RAISING A GOD-FEARING PEOPLE IN A "GOD-LESS' SOCIETY

Amany Suleiman

Self -Censure and the Mention of God

It is socially correct here in America (and maybe there where you sit), and a sign of a "well-educated" individual, to discuss all sorts of issues.... Leaving Allah out of the picture. Muslim students (who then move on to become "professional") fall into this practice, as well.

We are conscious of Allah, but too intimidated to mention Him where mention is due. Why? Because people don't do it or don't want to hear it. Of course, there is no sign in the classroom that says," Mentioning God in class is not allowed." We have all learned, nevertheless, that bringing up God is not socially acceptable. How did we catch this?

For years, we have been entertained by, well (for the most part), written, clever scripts put on screen through the characters of The Simpsons, Saturday Night Live, and The Colbert Report. All three shows (and many like them)bring to the viewer's ears and heart well-formed characters, attractive storylines, and witty commentary on serious issues, usually presented through humor and sarcasm.

The bounds of humor, however, in terms of what is appropriately funny and what is considered funny, have been stretched over the years so much that what used to be unsuitable for a tasteful audience has become ordinary and what was considered ridiculous and silly is now great material. These changes have come about in the name of progress. Mix a people who consider themselves justly "open" and the advent of separation of God and state, and you have a society that functions in its everyday actions, including through its entertainment, education, business transactions, and social reform, from a God-less platform.

Accompanying the big and small screen are explicit and implicit messages. The explicit is usually not difficult to identify. It's the subtle ideas, values, and beliefs that we have to watch out for.

"Thank goodness" we say. I have yet to meet this Goodness character everyone is so grateful to. I wish people good luck every now and then, when I realize luck will only get us further away from Allah. We say (to non-Muslims), "Hopefully, I will see you tomorrow," while Allah says: "Nor shall you say (O Prophet) in regard to anything: I will, indeed, do such (and such) tomorrow! Unless (you add): If God so wills" (18:23-24).

A Muslim Response?

Why does our speech change when we speak to non-Muslims? Is it simple because they just won't understand our Muslim vocabulary? Or is it because we are scared to express the meanings behind these words in a society that doesn't talk about Allah.

For years, now, we have watched The Simpsons and SNL episodes make jokes about Allah, Most High and Exalted, and His prophets, on them be peace. We watch, all the while reminding ourselves, That's not what we believe. We take biology classes in high school and in college, learning concepts and "facts" heavily based on the theory of evolution. But that's not what we believe (though we

dare not say it our loud for fear of being associated with Christian Biblical literalists who are represented as mindlessly anti-empirical). Professionalism, that is, the ethical etiquette of capitalism, has replaced true patience and fair trade between seller and customer. Really, the customer isn't always right.
We love and laugh at the adorable, happy, and easygoing "gay" character on TV, when, in reality, there is nothing funny about it. Nor even should we concede this euphemized word for homosexualism. I add the "ism" suffix because it is a movement, not a state of being, that is a doctrinal part of a secular belief system.

What are all these subtle messages doing to our hearts? They are entering them without us knowing and giving us a less serious sense of religion.

The Ethics of the Quran

The solutions are many (I'm sure), but their source, for us, must be this: Looking into the Quran to implement the conduct He has commanded us to regarding all such issues. Allah says in the Quran: "Thus, whenever you see those who fall to (vilifying) Our (revealed) signs, then turn away from them until they take up some other discourse. And if Satan should (ever) cause you to forget (this command), then do not (continue to) sit with the wrongdoing people after remembering (this)" (6:68).

We try to protect our children from attending gatherings that are not good for them: No prom, nor school dances. No participation in the Christmas shows, etc.... But some of the worst gatherings our children (and ourselves) take part in take place right in our own living rooms.

We have to be able to identify these kinds of gatherings: Turn off that episode. Turn down the radio. Step away from that group of friends/peers engaged in such talk.

A few ayahs after the one from Surat Al-An'aam I've just cited, Allah gives us the example of Ibrahim, looking up at the sky and questioning out loud (so his people could hear him) whether the star, the moon, or the sun is his Lord. In his display, he concludes the following, on him be peace:
"........ O my people! I am innocent of worshipping all that you associate as gods with God! I have turned my face, being ever upright (of heart), to the One who (alone) originated the heavens and the earth-and I am not of those who associate gods with God" (6:78-79).

Allah instructs His Prophet (PBUH), elsewhere: "Moreover, keep yourself patient in the company of those (humble believers) who call upon their Lord (with devotion) in the morning and in the evening, desiring (only) His Face. Nor shall you turn your eyes from (the likes of ) them, desiring the adornment of the life of this world. Nor shall you obey (the dictates of) anyone whose heart We have rendered heedless of Our remembrance, who thus follows his own whims, and whose disposition in thus ever (reckless in) disregard (of the truth) 18:28).

We never want the mention of Allah and His sings (i.e. His prophets, Books, angles, etc....) to become casual talk that is barely taken seriously, let alone for it to become a topic that is mocked. We need to protect our hearts and minds from such gatherings, lest we fall into joining them, thus allowing such beliefs (or lack thereof) to seep into our hearts.

This doesn't mean secluding ourselves from society. It simply means that we stay away, without apology, from the things that express these thoughts and ideas.

It also means we include ourselves in the remembrance of Allah as much as possible and in all the different ways we can-even (O, my God!) publicly. This is especially important for our youth who are the ones mostly effected and shaped by what they learn.

So go ahead, raise high the remembrance of your Lord, and live freely-bismillah, wa'ala barakatillah, in the Name of Allah and upon Allah's blessing.

(Courtesy: Al Jumuah