Erosion of Islamic Identity
Imad Bayoun
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بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
إن الحمد لله نحمده ونستعينه ونستغفره ونعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا ومن سيئات أعمالنا من يهده الله فلا مضل له ومن يضلل فلا هادي له..وأشهد ان لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له وأشهد أن محمداً عبده ورسوله.
All praise is due to Allah, we seek his refuge, and ask for his forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from our own bad deeds. Whoever Allah guides, no one can misguide him, and whoever Allah misguides, no one can guide him. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah Alone, and I bear witness that Muhammad is his messenger.
1. The Challenge of Minority Status
- The core issue is the erosion and potential loss of Islamic identity when living as a minority.
- This occurs due to a strong eagerness to fit in and be accepted by the collective.
- We are constantly bombarded by confusing social and legal issues that threaten our clarity of stance, including Roe v. Wade, LGBT issues, and the legalization of certain substances.
- This confusion leads to the gradual loss of core Islamic identity.
2. Defining Identity and Activism
- The motivation to be an activist and make a positive change comes from a noble heart and is good.
- However, we must ask if the cause we commit to is worthy enough of our activism and heart.
- The criteria for the validity of any cause must go back to the person’s identity: “Who are you? How do you see your own identity?”
- A person’s work and activism must reflect what they believe in; otherwise, we risk working against our own principles.
- Identity as Label and Function (Surat Al Hajj, Ayah 78): God called us Muslims (the label) so that “the Messenger can bear witness about you and so that you can bear witness about other people” (the function).
- The Rabbani Path (Āli-ʿImrān, Ayah 79): To be Rabbaniyyūn (devoted to God) means:
- The Goal is the pleasure of Allah (SWT) (fulfilling La ilaha illallah).
- The Path is the way of Muhammad (SAW) (fulfilling Ashadu anna Muhammadan Rasoolullah).
- True Submission: Islam means submission to the will of Allah (SWT), not submission to everything that comes our way.
3. Navigating Legal vs. Halal
- We must not confuse what is halal with what is legal. They are not the same things.
- Something can be perfectly legal (e.g., alcohol), but not permissible Islamically (haram).
- An activist working to make something legal does not make that thing halal. Our stance is defined by Allah (SWT).
- The Cancel Culture Push: We face continuous pressure from the mainstream—whether the progressive left or the extreme right—using cancel culture to automatically dismiss challenging discourse.
- The Minority Trap: We should avoid being lumped together with all other minorities (religious, ethnic, ideological) and feeling compelled to support all their causes.
- Action Plan: The clear answer is no; we promote only that which we believe in, defined by our identity, to prevent working against ourselves.
- Extreme Ideological Push: Interest groups push to the extreme point of having you question what a woman is and what a man is. Even liberal celebrities have been dismissed when they defend their definition of womanhood.
4. Distinguishing Actions and Principles
- We must be wary of the expression “brother, don’t judge!” which can lead to believing in anything.
- Actions must be categorized as right or wrong based on our principles.
- Holding the Line: Not judging people themselves doesn’t mean we must get rid of our own values and principles; we must hold onto what our beliefs define as right and wrong.
- Definition of Filth (Rijs) (Al-Māʾidah, Ayah 90): Allah defines intoxicants, gambling, idolatrous practices, and [divining with] arrows as “repugnant acts– Satan’s doing– shun them so that you may prosper.”
- The Key Distinction: There is a big difference between a person who fails to implement Islam out of weakness (knowing it is haram) and a person who drinks wine while justifying that it is halal.
- The first person holds onto the principle; the second is twisting the standard.
- The Ultimate Danger (Surat Ibrahim, Ayah 3): The third and most dangerous action is وَيَبۡغُونَهَا عِوَجًاۚ (redefining what is right and wrong). When the principles themselves become twisted, society is gone.
5. The True Meaning of Love
- The concept of unconditional love (supporting someone even when you disagree) must be questioned. How far does it go?
- False Love: Supporting a father binging on sweets despite severe diabetes, a friend beating his wife, or a drunk friend driving is not true love.
- True Love: If you truly love someone, you do not let them hurt themselves or hurt others.
- Our Identity is to Prevent Wrongdoing (Hadith Al-Bukhari): When asked how to help an oppressor, the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “You can keep him from committing oppression. That will be your help to him.”
- The Social Media Pitfall: It is saddening to see Muslims posting comments praising and supporting brothers and sisters who publicly take off their hijab or leave Islam (“we support you, we applaud you”).
- Accountability: Supporting such actions is supporting a path that might lead to Hellfire. Those supported may ask God on the Day of Judgment: “Ya Allah, these people supported me in my wrongdoing,” making you a party to wrongdoing.
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