12/08/2026
A New Dawn for Asim After a Long Battle with Addiction
M***i Ashfaq Qazi
Sometimes, a single wrong step in a person’s life becomes a turning point from which the road back seems invisible for years. What begins merely as curiosity, experimentation, or the influence of bad company can gradually turn into a chain that takes control of a person’s health, thoughts, character, livelihood, and relationships.
Addiction is not merely the destruction of an individual; its effects extend beyond the walls of the home and deeply disturb the peace and stability of the entire family. When one member of a family becomes trapped in addiction, his wife, children, parents, and siblings also go through a prolonged period of suffering and distress.
A similar painful case came to the Family First Guidance Centre on 16 April 2026, when two women—one the wife of a person suffering from addiction and the other his elder sister—arrived at our centre with a mixture of extreme distress, helplessness, and hope. Their faces reflected years of suffering, while their hearts carried one question: Could their loved one ever break free from this destructive habit?
For nearly an hour, they shared details of their family circumstances, the difficulties they had been facing, and the emotional pain they had endured for years. They were encouraged with the reassurance that although addiction is a serious illness, recovery is possible through appropriate treatment, continuous guidance, and a strong determination to change. They were advised to bring the affected person to the centre so that his condition could be properly assessed and an appropriate treatment plan could be adopted.
When 38-year-old Asim Sheikh (a pseudonym), a resident of Nagpada, came before us, a painful picture of his 25-year journey emerged. From a medical and psychological perspective, he was suffering from Polysubstance Use Disorder.
He had entered the world of substance abuse at a very young age, around 10 to 12 years old. Over the years, he had become dependent on several substances, including to***co, hashish, cannabis, button drugs, MD, and brown sugar (locally known as gard).
Twenty-five years of prolonged addiction had affected almost every major area of his life. He had lost his livelihood, accumulated significant debt, and developed strained relationships with his wife and children. His social reputation had also been severely affected. A man who could once have been a source of support for his family had himself become trapped in an illness from which he desperately needed help and guidance.
An experienced counsellor at the Family First Guidance Centre, Mr. Moinuddin Petiwala, conducted detailed counselling sessions with Asim. The first priority was to help him understand the reality of his condition and develop the ability to assess his present situation.
He was helped to understand that addiction is not simply a bad habit, but a serious disorder that can affect a person’s thinking, physical and mental health, financial condition, and family life.
Thereafter, motivational counselling was used to develop within him a desire for positive change. He was made aware of the physical, psychological, financial, and family-related consequences of substance abuse and helped to understand that rebuilding his life would require a strong and decisive commitment.
Since long-term use of brown sugar and other dangerous substances could not easily be overcome through counselling and conversation alone, he was referred, based on his medical needs, to Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) at Gokuldas Tejpal Hospital. His formal treatment began there.
During the course of treatment, Family First Guidance Centre counsellor Mr. Moinuddin Petiwala remained in regular contact with him, continued to encourage him, and provided the necessary guidance to his family.
After approximately 15 to 20 days of treatment, when Asim returned home from the hospital, a remarkable transformation had taken place in his life. He had completely abstained from brown sugar, hashish, cannabis, MD, and other dangerous substances. His to***co use had also reduced significantly, and further work on this habit continued through to***co cessation sessions.
Alongside his recovery, Asim also began making efforts to improve his financial situation. Within approximately one month of returning from the hospital, he secured a new job.
Today, nearly three months later, he is living a more balanced and healthy life. He is employed and has begun rebuilding a relationship of love, trust, and peace with his wife and children.
In a recent meeting, his wife and elder sister expressed their happiness and relief. They shared that the future of the man they had once feared they might lose had seemed hopeless, but today that same person was once again present among his family.
Timely guidance, appropriate treatment, and continuous encouragement had given a new direction to a life that was falling apart.
Asim’s story is not merely the story of one man overcoming addiction. It is also the story of a family’s struggle—a family that refused to let go of hope despite years of pain and disappointment.
It is a journey in which treatment, guidance, determination, and family support came together to transform a dark path into one filled with light.
A struggle that continued for 25 years eventually reached a new dawn. In a home once overshadowed by helplessness, debt, and tears, there is now a light of hard work, treatment, and hope.
Asim’s recovery is a reminder that addiction may break a person, but with timely support and a strong determination, its grip can also be overcome.
Allah Almighty says in the Qur’an:
“Do not despair of the mercy of Allah.”
No matter how deeply a person may be trapped in a difficult trial, the door of return is never closed. What is required is that a person acknowledge his condition, resolve to reform, and seek help from the right source.
Sometimes, one timely piece of advice, one sincere intervention, and one strong decision can completely change the course of a person’s life.
Addiction is not merely a habit; it is a trial that can engulf an entire family along with the individual. Yet, with treatment, patience, love, and trust in Allah Almighty, it is possible to overcome this trial.
Today, Asim’s life bears witness to the fact that after the darkness of despair, the light of hope can emerge once again.
A person who once begins to feel defeated by his own existence can, if given timely support, once again become a source of strength for his family.
May Allah Almighty grant every person struggling with addiction the strength to choose the right path, protect every family from addiction and destructive habits, and restore broken lives with peace, health, dignity, and hope.
Ameen Ya Rabb al-Alameen.
About the Author:
The author is a renowned Islamic scholar, religious scholar, teacher of Hajj pilgrims, Shariah advisor, author, columnist, President M***i of Darul Ifta Wal Irshad, Jama Masjid Bombay, and the Founder & Director of the Family First Guidance Centre.