al-Muqaddimah/Prelude
This-Article is predicated upon a Convo I had, with one of my Wellness-Colleagues from Tanzania. They deeply expressed Harrowing-Concerns, pertaining to Potential/Active-Abuse via Muslim-Schools via Tanzania.
These’re their Exact-Words as per their Requst from me:
“Please if you have any literature regarding harmful behaviour of beating and hitting the children at school, quran school Madrasa, masjid and at home,we have this problem in Zanzibar, when we complain about it, they claim to have quran and Sunna evidence which allow them to use corporal punishment against the children, until we get someone explaining to them in islamic and psychological perceptions how destructive it is, maybe it will work, shukran”
So, of course, I respected/accepted their Request. And, resulting from such an Important-Request: here we are addressing the Mas’alah/Subject of School-Abuse. This, for Obvious-Reasons, a Touchy-Subject to say the least…it’s a Dire/Pressing-Issue Muslims must address without any Doubt.
Brief-Summary of the Relationship between Anas ibn-Mālik and Muhammad ibn-`Abdillah
As per the Aforementioned-Hadīth/Narration, forget the Fact that Anas ibn-Mālik was:
A Companion/Pupil of Muhammad.
Amongst the Most Islāmically-Knowledgeable amongst the Companions (May Allah be pleased with them altogether).
A Documentor/Compiler of The Qur’ān during the Lifetime of Muhammad.
A Documentor/Compiler of the Sunnah (Prophetic-Tradition) during the Life of Muhammad as well as after their Death.
An Ancestor of the Great Madīnan-Scholar Mālik ibn-Anas: the Imām of al-Madīnah.
etc.
Anas ibn-Mālik literally dwelled in the Home of Muhammad, essentially an Auxilliary-Member of their Ahl-il-Bayt (Prophetic-Household). So, Anas ibn-Mālik possessed & shared an Intimately-Personal Vantage-Point as per how Muhammad ibn-`Abdillah conducted themselves via their Domestic-Life. So, to personally serve anyone for 10-Years and them to never be cursed-out, scorned, ridiculed, etc. is phenominal to say the least.
The Good-Treatment of Young/Impressionable-Persons has the Potential to elevate them to Heights even they could/would’ve never know they had the God-Given Agency, Aspiration, Ambition, etc. to be for themselves.
Without any Doubt, had Anas ibn-Mālik ever been mistreated via Muhammad ibn-`Abdillah:
They probably would’ve never become the Great Religio-Academic Force the Entire Muslim-World historically has always respected.
They probably would’ve never had anything positive to say about Muhammad.
Worst-Case-Scenario, they probably would’ve left al-Islām via ar-Riddah/Apostasy.
And, this is literally how/why Allah states:
“Surely, within the Messenger-Of-Allah is an Ideal-Rolemodel for you.”
(Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.33, V.21)
And, this is precisely how/why Muhammad stated:
“Verily, Character/Behavior will weigh heaviest on the Scales (via the Day-Of-Standing).”
(an-Nawawī)
How/what/why does this have anything to do with School-Children?!!!
#GoodQuestion…
…#Answer:
It has everything to do with School-Children. As per the Modern-World especially, Most School-Children typically end-up spending most of their Time at Schools as opposed to with their Loved-Ones at their Homes. So, based upon such a Fact: Educators, Teachers, School-Workers/Administrators, etc. have an Immense-Projection of Power/Authority over the Impressionable-Minds/Hearts of Children. We’ve probably all been told:
“Be Good at School.”
“Do what your Teachers tell you to do.”
etc.
Analyzing the Psychology of an Abuser
Well…honestly, since we dwell in such a Treacherous-World: the “Do what your Teachers tell you to do.” has to be reevaluated, reinterpreted, better understood, etc. Reason being is because, it’s Mutawātir (Public-Fact), that School-Workers have sinisterly used their Projected-Power/Authority to manipulated School-Students. And, this almost always translates into some Type/Kind of Zhulm/Abuse.
al-Ightisab/Sexual-Abuse is a Crime…no matter who does it!!!
Abuse of any Type/Kind is Mahrūm (Islāmically-Prohibited). Also, Abusers typically the Most-Sinister amongst them: they groom their Victims via Various-Ways. They do this, to assess what they can potentially/actively get away with doing against their Targets. I’ll explain what I mean, reverting to what I’ve aforementioned about the Power/Authority which Education-Workers have over Student-Bodies. Physical-Abuse is very often a Litmus/Prelude to Sexual-Abuse.
Via the Mind/Heart of a Predator/Abuser: if they can get away with beating their Targets, then 9/10 they project that they can equally get away with raping their Targets. If/whenever Physical-Abuse takes places: it very often (like any other Manifestation of Abuse) as well as typically attacks the Self-Esteem of the Predatory-Target. This is especially true/honest if thete’s no one to advocate for the Wellbeing of they Projected-Target, no one to step-in and protect/defend the Projected-Target, no one to stand against the Potential/Active-Predator.
Abuse-Predators literally seek-out Targets whom:
Don’t hail from Positive/Stable-Homes.
Don’t have their Biological-Fathers in their Lives.
Don’t have Positive-Relationships with their Biological-Fathers.
Hail from Single-Mother Homes.
etc.
Sexual-Grooming Realities
With all this being said, it undoubtedly behooves the Muslims to purposely/consciously be more Self-Aware of the Obvious-Signs of:
Abuse
An Abuser
The Abused
etc.
The Islāmic-Posture towards Sex-Crimes & the Damage they cause
But, not only to merely identify:
What Abuse looks like.
Who the Abuser looks like.
Who the Abused looks like.
etc.
Instead, rather, we must do something Real via Pragmatic/Practical-Impact to rid our Societies of Abusers. The more proactive we can be, then the greater of an Impact we can have as per removing Abuse from our Societies. This is an “All-Hands-On-Deck” Endeavor. In no Way can this ever be a “1-Man Show”. We must all equally contribute to such an Effort.
Sexual-Abuse Awareness&Activism
All of us are equally responsible for protecting Children, Young-People, etc. and likewise Allah will make us accountable for failing our Children, Young-People, etc. We, as Muslims, must be the Positive Trend-Setters of Human-Societies. At least 50% of any/all Societal-Issues/Problems directly stem from one’s Domestic-Life. If we can remedy the Domestic-Lives of Others, then 50% of the World’s-Problems are already solved.
Gareth Bryant
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