Over the last two days there has been a story of sheer injustice going through my news feed by the hour- the brutal massacre of our brothers and sisters in Syria under a tyrannical and unjust regime. Like many of you, I, at first, was just reading and watching as friends updated the situation and death toll rise in their numbers, I felt helpless yet compelled to do something for Allāh said in the Qurʾān:

“O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allāh, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allāh; indeed, Allāh is Acquainted with what you do.” [Qurʾān 5:8]

Today He is calling us to stand up in prayer to seek justice and His Help for the oppressed in Syria.

My mind couldn't comprehend the grief and unimaginable horror the brothers and sisters are facing until I listened to the khuṭbah appeal of Sh Muhammad Al-Arifi here and as he shared the humiliating and nefarious attacks on our brothers and sisters in Syria my heart cried for the trial the Ummah is undergoing.

Yet the Prophet has told us that this Ummah is like a strong support structure and like one body, if one part aches then the whole Ummah should ache in agony of the Muslims who are being slaughtered and killed for nothing but their faith. Just before I began to write this article, a Syrian friend of mine shared what was an extremely difficult video to watch of a Syrian brother before his burial yesterday whilst his family cried over him.

My plea to you brothers and sisters is to take action and stand up for justice in Syria. Here's how we can take action:

1. Raise Awareness

The first step we can all take is to raise awareness about the situation in Syria. You can do this by sharing the most up to date and accurate news so people are informed about the situation and can take action. Secondly you can share the video reminders and stories to help the Ummah recognize the obligation on each of us to help those who are being oppressed. (you can post latest links in comments on this newspost and MuslimMatters will use them to update the post).

2. Write to Your Government

As Muslims who are concerned for the security and safety of those in Syria we should call on our MPs, Congressmen, governments and international organizations to put the tyrannical regime to an end because no human being should want for innocent civilians to die. Unfortunately, the UN has failed to remove this unjust regime and therefore by writing, calling and speaking to our MPs in a collective voice can we inshā'Allāh expect to be heard as we should speak out against injustice wherever we see it. If you are attending a demonstration or protest in you country remember you are representatives of Islam through your actions so please refrain from any violent behavior or aggressive actions. Let's remember that the attitude of a Muslim in times of hardship is that of patiently awaiting Allāh's Help.

3. Stand Up in Prayer  

Where possible join the congregation to pray and seek Allāh's Help for Victory. Pray 2 rakʿah nafl prayer seeking His Help and remember the brothers and sisters in your prayers in the day and night; be certain that Allāh will respond for He Hears the du'ā's of the oppressed and surely if there is no justice in this world, we will certainly see it in the Hereafter. As the Qur'anic verse warns us:

“And what is [the matter] with you that you fight not in the cause of Allāh and [for] the oppressed among men, women, and children who say, 'Our Lord, take us out of this city of oppressive people and appoint for us from Yourself a protector and appoint for us from Yourself a helper?'” [Qurʾān 4:75]

4. Give in Charity

Another way in which you can take action is to support the charitable organizations providing aid and assistance in Syria, giving money and time or efforts to help these organizations is invaluable at these times. To donate you can visit Islamic Relief's Syria Appeal campaign here or any other transparent registered charity who are working in Syria.

5. Raise Your Hands in Du'ā'

Finally, the least of faith is in making du'ā' and truly, our brothers and sisters request that we raise our hands and seek Allāh to protect and grant victory to those who are suffering immensely today in these massacres. At every prayer, in times of rain and in your prostration please do not forget them for Allāh has promised to answer the  du'ā' of the oppressed (Bukhāri).  You can find du'ā's for the oppressed here to read and share.

The floods that hit Pakistan in 2010 were the worst in the history of the country, submerging nearly a fifth of the country under water, affecting 20 million people, rendering over 400,000 homeless, killing around 2000 people, and ruining over 1.6 million acres of crops!

Relief agencies and private individuals in Pakistan and all over the world scrambled to provide aid to the affected. Newspapers were filled with photographs of the flood and its hapless victims, prompting people to do more.

Snap back one year later to the present, as the citizens had yet to return to some sense of normalcy, putting behind the haunting memories of the past year, the skies opened up again and the province of Sindh, specifically the central part of it (in the areas of Thatta, Badin, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Mirpurkhas, Tharparkar and Benazirabad) started being deluged once again. As rains continue the area being affected has widened.

