IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE BENEFICENT, THE MERCIFUL
[Shamim A Siddiqi,
Islam is a reality in
Challenges:
1. Historical
perspective: “Islam came to the
Islam is thus concentrated in the Immigrants and
African-American [Black] Muslims. Hardly seven to ten thousand Muslims are
Caucasian-Americans [white] and most of them are sheltering under Sufism. The
vast majority of Americans have no concept about Islam except some concocted
and distorted allegations and prejudices that has nothing to do with what
Qur’an presents and Rasulullah (S) demonstrated in his (S) life pattern. They have no idea as what values Islam
promotes and what a trustworthy character it produces? They have not the least
any concept as what a benevolent society Islam fosters? They just measure it in
terms of mispropaganda and misinformation being infested by secular media and
zealot missionaries day in and day out. Hence
the prime most challenge is to introduce Islam to the people of the land as the
way of life [Al-Deen] and as a boon to human society when practiced in
totality.
2. Hate against
Islam and Muslims: Muslims in
3. Disorganized Muslim Community:
Muslims are the most disorganized people of this country. There are a mushroom
of associations, communities, Masajid, educational institutions and political
factions without any central leadership and a joint platform. Some are local
and many are national with a few that are recognized at international level.
Muslims are socially weak and politically carry no muscle. They have to groom
themselves up on one platform. Hardly 15 % are attached to the organizations
listed above. The rest are lost and being lost in the melting pot of the
dominant American culture and permissiveness. If they soon are not recovered,
the so-called numerical strength of Muslims will evaporate in the air. To this
effect the writer submitted a paper “Organizing American Muslims” last
year, mailed it to Muslim leadership of
4. Absence of an Indigenous Islamic Movement
and Model Muslim Characters: The American society is very skeptical
about Islam. Centuries old prejudices are rampant. The Christian missionaries
are spreading their anti-Islam propaganda day in and day out. A very distorted
and bigoted edition of Islam has thus been cemented in the minds of the people.
It could be removed by presenting the correct picture of Islam in an organized
fashion. It could be possible only through a throbbing indigenous
Islamic Movement. That is yet to be developed by the Muslims of
5. No model
community: Simultaneously, Muslims are yet to build up and develop some
model communities in this country or elsewhere in the world to show a working
model of Islam as how to live, act and behave like Muslims in different fields
of life, individually and collectively. This is practical challenge to
Muslims to present and demonstrate what they believe and advocate. The
society of Madinah and its inhabitants were the best models of their time. We
have to produce now the models of our time. This is a challenge not only to
the advocates of Islam in
6. Dearth of Dawah/Islamic literature in
American English: It is another challenge. It could not be encountered so
far successfully. In August 1979, when Late Maulana Maudoodi ® was in
7. Backlash of Freedom Movements around the
world: Wars of freedom are going on in different parts of the world.
Muslims of Chechnya,
8. American arrogance: Americans are conscious of their global power, military might and economic vibrancy. It has taken the shape of unprecedented arrogance in the mind of American leadership, both Republicans and Democrats and the people are also very much conscious of this phenomenon. The USA is using all the coercive means to bring down the weaks, especially Muslim nations, on their knees. If not, they are termed as rough nations, sponsoring, promoting or protecting terrorism. This arrogance has empowered the American people to be contented with their own cultural and materialistic values, leaving far behind the ethical and spiritual phenomenon. This attitude of life has inclined them not to care for Divine Guidance. American people are enjoying the luxuries of life and a very high standard of living, worshipping it to the extent of an idol. Apparently, they are not willing to give up their liberal pattern of life for the sake of Islam and its moral values. This attitude of arrogance has made them to envision about Islam as a “sub-human” religion and Muslims as “violent” people. Muslims have to face this materialistic challenge both in the intelligentsia and masses.
OPPORTUNITIES:
1. Blessings of the Negative Propaganda: In my considered opinion, the anti-Islam and anti-Muslim propaganda is the greatest opportunity being provided by our adversaries for the spread of Islam in this country. In their zeal to mislead their own people, they have introduced Islam to a vast majority of the people of America with a distorted image of Islam, the job that Muslims could hardly do even in decades. They have made Islam a household talk and increased their curiosity to know about Islam. The sale of Islamic Literature, especially that of the Qur’an has increased many a times. Now our job is only to reach out the people, remove their misgivings and put the positive side of Islam. This scenario resembles with that of Makkah when Quraish filled its atmosphere with adverse and negative propaganda against Islam and Rasulullah (S). The way Rasulullah (S) encountered it with increased Dawah efforts, both extensively and intensively. Similarly, the Muslims of America have to encounter the misleading propaganda of American press and media through extensive and enormous Dawah efforts. When the truth will come into the field, the untruth [Batil] will take to its heel. Muslims of America must avail this opportunity that Allah (SWT) has managed for them in His infinite mercy.
