Interview with Dr. Noorin Saba, founder of Rahmah Foundation
1. A brief background of yourself and your work and your inspiration for starting your work
I am Dr. Noorin Saba from Malegaon, Maharashtra, India. AnUnani medicine Graduate and pursuing Islamic Psychology and Counseling From United Kingdom. Going through trials and difficulties is a part of human life, and it was not different for me. I constantly searched the answers about the purpose of life. This quest got bigger as I grew up. Then by the grace of Allah, I found Quran as my best friend. I always used to open the Quran whenever I felt depressed or had questions about my life. I felt an instant connection with Allah (swt) by reading ayahs about His mercy. I got all my answers through my spiritual connection and experience. I recently saw many cases of suicide in the Muslim community, and it shook me. I questioned myself
“Why are our sisters and brothers taking the extreme step of Haraam? ”
“What should I do to help and support them?”
When the incident of Ayesha Arif Khan happened, I thought it was high time I should do something about it. So I initiated a project called *Rahmah Foundation* and started to work as a social worker in counseling.
2. What do you hope to accomplish with your work?
I genuinely want the Indian Muslim community to be mentally healthy and happy. I want to help sisters who are going through struggles. I want to support them emotionally, mentally,and spiritually so that no sister would take the suicidal path.
3. What do you judge to be your significant successes or accomplishments in your fieldwork? How did you achieve these?
In India, we have so many barriers in the way of mental health awareness.
1.Our Muslim sisters going through any difficulty in life have no access to any counselor or psychotherapist.
2.We don’t have as many Muslim psychologists in India.
3.It is still considered taboo to reach out to mental health practitioners.
4.Many sisters can’t afford to consult psychologists.
Being an online free counseling platform, Rahmah Foundation has managed to break these barriers to some extent.
Having said that, we still have a long way to go and work very hard towards reaching out to as many sisters in India as we can.
4.This position requires a lot of independent thinking and initiative. There is minimal supervision. How do you handle that?
I always ask Allah to guide and help me.
And if your intentions are pure, Allah makes everything easy for you.
5.What techniques do you use in crisis intervention work?
We see that there are different techniques and models in psychology.
But there is no specific approach that we use in our practice. It depends on the person’s conditions and degree of mental and emotional wellness.
But the amazing thing about Islam-based psychology is that we always pray and ask Allah to guide us before our counseling sessions. We don’t entirely rely on mere techniques and models. We rely on Allah to heal the person’s soul, and the inspiration comes from Him to use which tools in which case.
6. What do you think is going to happen in the field in the near future?
We see that the field of Islamic psychology is growing rapidly day by day. Inshah Allah, I hope that soon we will see that every city, town, and district in India has easily accessible Islamic counseling services for distressed people in our community.
7. How would one’s weaknesses interfere with their ability to do this job, and what’s your advice to overcome such weaknesses?
Yes, we all are humans. We make mistakes,and things get complicated for us sometimes. But it is recommended by our mentors always to be connected to Allah, whatever the situation be. So I also do the same.
I often feel overwhelmed by the sisters’ circumstances, but we should keep moving forward to fulfill our aim to provide support to our sisters in need.
A lot of Duas, a lot of self-love and care, and strong family support can push you to prevent the adverse effects in the counseling profession.
8. Please tell us about How one can get involved with working for this noble cause.
You can visit our website: www.rahmahfoundation.in and contact us:
[email protected]
COMMENTS
I’m seeking for female scholar help
Assalam O Alaikum,
I am looking for psychological treatment for my wife. We are staying in Sharjah UAE and are open for online treatment.
Kindly let me know how to proceed and what are the formalities and charges.
Aslam o alaikum . I really someone to talk about my problems . I am getting apart from my Deen , I am scared of being judged so i want someone to talk so that i can get it resolved.
I need help pls wer can i connect
I m male 32 from Jammu and Kashmir suffering from depression and anxiety. Can I get counseling.
assalamualaikum wbt, i’m a 13 year old girl who has been struggling with porn and masturbation, i have been repeating the same cycle of masturbating and repenting for over a year now and i am very tired of not being able to escape this loop, it’s very hard for me to stop, even when i ask for guidance so many times, i don’t know who to talk to because of shame and fear, i have finally decided to reach out here in hopes of any help that i can get, thank you
Assalam alaikum warehmatullahi wabarakatuhu
Ma’am I want to consult you iam suffering from anxiety now a days so I need your assistance
Jazakallah khair
I would like to contact Dr. Noorin Saba for islamic counselling please.
I want counselling with muslim approach as I have tried almost every other thing by now
Can you please help me 😭 I’m really in need to talk to someone, I need advice. But I’m outside of India. Is there any way you can help me?
