Keeping Safe In Islamophobic Space

It’s been a rough time for the Muslim community of America. This week alone we witnessed multiple hate crimes. In New York City a man tried to set a 35 year old Muslim woman on fire using a lighter. While In Orlando, the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce was set ablaze by arson. Donald Trump’s hate filled rants against Muslims have ignited a wave of backlash causing many of us to feel as strangers in the only home we know.

Many Islamic organizations will surely be sending safety guides in the following days advising us to be aware of our surroundings and maybe even suggesting classes in self-defense. That’s great, but let’s not forget we are a faith-based community that can tap into a rich spiritual tradition. Our Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him and his family) taught some great spiritual self-defense techniques that I want to share with you.

This is one that my family and I have been practicing for years. He ﷺ told us that anyone that repeats the below invocation three times in the morning and three times in the evening, no harm will come to them that day. So memorize this and repeat it each day.

In the Name of Allah with Whose Name there is protection against every kind of harm in the earth or in the heaven, and He is the All-Hearing and All-Knowing.

Bismillahil-ladhi la yadurru ma`as-mihi shai'un fil-ardi wa la fis-sama'i, wa Huwas-Sami`ul-`Alim

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ

So in the the midst of being mindful of your surroundings and jujitsu classes, let’s make sure we wrap our efforts in this spiritual self-defense move taught directly by our Messenger ﷺ.