Many have heard of the Clancy case, where a mother, Lindsay Clancy killed her three young children in Duxbury, Massachusetts, in 2023. Her trial has been highly scrutinized in the public eye due to the positions taken by the prosecution and defense. The argument and case of the prosecution rests on accusing Lindsay Clancy of intentionally planning and murdering her three young children, whereas her defense is pleading not guilty due to insanity, claiming Clancy was suffering from postpartum psychosis, which caused her to strangle and kill her children.

Overview of the case

Around 5 p.m. on January 24th, 2023, Lindsay Clancy’s husband briefly left the home to pick up medication and takeout. When he returned an hour later, he found Lindsay outside lying on the ground immobile and bleeding, while their three children, aged 3, 5 and 8 months were found strangled by exercise bands in the basement.

The prosecution’s core claim is that Lindsay acted deliberately, premeditating her husband’s absence so she could commit her crimes without a witness. Medical experts, such as forensic psychologist Dr. Kirk Heilburn claimed that the command hallucinations Lindsay allegedly experienced were actually intrusive thoughts and that she was fully aware and cognizant around the time she murdered her children. Some experts have even taken the stand arguing that the killings were more in line with an extended murder-suicide type of situation claiming that Lindsay believed the children would suffer if she took her own life, causing her to kill them first before attempting to kill herself.

The defense, in contrast did not deny that Lindsay killed her children but rather argued that she experienced a severe psychotic shock i.e. command hallucinations, leading to an altered perception of reality. This was triggered by postpartum psychosis and depression. They argued that this is clearly evidenced by the fact that Lindsay sought mental health help through several avenues and was prescribed multiple medications. She even checked herself into an inpatient psychiatric facility multiple times but was released and dismissed by the health system each time.

What are postpartum psychosis and depression?

It is important to briefly touch on this, so we understand the context. Postpartum Psychosis occurs in 1-2 women per 1,000 births. It is the most significant but least frequent mental health condition that can arise during the perinatal period, and it increases the risk of infanticide and/or suicide. Symptoms include delusions, hallucinations, paranoia, rapid mood swings, cognitive impairment, focus on death, and reckless behavior. Thoughts of those suffering from this condition are ego-syntonic, meaning they do not cause the individual distress. Its onset is sudden, usually within 1-2 weeks following childbirth. In such circumstances, the mother should be under constant supervision, with support and under the care of the medical provider.

Depression exists among 140 women per 1,000 births i.e. 14%. Symptoms include changes in appetite, sleep, energy, motivation, and concentration. Thoughts of those suffering from depression are negative including guilt, helplessness, hopelessness, worthlessness, and even thoughts of self-harm or harming the baby. Sufferers tend to be irritable and angry, with low interest in the baby or self-care. Similarly, there needs to be support and supervision for such mothers, given the risks.

This tragic incident, whatever the outcome, is another example in a litany of examples of the fundamental flaw in how this trial has been approached and the flawed focus of the public. The approach and focus have been upon the individual, i.e., Lindsay, her character evaluation, mental state and motivation. This in itself is not wrong, since a judgment needs to be delivered upon the individual who is accused.

However, what the trial lacks, which is the norm for trials in the US and the world as a whole, is that the individual is always seen as the cause, thereby removing any focus on the culture, values and systems in which such crimes and tragedies take place.

Lindsay is undoubtedly responsible for the death of the children, but she is a symptom of a sick society that is ruled and governed, like the entire world, by the secular ideology. In as much as Lindsay is on trial, secular capitalism should be on trial, for it is responsible, directly or indirectly for the lack of medical treatment for Lindsay, for the resulting murder of the children and the many other crimes and problems that society is facing and drowning in.

The Clancy case, however extreme the nature of the tragedy is not an outlier or a bad apple, but rather it is symptomatic of living under secularism and capitalism.

