“We are ready to spend millions on grandiose masajid, filled with minarets and the best decor, but we are not ready to spend on filling those plush carpets with blissful adolescence.”

SubhanAllah this is a much needed reminder. The Q&A questions really made me raise eyebrows. Alhamdulillah I am a young adult, coming from West Africa and I study in the U.S. We have similar issues in my home country, although it is more geared towards the young women (I’m not going to enter the debate of making masajids more welcoming for sisters).
What I like to focus on is the solution that we can come up with. Since our context in West Africa is different, my friends and I have started an online magazine for Muslimahs aged 12 to 25, to present the deen in a way that is relevant to them alhamdulillah.

The magazine encourages them about hijab in a loving way, we talk about beauty tips (at home), share recipes, personal stories about relationship with qur’an, interview successful Muslim sisters etc. We noticed that many reminders geared to young Muslim women were either about hijab or about marriage/motherhood, and not enough was said about being young, single, and yet valuable to the ummah. The magazine is in French, but anybody can start a similar project inshaAllah in their own communities. Sisters, start something: a weekly halaqa for example, ice cream socials, girls only “halal” parties at home, with spa services,etc. Brothers, get a group of friends and start praying together at home if the masjid is too far or unfriendly. Invite a scholar at your apartment to teach you some things even if it’s once a week in your apartment. These are just sisterly suggestions, not fatawas though 🙂

Our elders were from a different generation, and many of them need to understand us, it’s true. But I also suggest that we meet them halfway inshaAllah. Let’s not give up. Let’s be positive and do things for the sake of Allah swt, even if we feel that we are alone, support will come God willing.

To people who can read french, please visit our blog: https://magazinejeunemusulmane.wordpress.com

And share it with friends and family 🙂