Br. Charles over at his thought-provoking blog, The Great Theft, has brought up a very relevant issue for American Muslims (AM). In the second half of this post (which I will rag on him for making too long...trust me bro, people (meaning me) have very short attention spans...), he addresses several important points, the most important being the way we Muslims approach socio-political issues in America.
He calls for us to decouple the unnecessary appellation of ‘Muslim’ whenever addressing issues that affect our everyday lives. He takes us to task for voicing our opinions only on domestic matters that affect our Muslim identity (education, financing, war on terror, civil rights, outreach) while divorcing ourselves from issues that affect our American identity (healthcare, economy, social security, gentrification, crime, environment).
Now I’ll acknowledge that we are progressing away from this narrow way of thinking. It’s safe to say that the AM community has matured from its original stance (embodied by the immigrants of the 60’s and 70’s who never felt at home in America) where the only concern was with overseas Muslim issues. I do believe that the current generation understands (contrary to what Charles, Tariq, and others may claim) that Palestine and other foreign policy issues are not the sole issues of concern for the AM community.
That being said, the AM community has a long ways to go and Charles has introduced a most essential concern to the discussion – the misguided need to appropriate every issue into a Muslim issue:
“It has become quite clear to me that Muslims, specifically American Muslims, have attempted to sculpt and take ownership of a concrete set of issues, thus naming them 'Muslim issues', and subsequently garner support on those issues from all Muslims but in doing this they alienate the support of non-Muslims.”
While we can continue expending our energies towards developing our local Muslim communities, we must also incorporate other wider social issues such as education, parenting, crime, drug usage, abstinence, unemployment, and so on. Our participation in addressing these societal issues does not require for them to be ‘Muslim’ concerns. They are American issues and as American Muslims, we need to step up and take an active role.
The narrow mindset that one is lesser of a Muslim for volunteering at the county school board or a public shelter for abused women than with the masjid Dawah committee or Muslim youth group needs to be replaced with a more inclusive thinking that allows us to see all these acts as sincere forms of worship.
And let me be clear that taking the ‘Muslim’ out of our socio-political discourse does not require that we take the Islam out of it.
WAW
2 days ago
8 comments:
Salaam there brother!
"In the second half of this post (which I will rag on him for making too long..."
Okay, so in other words, you really don't want me to talk about Obama. That will take years.
"I do believe that the current generation understands (contrary to what Charles, Tariq, and others may claim) that Palestine and other foreign policy issues are not the sole issues of concern for the AM community."
I don't know about that one completely. I do acknowledge that more issues of other Muslims around the world have been highlighted to some degree by immigrants and GEN IIs. I think a more balanced assessment on my behalf suggests that segments of the AM community are moving away from, say, Palestine as THE issue and other segments are tugging against that. What I desire to see is neither of those two. Preferably, and this is what I do with my students and Muslims who will listen, is to have them reassess what they know about that situation and others. Already, as you stated there are quite a few GEN II Muslims who do not share their parents sentiments one way or another. What I have found is that each generation opposes the previous one with regard to so many ideas. What bothers me personally is that where a Muslim does not retain the scripted view of the Palestinian question, he receives a mark of disdain. This is something BAMs need to be cognizant of so that they do not project the same idea onto immigrant Muslims and others unlike them in elevating their own concerns. And keep in mind, as your post stated we all have to be careful about confining what are humane opportunities to a select group of humans and I feel organizations, even MANA (Tariq will hate me for that) haven't really grasped that completely yet.
Thanks for chiming in on it. One of the reasons this has existed for so long is because Muslims haven't had researchers in political science, humanities, not even really in foreign languages outside of the need to learn another language out of necessity, meaning colonization and assimilation. So we, including BAMs, have been neglectful in Constructivism. If you recall, one of the salient points of Constructivist thought is that one has to 'get on the ground' for real sentiment and not just popular sentiment. Thats why I think we've overlooked the struggle of so many non-Muslims.
As-salaamu Alaikum
Being ON a masjid dawah committee and having spent the lsat months trying to build up interest in da'wah, I wanted to add something. I don't really subscribe to the idea that Muslim Americans or American Muslims are some special group, better than other Muslims in the world.
Living in a non-Muslim society though has an extra obligation of da'wah. And I really think that every single Muslim should be involved in da'wah.
But that doesn't mean be on the masjid da'wah committee.
If you look at a more broad decsription of da'wah, we are to nurture humanity's aqeedah, their beliefs, and also their hearts and their physical lives.
Wherever Muslims happen to go to improve the society, there is some element of da'wah just by being there as a Muslim.
When Muslims are volunteering to help in the society, they ARE giving da'wah. They are trying to improve the society hopefully not just because they think it's "good" or it builds their resume, but because they are seeking to earn the pleasure of Allah.
And think--if they get the chance to tell someone about Islam, while they are SHOWING them how Islam commands them to try to right the society.
I dunno about you, but I find that to be something better than giving someone a brochure.
:-)
AA- Charles,
"What bothers me personally is that where a Muslim does not retain the scripted view of the Palestinian question, he receives a mark of disdain. This is something BAMs need to be cognizant of so that they do not project the same idea onto immigrant Muslims and others unlike them in elevating their own concerns."
Excellent point! Let us not make the mistake of singling out any one issue as the axis around which all efforts should revolve. Our higher goal (pleasing Allah) is greater than any one socio-political issue.
"So we, including BAMs, have been neglectful in Constructivism. If you recall, one of the salient points of Constructivist thought is that one has to 'get on the ground' for real sentiment and not just popular sentiment. Thats why I think we've overlooked the struggle of so many non-Muslims."
You lost me here bro.
AA- Amy,
"When Muslims are volunteering to help in the society, they ARE giving da'wah."
Thank you for making that point. That's basically the gist of what I was trying to say.
Any and every form of social work is an act of worship. It needn't be associated to a 'Muslim' project for it to be considered Islamic.
joining in american stuff outside of islam is haram to a large extent. serving the us military, or government in anyway shape or form is also haram, as the us gov is fervently not muslim or sha'ria.
so to seperate the 'islam' from the 'muslim' in our discussions or areas of interest is not possible...as most non-muslim issues are haram and allah frowns upon those.
AA- Anon,
Not sure whether you're joking or being serious. I'm sorta afraid to ask...
Habitat for Humanity
Food Banks
Soup Kitchens
Cooking dinners at rest homes
Just a few things I thought of off the top of my head which aren't "Muslim" projects but I seriously doubt they are haraam (provided no pork or alcohol involved.)
The narrow mindset that one is lesser of a Muslim for volunteering at the county school board or a public shelter for abused women than with the masjid Dawah committee or Muslim youth group needs to be replaced with a more inclusive thinking that allows us to see all these acts as sincere forms of worship.
Br Naeem
What you said above is much of what I have been trying to say all of this time. But believe me, we have a long way to go and far too many people still remained mired in isolationist type thinking.
I just want to correct you in that I don't think that Palestine is the only issue of concern for the AM community, but it is the main issue upon which (as Charles mentioned) there can seemingly be no disagreement and purity in thought is demanded. My point is that if Palestine is a person's issue then that is fine by me, but do not try to force it down my throat.
Charles,
I know you were joking, but I hope that no one thinks that I shill for MANA.
Post a Comment