2. Land of Opportunities: Going deep
through the panorama of challenges as discussed above, it appears that Muslims
themselves are the Challenge # One for Islam.
If they remove their inherent pinpointed shortcomings, become conscious
Muslims and Muslimah, they will soon be able to overcome these challenges. In
that situation, the challenges will become opportunities. America is known
as the land of opportunities. This saying is not restricted only to economic
opportunities but ideological ventures too. The socio-cultural life of the
people is unbalanced. Family structure is fast dismantling. Moral values are
withering away. The growth of economy is lopsided. There are disbalances
everywhere in the socio-economic-political life of this country. They are in
dire need of solution and salvation. The situation is quite fit for Islam to
emerge as panacea for all the evils of this land of opportunities. Islam is to
be presented before them as an alternate way of life to create balance and
moderation in their life. But it would be effective and attract people’s
attention only when the Muslims transform their own life as models and build up
model communities in the midst of this liberal society. It will attract them and incline them to
think and accept Islam as a way of life.
3. Modern means of communication: It is an
age of Internet, website and quickest means of communication. In this respect,
world has really become a village. America is a hub of these fastest
developments and its availability is possible practically in every home within
a couple of years. Muslims can deliver the message of Islam in a very
fascinating manner to every home, school, college and university campuses
through a network of their websites. This immense opportunity was not available
even a decade ago and now it is making great headway in the field of Dawah
and mass contact program, a blessing from Allah (SWT) for the spread of His
Deen.
4. Muslim’s Integration in American society: At
present there are about seven million Muslims in America, scattered all over
the country in different groups and sizes. This number may soon be approaching
to ten million within a couple of years. The metropolitan area of NY alone
accommodates about a million Muslims, adding around four to five billion
dollars to Federal, State and local exchequer, presenting a noticeable contrast
of ethnicity to panoramic cultural backgrounds of USA. Muslims are serving and
rendering useful services in every field of trade, commerce, science and
technology and military too. Their importance is increasing day by day and they
cannot be ignored howsoever the vested interests may create hue and cry against
Muslims and Islam. Equally, they cannot be erased from the integrated life of
America. This is already paying dividend. American womenfolk are very much
fascinated towards Islam. They are entering in its fold at an accelerated pace.
Business class people, especially Jews, prefer to have Muslims as their
assistants and employees, as they are honest, are more dutiful and do their job
sincerely, even while fasting and praying during office hours. They compensate
it otherwise. This factor will be playing more effective role in the spread
of Islam, when Muslims will become conscious and carry their assignments at job
and market places with a better sense of accountability to their Lord.
5. Islam – The common heritage: Islam is the common heritage of all the three Abrahamic faiths – the Jews, the Christians and the Muslims. Islam was the Deen that was brought by the Moses, Jesus and Muhammad (Peace be upon all of them]. The followers of the three Prophets of Allah were called Muslims. But unfortunately, Jews and Christians forgot their original name and now calling themselves as Jews and Christians whereas the followers of Prophet Muhammad (S) are carrying out their original name “Muslim” – that follows Islam. It is now the responsibility of the Muslims of America to remind their Jewish and Christian brothers and sisters with love, care and concern that they all are Muslims and have the common believe in the Oneness of God, Allah the Almighty, believe in the Day of Judgment and the accountability in Akhirah. Equally, all the three “Islamists” have the common assignment from their Creator and Sustainer to establish the Kingdom of God, the authority of their Supreme Lord, on this earth. These common grounds are the paramount assets of Islam in America. Once the Muslims are able to remove the centuries old misgivings about Islam, succeed in presenting Islam in correct historical perspective, convince the Jewish-Christian community that Islam is their common faith/heritage and legacy of Prophet Abraham and that Islam is the need and urgency of our time, they may give up their hesitancy towards Islam and come into its fold in greater and greater number with the pass age of time.
6. Destiny of
O Allah help the Muslims of
America to understand the realities of today and give them Tawfeeq to prepare
themselves to forebear the responsibilities that are lying ahead of them in
discharging the onerous task of leading the greatest and the mightiest nation
of the world to its natural destiny in near future. That would be the
red-letter day of American history when people of the globe will love Uncle Sam
wherever he will go. At that time, world will be a place of peace and justice
and
Shamim A Siddiqi
Dated February 12, 2002