This critical issue can be discussed from many different angles but today I will focus on how this tragedy reflects the failure of Secularism’s principles of ‘Equal Treatment’ and ‘Freedom of Belief’.

How the Clancy Trial Exemplifies the Failure of Equal Treatment

Secularism has removed divine criteria, judgment, and organization. Mankind has become god, determining what is right and wrong, whether one sits at one end of the philosophical spectrum as a neo-liberal with moral relativism or at the other end as a socialist with moral realism and any other philosophical combination in between. The core remains true, i.e., rules and judgments are liable to change, determined by those with power and influence. They create disparity and tension, where benefit becomes the principal motivation, thereby breeding individualism and the ‘me, myself and I’ mentality.  Such a culture focuses on benefits of which the most dominant is capital and profit - for it drives pleasure and control. Morality, as a result, is subject to and filtered based on benefits, in particular financial and sensual interests.

In the US, this is glaringly reflected in the extreme variance in the quality of health care that people receive. Money is the sole currency to get meaningful medical aid and treatment. Obamacare, Medicaid, and Medicare are not real safety nets for those who have little income. Insurance companies exploit people with never-ending medical bills.

It is estimated that 41% of US adults have medical/dental debt while the US represents 40-50% of the $1.7 trillion total that the global pharmaceutical market rakes in. The healthcare system in the US is about profit, not about treating and supporting those who are in need of medical treatment and support. Even those countries that have national healthcare systems, which are principally free at the point of treatment, for example the National Health Service in the United Kingdom, is struggling to provide adequate levels of healthcare and treatment, as it is constantly short of money, forcing more and more people to get medical insurance and pushing hospitals to operate like a business, which is akin to the US system.

The following statistics are a reminder that we are not discussing outliers, exceptions or bad apples, but rather something that is systemic. In particular, systemic towards women:

• 1 in 5 Mothers are Impacted by Mental Health Conditions

• Maternal mental health (MMH) conditions are the most common complication of pregnancy and birth, affecting 800,000 families each year in the US.

• Mental Health Conditions are a leading cause of maternal mortality, accounting for 27.7% of pregnancy-related deaths

• 75% of women impacted by maternal mental health conditions remain untreated, increasing the risk of long-term negative impacts on mothers, babies, and families

There are many more statistics that demonstrate the severity and seriousness of perinatal mental health disorders in the US, but because women are objectified by capitalism and their humanity is not effectively protected by the law, the issue is not taken seriously, leading to cases like this one.

It is important to stress here that no society can ever be free from problems or illnesses, including individuals who may suffer mental problems. But there is a fundamental difference, where a political culture and its values create an environment where such mental illnesses can breed and become difficulty to treat, not simply because of the failure of the health system, but also because of the failure of society driven by individualism, where the natural support from those nearby is absent. This contrasts sharply with Islam, which does not create such an environment and also actively reminds, encourages and places responsibilities, i.e., obligations to support those who need support, mental or otherwise.

How the Clancy Trial Exposes Uncomfortable Truths about the Freedom of the Individual

As mentioned, without divine guidance, corruption, immorality, oppression, and exploitation are as certain as humans needing air to breathe and live. Allah (swt) says:

وَمَآ أُبَرِّئُ نَفْسِىٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلنَّفْسَ لَأَمَّارَةٌۢ بِٱلسُّوٓءِ إِلَّا مَا رَحِمَ رَبِّىٓ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ

And I do not acquit myself. Indeed, the soul is a persistent enjoiner of evil, except those upon which my Lord has mercy. Indeed, my Lord is Forgiving and Merciful. [TMQ Yusuf: 53]

The Clancy trial, like many others before it and many that will follow, is one of many watershed moments. Moments, when those in power change the rules, change the values, create opinion and a deliberate momentum to change the judgement and morality of actions.

