The biggest problem with having Autistic Children is the toll it takes on Parents.
Example is a relative of mine who organised a Junaid Jamshaid Nasheed session in Ramadhan. Both husband/wife worked extremely hard to make it happen and raise money for their local Mosque. In the middle of the Nasheed, their child (who couldn't be dropped off) anywhere screamed so Junaid Jamshaid on the MIC went ballistic and gave a lecture on how to control children. What he couldn't udnerstand is that the boy is 12 years old and if he is behaving like this "It isn't normal"!
Sunnah following Muslims humiliated in front of the whole community because of having no understanding of the issue.
A vast majority of Autistic children grow out of it (to a large extent) and live a relatively normal life but because these children and families are SHUT OUT of the Mosques, Islamic talks etc the behavior is never learned. I was in a Bayan and a brother has a 9 year Autistic child and a Shaykh (of Tassawuff) after Bayan asked him to switch the lights off, the chld just froze, Shaykh asked again the child did nothing so he asked the 3rd time and at this time I switched the light off.
Shaykh just said, "Kiya Haay Yey Bacha, Itni Si Baat nahi Samjhtaa" (What is this child, he doesn't understand this simple command?"
In fact the Muslim Parents go out of their way to hide themselves and their children. This is 19th century behavior of British Royal family who went out of their way to hide Autistic children from public life.
I work with Muslim families and special needs children so we certainly have a problem!
As I said many children (and adults) do recover and live a fairly normal life...
The other problem is people chasing Aaamils and Ruqyaas when Autistim is Neurological disorder and nothing to do with Jinns/Magic!
In Tassawuff terms the son of Syed Ahmed Shaheed (RA) was most likely Autistic although labelled in history books as "Born Majzoob who never recovered"
The daughter of General Ziaul-Haq (RA) of Pakistan (Zain Zia) is Austic whom he dressed in male Army uniform and took her with him everywhere.
I was taking a whole bunch of boys for Salah and walking downstairs. A mildly Autistic boy who has trouble walking, rest of the kids ran off but another Autistic boy (suspected) stopped, held his hand and walked him down to the Musallah.
I spoke to the child's mother and said, "Your son just did that" and she said, "Yes he is kind of like that".
It was very clear what he was doing but the mother didn't get it!
This other boy has specturm symptoms but his humanity shows in his Autism.
What is concerning to me is a lot of Adults who may have Autism or Asperger Syndrome and they have never been diagnosed or understood. And the classic hotbed is Internet Forums because those suffering from these disorders have problems with forming emotional bonds and relationships and forums give them the distance which they need.
I am a classic example of someone who is either emotionally charged or emotionally detached and a brother from India is just saying that on gmail chat as to what is wrong with me. :P I have trouble forming emotional bonds and emotional relationships and it manifests itself particularly in my spirituality which is based on emotional longings and feelings. I have been declared UNFIT for TASSAWUFF and although I have never been diagnosed I could be on the spectrum because I do have the uncanny ability to attach or detach but not be stable. All my life nobody has ever understood that until I began to analyse my own personality and its shortcomings.
Only one person on a 10,000 User forum like Sunniforum figured this out and emailed me which is pretty phenomenal actually and I was told, “Banning you wasn’t the solution because I could feel your spirituality and you are neither mischievous, nor stupid, nor trouble maker, just misunderstood and nobody understood why you behave the way you behave”
My Shaykh also told me something on similar lines as to what I needed to do to progress in Tassawuff and he said, "I know more about you then you know about yourself".
So there are random people who understand things, pick up patterns etc. but that's a minority.
Most of the times Autistic people are not diagnosed or can't be diagnosed or its inconclusive. I watched a Hindu Ayurveda video once on Autism and the guy said that there is no treatment in Ayurveda for it because the expectation that everybody should behave the same way is unrealistic and not known throughout mankind. People behave differently and that's life.
Similarly there is also no treatment in Islamic medicine or Western Medicine. It is expected that certain people have quirks in their personalities and they are just expected to behave in this manner.
Read books of history and notice that odd behavior of people (Muslims and Non-Muslims) so what is important is for people to observe behavior patterns and recognise differences.
People need to be understood more then diagnosed because even after diagnosis how will you treat them???
This cannot be undone and I am sure it will be greatly appreciated.
Please wait...
