The original of the matter created in the brain: you must first read this to see the artistry of Allah!

A mighty waterfall tumbling down from on high, the boundless oceans
and the glorious, stunning mountains are all matchless works of Allah.
The stars, clouds, birds and fish are all His miracles. Most people
are in no doubt that a green forest that blossoms once again,grows and
flourishes in the spring is one of the beautiful and glorious works of
Allah.
Some people, however, regard skyscrapers, airplanes, laboratories and
computers rather differently. The fact that these are made and built
by human beings deceives them. They imagine that technology,
civilization, scientific and technical progress are independent of
Allah (Allah forbid) and forget that the human beings who are
instrumental in their coming into existence are also created by Him.
They fail to think that Allah, Who has made clouds the cause of rain
and the Sun the cause of light, has also made man the cause of
technology and civilization. They make the error of thinking that
human beings have a power independent of Allah (Allah forbid) and that
human beings invented the Internet, that human beings cause planes to
fly, that human beings invented the tea spoon or biro, that human
beings build space craft and that human beings discovered the forces
responsible for keeping planes aloft. They imagine that plasma TVs, CD
players, carpets, lampshades, cars and the products of advanced
technology all appeared as the result of human intelligence
andability.
They make a terrible error in not regarding these as the artistry of
Allah, and forget that He created them out of His mercy.
The fact is, however, that all these things, just like theseas, trees,
flowers, fruits, the Sun and the boundless mountains, are all works of
Allah. Allah in His mercy makes human beings the cause of all these
things listed above. Allah has given human beings the intelligence and
ability for this. Our Lord inspired them to discover these things. But
it is certain that Allah has the power to have created them with no
direct cause.
And everything we see is in fact CREATED "SPECIALLY FOR US" AND
"INDEPENDENT OF NATURAL CAUSES" as Allah's sublime artistry.
In order to understand this, we need to know that the matter we see
and touch is an image created inour brains, that it is specially
created for us, specially and moment by moment, and that we can never
have direct experience of the originals on the outside.

Fathwa, - Working with disabled non-mehrams

Question:
I am a female, and recently took up a postworking with people with
mental disabilites e.g cerebralpalsies. My job involves doing
activities such as painting, cooking, and more importantly engaging in
social activities such as playing games with the disabled people. The
activities are donein a group, with other co-workers. The aim isto
encourage confidence in the individual and to support them through
their difficulties. Now, the disabled people vary in age from 18 to
55, male and female, muslim and non-muslims, with a varying degree of
disabilities. I am always in the presenceof other non-disabled
females. Is the mixing allowed with the non-mehrams in this situation?
(If your answer is that it is permissible if my intention is for
seeking the reward of Allah swt, and that I am not in seclusion, then
I'd like to add the following question. Imagine a spectrum of humans.
From the veryable humans, and to the very disabled, the most disabled
human you have. Now, at what point, or what criteria of disability
allows me to mix with an individual. i.e. When does mixing become
permissible, at what level of disability. Is it when they have no
sense of the world, is it when they have sense but nosexual instinct.
These latter are examples, not questions, to illustrate what my main
question is)
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
Dear Sister,
I pray you are doing well.
I believe that you have already answered your question.
You stated that:
1. Your intention is to seek Allah's pleasure;
2. you are not in seclusion; and
3. you are helping people who otherwise could not help themselves.
Free mixing of the sexes is prohibited.
However what you are doing is not considered free mixing because:
1. You are performing your job;
2. you are not in seclusion with unrelated males; and
3. as a Muslim in the medical/healthcare profession, you are permitted
to interact with unrelated males to the extent of the need.
The most important considerations:
Do you feel that what you are doing is pleasingto Allah?
Do you feel that you are helping these individualsto lead productive lives?
Are you comfortable in this setting?
If you answered yes to these questions, then continue to seek Allah's
pleasure by helping people in need.
Just remember to maintain Islamic gender etiquette at all time, and
insha'Allah, you should be fine.
For more guidelines for Muslim healthcare professionals, please search
SunniPath Answers.
May Allah bless you in all of your endeavors.
And Allah knows best.