Map of the flood affected area courtesy United Nations

Table of contents

The 'Īd that got washed away

Springing into action

Some Facts

On ground videos

Pictures

Medical Teams

How may I help?

Related Articles

The 'Īd that got washed away

As Muslims world over celebrated the end of Ramadan with a 'Īd-around-the-world-in-pictures/" target="_blank">festive 'Īd celebration and buffets of food, the citizens of these areas left their homes and watched their belongings drown as the skies continued to pour torrents on them. Unfortunately, for them though, the world took time to wake up to their plight.

The ineffective and red-tape ridden government, as usual, was slow to respond and like the year before the responsibility for welfare and support of the affected was left to relief efforts by private agencies and individuals as had been the case the year before.

Springing into action

In the second half of Ramadan, I was contacted by fellow Bloggers Dr Awab Alvi and Faisal Kapadia asking for me to join in the fund raising efforts to support the people of Badin and surrounding areas where the rains had already started to cause damage. Members of PkRelief (a joint effort of Offroad Pakistan and SA Relief) had once again sprung into action and were gearing up for relief efforts. The initial plan was to adopt 3 camps in Badin with the support of Nishat Welfare Organization, an NGO already working in the area, to feed and house 1000 IDPs (internally displaced persons) and to eventually rehabilitate them once they move back after the rains. While the initial response to fund requests was great, as the scope of this disaster grows, the requirement for funds has grown huge. As the scale of this calamity grows, the response from the world and the news organization is slowly increasing.

The United Nations has launched an appeal to raise USD 357 million to provide food, water, sanitation services, healthcare and emergency shelter to the worst-hit families for six months.

Some facts

• 8,920,631 people have been affected due to the rains and floods (that's the population of New York City or the population of Chicago, Los Angeles, & Houston combined!)
• 1,524,841 homes have been devastated
• 37,498 villages affected
• 6,791,067 acres (10,611 sq miles) of land has been damaged (that's an area bigger than the states of Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island combined)
• 2,166,623 acres (3,385 sq miles) of crops has been wiped out
• 550,186 people have been provided space make-shift camps – the remaining remain in the open without a roof
• 450 people have lost their lives, 756 people have been injured

(Source: National Disaster Management Authority, 10 October 2011)

A food hamper (distributed by PkRelief) costs USD 15

and feeds a family of 04 for 08 days. It consists of:

• 10 kg wheat flour
• 10 kg rice
• 2 kg dal (lentils)
• 1 litre cooking oil
• 1 kg dates

A Relief pack distributed by Indus Foundation Trust costs USD 23:

• 10kg Flour
• 5kg Rice
• 2.5kg Ghee
• 1kg Sugar
• 1kg Channa Dal
• 1Kg Moong Dal
• 0.5Kg Milk Powder
• 1 Packet Matchbox
• 1 Packet Candles
• 1 Packet Tea
• 1 Packet Salt
• Mix Masala
• 2 soaps

On Ground Videos

The following documentary made by the team of PkRelief during their post-'Īd trip to the affected area shows the devastation, the situation on the ground, and the efforts of the PkRelief team.

Click here to view the embedded video.

While the documentary is in English, the testimonials are in Sindhi and Urdu. The first man in the line is being asked how many times a day they are fed. He responds twice a day but no medicines. He says there is no government presence. The second man in the village of Khoski says his 'Īd ṣalāh was performed in the rain. He works in the sugar mill on a salary of Rs 6000 (less than USD 70) per month. In addition, his family had crops on 5 acres of land which was completely wiped out. People who come from other areas are sitting on the sides of the road, their houses destroyed. There is no presence of any government, or the local landlords nor is there much presence of big name NGOs. Says most of them distribute in Badin and leave and never reach Khoski. He praises the Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation (the welfare arm of the militant Lashkar-e-Tayyiba) which is the only organization actively working in Khoski at the moment ( incidentally FIF or Jamat-ud-Dawa as it was known earlier was prominent in the rescue efforts during the Earthquake in 2005, the Swat IDP crisis and last year's floods).

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Pictures

The pictures have been provided by Faisal Kapadia and Fursid Photography.

