Canadian Muslim Faisal Hussain murdered two and injured thirteen people on the busy Danforth Avenue on the night of July 22nd, 2018. The two who died were an 18-year-old, Reese Fallon, and a 10-year-old, Julianna Koziz.
Three of the injured survivors, rushed to a trauma center at St Michael’s hospital, required immediate life-saving surgery. Dr. Najma Ahmed – also a Canadian Muslim – and her team performed these complex surgeries.
“I want to acknowledge the amazing work done by the doctors and nurses working in the operating rooms and Intensive Care Unit – in fact throughout the hospital,” she is quoted by The Toronto Sun.
Hussain who died in a shootout with the police was a Canadian Muslims, as is Dr. Ahmed, whose team saved the lives of victims of the incident. One suffered from severe mental illness while the other spends her days and nights saving lives. Speaking of their son’s mental issues, the Hussain family released a statement:
“We are at a terrible loss for words but we must speak out to express our deepest condolences to the families who are now suffering on account of our son’s horrific actions.
“We are utterly devastated by the incomprehensible news that our son was responsible for the senseless violence and loss of life that took place on the Danforth.
“Our son had severe mental health challenges, struggling with psychosis and depression is entire life. The interventions of professionals were unsuccessful. Medications and therapy were unable to treat him. While we did our best to seek help for him throughout his life of struggle and pain, we could never imagine that this would be his devastating and destructive end.
“Our hearts are in pieces for the victims and for our city as we all come to grips with this terrible tragedy. We will mourn those who were lost for the rest of our lives.”
Mental Illness
Mental health is a genuine issue plaguing the Muslim population globally. Often, mental health issues are dismissed – you are not strong enough – with sufferers being told to simply pray more. But a distinction exists between a person whose faith is weak and work to improve their relationship with God vs a person who is genuinely suffering from mental health conditions.
This common misdiagnosis and perfect example of why existing methodologies in some parts of the Muslim community are wrong can be seen in an incident that took place on June 8th of this year.
A 26-year-old French Muslim, Azzouz Boutobba, was on a pilgrimage to Makkah, when his mental health condition worsened to the point that he committed suicide within the Masjid al-Haram, just moments after meeting the imam of the mosque, on the same day of his birthday. (1)
Last year, Dr. Sima Barmania a British Muslim, spoke about how as a child she was told ‘Depression doesn’t exist in Islam.’ And as an adult, she heard the same from a friend in a discussion on Western psychiatry, “Depression doesn’t exist: it’s a Western disease, you know… If you follow Islam, you would not be depressed.” (2)
Earlier this year Falma Baker authored an article published in the British paper, The Metro, entitled, “Muslims, we desperately need to start talking about mental health.” (3)
“Sometimes when a person has a mental health disorder, they’re perceived to be possessed by jinns, rather than having a medical condition for which there are medical treatments,” she writes, adding, “They might be told they can ‘pray away’ their problems or that it’s occurring as a sign of weak iman (faith).”
Aisha S, a social worker told the Metro, “Exorcism still happen, particularly when someone is suffering from psychosis but it is still believed to be a jinn. These exorcisms are quite dehumanizing. Imams really need to play more of a role in educating themselves and their communities (on mental health issues). Prayer is helpful but is a holistic approach. You wouldn’t be able to pray away cancer, so why is prayer the only answer to curing mental health problems?”
Terrorism is a real issue and a threat to our modern time. And when terrorist attacks take place, they must be called out for what they are, and the ideologies adopted by terrorists should always be taken apart.
But when criminal activities take place on account of mental health issues, such as in the case of Faisal Hussain who murdered and injured innocent people in the Danforth Shooting, this extreme example should be a reminder to all of us that mental health issues are real. They may not be solved with prayer and worship. Those who suffer from them need genuine and immediate medical help, not just to protect us as everyday citizens living our lives, but also as a duty of care from us, towards those who need help.
The Danforth incident has shown us two sides of society. One where a person is nurtured, supported and encouraged and so becomes a successful doctor treating and saving lives on a daily basis. The other where a person is scared and troubled by mental illness and doesn’t get the necessary support to live their life safely without harming others.
Thoughts and prayers for the victims of the Danforth Shooting: those murdered, those injured, and for the one whose society has failed, allowing his mental health issues to overcome him, lead to such a terrible situation for the whole community.
(1) http://lifeinsaudiarabia.net/blog/2018/06/09/who-is-the-man-committed-suicide-in-masjid-al-haram/