Fathwa, - Dealing with premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

Question:
AssalamoAlaikum,
My problem is that a couple of days before bleeding starts, I start
having serious mood swings. I go into this phase of severe depression,
extreme tiredness and laziness,and pick fights with everyone. It gets
so bad that often I end upyelling and it causes severe dents in my
relationships. It seems like no matter how much I try, I just am
unable to control my anger. Please let me know if there are any duaas
I can make for my temper to not rise and to prevent such situations.
JazakAllah Khair.
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
Dear Sister,
I pray this message finds you in good health and spirits.
If you are experiencing severe depression and serious mood swings,
then you should consult a physician, who may prescribe medication, or
offer some suggestions for altering your behavior.
If you find that you only experience these symptoms right before
menstruation, after which they disappear, then there are several
approaches you can take. Keep in mind that each woman's PMS is
different. Therefore, what works for some women may not work for
everyone.
1. First, dua is a very powerful weapon. There are several duas you
can make for peace of mind and healing. Please see the following:
Can you tell me a dua to recite for restlessness?
http://qa.sunnipath.com /issue_view.asp?id=8621
Prophetic Supplications for Healing
http://qa.sunnipath.com /issue_view.asp?HD=7& ID=2945&CATE=105
2. Controlling anger:
The Prophet, peace be upon him, gave us many helpful tips for
controlling anger, such as performing ablution, seeking refuge in
Allah from shaitan, and holding our tongues. He said, "Whoever
believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak good or remain
silent." Do certainpeople or situations aggravate you? If so, why
don't you avoid them for those couple days? If you can't, then resolve
to modify your reaction to them. Take a deep breath and force yourself
to wait for at least 30 seconds before speaking. Try to defuse the
situation with humor. Women are likelyto understand what you're going
through. Male family members might not be as sympathetic, but you
canstill let them know that it's not personal. Give yourself an
incentive to behave. Why not give yourself a small treat if you manage
to get through PMS without losing your temper?
Also, remember that there are ways to cope with PMS, such as
maintaining a healthy and balanced diet, exercising regularly,
drinking lots of water, calming down with meditation, prayer, and
dhikr, and talking to your family and friends about what you're
goingthrough.
Finally, please see these articles on SunniPath:
Dealing with anger
http://qa.sunnipath.com /issue_view.asp?HD=7& ID=3295&CATE=17
And Allah knows best.

Fathwa, - Permissibility of a muslim seeing a psychologist to boost self-esteem

Question:
i am a sister who has avery low self esteem i think what in the
ahadith our habbib(saw) termed as destructive hayyah that restricts
you from becoming a productivemuslim in society and even to her
immediatefamily i just don't havethe courage to go out and look for a
job eventhough i am a graduate,socialising with other fellow human
being seems a task to me i rather avoid them ,i am not a bad-tempered
and hard to approach person but there is this fear of people in me i
have many times contemplated paying avisit to a psychologist to
resolve my problem but my heart always tells me that their solution in
most cases is non-islamic and somehow i have this feeling that i'll be
complaining against Allah's decree to a lowly human like me so i have
been praying to Him to resolve my problem and inshallah i think this
is Him guiding me to ask you the muslim scholars out there to help me
with these immense hindrance to my life and advise me on what steps to
take to inshallah over come it wabillahi tawfiq
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
Dear Sister,
I pray that you are feeling better.
There is nothing wrong with going to a psychologist. As long as your
therapist does not suggest any measures which contradict Sacred Law,
then by all means, go seek help.
Remember that Allah Most High is aware of what you are going through.
Ask Him for strength, patience, and peace of mind.
These are trying times for Muslims. As women, we often come under
extra scrutiny, especially if we wear hijab. What we should be
thankful for is the opportunity to rise to these challenges and
represent the best ofour deen.
You may want to consider the sources of these feelings. Did people put
you down as a child? Do you put yourself down? Is your self-esteem
contingent on what other people think of you? Are you notgiving
yourself enough credit?
Alhamdulilah, you managed to get through school and graduate,
something which a lot ofpeople are not able to accomplish. You already
have the ability to pursue your goals. Now it's time to cultivate that
sense of confidence that will get you where you need to go.
As women, we can be very self-conscious. However, what I have realized
is that our inner voice is often the harshest. Usually, people are not
as critical of us aswe think. It's important to examine that inner
voice that oftens tells us we're not good enough, smart enough, pretty
enough, etc. Ultimately, we have to find that voice that validates us
and tells us: You are a believer, you are a Muslim, you are a woman,
you are a slave of Allah. This is what gives us true
affirmation.Remember, the Prophet, peace be upon him said,"Truly
amazing is the affair of the believer. His affair only contains good.
If he is blessed with good he thanks Godand in that there is good.And
if he is afflicted withdifficulty he patiently endures and in that
there is good." (Sahih Muslim)
Human beings are social creatures. We need otherpeople. That's why
it's important to have a strong support system. Forge close
relationships with your family members. Surround yourself with good
friends who are religously and morally upright. Don't hang around
people who discourage you or put you down. And remember the great
solace one can find in seeking sacred knowledge and drawing closer to
Allah Most High. Join a sisters' study circle,or start one of your
own.Insha'Allah, you can make new friendships and boost your
confidence in the process.