Some would say the term above is an oxymoron, but Islam is a religion for all of the worlds and all time. Therefore it must be possible for Islam to ‘fit’ in the lands of America and the West. But who decides what it means to ‘fit?’
For the indigenous ‘modern’ American, the Nation of Islam provided a starting point of sorts. We still see its cultural undertones in many traditional African American masaajid today. This background has allowed some of these communities to be places where one can feel American, Muslim in a traditional sense, and comfortable all at the same time.
We also find pockets of this comfort in places like Moncks Corner, SC, where Sheikh Harun al-Faqir of Senegal has merged classical Islam with modern America, and made it have meaning for people of all classes and backgrounds. Neither the poor nor the rich are forgotten. One feels a taste of West Africa, and its deep spiritual tradition, and yet it is molded to be fitting for this time and place. [Yes, this is a shameless advertisement for my Sheikh and his community :) ]
And now, in some places, we can see an extreme ‘Americanism’ develop, one which shuns traditional Islamic clothing, names and the like. Women still wear hijab (sometimes with an abaya, sometimes with jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt), but there is rarely a kufi or turban to be found. There is almost a pressure NOT to change one’s name upon conversion to Islam, and even have disdain for those who do.
It is this third reality I contemplated in the middle of the night. It is something I did not see practiced in great numbers until recent years. I suppose it could be a response to the September 11th attacks. Being Muslim in America took on a very different practical meaning after those events, and it is easier to ‘blend’ into a hostile environment than to ‘stick out.’ (Of course, there is much debate about how hostile the environment really is, and I have found a great number of fellow Americans to be very understanding and supportive of me as a Muslim.) But to blend too much is to lose something greater. When you conform to the expectations of the majority, you almost always give up something very important, you lose richness and depth. These are qualities the majority almost never has. I have known this from a very young age, and it applies to religion, politics, environment, intellectual pursuit, and so on.
Allah says in the Qur’an, in Suratul ‘Asr:
In the Name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful
1. By (the Token of) Time (through the ages),
2. Verily Man is in loss,
3. Except such as have Faith, and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in the mutual teaching of Truth, and of Patience and Constancy.
In ayat 3 we see the specifications outlined for those who are the EXCEPTION, which directly implies that ayat 2 refers to the majority, for exceptions are inherently outside of the norm. If we are to be successful in this life, we must be exceptional, most especially in our faith, deeds and practice of advising others, as outlined in this surah.
But can we not do all of this in our blue jeans? How does having an Islamic name change our ability to do good works? Or does it? Some would argue that it is possible to fulfill the command of Allah adequately while being very culturally American, and that the expectation of adaptation of other cultural norms is demeaning.
There is truth in this to a point. One may prefer fried chicken to falafel, and that preference has no impact on one’s faith or practice of Islam. But the Islamic cultural tradition is filled with much beauty and blessing. It is an honor to carry a name with a history, with a meaning found in the Qur’an. It touches my heart to see my name, Munira, appear in various forms in the Qur’an, but I will never find Elizabeth there, not once. I am immensely happy to call the names of my sons, Mohammed and YaSeen, for they were the names of our beloved Prophet (saws), and what a loss it would be if they were never known by those names. Noura, Iman and Maryam will all find their names within the Qur’an as well, and I pray one day they will appreciate that treasure.
It is a sad day when we cannot find any man who will emulate his Prophet (saws) with a turban, or even a kufi. The formal religious garb found in majority Muslim countries around the world may not be what was worn in the 7th century, but it is a reflection of that, adorned and beautified as the times have allowed. We have formal attire as Americans, but a 3-piece suit is no match for a gold edged mantle in appearance, or in the spiritual presence the mantle brings to the place it is worn. It may be that not everyone sees what I see, or feels what I feel, but I cannot help but be saddened by the pressure to be and act as ‘American’ as possible, to the point of disregarding the weight of the Grand Tradition in Islam, at least in an external sense.
La illaha illala Muhammadar Rasulullah – there is no god but Allah (the One God) and Muhammad is his Messenger. This is the foundation of our belief, and this phrase binds us together as Muslims. Within that ocean that is Islam, we must each find our way. It is a religion for anyone, in any time, in any place, where they can find a spiritual home. How that home will look may be slightly (or even very) different than others, but the cornerstones, the phrase above, are all the same. Allah chose us to be born in this time, and has given us the challenge of blending tradition with modernity. He has advised us in the Qur’an to forge a path which will make us an exception, so that we might be the most exceptional human beings possible. May He help us and guide us on that Straight Path all the days of our lives.
Allahuma Salli 'ala Sayyidina Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wa sallim