More Pictures

The Atlantic

Sanghar Medical And Relief Camp

SA Relief

Young Doctors Association Relief Camp

Young Doctors Association Relief Camp 2

SA Relief Mission to Moro

Medical Teams

I spoke to Dr Faraz Chaudhary, who is General Secretary of the Young Doctors Association of Rahim Yar Khan, and currently working as part of the Relief team from Young Doctors Association of Rahim Yar Khan. Their base is Kot Ghulam Muhammad about 40km from Mirpurkhas with 03 teams of 06 doctors each in different localities trying to provide medical relief.  Faraz told me

“I worked in the Bhong region last year and my team managed 07 camps and treated about 41000 patients but conditions here are 100 times worse.”

Based on last year's experience Faraz gave a list of necssary medicines that would be required to carry out the relief efforts.

1. Ciprofloxacin
2. Levofloxacin
3. Eye drops for conjunctivitis which will soon become epidemic
4. Loads of Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS)
5. Flagyl
6. Ranitidine
7. Pain killers
8. Anti malarial medicines
9. Polyfax skin ointment
10. Pyodene and bandages
11. Surgical blades and gloves
12. Septran (not the first choice but is cheap and very effective)
13. Anti histamines
14. Oral hypoglycemics
15. Augmentin
16. Inhalors
17. Ventolin

It is recommended for donors outside Pakistan to send cash rather than kind while those in Pakistan may donate medicines in kind (depending on the relief agency they are donating to)

How may I help?

• Donate your money: See the information below for the organizations working below and help them by donating generously.
• Donate your time: start fund raising efforts among your friends and co-workers. Send it to one of the organizations listed below.
• Share this article: Press Like on Facebook, Tweet it out, post it on Google, e -mail it to your friends.

PkRelief / SA Relief

For further information please email Dr Awab Alvi, Faisal Kapadia, Abdulrahman Rafiq, or Sabahat Ashraf at pkfloods@sarelief.com.

Funds are being collected by Paksef (Pakistan Science and Engineering Foundation) which is a 501(c)(3) tax-deductible non-profit Corporation in California. SA Relief operates under Paksef.

Local Pakistan residents can donate via our local Bank:

Bank: Bank Al Habib

Account Title: Abdul Rahim

Account#: 1078-0081-001670-01-4

Branch Code: 1078

Contact Person: Email Faisal Kapadia at pkfloods@sarelief.com

Karachi Relief Trust

Donation through cheques can be made in favor of Karachi Relief Trust

You can also deposit donations directly to our account:

Title: Karachi Relief Trust

AC#: 0786-79007283-03

Bank: Habib Bank Ltd.

Address: Corporate Center, 2 HBL Plaza, I I Chundrigar Road, Karachi.

For those making payments from abroad:

Swift: HABBPKKA

Rotary Club of Karachi

Rotary Club of Karachi Charitable Trust

Standard Chartered Bank NY USA

ABA No 026002561, SWIFT Code SCBLUS – 33XXX  for credit to

Bank Al Habib Ltd Account No: 3582035242001 for further credit to

BAHLPKKAKHI for ultimate credit to

Rotary Club of Karachi Charitable Trust

Account No: 1001-0081-168218-01-7

Note: Please send an email to rotarykhi@gmail.com with the donation details so we may check with the bank and send you a receipt / accounts / pictures for your record. We can also provide you a Certificate for Income Tax exemption for use in Pakistan.

Indus Foundation Trust

Please send your cheques to THE INDUS FOUNDATION TRUST, or if you have goods to deliver, please bring them to the collection point at 49 Old Clifton, Karachi. Phones 00 92 21 35834663/4   Fax: 00 92 21 35837201.

For those sending remittances from abroad please send to

FCY Acct Tameer Bank in HBM 20310-333-400598 for onward credit to

Acc no: 151006003997001 Habib Metropolitan Bank
Main Branch Swift Code MPBLPKKA001
USD Correspondent Habib American Bank
Swift Code HANYUS33

Related articles

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Giving in to enormous pressure from the Jewish Federation and the Jewish Community Relations Council of the East bay, the Museum of Children's Art (MOCHA) in Oakland cancelled an exhibit of Palestinian children's art called “A Child's View From Gaza.” The art exhibit including nearly 50 pieces by Palestinian children ages 8-14 'that reflect their realities and their dreams for the future' was scheduled to take place at the Museum of Children's Art. This exhibit, arranged by the Middle East Children's Association was supposed to also highlight the Maia murals, part of the 'Water Writes' global mural project: http://www.mecaforpeace.org/news/us-artists-gaza-over-water-crisis.

