The Muslims have been migrating to and settling in western countries for a long time, and this phenomenon has been increasing in recent years. In some cases this migration may be justified according to sharee’ah, but in most cases these migrants have not settled in the west for legitimate shar’i reasons, but because of their whims and desires, or personal and social circumstances.

Studying the intellectual, social, ethical and psychological circumstances of these migrants should be a top priority of Islamic centres in the west, so that this study – by the grace of Allaah – might form the basis for da’wah and educational programs.

One of the most prevalent phenomena in the Muslim community is the weakness or complete lack of a distinctive Islamic identity in their beliefs and conduct. The influence of the western environment is quite obvious in their case, especially among the youth who have been born, brought up and educated in the west.

This phenomenon is an inevitable result which does not need to be examined,researched or proven. What does need to be pondered and examined is the case of the Islamic activists in particular, many of whom are not free of the influences of the negative environment. One example will suffice here, which is the failure to adhere strongly to many rulings of sharee’ah, especially in matters pertaining to women.

I am not referring here to the famous differences among fuqaha’ as to whether the hands and face are ‘awrah or not; the matter is more serious than that, because unfortunately, in some cases the hijaab has become no more than a theory with no substance to it. It is simply a form of modernity and civility, no more than a flimsy scarf which covers part of the hair, accompanied by the wearing of tight pants and wearing all kinds of adornments and perfumes. Mixing, shaking hands with non-mahrams and taking part in mixed sports are matters that have become ordinary, everyday occurrences.

If anybody speaks out against such things, they will quickly be accused of being fanatical and extremist, and of being ignorant of the realities of life in the west and the social circumstances in which people live. He will be told that he is looking at America or Europe through the eyes of a simple Bedouin who has no understanding or insight.

I heard one of our “enlightened thinkers” waving his hands about before an audience of Islamic activists, telling them to raise their intellectual standards and be positive in their interactions due to the circumstances created by modern civilization, warning them against being inflexible and falling into the mire of backwardness and darkness... He said all of that because he had heard one of them reciting the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “I do not shake hands with women” (narrated by al-Nasaa’i, hadeeth 4110)!

What is strange indeed is that you can find some of those thinkers and daa’iyahs who consider themselves entitled to issue fatwas justifying this laxity by means of distorting the daleel. I remember one of the contemporary shaykhs at an Islamic conference in America opening his lecture with a heavy attack on the organizers of the conference who had segregated men and women, and criticizing this “intellectual backwardness” and “primitive thinking” which was still prevalent among us even in America (!!). At the end of the talk, the organizer of the conference stood up to comment, and we thought that he would defend the way things had been organized, but instead he admitted his “mistake”, apologized to the brothers and sisters, and said that the reason for the segregation had been logistical, not intellectual. He promised to correct the matter the following day, and he kept his promise…!

When Muslims live in a western environment, it leads to an incredible degree of assimilation of the Muslim personality, a great dissolution of adherence towards the rulings of sharee’ah and an obvious tendency to look for concessions (the easiest options) without any understanding or insight. In many cases the description given in the Qur’aan is true, where Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And among mankind is he who worships Allaah as it were upon the edge (i.e. in doubt)…”

[al-Hajj 22:11]

The irony is that new Muslims of western origin are often more courageous and more sincere in their adherence to the rulings of sharee’ah; they are proud of them and are not embarrassed to show them before the people!

I remember visiting an area of the USA where there are many people from a Christian Protestant sect called the Amish, who believe that one of the causes of the misery in which mankind is living is this materialistic civilization which is dominating western man and has led him to this swamp of immorality and depravity. Hence they have withdrawn from society and forsaken all forms of modern civilization, refraining from using all modern technological inventions. They have established their own communities, including schools supervised by their church, and they work in farming and raising livestock using the primitive means that are available to them. They also refrain from drinking alcohol and committing adultery! What is remarkable is that their women still wear long, covering dresses and scarves on their heads, and they do not mix with men. Despite the fact that some of their fellow Americans look down on them, they are proud of their principles and their ways!

I am not here to analyze the phenomenon of these Amish. My point here is that although these people have seen their country reach the pinnacle of modern material advancement, they have withdrawn from them and are practising their beliefs and morals in a proud manner. Why do we Muslims – who believe with certainty, praise be to Allaah, that we are following the true religion – not have the strength to be proud of our faith and practise its principles, adhering firmly to them and holding our heads high with pride in our beliefs and morals and manners?

Being enjoined to follow the rulings of sharee’ah is one of the ways in which a man’s faith is tested. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Who has created death and life that He may test which of you is best in deed…”

[al-Mulk 67:2]

This religion is a serious matter, it is not a joke. The worst thing that we can commit against ourselves is to regard the laws of Islam as a game, taking only those which suit our whims and desires, or letting the realities of this deviant intellectual or social environment be the guidelines which dictate to us whatever they want. We have clear evidence in the Qur’aan in which there is no ambiguity or confusion, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allaah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision”

[al-Ahzaab 33:36]

Being defeated in one’s outward appearance is a sign of being defeated at heart. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) issued a stern warning against that, when he said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood in al-Libaas, hadeeth 3512)

Ahmad ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Swiyaan

From al-Bayaan magazine, issue #155, Rajab 1421, pp. 74-75