 2003 war related causes. 150,000 in Afghanistan and Pakistan Most affected countries Iraq Afghanistan Pakistan Nigeria Syria 5.6m fled the country, 6m displaced internally 400,000 killed

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28 Adam Vs Mohammed BBC responded to 100 job opportunities with resumes from two fake candidates one named Adam Henton and the other named Mohammed Allam. Although the two candidates had the similar levels of skills and experience, Adam got 12 interviews, while Mohammed got 4.

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30 Islamophobia and Brexit

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32 Punish a Muslim Day 3 rd April 2018 They have hurt you, they have made your loved ones suffer. They have caused you pain and heartache. What are you going to do about it?. There will rewards based on action taken. Points Action 10 Verbally abuse a Muslim 25 Pull the head scarf off a Muslim woman 50 Throw acid in face of a Muslim 100 Beat up a Muslim 250 a rack Torture a Muslim using electrocution, skinning, use of 500 Butcher a Muslim using gun, knife, vehicle or otherwise 1000 Burn or bomb a mosque 2500 Nuke Mecca

33 Jihad Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri : Fatwa on Terrorism and Suicide Bombings Haram Whoever kills a person, except as a punishment for murder or (as a prescribed punishment for spreading) disorder in the land, it is as if he killed all of humanity. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely (Quran 5:32)

34 Quran 3: 7 He is the One Who has revealed to you the Book comprising some firm and solid verses [i.e., literally clear and precise in meaning]; they are the foundation of [commandments] of the Book. And other verses are figurative [i.e., containing abstract and allusive meaning]. So, those who have deviation in their hearts follow only its figurative verses [just] under the urge to create disruption and with the motive to supply them self- seeking interpretation instead of their true interpretation. But none knows its true interpretation apart from God. And those who are perfectly firm in knowledge say: We believe in it. The whole (Book) has been revealed by our Lord. And direction and guidance is the share of only those who possess wisdom and insight (Quran3:7)

35 Jihad Holy war? Holy war al-harb al-muqadas To strive, to struggle Ink of a scholar is more holier than the blood of a martyr (Prophet Muhammad) West Geneva convention 1949 Islamic Strict protocols of war 1400 years ago

36 Jihad al Akbar The greater Jihad Combat with the self Inner striving for reflection, tolerance, moderation Bracketing off your own interpretation forcing others to accept your truth Muslim therapist to bracket off his/her religious perceived prejudice against sexual diversity

37 Gestalt and Spirituality Focus on experience any experience Buddhism + Taoism / Eastern philosophies Buber Shamanic healing Transpersonal Crocker (1999) significant mystery Philip Brownell relationship with a divine Being ; God being part of the field. ultimate concern and a central capacity of the human person spirituality!

38 Spirituality Vs Religion Spirituality can exist without any religion But not without God this may or may not be the same God as prescribed by different religions Religion is just a methodology may or may not be a successful methodology To follow a religion is mainly a risk aversive strategy Religion - linked with power, politics, control, discrimination, recruitment, oppression Trying to produce spiritual experiences on an industrial level!

39 I disagree with Philip Brownell God is not a part of the field (religion is) God is a part of the person Field Person and/or God

40 God and person inseparable Wahdatul Wajood Unity of existence We are closer to him/her than [his/her] jugular vein (50:16) So wherever you turn, there is the Face of Allah (2:115) Invisible God Ideal blank screen! Our own projections Consider God without any religious lens.

41 Ibn Arabi You presume others to be other than Allah. There is nothing other than He, but you do not know this. While you are looking at Him you do not recognize Him. When the secret opens to you, you will know that you are none other than He. Then you will also know that you are the one whom He wished, and that you are forever and will not disappear with time, for there is no passing of time. Your attributes are His. Without doubt, your appearance is His appearance.

42 Complex Field Allah Muhammad Quran Sunnah & Hadith Culture Sect Intrapsychic Geopolitical

43 Jihad in the therapy room 1 st generation Vs 2 nd, 3 rd, 4 th generations Perceived hypocrisy of the 1 st generation Infantile responses ambivalence is unbearable Inability to tolerate the idea of pluralism or multiple truths One God, One prophet, One religion, One nation, One truth Impulsivity supressed Retroflection Terrorism racism and oppression

44 Jihad in the therapy room My experiences as a client Selective disclosure / sharing Hopeless about the therapist s potential Shame, guilt, anger Stereotypes Internalised prejudice

45 Jihad in the therapy room My experiences as a therapist Clarification re addiction, sexuality, Muslim clients big brother; wise mature man; only want to work with a Muslim therapist ; Cultural and religious understanding Possessing two different dimensions one with fellow Muslims; one with the others

46 Jihad in the therapy room Therapeutic considerations: Theoretical biases Western culture Individualised approach I Therapist s challenges your own narcissism Lack of attention training, supervision Submission nature of contact - person and God Misdiagnosis over diagnosis Introjection Learn to tolerate God God is not always an oppressive force

47 Jihad in the therapy room Therapeutic considerations : Authority / clarity reduce ambivalence at initial stages Assess the situation extremely diverse population Able to see the client with and without the shades of Islam Terrorism is a serious crime be clear Nothing is sacred enough to be explored in the therapy room

48 Jihad in the therapy room Therapeutic considerations : Field conditions both for you and your client Be aware of your own extreme parts Body focused work specific challenges Not all Muslims are anti-west Be aware of your prejudices re Islam: Women, parental oppression, Imams, sexuality, marriages, Notice your tendency to over identify Muslims are mainly normal human beings

49 Thanks Any Questions