Malawi: Muslim Women Fighting AIDS Through the Qur’an

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - It has been over 20 years since HIV/AIDS was discovered. Throughout these years, efforts have been underway to find a solution for the virus that causes AIDS.A number of awareness messages have been spread out far and wide and Malawi is no exception in receiving these messages.   An estimated 90% of the Malawian population, which is approximately 15 million people, are said to be aware of HIV/AIDS, how it is being transmitted and how it could be controlled or avoided.Millions of dollars have been spent on awareness and treatment.  Government and other aid agencies continue to spend on issues relating to the prevention and cure of HIV.Some scientists have predicted that the cure for AIDS is within reach and it may take no more than 10 years to accomplish this task.Religious organizations, including the Church and Islamic centers, have also been in the forefront in asking followers to help in the fight against this tragic disease.But why is it that until now the virus continues to spread despite all of these efforts used in dealing with the disease?Having FaithAt a gathering that took place in Mchinji district for the Muslim Women’s Organization from the Central Region of Malawi, a call was made to women and men to help deal with the HIV virus. As with the case of many Christians who believe a cure for AIDS is in the Bible, Muslims  indicated that  answers for all situations lie with Allah according to the Qur’an.“The Qur’an teaches us how to deal with any kind of problem we are in, including the problem of HIV/AIDS. So for us to meet as women, we are trying to remind each other what the Qur’an says and how we can deal with this plague,” said Khadijah Hamdan, an executive member of the organization.She noted that for a number of years, scholars and teachers have been preaching and dealing with the issues of AIDS from a religious perspective and yet the HIV virus continues to cause havoc amongst Muslim men, women, and children.“This disease can only end if we follow the teachings of Islam. ” she said, adding, “Islamic teaching does not allow prostitution and other immoral behaviors.”Ms Hamdan stated that most Malawians accept the fact that AIDS is here but “it has also brought a lot of problems and sufferings.” Malawi has a number of orphans and widows who need care and it is the responsibility of all Muslims to care for them as we have been asked by Allah to do so.Hamdan runs an orphanage care center in Salima and helps widows and women who dropped out of school, return to the classroom.  She believes that women need the support of all men for them to succeed in life.  A number of women have gone back to school through her  program .“This is also one way of making women aware of HIV/AIDS.   If they learn how to read and write they will be empowered with knowledge and skills to fight the disease,” she said.“In fact the Qur’an contains everything,” said Sheikh Ayubu during the sermon on the theme, why HIV/AIDS is still progressing amongst Muslims?Sheikh Ayubu said the Qur’an does not allow sexual immorality or any sort of prostitution and these are the main causes of this pandemic illness .“These days many people when they read about these verses in the Qur’an they think it is just for pleasure but they forget that Allah does not condone such behaviors,” he said.He said that anything a man wants in this world, he can find guidance for it in the Qur’an even “if you want a business and how to run it just read the Qur’an.”“But your wealth should not lead you into sexual immorality because it is this act which spreads the HIV and AIDS,” he said.Deputy chair of the Muslims Association of Malawi, Sheikh Ibrahim said, “Women are playing a key role in the fight against HIV/AIDS and at the same time they are the most vulnerable group in our society.”He said the fight against HIV/AIDS is everybody’s responsibility but as Muslims we ask ourselves “why is the disease on the increase amongst us despite all the messages and interventions being employed?”He stated that abstinence was one of the best ways out of this disease and also that married couples should be faithful to each other.For those who already have the disease, they should not despair because Allah loves them. As Muslims, said Sheikh Ibrahim, the Qur’an teaches that “we should be kind to all those who are in need and help them if we can.”FactsHIV/AIDS has devastated many families in Malawi. UNICEF statistics show that an estimated 920,000 people in Malawi are living with HIV. An estimated number of women aged 15 and above living with the virus is 470, 000 while about 120,000 children are said to be HIV positive. (UNICEF Malawi Statistics).The UN children’s agency also estimates that about 650,000 children are orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS and over 100,000 children are orphaned due to AIDS and other factors combined.According to National Aids Commission (NAC) an estimated 110,000 new infections are taking place annually with 46% occurring among young people between the ages of 15 and 24 years. Sixty percent of new infections occur among women. (Malawi National AIDS Commission).Hamdan, however, blames these high levels of new cases among women on poverty. She said with high levels of poverty among women, as shown by statistics, most women’s likelihood of heeding the call from the Qur’an to abstain is very low.But as Muslims, she said, women “are very responsible and are ready to help their spouses in fighting the disease. Through the Qur’an we will be able to teach each other on how to best tackle the issue of HIV/AIDS.”End item/ 149