Muslim Thought

Written by Danish S.

FINDING REAL SOLUTIONS

Surmounting the challenge we’ve discussed will not come with empty slogans and clamor. As any dietitian or fitness expert will tell you, when it comes to losing weight, it’s not just about diet and exercise, it’s about changing your attitude, your behavior, and your lifestyle. In the case of Muslims and the struggle to indigenize and integrate, we have to identify why we’ve been unsuccessful on a larger scale thus far (excluding Blackamerican Muslims). At the crux of that problem we will find much of it can be linked to the lack of this unique culture. The lack of it leads to an inability to connect our priorities to our reality - to put America first. Just being able to read and process the last phrase of that previous sentence without feeling alienated will require a complete change of mindset and character.

The first part of that change is to recognize and discuss actual problems and not bury our heads in the sand. Part of the problem we’re facing today is the existence and even fostering of racism within our communities. Until we can wholly or at least significantly remove this from our collective psyche, progress will continue to be stifled for Muslims in America.

Secondly, the Muslim community needs to embrace its mistakes. Of our mistakes are isolationism from society, hubris in da’wah, and disconnection from reality. The list is much longer but if we were to prioritize our shortcomings, the few aforementioned ones would surely be somewhere near the top of the list.

It’s truly astounding that we’ve maintained this long. As Muslims, we have been Blessed with a beautiful, pristine way of life. Our Scripture has been guaranteed free of error from our Lord. The entire life of the Prophet, salallahu alayhi was sallam, has been documented, authenticated, and passed on for over 1,400 years. The lives of our pious predecessors have been preserved in excruciatingly remarkable detail. Scholars have taught us patiently and remained steadfast praying that the Muslim ummah wakes up before it’s too late. Yet, Brothers and Sisters, we have not taken heed of any example, warning, or message that has been made so clear to us - the message that we must never stop finding ways to integrate and indigenize Islam no matter where we are in the world. And this is truly the way of our Pious Predecessors.

To further illustrate this, let’s look back over the last decade. Some years ago Muslims in North America wholeheartedly believed that we accomplished so many lofty goals because thousands were entering Islam; Imams were winning theological debates against other faith leaders; and major Muslim organizations won discrimination lawsuits against some large corporations. Americans had no idea where this non-Christian based proselytizing suddenly emerged from but they took notice. For those Muslims that still believe those were “victories”, we ask you, where are those thousands that accepted Islam? Are they still Muslim? Where are those that witnessed the ideological dismemberment of their faith by Muslim preachers against their ministers and priests? Did they enter Islam by the folds? Are they productive Muslim citizens now?

The harsh reality is even after the hundreds of debates, thousands of new Muslims, and numerous wins in the court room, we never actually promulgated Islam into mainstream society. In fact, in some cases, we may have made more enemies than allies, as is evident in today’s world. If there lay any doubt on this point, just look to the Neo-cons, the religious right, and the hawkish media personalities that make it their mission to prove Islam as a “violent”, “vile” and “virulent” way of life. Is this all the progress that we have to show for ourselves?

Finally, as you can see by now it’s more than civil rights and theological debates. In fact, it’s more than empty slogans at conventions, loud protests in the streets, curt letters to Congress, and endless complaints to the media that will help indigenize Islam in America. We must embrace change and adhere to our Islamic teachings in ALL its senses, not just the polemic. Without a doubt we have a lot of work to do. Yet we have no idea where to start or even who to look to for guidance and leadership, which may still be one of our biggest shortcomings. But there is hope and tomorrow is filled with new opportunity. Treading the path to the formulation of a unique culture can bring about epic results in resolving the numerous challenges we continue to face as American Muslims.

CLOSING WORDS

As we conclude this ensemble, we wanted to add a few brief points about a few necessary elements that will eventually emerge in the American Muslim community on this quest in indigenizing Islam and creating a unique culture. Some of them have already been mentioned. However, it’s necessary to mention them once again so they are not forgotten. The necessary elements revolve around removing the “back home” mentality, eradicating racism from our hearts and thus our communities, and collaboration amongst all the ideological groups that exist in the Muslim community today.

To the latter point, many of you already are aware of such an effort that was effectuated several months ago, walhamdulillah. Though this is a step in the right direction, if it is to be ultimately successful, after the Blessing of Allah, it will need the understanding and support at a grassroots level. In other words, the common American Muslim has to understand that no matter what their individual ideological persuasion, as long as a person remains within the folds of the religion (via universal theorem not specific maxims), you are the Brother/Sister of that fellow Muslim. Unity is a concept that NO Companion or scholar in Islamic history ever compromised upon. Taking this into perspective and observing the American Muslim condition in contemporary times, much of our situation becomes all the more stupefying. How did we avoid the creation of a unique culture for so long? More amazingly we avoided such a critical component to our progress in order to abandon this immutable principle of our religion - unity?

As for the prior two elements, it is our sincere prayer as we continue to embark down this unchartered path, that the tremendous challenges which lay ahead will be reason enough for even the layman to see no one can go this alone, no matter what your origin or ethnicity. As Muslims, we are all Brothers and Sisters equal before Allah. And as American Muslims we are all together with no choice but to work for the greater good of home - America.

May Allah Guide us, Protect us, Unify us, and Place us in His Service to be raised up on the Day of Reckoning in His Pleasure, Under the Shade of His Throne, ameen.

CONTINUED BELOW:

Part 1

Part 2