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WORLD ISLAMIC
ASSOCIATION FOR MENTAL HEALTH ,October 2000, Eighth Issue , Vol. I, N°. VIII. |
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CONTENTS / SOMMAIRE |
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FAREWELL PROFESSOR Dr. Rashid
CHAUDHRY
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THE FILM: RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
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NEXT WIAMH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS? |
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FAREWELL PROFESSOR Dr. Rashid
CHAUDHRY The
renowned Pakistani Psychiatrist and Scholar, Professor DR. Rashid Chaudhry
passed away Sunday August the 13th 2000 in Lahore of a heart
attack.
Chaudhry had occupied several teaching positions in psychiatry and is
considered the founding father of Pakistani Psychiatry.
A scholar in both Psychiatry and Muslim civilizations Chaudhry championed
cross cultural and transcultural psychiatric studies and attempted to bridge
the misconception gaps between Islam and Psychiatry. He was the second
President of the World Islamic Association for Mental Health 1995 – 1999.
Chaudhry was a strong believer in the intrinsic values of Islam and the
Islamic civilization. He argued that present day Muslims could only hope to
optimize their mental health and pull out of their backwardness and under
development by truly embodying the spirit and values of Islam. Chaudhry was
also a strong supporter of inter-Muslim cooperation. Working with doctor
Osama Al Rady, Gamal Abou El Azayem, and Omar Shaheen, Professor Chaudhry
continued to peruse his dream of establishing the World Islamic Association
for Mental health. And never dies the dream. We believe he had succeeded and
his dream had finally come true. The World Islamic Association for Mental
Health finally took off the ground. Its First International Congress was held
December 1985, in Lahore Pakistan. It was inaugurated by the late President
of Pakistan Diaa Al Haq.
Losing Prof. Muhammad Rashid Chaudhry is truly a misfortune. Pakistani
Psychiatry and the World Islamic Association for Mental Health will not be
the same.
Prof. Chaudhry was an interesting fellow. He had done a lot in his life, went
to many places. He had a lot of psychiatric knowledge, which he didn’t
hesitate sharing with his students. He had distinguished disciples who are
now being acknowledged as authority in the field of International Psychiatry.
In the word of one of his distinguished disciples “ Having him as a Professor
of Psychiatry was a privilege for students. I wish by the time I would be his
age I would know one tenth of what he knew. He was a living encyclopedia. He
was one of the most effective Professors of Psychiatry in Pakistan and he was
sweet and kind hearted. He taught me how to love Psychiatry.”
Throughout his distinguished career he had become an authority. He is
referenced (notably in International Psychiatric sources) as Pakistan’s
Leading Psychiatrist; his uncollected contributions of the past four decades
in International Psychiatric Congresses make up according to a recent issue
of World Psychiatry a “ Splendid Corpus” in the Worlds of Pakistani and
Islamic Psychiatry, Prof. Chaudhry’s name is a name that is synonymous with
excellence.
Few pleasures could be comparable to a long and leisurely lunch with Prof. Chaudhry
whose vast knowledge was lightly worn and willingly shared. His conversation
sparkled, the shafts of light illuminating a vast array of subjects. We last
saw him in Cairo last April 2000 when we attended a lunch hosted by Professor
Omar Shaheen. In his charming high voice he had frequently tried to point out
to us the importance of the future of WIAMH.
Pakistan’s most delightful psychiatrist, and one of the World’s most
accomplished Mental Health workers is now gone, sadly. But with his passing WIAMH
(his brain child) which he co-founded with his colleagues, will continue to
deliver his message of Islam and Mental Health.
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THE FILM: RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
In the previous newsletter we
devoted the whole issue to discuss the impact of the “Film Rules of
Engagement” on the mental health of Arabs and Muslims in America and the
whole World. On
behalf of WIAMH and its President Professor Omar Shaheen, the Secretariat
General of WIAMH sent a following letter to Paramount (the producer of this
film).