In a press release, Barbara Lubin, the Executive Director of MECA, expressed her dismay that the museum decided to censor this exhibit in contradiction of its mission “to ensure that the arts are a fundamental part of the lives of all children.”

“We understand all too well the enormous pressure that the museum came under. But who wins? The museum doesn't win. MECA doesn't win. The people of the Bay Area don't win. Our basic constitutional freedom of speech loses. The children in Gaza lose,” she said.

“The only winners here are those who spend millions of dollars censoring any criticism of Israel and silencing the voices of children who live every day under military siege and occupation.”

The art exhibition was scheduled to take place on September 24th, 2011, but was cancelled. Click here to let MOCHA know what you think about their censorship of Palestinian children's voices by sending them a letter.

mocha | museum of children's art
538 Ninth Street, Suite 210
Oakland, CA

To view the rest of the images, visit MECA's Facebook page.

To view the rest of the images, visit MECA's Facebook page.

In the last three months, drought has escalated to famine in East Africa. Crops and livestock are dying, and very little food is left to buy. Whatever food is available is too expensive for most families. More than 13 million people are suffering in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia from malnutrition and dehydration. The Islamic Relief family is collectively responding to the situation through the Islamic Relief offices in East Africa. Islamic Relief offices have been giving emergency assistance to the victims of the drought all summer, distributing food, improving access to water, and facilitating health and nutrition services to people.

So many Somali children have died in the past three months – nearly 30,000. Islamic Relief's emergency efforts have focused on helping children in the region because they are the most vulnerable group.

“Mogadishu is also officially declared to have catastrophic famine conditions,” Islamic Relief USA's VP of programs, Adnan Ansari, writes from Somalia. “With the majority of the children being malnourished, the ribs on every child's chest can be counted. Smiles are rare; sighs and wails are commonly heard. People looked at us without any expectation. It seems as though people know that they will have to survive on their own or welcome death early as the only way out.”

Droughts are a recurring problem in East Africa, but the drought of 2011 has been the driest year in 60 years. Hundreds of thousands of people have left their homes to find help. Reports say that people have walked over one-hundred miles to reach refugee camps where humanitarian aid is often located. Many have not survived these trips. Because of the long distance that people must walk to reach aid, people have traded their household items, farming equipment and remaining livestock for transportation. IRW relief worker, Hassan Liban, told Islamic Relief USA that people are arriving to the already overpopulated camps without any clothes.

“Women and children are arriving into towns and camps naked – they have sold off their clothes and shoes – embarrassed and vulnerable. Children are naked and barefooted…children are dying on their way to the camps” he said. As conditions continue to worsen, the international community is preparing itself for a much higher death toll in the coming months.

Islamic Relief USA is now supporting some of the distributions in East Africa, and soon, Islamic Relief USA plans to expand their efforts to include more areas in need, giving food, water, medicine, protein supplements for children, emergency seed packs, and nutrition and healthcare for livestock. Islamic Relief's response to the East Africa crisis will eventually help over 449,000 people.

By early August, Islamic Relief's East Africa offices had provided water to more than 200,000 people; food to 30,000 people; and health and nutrition services to more than 30,000 people. Islamic Relief has been working in East Africa for nearly 20 years. Islamic Relief teams have provided aid through previous droughts in the region including digging wells and constructing farmland irrigation systems to help communities be better prepared for harsh weather.

Islamic Relief is currently collecting donations to help support emergency response efforts in East Africa. Food, water and medicine are the greatest needs and it is expected that the number of deaths will continue to rise dramatically if help is not given. It only costs $71 to feed a family of eight for one month and only $210 to truck in water for 42 people for a month. Islamic Relief teams report that need for food and water is so great, your generous support could literally save lives today.

Read about and participate in MuslimMatters' Fundraising Appeal for the East African Crisis here.

“Islamic Relief hasn’t used the words starvation and famine in any of their appeals over the past decade. What is happening in East Africa now due to the drought is unprecedented and is leaving millions hungry. We must act now.”

Millions of East Africans are currently at risk of starvation due to prolonged drought and famine. Several charities have launched appeals to address the crisis, and MuslimMatters encourages you, the readers, to donate as much as you can TODAY.

UPDATE 1 — We've reached $1000 USD alḥamdulillāh! New target = $5000 USD – we can do it, inshā'Allāh!