I really need mental peace
How would you offer your service
Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu. Sister i m messaging u at a point of my life where i don’t have control over my emotions at all. The matter is since last 5 years i have been in long distance relationship amd have been facing so many struggles through out it but for the love i had for this man i used to bear them patiently. But as time passed by he has started taking me grantedly, doubting me,getting angry on small things,even after i tried to apologize fot so many time he is not even ready to listen,ignoring me continuously. Since last few years he had treat me very well but recently things are getting out of way.I thought many times to end this relation but within few days of that decision my body physically and emotionally is not able to beat the separation and i think he is taking advantage of that. Pleasd do help me out. Personally i want to visit psychologist but as u told in your content that in India it is not common. Waiting for your reply. Jazakallahukhair
Assalamu alaikum ,I am 20yrs old now.i am from india ,My father is still working in Riyadh and he visits us 2years once and also he privide us whatever my family needs. when i was 11 i found out my mom cheating with neighbor who was 24yrs old at that time . I found out when they talking& flirting in front of me . Also found messages (text) that man sent to my mother [ i wont live without you , talk to me , pick my phone ] . And even she went to his marriage 2yrs later and present him Table fan . Now she has no connection with him . I have not told this to anyone till now. I think she regret what she had done and even she prays and read quran now
The question is … Now she is suffering ill and i have no sympathy or empathy for her. Is it compulsory for me to show love and care towards her according to islam.
Asalam Alaikum
My name is Hujja from west Africa to be precise, I am a female and I am39 years old. I got married last year September after Allah answered my prayers, Alhamdulilah. So my Aunt, my mother’s cousin recommended me to her son who I am 7 years older than to marry me. I was reluctant initially but with family and elders advice and reminder of the sunnah of the Prophet Mohammed (S.A.W) I accepted to marry him. He didn’t know me but I saw him once when he was about 9 years old. We both had left our parents town for college/ university in separate Regions (Province / State) for many years and settled in those cities after school. I didn’t know anything about him and I did ask questions. He reached out to me and came to look for me in my city. I liked him but my concern was the age gap. It is not common in my country for a woman to marry someone she is older than.
IT’s was a small Nikkah by our parents. I was shy at the time that people will mock me that I am married to someone younger. I was also shy that they will mock me that no one wanted me that is why I settled for someone younger. To be frank I was desperate to marry and have children.
Fast forward after the marriage, we started marriage life. We prayed together enjoyed each other’s company any hoped for a better tomorrow. In fact it was my happiest moment in life Alhamdulilah. Our relationship was founded on Guidance of Allah. Love, respect and kindness.. We are not staying together full time because we work in different regions and we are not due for transfer. We see each other only on weekends. He visits on Friday and goes back on Monday mornings. Some week too I am the one who visits him. He enjoys my food, make me laugh, encourage me to do more in my career building.
The Amazing moment lasted for 3 weeks. Everything changed after the third weeek. Since that day he started resenting me, he complains about everything I do, he doesn’t eat my food, he doesn’t touch me, he talks to me any how, he says he doesn’t feel like being intimate with me. He says he think he rushed the decision to marry me, he says my age is a problem for him. Now. 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭. He doesn’t want to talk to me. I used to apologize to him even when I am not wrong . I begged him to let us be as we were but he will change for a while and get back to the bad attitude. I got tired and started talking back. I kept asking what was wrong. I am a plus size woman so I felt I was not beautiful for him. Before I married I had not been sexually involved wo the any man before and I had low self esteem and body confidence so I never made him see my nakedness. I was also not good with sex but during the good moments he told me I shouldn’t worry that I will learn it gradually. He assured me that he will be patient with me. Sex was painful for me initially. But I read alot, did exercises, spoke with gynecologist and most importantly prayed to Allah to help me. I am getting better Alhamdulilah.
He continued to give me hostile attitude, he doesn’t even want my
Body to touch him. I have to beg for sex. Things are bad. So I started searching to find out who his Ex is . He told me they broke up 2 years before we married that he left her because their genotype are not compatible. One evening I was complaining about the way he was t treating me bad and I said is that how you treated your ex. He got annoyed and told me to stop mentioning her. He said when he told her he is married she was pained and so she recently settled for an older man. Then I said so you are punishing me because you are mad at yourself for not marrying her and now she belongs to another man? I jokingly said so this is your way of broken heart? I searched and found the lady and ever since I saw her pictures I have never had piece. Then later I discovered he is still talking with her. I begged him to stop it since she is married now. He told me he is not doing anything with her which I believe him 💯. He and the lady both have morals they won’t do such a thing but there is shaitan. (Satan) who have bad whispers. He speaks highly of the lady and with admiration in front of me and says things like she is a good girl, she is a good cook………
Those things started worrying me and traumatizing me.
He now doesn’t care about me, he can stay for days without call or text , if I don’t visit he won’t he will not visit me. He says he can’t love me, I should not expect lover or romance from him…………
My heart is breaking, anxiety and depression setting in. I pray to Allah but he is not changing.
Kindly help me before I loose it. I can’t focus at work nor think properly 😭😭😂😂😂😂😭😭😭
Assalamualaikum dear sister
How to book the service?
Assalamu alaikum, I read that there are free counseling sessions for distressed women, I am sixteen, if this also aplies to me i would like to have free counseling regarding my waswas
Counseling session
I want help literally I’m tired of my life I’m struggling with depression,ocd, anxiety,bipolar since 7 yrs even after meditation with councelling session but I realise one time I must have to council to a muslimah sister .bcz I think you guide me from Allah’s guidelines.Our Qur’an