A recent study which found US Muslims are twice likely to attempt suicide than those of other faiths has raised alarm among Muslims.
Seeking to find solution and defy stigma attached to mental health problems, the Islamic Center of Northridge, California hosted a mental health workshop to help community cope with life challenges.
The event came as the US marks the 20th anniversary of 9/11 attacks, which led to a huge increase in hate crimes.
Also the return of Taliban to power has opened up old wounds and caused great anxiety for Afghan Americans.
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“The return of the Taliban, it’s kind of reopening old wounds — so to speak — in our communities. The anniversary of 9/11 being so close to the Taliban coming back into power, people still remember a lot of it,” said Ibrahim Qureshi, an imam at the Islamic Center of Northridge, Patch.com reported.
He added: “It’s been a while, and sometimes you lose focus on why things happen. This is an opportunity for us to go back to the roots and help people connect the dots and structure their own thought process.”
Existing Problems
The shocking study about Muslim suicide appeared in the American Medial Association’s JAMA Network journal in September.
Qureshi said he was not surprised by the study as he has been organizing mental health workshops for years to help educate his community about this threat.
“It was always there; people just never diagnosed it. It’s always been a problem. It’s always been an issue. But now people are more comfortable coming forward and talking about it, as opposed to in the past where people felt like if they consider themselves a good Muslim, they shouldn’t talk about it,” Qureshi said.
“But that stigma [is being] erased and is moving away slowly. People are just coming forward more.”
Allah tells us that “If anyone saved a life it would be as if he saved the life of the whole humanity.” Quran 5:32
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death amongst youth aged 10-34.
In general, suicide is viewed by Muslims as taking away the gift of life given by God. The Qur’an says to trust God, have faith in the mercy of God, have patience, and not to destroy life.
Muslims believe that people are all interdependent. Taking a life unjustly, be it your own someone else’s, is the same as taking the lives of all of humanity. Likewise, saving a life is the equivalent of saving all of humanity.