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eNews: June 2012  
 
 

Survivors of Domestic Violence

Assalamu Alaykum!

Unfortunately, many of our sisters in abusive relationships spend their days and nights scared and isolated. Sometimes, this goes on for decades. Many people may believe that these sisters are weak mentally, or so damaged they can never lead a normal life. But if you look into the stories of these survivors, you find incredible courage and strength as these sisters struggle with their abusers. On our site, we have compiled true stories of a few survivors to help us understand the issue. These stories speak to the universal challenges of domestic violence in all communities. Please click below to read their personal accounts.

Hear Their Stories
 
 

On the Road to Sakinah

Project Sakinah co-sponsors a Conference at DePaul University, Chicago
Project Sakinah co-sponsors a Conference at DePaul University, ChicagoSakinah is proud to have been a sponsor of a two-day conference at DePaul University in Chicago entitled "Making This Home: Improving Health and Legal Outcomes for Immigrant Survivors." The conference was convened by the Legal Assistance Foundation, Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women's Network, LifeSpan services, and Korean American Women in Need. Conference organizer and LAF staff attorney Kulsum Ameji worked more than a year to bring together attorneys, mental health clinicians, and domestic violence advocates to explore ways to better serve immigrant survivors of Domestic Violence. Project Sakinah team members Raiesa Syed and Irma Dahlquist, together with Anas Coburn, attended the conference, made new contacts and strengthened existing relationships in the Chicago-land area, as well as benefitting from in-depth presentations on legal and mental health issues faced by survivors.

 

Please Help Me: The Child Abuse Epidemic

  Khalil &  Abdifatah
Project Sakinah continues to draw attention to the issue of child abuse. Karla Kellam wrote this very important piece for altmuslimah early this month. She says: “We cannot dismiss these stories with a pitying shake of the head because we, the Muslim community, share the burden of guilt. We have remained woefully silent on the issue of child abuse and family violence within our communities. Our Imams and Islamic publications pump out countless sermons and articles advising women on dress and couples on marriage, but there is a conspicuous silence when it comes to addressing child or spousal abuse. Perhaps we don’t know when or how to intervene or we fear that by acknowledging these crimes, we will bring negative attention to our communities and confirm the worst suspicions of non-Muslims—that ours is an inherently violent, harsh faith and society. We often complain, and rightly so, that non-Muslims limit their examination of Islam to women’s dress, but we are guilty of doing the same.” Please click here to read this very important piece by Karla Kellam and share with others.

 

Next National Team Meeting on July 1st
Project Sakinah National team will be meeting on Sunday, July 1, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. This will be an online meeting. Some city teams are also gathering at one place. They will have potluck dinner at the same time and would be meeting as a group online. Community members interested in joining our teams are welcome to attend this meeting. Please contact us at gathering@projectsakinah.com for more information about the meeting.



 

Yasir Qadhi condemns Domestic Violence

“No man who beats his wife is a man. No man who mistreats a woman with whom Allah has blessed him with is a real man. Such a man is not following the laws of Allah or the sunnah of the messenger of Allah, sallallahu alaihi wassallam.”

Watch the video for full statement.
Stop Domestic Violence Join Project Sakinah


 
You and Project Sakinah
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Spotlight on Raiesa Samad

Spotlight on Shaima Alwadi’s CaseThis month’s spotlight is on Project Sakinah Chicago Team Lead Raiesa Samad. We are blessed to have this humble yet firm and determined sister as our team lead in Chicago. She completed a 40-hour training on Domestic Violence. She volunteered for Hamdard Center for a few years. She has been helping domestic violence victims by suggestions, advice, referrals to appropriate services. Now as a Team Lead of Project Sakinah Chicago she is not only organizing volunteers, but she is also reaching all major community organizations for collaborative efforts.

She is originally from India Hyderabad, residing in US since 1989. She completed a 5 year program in Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery in India and worked as a medical officer for 6 years. After coming to US, she completed BS in Computer Information Systems. She works full time as SAP HR Functional Analyst. Besides a full time job, she works part time as a tutor providing professional SAP HR training to students. And she also runs a small non-profit organization to collect Zakat funds during Ramadan to purchase a small business for deserving, eligible for Zakat family/families in the third world countries.