The HIV Club

 This is a cross-post with Zakat House

Delivered by Abubaker Adam

Today is our first Kuttbah using the medium of social media. The reason behind this is that we want to make Kuttbah available to mainstream channels and to also include the whole of Humanity. So let us begin our first ever Kuttbah over social media.

In the name of God, the most Beneficent the most Merciful.

Humans across the planet experience illness and suffering; sometimes it feels like it is part of the job description of a human being.

These illnesses teach us many lessons; let us explore just two of them:  

Lesson 1 is that we must show deep levels of respect, understanding, sensitivity and reactive response to ease human suffering and treat sufferers as we would like to be treated. 

Lesson 2 tells us: don't celebrate the illness, get involved in the solution.   Many HIV focused organisations and NGOs concentrate on just raising awareness. We must ensure that the culture of “just raising awareness” doesn’t defeat the original objective and purpose of curing the actual disease. Each individual in society must play a very active role in recognising that positive action combined with faith will ease the pain, and increase the momentum for social change. 

I firmly believe that Muslim individuals can play a very significant role in fighting HIV through deep compassion, knowledge and saddaqah (regular financial donations). Unfortunately if they fail to do so, it means Muslims have become a new joining member of the world club as a result of neglecting the HIV victim called "HIV” which stands for “Hide It's Visibility”.

Finally, the least we can do is remember those suffering with the disease in our prayers and continue to support them through our voice, because they remain human. Let’s not forget we have been blessed for not carrying such a disease; let us share our thoughts and prayers and genuinely help them where we can without any discrimination relating to race, colour, gender, and religious beliefs.

Libya's other humanitarian problem

 By Mohammad Shakir

Libya has been subject to a widespread humanitarian crisis during the recent months. There has been a bigger problem over the last couple of decades which has been swept under the carpet and the real issues ignored by the authorities – HIV/AIDS.

During the 1990’s authorities in Libya claimed that the country’s HIV was a result of foreign medical workers deliberately infecting Libyans with the virus. HIV is a particular problem in Benghazi where nearly 400 children were infected in the 90’s. At the latest count 62 of them have died.

The current humanitarian crisis has brought positives and negatives. It has made citizens more open and accepting of HIV, but has created a shortage of medical supplies due to conflict.

Despite the strong stigma in the religious society in the country, families are moving on and living with their lives. Facilities have become cleaner and better equipped to help people living with HIV lead a relatively normal life.

Let’s see what the future brings.

The Media's Perception of HIV

By Mohammad Shakir

There has been a major shift in the way the media perceive and report cases of HIV since its discovery in the 1980’s.

In the early 80’s HIV was met with fear due to the lack of information about the condition. Later in the decade celebrities such Freddie Mercury and Rock Hudson disclosed to the public that they were living with HIV. The creation of World AIDS Day brought a great swell in promotion about the realities of HIV/AIDS. Celebrities such as the late Dame Elizabeth Taylor setting up an AIDS foundation helped raise the profile.

The 90’s saw the US government and the United Nations put emphasis on finding a cure for HIV/AIDS and the first vaccine trials on humans take place. The past decade has seen a focus shift to Africa and Asia where HIV is most rife. More and more stories about how people are living with HIV have shown that with the right medication HIV can be kept under control and can help people live a relatively normal life.

The way both the media cover HIV related issues and the public receive them have changed from a perception fear and misunderstanding to one of where the world has begun to understand HIV and its effects. In essence HIV has become a global story with regular stories optimistic about finding a HIV vaccine or a reduction in the number of transmissions in the most affected areas.

(Research cited Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and the Australian Studies in Journalism)

Chinese HIV/AIDS sufferers denied medical treatment

By Mohammad Shakir

Reuters reported yesterday that HIV/AIDS sufferers in China are being denied the medical services that they require.

According to the United Nations nearly three quarters of a million people are suffering from HIV in China. The taboos surrounding sex and HIV are strife in the country and have led to discrimination from healthcare workers.

The government’s policy is to treat HIV sufferers in with in designated hospitals which has come under criticism from Zhang Ke, deputy director of the infectious disease department of the Beijing You An Hospital.

It looks as if clearer education about HIV and more compassion for people living with HIV is required in China. Let’s hope that the Chinese government can show some compassion and ensure that the 740,000 people living with HIV can get the help that they so desperately require.

Photo Credit: Reuters

HIV... You're Fired!

 By Mohammad Shakir

It’s the one phrase that most people don’t want to hear in their daily lives, but one phrase we are trying to say to HIV. We want to stop HIV working to spread and destroy lives.

HIV changes lives in the most abhorrent ways, mentally and physically. It destroys a body’s healthy cells especially ones that fight infections such as white blood cells and antibodies and leads to AIDS.

There are over 33 million people affected by HIV globally. This doesn’t include the number of people such as children who sometimes have to care for their parents who suffer from HIV. 

HIV creates orphans and widows, robs a child of a childhood and takes lives. Together we can work harder to say “you’re fired” to HIV.

The Princess and the Hat (By Fatima Zahra Khanum)

Anyone who watched the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge last week will know that much attention has been given to Princess Beatrice,  the daughter of Prince Andrew, who wore a less than traditional fascinator for the ceremony.

The hat has come under intense scrutiny and even led to what has now become a 130,000 strong anti-fascinator Facebook group..!

It is however always good to be different :)  It certainly brings a new dimension to life. If everything were the same, life would be pretty boring, I think!

Hats off to Beatrice also who, unknown to many, is an active member of the community and has since her teens been involved in many charity initiatives, helping those in need.

The charity world relies on innovative ideas to address developmental issues, therefore being different encourages the flow of creativity and brings forth new solutions. Likewise, being different in everyday life allows for one to paint the landscape of life to its fullest capacity.  

Over and out  J