News Kashmir Magazine

              Sadness, Depression and Anxiety 

Dr Suhaib Ashraf Bhat

Peace of mind, contentment, happiness and freedom from worries and anxiety, these are what everyone wants, and these are the ways in which people can have a good life and find complete happiness and joy. There are religious means of achieving this, and natural and practical means, but no one can combine all of them except the believers; although other people may achieve some of them, they will miss out on others.The name of failure is enough to put us off it and strive for success, regardless of the material gains that a man may attain as the result of his success, because failure is a word that implies shortcomings and loss, and success is a word that implies perfection and praise. Failure and success are two sides of the same coin, although they may seem to contradict one another at first glance. But in fact they are interconnected if you think about it, based on experience and real life.You might often come across a conversation pertaining to things like “sadness is shaytan’s doing” or that “a believer never gets sad” or even that “sadness is an indication of weak or incomplete faith”. Nothing, and I mean nothing, could be further from the truth. Statements like these only escalate the process of drowning for individuals who suffer from depression, anxiety or hopelessness. It is of the utmost importance that people know the difference between sadness and depression; sadness is a typical human emotion and depression is a much more damaging and longer lasting condition of hopelessness, despair, and dejection. Sadness is a part of what makes us human. No living soul is unfamiliar with it; even our Prophets faced multiple episodes of sadness. For example, Yaqub (Alahisalam) wept until he lost his vision and even our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah swt be upon him) experienced bouts of sadness upon the loss of his wife and uncle. Hence, sadness is not a sign of weakness in any form. To experience sadness is to be human. Having strong faith, or Imaan, does not render a believer to be an exception to the emotion of sadness. Depression is majorly defined by a sense of hopelessness- in yourself and in the world around you. It is rooted in a sense of sheer helplessness where you feel like nothing is in your control. But that is the truth; nothing IS in your control. It is in Allah’s (swt) control. Take a moment, embrace your lack of control over your circumstances, and know that the one in control is the best of planners and loves you more than you can imagine. Surrender your attempts to control your life, leave it up to Allah (swt), and trust His plan for you. Sometimes, the human mind is unable to understand Allah’s (swt) ultimate wisdom behind every single thing that happens to us. However, by accepting that Allah (swt) is in control and welcoming His plans for us ultimately leads to the enrichment of our mind, body and soul.Steadfastness of heart  and not being disturbed about the imaginary things that bad thoughts may bring to mind. For when a person gives in to his imagination and lets his mind be disturbed by these thoughts, such as fear of disease and the like, or anger and confusion stirred up by some grievous matter, or the expectation of bad things and the loss of good things, it will fill him with worries, distress, mental and physical illness and nervous breakdowns, which will have a bad effect on him and which causes a great deal of harm, as many people have seen. But when a person depends on Allah swt and puts his trust in Him, and does not give in to his imagination or let bad thoughts overwhelm him, and he relies on Allah swt and has hope of His bounty, this wards off his worries and distress, and relieves him of a great deal of mental and physical sickness. It gives indescribable strength, comfort and happiness to the heart. How many hospitals are filled with the mentally sick victims of illusions and harmful imagination; how often have these things had an effect upon the hearts of many strong people, let alone the weak ones; how often have they led to foolishness and insanity. It should be noted that your life will follow your train of thought. If your thoughts are of things that will bring you benefit in your spiritual or worldly affairs, then your life will be good and happy. Otherwise it will be the opposite.Have great hope in Allah swt, and do not let the Shaytaan cause you to despair of the vast mercy of Allah swt which He has guaranteed for His believing slaves. You need to increase your hope and trust in Allah swt Who forgives all sins, and who accepts the slave who seeks His protection and refuge, for He is the Most Merciful, the Oft-Forgiving and the Most Loving.  You should increase your good deeds, upholding the ties of kinship, etc. The sadness which we feel also happens to others, for it is something natural. How many people were examples followed by others and had a great deal of drive and ambition, then they lost their drive and ambition for a long time, then it came back to them by the grace of Allah swt. Remember the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah swt be upon him): “Everybody has his time of energy, and every time of energy is followed by a time of lethargy. But if a person tries to follow a moderate path, then I have hope for him, but if he becomes one who is pointed out (in the street), then do not think anything of him.”(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2453; classed as hasan (sound) by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 1995). 
What is meant by “Everybody has his time of energy” is eagerness for a thing, energy and the desire to do good.What is meant by “every time of energy is followed by a time of lethargy” is tiredness, weakness and lack of movement.“But if a person tries to follow a moderate path” means that the one who has energy does his deeds in moderation and avoids going to extremes when he is feeling energetic and avoids being negligent when he is feeling lethargic.“Then I have hope for him” means, I have hope that he will be successful, for he can continue following a middle course, and the most beloved deeds to Allah swt are those which are continuous.“but if he becomes one who is pointed out (in the street)” means, if he strives hard and goes to extremes in doing good deeds so that he will become famous for his worship and asceticism, and he becomes famous and people point him out to one another,“then do not think anything of him” means, do not think that he is one of the righteous, because he is showing off. He did not say, “do not have hope for him,” as an indication that he has already fallen, and he will not be able to make up for what he has missed out on. Think about this hadeeth, and relate it to your own situation and the situation of others: you will see a clear similarity. This hadeeth clearly states that man goes through a stage of incomparable eagerness and great focus and ambition, and then suddenly he becomes weak and loses that focus and eagerness and ambition. When he reaches this stage, he must strive even harder to do obligatory duties and avoid haraam (impermissible) things. If he does that, then there is the hope that he will succeed and progress, but if he falls into haraam things and stops doing obligatory things, he will be lost and doomed.Don’t ever forget that Allah (swt) will never burden you with something that is beyond your capacity to deal with. Even on days when you feel as if you cannot take it anymore, know that you can survive it- for Allah (swt) knows us better than we know ourselves and whatever trial you’re facing in your life, know that He also gives you the strength to handle that trial.
The writer can be reached at Suhaibbhatt85@gmail.com

THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE COVID-19
Dr Suhaib Ashraf Bhat.
The consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak are unprecedented and felt around the world. The world of work is being profoundly affected by the pandemic. In addition to the threat to public health, the economic and social disruption threatens the long-term livelihoods and wellbeing of millions. The pandemic is heavily affecting labour markets, economies and enterprises, including global supply chains, leading to widespread business disruptions. Unfortunately, the startups and small businesses impacted brutally, as they have scarcer funds to manage crises. However, some say that great companies often come out during market downturns. Many innovative entrepreneurs have stepped up to help with some old or new techniques and products.  With the sudden change in the market due to COVID-19, the businesses needed to change their perspective on entrepreneurship. While some businesses have come to a standstill, there are a few opportunities that have knocked our doors. Investors are showing interest in funding potential COVID-19 solutions and also in industries that could thrive in the post-pandemic world.
To determine in which category your business falls, carry a market-opportunity analysis using data from earlier years. Was the problem existed back then, and at what scale? Also, what changes emerged in that with Covid-19. The balance between funding and investment:If you have received the required funding or even parts of it, make sure you use the monetary resources consciously. The key to build and sustain your business is to deeply analyze the fixed and variable cost elements for better financial management. 
Focusing on qualitative growth :Many startups measure their growth in terms of numbers, but we are in a time where the focus is on sustainability and fundamental economics. Now, businesses do need to pay heed to where the next financial support will come.
If you believe in some idea and were looking forward to it, now is the time to work on it. Focus on the quality as it will convert into better unit economics. So, when people start recognizing and using your product, you can win their hearts and loyalty in post-COVID. 
Preparing for the post-COVID market:Amidst this critical period, the next few months bring the major challenge as a new delta variant is spreading like a wildfire, for the businesses is cost rationalization and fund-raise. Currently, people are focusing more on saving and fulfilling their necessities at least in the short term. But, after the situation stabilizes, the aspiration to spend more on travelling, upgrading phones, etc. will be at the forefront. Moreover, using this time to build your digital presence will be a smart move to lead your business towards growth. Many startups might not stand the test of this critical time, but pandemic has given rise to more entrepreneurial activity. So, you need to be extra cautious at every step you take from idea to execution. Furthermore, the major dilemma here is how this will impact us in the future and what can we do to ensure that we are moving in the right direction. Will this critical time enhance the entrepreneurial and diversify our economies? Or will it further shake-up the global system? We can just wait and work on calculated assumptions.A survey conducted by Shipping and Freight Resource, a shipping and freight news and content outlet, asked 300 professionals around the world about the impact of COVID-19 on their supply chains. According to survey results, nearly 59% of respondents said their operations were “significantly affected” by the coronavirus. Some of the factors impacting supply chains, as noted by Shipping and Freight Resource’s survey, include: decline in volume (71%), delays in transit (61%), port to customer delays (49%) and insufficient capacity (39%).
When asked about their supply chain adaptability, 37% of respondents identified with “Partial supply chain shut down with significant freight delays.” Only about 14% of respondents identified with “Supply chain has been able to adapt with no problem.”
Remote Work: According to Gallup, a management consulting and analytics company, 43% of American workers worked off-site at least sometimes in 2016. Based on April data, Gallup reports that 62% of American workers worked from home due to coronavirus concerns.
Many companies offered remote working options before COVID-19, but others didn’t. How has COVID-19 impacted remote working? How have businesses adapted to a remote working environment? How might work-from-home life affect individuals’ well-being?
COVID-19’S IMPACT ON REMOTE WORK:
Buffer, a social media management software provider, produced a “State of Remote Work 2019” report after surveying 2,500 remote workers. It found that, when working remotely, 84% of employees mainly work from their homes. However, some also worked from coffee shops and cafes (4%), coworking spaces (8%) and libraries (0.5%). Stay-at-home orders and safety precautions have changed where individuals are able to telework.
The coronavirus has also changed how individuals telework. Digital workplace tools, like Zoom, Slack and Microsoft Teams have become the new office hallways and meeting rooms. Use of these digital platforms has grown exponentially. For example, Zoom reports that in December 2019, the maximum number of daily participants was roughly 10 million. In April 2020, Zoom announced it had more than 300 million daily participants. 
The impact of COVID-19 has also extended to team management. For many business leaders, COVID-19 has prompted their first remote management experience. An analysis from Gartner, a global research company, found that 16% of employers are more frequently using technology to monitor their employees. Adopting new management practices to check in on employees, maintain communication, and foster employee engagement are all challenges leaders have faced. 
THE FUTURE OF REMOTE WORK:
Remote work used to be considered a nice-to-have office perk, but social distancing has made it the norm. It’s possible that the remote working will continue long after the COVID-19 pandemic has ended. To adjust to this change, businesses will need individuals with agile leadership and management skills. 
The future of remote work may also require that companies find creative ways to prioritize employees’ mental health. In its 2019 remote work report, Buffer notes that remote workers have a difficult time stepping away from their work. When asked about the most difficult part about working remotely, 22% of Buffer’s respondents chose “unplugging after work.” Additionally, 19% said they struggle with loneliness. 
The ultimate tragedy I witnessed since the outbreak of covid-19 is, I saw the cream of people literally in begging mode, but due to the status they hold they are not able to speak out. I am of the strong opinion that it’s always middle class who suffers a lot. Neither they can go out and beg nor will anyone knock their door. In these days I met few people and I really felt that problem is with us. We should speak out to our friends, neighbours or anyone whom we know. Trust me there are many who need our support. Yes there are many. Please note, being kind to people in word and deed, and all kinds of doing good. This is one of the means of removing worry, distress and anxiety. By this means Allah swt wards off worries and distress from the righteous and immoral alike, but the believer has the greater share of this, and is distinguished by the fact that his kindness to others stems from sincerity and the hope of reward, so Allah swt makes it easy for him to be kind to others because of the hope that this will bring good things and ward off bad things, by means of his sincerity and hope of reward. Allah swt says (interpretation of the meaning):“There is no good in most of their secret talks save (in) him who orders Sadaqah (charity in Allah’s Cause), or Ma‘roof (Islamic Monotheism and all the good and righteous deeds which Allah has ordained), or conciliation between mankind; and he who does this, seeking the good Pleasure of Allah, We shall give him a great reward.” [al-Nisa 4:114].
“O you who believe! Spend of that with which We have provided for you, before a Day comes when there will be no bargaining, nor friendship, nor intercession. And it is the disbelievers who are the Zaalimoon (wrongdoers)” [al-Baqarah 2:254
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah swt be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah swt be upon him) said: “There is no day on which the people get up but two angels come down and one of them says, ‘O Allah, give in compensation to the one who spends (in charity),’ and the other says, ‘O Allah, destroy the one who withholds.’” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1374; Muslim, 1010.
The writer can be reached at Suhaibbhatt85@gmail.com.

CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE!

By: Syed Mustafa Ahmad
The innocence of children is sometimes snatched by the adults;Because they think that the children are dumb and are fond of cults.The children don’t know that their childhood is full of bolts;And in the later of the life, these bolts become the depressing jolts.Child sexual abuse is very near to us;Because it doesn’t need aloneness, it can be done in a friendly bus.Touching the private body parts of the children in the  early childhood, doesn’t bring any stress;But in the later  part of their lives, when they know the real life, the children hate the abuser’s dress.It is an omnipresent thing but it is neglected by a lot in our society;Because no human being can think a relative of its own use their own children for its satiety.The doers of these actions walk proudly and call it brevity;But it brings a lot of chaos and confusion in the name of fraternity.All the children should be watched very keenly;Because the pain caused by it is very deeply.Basically, the doers of this action are doing it very neatly;And there remains nothing for doubt, they have chosen the clean ways very clearly.A child remains silent because it fears the world outside;And it also knows that if it opens its mouth, it has to die inside.The wounds become both green and wide;And when the Moon is a crescent, the child’s body has a rising tide.A child hardly knows anything about the sexual desires and its impact;Because it thinks that the life is something different, not knowing that the sexual abuse is a fact.It believes in its own ways and has a nice way to act;But in the long run, it comes to know that the sexual desire has a different sect!Many causes are responsible for this curse;Because the doer of this action does it because the doer’s purse is an empty purse.A child thinks that the doer is pressing the child’s  body like a nurse;But in the real form, it is a big curse.For the sake of a chocolate, a child is lost:And if the child raises its voice, the custodians begin to look for the worldly caste.The need of the hour is to make our children aware about all the persons like the person on fast;Because there are millions of faces in this universe that are so vast.Let us pledge that we will keep a watch over our children;Because it is our responsibility and can’t take it for a mere fun.Moral education should be imparted in the weight of a ton;And there is no difference between the children whether a daughter or a son.Last but not the least, religion is the last remedy;But not that religion that fosters hatred and bais but a lot of facility.Our children should be made to think high but should be advised to live in the truest simplicity;Because the charming faces don’t have pity and that is why they are never found in the list of pity.Everyone has to come forward and does his bit;Because we do have shortcomings and no-one is fit.The situation will slip out of our hands if we like to sit;Then a lot of gruesome incidents will come forth and then won’t able to knit.Never leave your children alone with your relatives anymore;Because they try to break your door.