What can $5000 buy?*

• $5000 can provide 200 children with high energy food supplements for a week.
• $5000 can provide clean water to 50,000 people
• $5000 can provide emergency food to 3000 families per day
• $5000 can treat 200 malnourished children for a month

Let's make it happen, inshā'Allāh! Click on one of the charity links below (or any charity of your choice), and leave a comment with the amount you have donated in USD$ so we can keep track of the total.

* Approximate values based on statistics released by Islamic Relief UK

Charities Collecting for East Africa

USA + Canada

• Islamic Relief USA (Choose East Africa crisis)
• Zakat Foundation of America
• Islamic Relief Canada (Choose Horn of Africa appeal)
• Oxfam America

United Kingdom

• Muslim Aid
• Islamic Relief UK
• Disasters Emergency Committee

Worldwide

• Islamic Relief Worldwide

“Is there something wrong with being Muslim in this country?  The answer is no, that’s not America.”

-   General Colin Powell -

MY FELLOW AMERICAN

National Campaign to Share the Untold Stories of Muslims in America

62% of Americans have never met a Muslim.

Do you know a Muslim? Share your story through Youtube.

• A Muslim that you know personally.

  • A wedding, road trip, studying for an exam, attending a concert, overcoming a difficulty together, or other event that stands out for you.

• A Muslim that you don’t know personally.

  • A kind deed, generous gesture, or friendly exchange with a stranger who happened to be Muslim, which made an impression on you.

• A Muslim that you never met.

  • An athlete, entertainer, politician, soldier, health care professional, academic, who inspired you.

1. Visit www.myfellowamerican.tv and sign up for alerts.
2. Encourage your friends and family to join our fan page: http://www.facebook.com/MyFellowAmericanProject

ABOUT UPF
This campaign is being spearheaded by Unity Productions Foundation (http://www.upf.tv/), a nonprofit foundation that works to create peace through the media.

CONTACT US
Khuram Zaman
Khuram.zaman1@gmail.com
443-223-0308

Daniel Tutt
Daniel@upf.tv
202-298-8088

*** UPDATE: May 3 ***

I regret to inform you that the May 7 mobilization has been postponed indefinitely for logistical reasons. Please continue to pray for the relief of Dr. Aafia and her family.

If you have doubts about whether Dr. Aafia needs your support, please read below, watch the youtube video, and read the comments.

And keep checking MM for new articles as further information becomes available. Jazak Allāh khayr, especially to those people who joined the Facebook event from this page.

*** /UPDATE ***

Alhamdolillah, the excerpt above is from a message received by the organizers of the April 9, event.

On April 30, 2011, I got this inquiry from someone in Pakistan via Facebook:

Assalamoalaikum
Can i ask you a question?
Why the muslim community from Pakistan is silent on Aafia?
Are they scared?
Is it not their religious duty to raise voice for this mazloom khatoon – qom ki beti – Dr. Aafia Siddiqui? Thanks

Here's my reply:

Akhee, I agree with you that it must be fear. People have told me they do not even want to mention her name in khutbahs or even post anything about her on Facebook! They tell me it would be “too political.”

But for sure that is just a way of saying they are afraid of the consequences. And how sad that those consequences include the fear of what other Muslims would say about them for speaking up on her behalf.

May the love of Allāh fill the hearts of our brothers and sisters until courage rises in their limbs and their tongues, and they stand for justice and mercy for all innocents and all those being tortured, and especially for our sister, Dr. Aafia.

Please spread the word of 'Īd=195872927122314">this event on her behalf.

If you and your friends do not live close enough to join us on May 7, then exhort every person you know to ask themselves who could travel there to stand with us. And may Allāh make our efforts to help her bear fruit for her in this life and in the next, and make them a cause for shifa for each of us in the next life.

Please say, “āmīn.”

If you are troubled by doubts over issues surrounding the case, watch this very brief video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Only Allāh Knows how much of a difference any of us can make in this world, but I ask you to continue to support justice for Dr. Aafia with your duas and by inviting others to attend the next mobilization which will take place on May 7, inshā'Allāh. And if you can attend, too, even better!

May Allāh make this event a relief for this sister who has undergone torment upon torment since the beginning of this odyssey of injustice.

May Allāh give you khayr for all you do and pray on her behalf. Āmīn.

Justice for Aafia Coalition: http://bit.ly/f2aMKt

Please find below a sample of the FB supporters of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui. The graphic is not hyperlinked to those FB pages, and they are not listed here in any particular order. Listing (or not listing) a group does not endorse it or its actions (sorry for the lawyer-speak) but this graphic is meant to show how easily any of us can find Muslims and other good people who want to stand up against injustice.

