Let me start this rant off by saying this: I am not perfect. I am not even close, and lately, I seem to be getting further from it everyday. Also, I am in no position to judge anyone, and I do not mean to do so. I’m aware that everyone has their own circumstances, trials, and difficulties.
That being said, however, I must express how appalled I am at the state of the majority of Muslim youth today. It’s something I’ve always taken for granted, how dormant Muslims of today are, but today I consciously realized it.
Perhaps it’s the change of environment? I went to high school in Saudi Arabia, in an Islamic school. No matter how far away and uninterested in Islam people in my surroundings were, it always played a factor in their lives. They were constantly reminded of Allah, of our duties and obligations as Muslims, of morals and ethics to live by. Whether people took this advice to heart depended on them, but the words of advice and reminder were always there.
Now I’m in Dubai- a secular environment- going to a secular school. Where Islam used to be there is a void- no mention of religion goes on here whatsoever. In fact, there is rarely conversation of a deep nature; people never seem to venture beyond the surface. Music, movies, boys, girls, parties, fun. Fun, fun, fun.
Don’t get me wrong- I love having fun as much as the next person, perhaps even a little more. We are only human, to have times when we want to let our guard down and just relax is natural. But fun isn’t everything. Everyone and everything is just so fast- I really understand what it means to live life in the fast lane. Always looking for the next bit of fun. Yes, we can have fun, but what about when that fun contradicts our morals, ethics, and beliefs?
The problem is, people nowadays lack those 3 important things; morals, ethics, and beliefs. How many of the Muslims that I know have made a conscious choice to be Muslims? How many decide to factor in Allah’s laws in every daily choice they make? Yes, some people may be weak, we all are. But merely acknowledging the fact that there is something beyond superficial, temporary pleasure is what’s important. It is that basic acknowledgment that people lack.
Thinking back to the people I know- the Muslims I know. I honestly could not even tell you which ones pray five times a day. I know of a few people that do for sure, but as for the rest- I’m skeptical. Then there are some I know for a fact don’t even pray at all. The most basic thing our religion teaches, the second most important pillar- and people don’t even give it a second thought.
I was going to write about the other behaviors that are just leaving me speechless, but I decided not to. Like I said, I am in no position to judge. I’m sure everyone knows what I’m talking about- we all know people like these. And in many ways, we are people like these. But even if our weaknesses do get the better of us sometimes, at least we are aware of a higher meaning for our existence. At least we understand the difference between right and wrong, even if sometimes it is difficult to go down the correct path.
May Allah forgive me for my shortcomings. May we always know the difference between right and wrong, and may Islam always be present in our lives. May Allah guide us all.
There is so much I could write, so much I want to write, but I’m going to stop before I go too far- if I haven’t already, that is. It just breaks my heart, is all.