Director
Paramount
motionpictures@pde.paramount.com
Dear Sir, I am talking the liberty of introducing myself to you. I am
Professor Dr. Farouk El Sendiony the Secretary of the World Islamic
Association for Mental Health, which is concerned with the mental health of
the Muslims the World Over. I would like to register my cognitive dissonance
to your film “Rules of Engagement” which portrays Arab Muslims as
bloodthirsty terrorists. The film vilifies and demonizes whatever is Arab or
Muslim. It is Damaging to the Arab Americans and Muslims in the US who
already face enormous obstacles due to stereotyping and misrepresentation by
the popular media.
This
situation continues to hurt and marginalize Arab and Muslim citizens of the
United States.
We protest this
film because it dehumanizes Arab and Muslims. This film harms Arab American and Muslim children, who already
struggle with prejudice and stereotyping on an enormous scale.
You cannot continue to make money off
racism. On Behalf of the WIAMH and its President Professor Omar
Shaheen, I would like to protest this blatant kind of racism.
Regards,
Farouk El Sendioy
Secretary General of WIAMH
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NEXT WIAMH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS?
Dr. Abo Bakr Badahdah
previously suggested that Eden would be the venue of next WIAMH Congress.
This was confirmed by Mr. Abd Al Razak Gamal Badawy Chief Psychological
councilor in the department of Education in Jeddah in a meeting with the
Secretary General Dr. Farouk Sendiony. In this meeting, which was held last
August, Mr. Abd Al Razak said that they have officially applied for approval
to hold this Congress to the official authorities. Mr. Abd Al Razak also
added that they are expecting the approval to come very soon.
We will notify
WIAMH members of the timing of the Congress as soon as the final approval
comes through. Should you have a topic of interest to be discussed in this
congress please notify us.
Mr. Abd Al Razak also
suggested that we translate WIAMH Newsletter into Arabic. We will do that in
the near future.
RELIGION
AND MENTAL HEALTH
There will be a
conference coming in Tehran, 16-19 April 2001 entitled “Religion and Mental
Health”. If you need information on this congress you may contact Dr. Jafar
Bolhari, MD at
rmental2001@mentalhelp.net
Dr. Syed Arshad Hussein President elect of WIAMH, His Work on
Psychology of Trauma
Dr. Hussein has been busy with Trauma
Centers Work. Since our last meeting in Tuzla, He has been twice to Gjakova
(November 1999 and March 2000) and twice to Pakistan (November 1999and March
2000). He has also been to Tuzla in March 2000 where he trained one hundred
Imams and teachers of Madrasahs. He will send the Secretariat a full report
once it is ready. Dr. Arshad has to be commended for his pioneer efforts in
the field of International Psychology of Trauma
A STUDY RELATED TO
SUICIDE AND THE MEDIA
We received this message from Befrienders International who are collaborating
with Oxford University on a study related to suicide and the media through
Mrs. Tilly Mulder the ex-director of Befrienders Cairo.
Befrienders International
[mailto:admin@befrienders.org]
Sent: donderdag 29 juni 2000
17:01
To: Margaret Wright; Tilly
Mulder
Subject: re: a study related to
suicide and media
Dear Margaret and
Tilly,
Greetings
from the Central Office of Befrienders International! Befrienders International is
currently collaborating with Oxford University on a study related to suicide
and the media in the international context. The person carrying out
preliminary research for this project would like to make contact with either
mental health professionals or researchers in with an interest in the study
of suicide. They need not have been involved in studies related to the media.
We would, therefore, be very grateful for any contacts (particularly email
addresses) you may be able to provide to us. The researcher would then make
contact directly with them. We
look forward to hearing from you.
Very best wishes
Sandra Hawke Director of
Operations
Befrienders International
26-27 Market Place Kingston Upon Thames Surrey KT1 1JH United Kingdom Tel: ++44 (0) 20 8541 4949 Fax: ++44
(0) 20 8549 1544 email: admin@befrienders.org
website: www.befrienders.org Befrienders International is an
NGO in special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of
the United Nations
Members of WIAMH who are interested in this field are
kindly requested to contact Befrienders International at
admin@befrienders.org |
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