While the general public awaits to see the outcome of this trial, hasn’t society already legitimized the killing of innocent children? Remember, abortion was prohibited in the US until 1973 when the US Supreme Court ruled in the Roe v. Wade case that access to safe abortion was a constitutional right. Likewise, it was only in 1962, when homosexuality was first formally decriminalized. And it was fully decriminalized nationwide on June 26, 2003, through the landmark Supreme Court ruling in the Lawrence v. Texas case.

This is the disease of freedom of the individual, where morality becomes subject to change and corruption. We only need to refer to the inhumane, brutal, vile treatment of children exposed in the Epstein files to understand the slippery slope that society and the world stand on.

Suddenly, the Clancy case becomes a relative case. What is illegal today could become a norm tomorrow. And this is not fear-mongering, rather, this is understanding the true ugly face of secularism and the misery, immorality and insecurity it breeds. This is being championed by political leaderships today around the world, with the US at its head. From this one trial, we can witness how the world is being plunged into darkness.

And we need divine law and order to guide us to enlightenment. Allah (swt) says:

ٱللَّهُ وَلِىُّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ يُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَوْلِيَآؤُهُمُ

ٱلطَّـٰغُوتُ يُخْرِجُونَهُم مِّنَ ٱلنُّورِ إِلَى ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ ۗ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ

Allah is the Guardian of the believers - He brings them out of darkness and into light. As for the disbelievers, their guardians are false gods who lead them out of light and into darkness. It is they who will be the residents of the Fire. They will be there forever. [TMQ Al-Baqarah: 257]

Islam is the Light

We firmly believe Islam is the light, the salvation for humanity, and it provides the solutions, systematically, to organize humanity in a manner that brings stability spiritually, mentally, physically and materially.

The point here is not to say that a tragic case of postpartum psychosis like this one wouldn’t happen under Islam, rather that there would be systems in place to prevent such a case from getting to the point of neglect.

The health care system, under Islam would be free, and there would be no insurance companies to exploit citizens for their money. The broader social system, would protect the family unit with strong support systems for the mother, within the family, neighbors and community, since the dominant culture and values in the society would be connected to Taqwa. Individualism would be dumped into the dustbin of history and replaced by communal values, supporting and protecting both mother and her children, and if a woman was demonstrating symptoms, it would be identified early on and the family, neighbors, and local community would move to support the mother.

Additional considerations contributing towards postpartum recovery would be:

• A generous and fair maternity leave, allowing the mother to take time to recover from pregnancy and birth, which reduces mental stress and pressure to return to work.

• The principle that a woman is neither obliged nor required to work. Rather, she is supported by the family, by the community and State, where required.

Concluding Remarks

Muslims should understand the Clancy trial as another example, symptom and failure of secularism. At a time when the confidence in secular systems is collapsing all around and it is on life support, as Muslims we should not be the ones to give it oxygen to breathe. Rather, we must be sincerely proactive to help switch the life support off.

The attention surrounding the Clancy case, renewed concern for the lack of women’s mental health awareness in America, and the increasing frustration with the US health and justice system overall are opportunities to have conversations with our Muslim brothers and sisters, led by the following prompts for discussion:

• What were the underlying causes for neglect in this case?

• What does the conversation and interest surrounding this case tell us about people’s trust in secular systems?

• How is this case another watershed example of the further moral decline that could and will take place, where what was once prohibited and immoral becomes normal and acceptable?

• And wasn’t this the same during the time of the Prophet (saw) when infanticide was the norm?

And as we raise the awareness, we put Islam in the position that it should be, the only ideological and practical alternative to take humanity out of the darkness into the light, no matter how hard the enemies try. And Allah (swt) says:

يُرِيدُونَ أَن يُطْفِؤُواْ نُورَ اللّهِ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَيَأْبَى اللّهُ إِلاَّ أَن يُتِمَّ نُورَهُ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ

They wish to extinguish Allah’s light with their mouths, but Allah will certainly perfect His light, even though the disbelievers may detest it. [TMQ As-Saf: 8]