NASFAT tasks Imams on Islamic counseling principles

The Chief Missioner of Nasrul-Lahi-l-Fatih Society (NASFAT), Imam Abdul-Azeez Onike, has advised Muslim clerics to always be guided by the Islamic principles when counseling.

He said this at the just concluded Counseling Training for NASFAT Missioners and Counseling Committee members in the society’s Lagos Zones.

The event which held in Lagos, was themed, ‘Strategic Counseling Capacity Building. While urging urging imams to strictly adhere to the rules of non-intermingling between sexes, he said: “Ensure that no woman is counseled in privacy.’’ Citing hadith: “Whoever has faith in Allah and the Last Day, let him not be alone with an unrelated woman without her guardian. Verily, the third of them is Satan.”

He, however, added that hadith does not foreclose talking to women privately in the glare of others as exemplified by the narration of Abu Dawood, Bukhari and Muslim, where a woman in Madina wanted to speak privately with the Prophet (SAWS), and he asked her to pick any of the streets of Madina and they would speak there.”

He also advised participants to follow the rule on confidentiality, backing it Prophet Muhammad (SAW) saying: “Whoever shields [or hides the misdeeds of] a Muslim, Allah will shield him in this world and the hereafter.”

The Chief Missioner dwelled on the need for Imams to acquire counseling knowledge, saying the whole religion aims to counsel, according to a Prophetic tradition.

“Knowing counseling; marital psychology and others will help imams from becoming excessively empathic arising from getting overwhelmed emotionally by people’s challenges and absorbing all of the negative energy around themselves. This will also go a long way to assist the Imams in stabilising marriages and families, lightening the trauma and agony of bereaved members, and those suffering from any of the emotional challenges among others.”

He said the society’s policy that discourages imam or missioner who has not been certified as a counselor, to conduct weddings for members.