Please support this muslimah by sharing the information with everyone you know who can be in the Dallas-Fort Worth area tomorrow. And if you can attend, too, even better!

May Allāh make this event a relief for this sister who has undergone torment upon torment since the beginning of this odyssey of injustice.

May Allāh give you khayr for all you do and pray on her behalf. Āmīn.

When:
Saturday, April 9 · 11:00am – 2:00pm

Where:
FMC Carswell across from the Quik Trip Service Station
6301 Westworth Blvd, Westworth, TX

Facebook event: http://on.fb.me/he5qIr
Justice for Aafia Coalition: http://bit.ly/f2aMKt

\\Added April 11, 2011//
Please find below a sample of the FB supporters of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui. Māshā'Allāh, there were so many that I limited myself to those groups of 500+ supporters. The graphic is not hyperlinked to those FB pages, and they are not listed here in any particular order. Listing a group does not endorse it or its actions (sorry for the lawyer-speak) but it is meant to show how easily any of us can find Muslims and other good people who want to stand up against injustice.

Before we knew my son had autism, I thought no one in the world did what he did or acted the way he acted. He never spoke, he looked not at us, but through us, and when he was excited, he stood and flapped his hands.  We used to wryly joke that if he had wings he would have flown away already.  We knew something was wrong, but every doctor we took him to told us to wait, he would grow out of it.  Some children do, but here's the problem – some children don't, and the later the diagnosis, the smaller the chance they have at recovery.

Having said that though, there's more to diagnosis than simply taking your child to a pediatrician.  When we took our son to his pediatrician and asked outright – Do you think Khalid has autism? The pediatrician asked, “Does he mind having his ears touched?”  We said no.  ”Well then, he's not autistic!”

This was the pediatrician's assessment of a two year old who was completely non-verbal, cried when anyone laughed in his presence, woke up screaming every two hours through the night and banged his head against windows and walls when he was upset.  I met a mother just this week who told me a similar story.  Her pediatrician said that because her son liked to be hugged, he must not have autism.

What both of our pediatricians should have done was use the MCHAT, or Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, which is a tool for screening children and determining which ones should be directed towards further assessment.  Had our pediatrician done that, he would have seen my son score worryingly on 18 of the 22 questions, and we may have been pointed towards a diagnosis earlier.

Early recognition of autism can give a child a fighting chance against silence and a lifetime of dependence, and behaviour-based therapies, like ABA – Applied Behavioural Analysis – work best when therapists can take advantage of early childhood learning.  A child's brain is almost entirely developed by the age of nine, and the most growth and opportunity for learning and retention happen within the early years.  The earlier a child is diagnosed, the sooner they can begin receiving the 20+ hours of treatment a week that they require to help bridge the gap between themselves and their 'normal,' or neurotypical peers.

The actual diagnosis of autism is made by a clinical psychologist using a array of standardized tests, like the CARS, GARS, and Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale.  Psychologists may further conduct to the ABLLS test to measure academic capabilities in a child where this test is relevant, but this is not a diagnostic tool so much as it is an indicator of a child's academic abilities.

Even if you don't have children, or definitely don't have any children with autism, being able to spot it may mean crucial awareness for someone you meet. We were finally pushed to seek out a specialist when two sisters – mine and my husband's – told us independently that they thought our son had most of the features of autism.  My husband's sister was a teacher working with special needs children, and my sister was a science journalist who had just written an article about autism.  If they hadn't been familiar with the signs, they would never have been able to voice their informed concerns about our son's well-being.  If they hadn't been educated, then they would have been just two more people in the group of well-intentioned but poorly informed people who told us, “Don't worry, he'll grow out of it…” or “Look at him, he looks normal.”

Children with autism, from the outside, do look completely normal.  Unlike children with Down's Syndrome or Cerebral Palsy, they aren't set apart by physical characteristics.  Additionally, no two children with autism will display the same set of characteristics, which further confuses an outsider.  I know of one little girl who can write but not read, and a little boy who can sing but not speak, and my own son who spins in circles until he falls down and seeks out skin-to-skin contact, even up the shirts of strangers in the mall.  But there is a thread that binds these children under the umbrella of autism, and it has three strands.  Children with autism generally have problems in three crucial areas of development —

• Social interaction
• Language
• Behavior

The follow set of symptoms have been reprinted from the Mayo Clinic section on Autism, and the full version may be accessed here.

