Save a life through the Sunnah of Community wellbeing
The Sunnah of strengthening the Ummah and community wellbeing is one of the core teachings of our faith which many of us treasure in our daily lives. You, dear reader, may be someone who organises regular gatherings, treats friends like family and warmly greets any Muslim brother or sister who passes you by during your day. A question that remains for us all to reflect on is, how well are we looking after ourselves and those closest to us? Allah says, “Surely We will test you with a bit of fear and hunger, and loss in wealth and lives and fruits, and give good tidings to the patient” (Quran 2:155). Hardship is ingrained into our lives in unique ways as Allah’s Way of drawing us near to Him in worship, but we can also look for aid through the blessings He has gifted us.
According to research conducted in 2020-21 by Australian Bureau of Statistics, nearly 20% of adults living in Australia experience severe psychological distress at any given time, including 3139 suicide-related deaths. That’s nearly 4 million people living right here in Australia and unfortunately Muslims are not immune to this. As Muslims in Australia, we face a wide range of mental health issues, including suicidal tendencies, stemming from stress, stigma, racial/religious discrimination and societal disadvantage as migrant populations. Most of force ourselves to strap up our boots and walk on, while many of us are still left behind.