A "Modern" phenomena
Assalam alaykum waramatullah wabarakatuhu.
I hope the blog meets you in the best of eeman and health.
I watched a programme on TV a few weeks back about Muslim reverts. The presenter was at a loss as to why more British women where coming into Islam from as she put it a “liberal” society to a religion where you “can’t drink”. The presenter describes herself as a modern British Muslim.
I kept wondering what being a modern Muslim woman meant. To her being modern included being able to work, loving fashion, leaving your hair uncovered, drinking and going out.
Lately I have found the word “modern” to be annoying especially when used alongside veiled Muslim women and integration. I do not know if this word has crept into the Muslims speech due to the pressure we feel to show that we are perfectly capable of integrating into our communities and to show that Islam is not at odds with the British way of life.
Why does covering the hair or face and not drinking or going dancing in the club mean that a Muslim woman is not modern. Why is a woman who stays home to look after her home and family not modern? Some women who aren’t Muslim stay home to look after their children. No one accuses them of not being modern.
Do we define what is expected of us as Muslims by the society or by our Lord and Creator?
The dictionary meaning of Modern is:
1. Of or pertaining to present and recent time; not ancient or remote: modern city life.
2. Characteristic of present and recent time; contemporary; not antiquated or obsolete: modern viewpoints.
Islam is modern – if we take the dictionary meaning of modern. Islam relates to our everyday life to how we’re now. Of course everything we do as Muslims is with the hereafter in mind but Islam gives us a moral structure as to how we interact with friends, family and neighbours. Islam speaks to us on care for elderly, parents, children and animal welfare. This are issues which relates to every society and time whether 10 years ago or 2013.
I find people describe what being modern is in a way which excludes certain group so that they can they turn around and say “see you aren’t modern enough”.
A Muslim woman who stays at home brings up her children to the best of her ability to worship Allah (SWT), respect their environment, neighbours and contribute to the society at large is “modern”. If a Muslim woman also chooses to go out to work for whatever reason contributing to society through taxes and expertise, she is also “modern”.
What is important integration is that you care not just for yourself and family but the community and society in which you live. You don’t have to go to the pub on the weekends to care what you can do to improve the lives of others. Why must the Muslim woman engage in everything the society deems “ok” if it is against her principles? Do we accuse people who are tee-total (not Muslim) of not being modern?
Muslim women already engage in society; they are students, entrepreneurs, employers, employees, sisters, mothers and wives. We must not allow ourselves to be pressured into giving up aspects of our deen just because the issue of the veil and integration is the main topic of conversation lately in the media.
Not a lot of people know what is going on in their communities anyway especially in big cities. We have all become individualistic but I guess it is easy to blame the Muslim woman who is going about her life in the best way possible to please her Lord and contribute to society. We must ensure that we do things to please only Allah (SWT) and then Allah (SWT) will put the love for us in the hearts of men.
I hope the blog meets you in the best of eeman and health.
I watched a programme on TV a few weeks back about Muslim reverts. The presenter was at a loss as to why more British women where coming into Islam from as she put it a “liberal” society to a religion where you “can’t drink”. The presenter describes herself as a modern British Muslim.
I kept wondering what being a modern Muslim woman meant. To her being modern included being able to work, loving fashion, leaving your hair uncovered, drinking and going out.
Lately I have found the word “modern” to be annoying especially when used alongside veiled Muslim women and integration. I do not know if this word has crept into the Muslims speech due to the pressure we feel to show that we are perfectly capable of integrating into our communities and to show that Islam is not at odds with the British way of life.
Why does covering the hair or face and not drinking or going dancing in the club mean that a Muslim woman is not modern. Why is a woman who stays home to look after her home and family not modern? Some women who aren’t Muslim stay home to look after their children. No one accuses them of not being modern.
Do we define what is expected of us as Muslims by the society or by our Lord and Creator?
The dictionary meaning of Modern is:
1. Of or pertaining to present and recent time; not ancient or remote: modern city life.
2. Characteristic of present and recent time; contemporary; not antiquated or obsolete: modern viewpoints.
Islam is modern – if we take the dictionary meaning of modern. Islam relates to our everyday life to how we’re now. Of course everything we do as Muslims is with the hereafter in mind but Islam gives us a moral structure as to how we interact with friends, family and neighbours. Islam speaks to us on care for elderly, parents, children and animal welfare. This are issues which relates to every society and time whether 10 years ago or 2013.
I find people describe what being modern is in a way which excludes certain group so that they can they turn around and say “see you aren’t modern enough”.
A Muslim woman who stays at home brings up her children to the best of her ability to worship Allah (SWT), respect their environment, neighbours and contribute to the society at large is “modern”. If a Muslim woman also chooses to go out to work for whatever reason contributing to society through taxes and expertise, she is also “modern”.
What is important integration is that you care not just for yourself and family but the community and society in which you live. You don’t have to go to the pub on the weekends to care what you can do to improve the lives of others. Why must the Muslim woman engage in everything the society deems “ok” if it is against her principles? Do we accuse people who are tee-total (not Muslim) of not being modern?
Muslim women already engage in society; they are students, entrepreneurs, employers, employees, sisters, mothers and wives. We must not allow ourselves to be pressured into giving up aspects of our deen just because the issue of the veil and integration is the main topic of conversation lately in the media.
Not a lot of people know what is going on in their communities anyway especially in big cities. We have all become individualistic but I guess it is easy to blame the Muslim woman who is going about her life in the best way possible to please her Lord and contribute to society. We must ensure that we do things to please only Allah (SWT) and then Allah (SWT) will put the love for us in the hearts of men.
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