Symptoms

Some children show signs of autism in early infancy. Other children may develop normally for the first few months or years of life but then suddenly become withdrawn, become aggressive or lose language skills they've already acquired. Though each child with autism is likely to have a unique pattern of behavior, these are some common autism symptoms:

Social skills

• Fails to respond to his or her name
• Has poor eye contact
• Appears not to hear you at times
• Resists cuddling and holding
• Appears unaware of others' feelings
• Seems to prefer playing alone — retreats into his or her “own world”

Language

• Starts talking later than age 2, and has other developmental delays by 30 months
• Loses previously acquired ability to say words or sentences
• Doesn't make eye contact when making requests
• Speaks with an abnormal tone or rhythm — may use a singsong voice or robot-like speech
• Can't start a conversation or keep one going
• May repeat words or phrases verbatim, but doesn't understand how to use them

Behavior

• Performs repetitive movements, such as rocking, spinning or hand-flapping
• Develops specific routines or rituals
• Becomes disturbed at the slightest change in routines or rituals
• Moves constantly
• May be fascinated by parts of an object, such as the spinning wheels of a toy car
• May be unusually sensitive to light, sound and touch and yet oblivious to pain

When to see a doctor

Babies develop at their own pace, and many don't follow exact timelines found in some parenting books. But children with autism usually show some signs of delayed development by 18 months. If you suspect that your child may have autism, discuss your concerns with your doctor. The earlier treatment begins, the more effective it will be.

Your doctor may recommend further developmental tests if your child:

• Doesn't babble or coo by 12 months
• Doesn't gesture — such as point or wave — by 12 months
• Doesn't say single words by 16 months
• Doesn't say two-word phrases by 24 months
• Loses previously acquired language or social skills at any age

The more informed we are, as Muslims, as concerned siblings, neighbors, relatives and professionals, the more likely we are to guide parents to proper diagnosis and the help their children need. If you have read this article through to the end, and in the future, meet a mother who says she's worried about her child, resist the temptation to give her reassurance. Instead, tell her about an article you read once, and dig it up again, or just google it, and send her the list of symptoms. Then, let her decide whether she needs to be worried or not. Uninformed reassurances only delay proper diagnosis, and delay acceptance of the child's condition and subsequent needs. And you can assure the mother that Allāh will never test her or her child with something beyond their abilities, but unless you're a clinical psychologist with a pack of assessments in your pocket, you can't reassure her that her child is fine.

Many parents, upon discovering the significance of their child's diagnosis, will pass through phases similar to grieving – denial, bargaining, anger, and eventually acceptance. And in case you wonder how on earth bargaining happens, sometimes parents shop around for an expert who will tell them what they want to hear- that although their child lives in a bubble and does not speak or interact with the world around him, that he's fine. Or that he just needs a little speech therapy. Or maybe some sort of herbal tonic. Or that his inability to comprehend simple instructions or complete a basic task is because he is spoiled by his mother or nanny, and a little tough love will set him straight. You'd be surprised how popular the 'blame the caregiver' approach can be, especially to relatives who, as I have been told by one mother, “…just don't believe in your autism thing.”

Parents spend so many years being told 'He'll grow out of it, he's fine!” that by the time they finally come to acceptance, they are escorting a non-verbal twelve year old in diapers to a center that tells him they're too late for the early, intensive intervention that could have helped their child. And that, as a mother, is heart breaking.

There are cases when a child's autism is so severe that their potential is accordingly limited. And then there are cases where their autism was moderate, or even mild, but their potential was lost due to years of denial. We can't do anything about the first type of cases, but there's a whole lot that can be done for the second.

Early recognition and treatment is a child's strongest chance for recovery, and although it cannot yet be cured, behavioral and educational therapies can help offset learning delays and replace problem behaviors so effectively, and so smoothly, that a child looses their diagnosis because the symptoms of autism are no longer there. That is the goal, and you can help. As Muslims, we believe that God did not create any disease without its cure, and until it is discovered, we can pray for the parents and children, and keep our eyes open for opportunities to increase awareness.

May Allāh increase us all in patience, and make us thankful for the blessings we take for granted, and increase our community in knowledge in all aspects of life, especially those that help others. Āmīn.