As domestic violence occurs most often between married couples, our primary focus will be directed toward educating couples in how to create healthy Islamic relationships. At the same time, we are cognizant of the fact that violence within the home may involve other family members outside the primary marital relationship. We will therefore work to facilitate healing and reconciliation of all those affected by violence, inshaAllah. With the cooperation and help of religious scholars, community leaders, and trained professionals, we intend to accomplish this goal by providing referral and support services to the victims of domestic violence, and counseling to those who perpetuate it.

In 1998, MAFV and its members joined forces with Stepping Together to promote awareness and treatment of domestic violence within that organization. It is now a project within Stepping Together.

The Strategy of MAFV

Having consulted with religious and community leaders, and various trained professionals which include psychologists, crisis intervention counselors, medical doctors and law enforcement officials, MAFV has designed a twofold strategy, to be implemented simultaneously. Our approach to eliminating family violence in the Muslim community will implement both preventative and curative measures. InshaAllah, it is our intention to implement the following:

PREVENTATIVE STRATEGY

Focus on Education

1. To build credibility and to access a broad scope of experience and knowledge, MAFV will seek the support of religious scholars, imams of masajid and other respected members of the community. In addition, we will seek the endorse-ment of Muslim organizations which have an established track record in our community.

2. We do not believe in reinventing the wheel. Therefore, to maximize all efforts in this area, MAFV will network with existing social work-based organizations throughout the US and Canada, solicit their advice and, in successful cases, employ their strategies. When appropriate, this is to include the copy and distribution of written materials (with consent).

3. MAFV will execute an integrated marketing campaign which targets the Muslim community and is designed to generate attention, heighten awareness, educate, provide referral information and introduce options. This campaign is to include advertising, introduction of articles in Muslim publications, PR work in both the Muslim and broader communities, and a ribbon campaign.

4. MAFV will compile credible and proven statistics which will heighten awareness and otherwise justify the need of this work.

5. MAFV will produce a white paper regarding Islamic rights and responsibilities within the marital relationship with a goal to:

• discredit commons myths which serve to perpetuate and justify family violence by their endorsement of cultural practices;
• reinforce Islamic knowledge throughout the Muslim community; and,
• present sensitivity training to secular domestic violence and law enforcement or other agencies engaged in this work.

6. MAFV will develop and conduct seminars which target/include the entire family, in addition to smaller classes which will focus on Muslim women. A greater portion of these seminars will focus on rights and responsibilities as identified in Qur'an and Hadith, how to apply this guidance in our daily lives, and will introduce options we now have when these rights/responsibilities are not honored.

7. MAFV will develop a "roving khutbah" to be given at Friday prayers throughout the entire Bay Area Muslim community. This khutbah is to be delivered by a religious leader/scholar and will serve to draw attention to the issue of family violence and introduce information as to what individuals can do to prevent it.

8. MAFV will work with a designated team of community leaders, religious scholars and trained counselors to develop a certified pre-nuptial course with the objective that this course will be introduced in the community as a prerequisite to any marriage ceremony performed by in any mosque. The course will focus on the Islamic rights and responsibilities of spouses, and will include how to adapt and uphold these in 1990s America.

9. MAFV will sponsor an annual "Family Day" for the Muslims in the Bay Area to celebrate the family, the nucleus of our community. Family Day will include workshops, incentive-induced activities, games, foods, etc.

CURATIVE STRATEGY

Focus on Rehabilitation

1. MAFV will establish a phone-based crisis network referral service with a recorded message (mailbox system) which refers callers to services by geographic location. Referrals will be made to existing services throughout the Muslim and broader non-Muslim community (i.e. shelters, counseling, law enforcement agencies). The goal is to immediately provide pertinent information to callers in crisis and to those who are either experiencing family violence or who wish to intervene.

2. MAFV will work towards adoption by an established social work-based organization within the Muslim community with a goal of expanding this effort to include long-term rehabilitation to victims of domestic violence.

3. MAFV will work to establish treatment programs designed for Muslims who perpetuate violence. This goal may be achieved through the design of a new program or by refining an existing treatment program offered in the broader community, and could become an option to Court-ordered treatment.

MAFV Advisory Board

The following community leaders, scholars, and social service professionals have agreed to join the advisory board of MAFV and donate their time and services to this worthy cause.

Dr. Hisham Abdallah
Speaker and Community Activist

Imam Abu-Qadir Al-Amin
Muslim Community Center, San Francisco

Amir Abdel-Malek Ali
Speaker and Community Activist, Masjid Al-Islam, Oakland

Sr. Traci Corbett
MA, Social Services, Santa Clara County Social Services

Sheikh Hamza Yusuf Hanson
Noted Speaker & Teacher of Islam; Director, Zaytuna Institute

Sr. Habibe Husain
Founder and Director, Rahima Charitable Foundation

Dr. Zakiyyah Hyatt
Registered Clinical Psychologist

Dr. Mohammed Rajabally
Islamic Society of the East Bay

Sr. Naheed Sheikh
MA, Clinical Psychology; Women’s Advocate, Narika

Dr. Amal Winter
Clinical Psychologist