Coping with Trauma: Strategies from the Quran and Sunnah

As an ummah, we are all feeling each other’s pain. We are witnessing a genocide in Gaza

and millions of our sisters and brothers around the world have lost everything due to

persecution, violence, war, famine and natural disasters. Many of us are trying to speak

up, donate and pray for the ummah. However, we still feel helpless and traumatized. We

are also experiencing a rise in Islamophobia and are struggling with hate directed

towards us.

How does our faith help us to cope with this trauma? How can we look after ourselves in

order to function and support our families, communities and the ummah around the

world that is suffering? How can we find hope?

Please join us and our special guests – Sheikh Ismael Mukhtar and Sr. Shahina Siddiqui,

as we gather together to draw inspiration and comfort from our faith in order to learn,

heal and grow.

Feel free to send questions or thoughts ahead of time or you can share them on the day.

We look forward to seeing you.

Speakers:

Sh. Ismael Mukhtar

Sr. Shahina Siddiqui

Facilitated by Omar Abdullahi

WHEN: Sunday, November 12

WHERE: WCM

TIME: 3PM to 5PM (Asr 2:45 / Maghrib 4:50)

Program:

3:00 – 3:15 – Invite people to take snacks

3:15 – Quranic Recitation

3:20 – Omar Abdullahi – Brief intro of the event – introduce speakers

3:25 to 3:40 – Sh. Ismael

3:40 to 3:55 – Sr. Shahina

3:55 – Omar – any additional thoughts – including mental health / well-being resources

in Winnipeg

4:00-4:30 – Q&A, reflections / comments

4:30 – more snacks, mingling, wudu

4:50 - Maghrib

For the speakers:

Questions / Feelings to address:

• I feel so guilty because I have food, water, shelter and safety, yet the people of Gaza and others around the world are suffering terribly.
• Whatever I do to help seems pointless. The problems are so overwhelming.
• Nobody around me at work or school seems to care about what is going on in Gaza. Their lack of empathy is making me frustrated and angry.
• I don’t like being angry all the time. I don’t recognize myself. But I can’t help it. It’s too painful.
• I can’t concentrate on my work or studies. Nothing seems important.
•  Why is Allah allowing so much pain and suffering to occur?
• I want to be brave and speak out more for Gaza but I feel scared and exhausted. Am I a bad Muslim?
• i  am constantly watching the news and scrolling on social media because I feel guilty about looking away – isn’t being a witness the LEAST I should do? The constant scrolling is giving me stress and anxiety, but I can’t stop. If I don’t pay attention doesn’t that mean I don’t care?
• I’m scared to display my Muslim identity because it’s too stressful right now – I don’t want to have to engage with people all the time about world crises. Am I a bad Muslim?