Islam, Autism and Life

Sometimes it seems so odd how little things trigger a thought or a memory. How we start down a road with intention but find ourselves being lead in another direction completely. I started reading about salat (prayer) and somehow ended up on a page titled Hello, I am Autism Aware.

I struggled through the article not because of its content, but because of my daughters breakdown, and her inability to cope with something so simple. She was unable to find a piece of paper, but not just any piece of paper; a yellow piece of paper. Why yellow, she could not tell me and any other colour offered would not do.


I did not have time for another outburst, I wanted to be left alone so that I could read, but she just would not stop. Realization, she could not stop. She is Autistic and somethings are just difficult for her to deal with. When I started to get impatient there was a sudden silence. Her sister arrived with that perfect piece of yellow paper. Alhamdulillah (all praise to Allah).

An article followed by a breakdown, well that was enough to start the nagging itch. A reminder of what I had been avoiding. A realization why I did not want to deal with another out burst and why I was short with her. May Allah forgive me for my lack of patience.

The Itch Revealed

Six months in the making the big day arrives. My wife and I already know the answer to the question that has been eating at our minds the past year, but because we live in a world that needs everything on paper we have to go through the formality of a meeting. That’s just how it is. Now it’s a diagnosis we do not want, but one we must accept. We enter the office and our little bundle of trials and joy makes a B line for the distraction they have prepared for him. There are a lot of toys there so it looks like it will be a lengthy chat.

Sitting in the office the doctor seems a little taken aback by how calm we are. We are for the most part pretty calm, after all he is our fourth child and we have had plenty of experience since the diagnosis of his sister eight years before. Experience gives one a wisdom and understanding to better deal with such situations and we have plenty of experience.


Moments after we sit he reaches for a car from a pile and begins to drive it back and forth upon the surface of the table: once, twice, three times until he parks it on one side. Returning to the mound of cars he repeats the process of driving and parking until he has exhausted every inch of the pile. Now that the cars are meticulously parked side by side he begins to shift them one by one to the opposite side of the table. The doctor notices his behaviour and mentions in an empathetic tone, “Oh Yusuf, so classic.”

Diagnosis: Classic Autism, Another Trial

That was ten days ago and I had just returned to Canada from my first international excursion. A spiritually rewarding and physically demanding journey to Medina and Mecca that broke me down only to lift me up in ways I did not think possible. Perhaps it was Allah’s (subhanahu wa ta’ala – may He be glorified and exalted) way of preparing me and reminding me that life is just a series of trials.

Surat At-Taghābun (The Mutual Disillusion)

[64:15] Your wealth and your children are but a trial, and Allah has with Him a great reward.

So each day I turn in remembrance to my Creator and thank him for having a child with Autism, and in my case I thank him twice, once for each blessing. I ask Him to strengthen me for the burden He has placed upon me as I do have those days that seem like they will never end and that I cannot make it, but Allah reminds me that I can handle it.

Surat Al-Baqarah (The Cow)

[2:286] “Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned…”

May Allah bless all our children and grant us all patience for those daily trials, ameen

http://tspmuslim.com/

Amin

Wonderful article there! May Allah give us the iman to cope with difficult situations.

Amin!