Nasiha Khan
Dr Safiyyah Ibrahim is a Durban-based psychiatrist with over twenty years of experience with a special interest in women’s mental health. She was previously part of a team that was responsible for establishing the first women’s health service in the United Kingdom and spent an incredible six years working with trauma patients in war-torn regions in the Middle East. Dr Ibrahim is a mother of two, has presented papers at various international forums and is part of a panel made up of incredible women sharing their wisdom and expertise at the much anticipated Muslimah Today Women’s Conference Kicking off at the Durban Botanic Garden’s on Sunday, 28 August. The Springfield Weekly Gazette invited Dr Ibrahim on the couch to get to know more about her life.
SWG: In essence, who is Dr Safiyyah Ibrahim?
SI: I am a humble servant of God, I am a wife, mother, daughter, sister, doctor and someone who tries to be there for people who are in need and to support those who need it.
SWG: You are a psychiatrist with over twenty years of experience, what has that journey been like for you?
SI: The journey has been one that was inspiring and self beneficial as well. It has allowed me access into people’s minds, lives, ideas and honest realities that most people would not have access to. That in itself is inspiring and enriching. Having insight into people’s souls also causes one to deeply introspect and as a result has allowed me to view my own life and my own soul more objectively as well as give me the push to make these changes within myself. From the perspective of my work with other people, its rewarding to see little differences in peoples lives that will have huge spin offs in their future. I think with 21 years behind me, I have seen that many times and that is gratifying.
SWG: What are you looking forward to the most at the upcoming Muslimah Today Women’s Conference?
SI: I am hoping to touch women across the board from all backgrounds and God willing, make some difference in helping to empower and enrich them.
SWG: As an individual who has a special interest in women’s health, give us a taste of the specific aspects that interests you and why you have taken such a passionate interest within those spheres.
SI: Earlier on in my career as a psychiatrist, with the insights that I had in the innermost depths of people’s mind, I realized the natural inclination’s of men and women are completely different. I could relate to women because I had the same kind of wiring so to speak and that’s what inspired me to take an interest in women’s mental health. I also feel that the role we play as women, in this age, is so pressured, so diverse and multifunctional. Every role that we play is equally valuable and beneficial. There is this saying that something’s got to give, generally when things give, a lot more people are impacted, hence the work I do with women. On the flip side when you make a difference in these women’s lives there are also many people who are affected due to the numerous roles that they play.
SWG: What are your most beloved achievements?
SI: This is a difficult one because my immediate response to this would be my children. I am not sure if they are achievements because they are the Almighty’s gifts and when I look at the rounded perspective that they have been given, I do sometimes feel that they are an achievement. On the other hand, not forgetting, we pray that the Almighty guide them and use them in the purpose that he intended. I think it will truly be an achievement if they could hold our hands and take us to Paradise.
SWG: Why is it important to have a deep discussions and meeting of minds in spaces such as the MTWC, especially considering the times we live in?
SI: I think the question answers itself with “especially considering the times we live in”. As the years have gone by, life has become more and more difficult and more intensely challenging on an individual, community and global capacity. For that reason, I feel like there needs to be this in-depth introspection and discussions because with deeper introspection, life becomes more tolerable. On a greater scale, this can allow each one of us to make a difference in some way.
SWG: What do you adore most about being a Muslim woman?
SI: That’s a relatively easy one, praise be to God, it gives me the perspective that I need to tackle all of the challenges that life throws at us. That perspective largely being the fickleness of this world as compared to the hereafter. That perspective gives me clarity in my daily life and clarity on the roles that I play and my obligations to everyone in my life and how to prioritize that.
SWG: You have spent six years working with trauma patients in war-torn areas in the Middle East, what prompted your decision to embark on that journey?
SI: By the time we hit our middle ages, lots of people reach that stage where they have some sort of existential crises, you want more out of life and material things are not as defining or as rewarding as they are made out to be. This decision was largely based on serving a greater purpose.
SWG: As a psychiatrist equipped with the tools and knowledge to help others deal with their mental health ailments, working in a war torn environment and caring for those who have experienced such intense trauma would take a mental and emotional toll on most, what were your experiences in that regard and how did you cope?
SI: Surprisingly it was quite the opposite to what you would think. Praise be to God, it was the most phenomenal experience. Being surrounded by pain and turmoil, and these people have been through it for a protracted period, it was a humbling experience to see how they dealt with this kind of unrelenting pain. The gratitude and understanding and the perspective that these people gave me, it actually made coming back home rather difficult.
SWG: What are your biggest takeaways from that chapter in your life?
SI: There is one that stands out. Every soul shall have a taste of death. Death is the end of every life whether we like it or not. It is inevitable and in that environment, it was more expected because of it being a war torn place, yet I came into the pandemic where everyone was happily going on with their immortality complexes. This pandemic brought the reality of this inevitability into every home.
SWG: As a proud Niqabi (one who chooses to adorn a covering of the head and face), what were some of the challenges that you have experienced in your career and personal life?
SI: I think most Niqabi’s would relate to initially noticing the funny sounds, being called a ninja or the pointing and laughing, especially in parts of the world where they are unfamiliar with such things. But you get over that quite quickly and can take it with a pinch of salt. The real challenges to me was the stereotyping that dressing like a conservative Muslim woman comes with. I think many people expect us to be a certain way and so they react to you differently. This is usually before they get to know you, once they do its an educating experience for them. You have to know a strong vocal Niqabi woman to know that its just a personal choice of dress nothing more. Its an external expression of an internal progress of one’s spirituality.
SWG: What myths and stereotypes surrounding the Niqab and Muslim femininity do you wish more people would educate themselves on?
SI: I think there is a lot of propaganda surrounding the Hijab especially and it has come to be associated with oppression. Oppression is actually being forced into lacking any sort of dignity, shame and self-respect for your body and Islam frees you from that. Its all about understanding perspective. The propaganda is geared into turning the world upside down and has labeled freedom as walking around naked. True freedom is having the ability to choose what you are able to do with your body and what you do with yourself without the pressure of society. Both Muslims and non Muslims should educate themselves on what Islam is all about in its essence and that can be done by reading the Quraan.
Registration for Muslimah Today is closed as all 200 seats at the venue have been allocated. Segments of the conference will be broadcast on Hilaal TV (DStv, channel 347) from 9am onward on Sunday, 28 August. WhatsApp 083-271-4500 for more information.
