Positively Muslim in the West: Sister Hafizah Ismail

Today, we would like to take the opportunity to honor our dear sister, Hafizah Ismail.  Sister Hafizah is our latest example of Muslims making a positive contribution in the West.  Sister Hafizah is the founder of the Muslim charity, Children of Jannah.  Children of Jannah strives to support and provide information to grieving parents and families following the devastating loss of a child or baby, whether through illness, miscarriage, or stillbirth.  Children of Jannah aims to help families move from the path of pain to the path of peace.  Believing that children who die enter Jannah (paradise) is a key message used in helping bereaved parents and families.

When her two year old nephew died in April 2011, Sister Hafizah came to the realization of the need for an organization to help Muslims who are grieving the death of a child.  Started in May 2011, Children of Jannah offers support based on the Qur'an and Sunnah through a variety of media, including videos, books, and social media, such as Facebook.  The charity is involved in several projects ranging from toy drives for sick children, to raising thousands for grievers internationally, to producing information packets for bereaved parents.

Children of Jannah provides daily grief recovery tools to a support base of more than 28,000 people on its Facebook page.  Moreover, they have private Facebook groups for bereaved Children of Jannah mothers and fathers.  Bereaved parents can request to join the private groups by emailing support@ChildrenofJannah.com.  Sister Hafizah is also the author of the book, Sorrow to Serenity: 11 Ways to Help a Mother Find Peace Through the Pain of Child Loss, available for free download at the Children of Jannah website.  A second book, Solace: A Little Book of Reminders for Grief Relief, is now available at www.muslimgriefrelief.com

When asked to advise our readers who may have lost a loved one recently, Sister Hafizah recommended for those readers to give themselves permission to be human and allow themselves to grieve.  Indeed, turning to Allāh through your grief can help you come closer to your Lord.  It is important for any grieving individual to try to maintain a relationship with Allāh, which includes communicating with Him through supplications and recitation of the Qur'an.  Sister Hafizah's book, Sorrow to Serenity, is also a wonderful tool that can help benefit one in their time of need.

When reading testimonials and readers' comments about Children of Jannah, it is clear the charity is a breath of fresh air to bereaved parents and families, not only at times of tragedy but at other times as well.  Indeed, Children of Jannah found a niche that had not yet been occupied and its work is very commendable.  Children of Jannah is a reminder to us to remain as steadfast Muslims and to continue as true servants of Allāh in times of hardships and tragedies.

Serving the Creator by serving His creation, Sister Hafizah Ismail is an inspiration for all of us living as Muslims in the West and everywhere else!  May Allāh bless Sister Hafizah and her family with steadfastness and sincerity in all of their work and May He bless the work of Children of Jannah and help grieving parents and family members worldwide, āmīn!