Photo: Pankaj Kaushal

Years ago I came across this quote. I still can’t get over how true it is.

Muslim youth living in all corners of the world face similar struggles in our day-to-day lives. We strive to survive while being surrounded by the societal (and often times, cultural and familial) promotion, acceptance, and idealization of things that contradict the tenants of our faith: pride, lust, greed, extramarital relationships, alcohol/drugs, misogyny – just to name a few.

We are also surrounded by social practices and traditions that can also be pretty un-Islamic: issues such as racism, forced marriages, the withholding of education for females, and tribalism unfortunately exist on grand scales in Muslim societies all over the world.

As Muslim youth, most of us living in the diaspora, we have much to deal with. We struggle to maintain our Muslim identities while at the same time balancing our racial, national, and individual identities as well.

Sometimes it seems that everywhere we look, we are being called to sin. And inevitably, we answer that call.

We fall so many times only to fall again. We try so very hard to create our own, personal spiritual bubbles where Islam is the driving force in our lives, only to have it burst by things like temptation, other Muslims’ biases and discrimination, our own families making it hard for us, stress, our school lives, etc.

And slowly, as our hearts erode, a peculiar type of anxiety eats away at our souls and comes with a little voice in our heads. The voice tells us time and time again that what we are doing is haram (impermissible) or sinful, but we ignore it as we seek to numb the pain—a pain that has surfaced as a result of never being good enough. Never being “Muslim” enough, or “religious” enough, or “Western” enough.

How do we turn our faces from sin when it is everywhere? When it is adulated, respected, and upheld by our very own societies as a noble thing? We become confused – the bad becomes good. We go against our natural instincts. Eventually we become submerged in our own little hells, metaphorical places where internal suffering, sadness, disappointment, and self-loathing manifest. The “internal fire of regret”, as Ibn Al-Qayyim radi allahu `anhu (may God be pleased with him) puts it.

This quote teaches me that through one way or another, we will be purified of our sins. It’s up to us whether or not we seek purification in this life (through repentance) or we wait until the next (through the Fire).

I know. We’ve fallen so many times. We’re hurt, sore, and bruised. We are ashamed of our actions, and may even deem ourselves unworthy of seeking repentance. But something must quell that fire in our hearts. Something must quench our desires to be loved and accepted by the One whose love and acceptance is truly the only one that matters at the end of the day.

Say it – Astaghfirullah (I seek forgiveness from God).

I know; it hurts. But it certainly cannot hurt more than what is to come if we let our sins remain in our hearts, our minds, our spirits.

We are more than the sins that we commit. Don’t let the devil fool you. Don’t let those people who are a negative influence in your lives or those who sin openly and proudly fool you either.

We may fall a thousand times, but as long as we try to get back up, there is always hope.

And Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) knows best.

Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:55:00 — 41.3MB)

VirtualMosque.com aims to stay at the forefront on the issues that face American Muslims. In recent months, due to sad events that have happened in our homeland and internationally, Muslim organizations have taken a lead in combating what has been termed “the radicalization process” amongst Western Muslims. We invited leaders from a spectrum of Muslim organizations to talk about this issue; perspectives ranged from organizations taking the stance that dealing with “Muslim youth radicalization” is part of serving our country and protecting her citizens, to other voices who did not agree with what they saw as a blanket accusation of an entire community.

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

Imam Mahdi Bray

Imam Mahdi Bray is a long time civil and human rights activist currently serving as the Executive Director of the Muslim American Society’s MAS Freedom (MASF) based in Washington, D.C. Bray also serves on the Board of Directors of the Interfaith Alliance, the National Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice and is a National Co-convener of Religions for Peace USA.

Omer M. Mozaffar

Omer Mozaffar is an Asian Classics Curriculum instructor at the University of Chicago and the Director of higher studies for the Islamic Organization of North America. He is also a film reviewer for rogerebert.com.

Haris Tarin

Haris Tarin is currently the Director of the Washington DC office of the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC). He is currently pursuing his graduate work at the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University.

Wajahat Ali

Wajahat Ali is a playwright, journalist, attorney, humorist and consultant. His play, “The Domestic Crusaders” is one of the first major plays about the American Muslim experience. His blog, “Goatmilk: An Intellectual Playground” is ranked in the top 7% of all political blogs by blogged.com.

Reem Salahi

Reem Salahi is an activist and attorney specializing in national security and civil rights.  She is a member of the National Lawyers Guild and the President of the Muslim Bar Association of Southern California (MBASC). Reem hosts a weekly internet radio show with One Legacy Radio called Objection! where she examines civil rights, national security and foreign policy matters streaming at www.onelegacyradio.com.

Haroon Moghul

Haroon Moghul is the Executive Director of the Maydan Institute.  He is a Ph.D. candidate at Columbia University, focusing on Islam in the Indian Subcontinent.  He is a freelance journalist, author and essayist.

Hussam Ayloush

Hussam Ayloush is the current Executive Director of the Southern California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). He frequently lectures on Islam, media relations, civil rights, hate crimes and international affairs.

OPEN TOWN HALL

Topic: Muslim Youth Radicalization?

February 20, 2010 | 7pm (PST)

Speakers include:

Wajahat Ali :: Lawyer and Writer, goatmilkblog.com

Haroon Moghul :: Writer and Executive Director of the Maydan Institute

Imam Mahdi Bray :: Executive Director, MAS Freedom Foundation

Haris Tarin :: MPAC-DC

Reem Salahi :: Lawyer and Community Activist

Omer Mozaffar :: Instructor, University of Chicago

Hussam Ayloush :: Executive Director, CAIR-LA

Register Now

:: Sponsored by SuhaibWebb.com (VirtualMosque.com) and One Legacy Radio ::

SuhaibWebb.com (VirtualMosque.com) aims to stay at the forefront on the issues that face American Muslims. In recent months, due to sad events that have happened in our homeland and internationally, Muslim organizations have taken a lead in combating what has been termed “the radicalization process” amongst Western Muslims. We have invited leaders from a spectrum of Muslim organizations to talk about this issue; perspectives range from organizations taking the stance that dealing with “Muslim youth radicalization” is part of serving our country and protecting her citizens, to other voices who do not agree with what they have seen as a blanket accusation of an entire community.