What's your Identity?

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu!

May the peace, mercy and blessings of The Almighty be upon you!

First of all, it feels so good to be back to writing articles again, Alhamdullilah!

But in the past one year, I came across different kinds of people, different environment, different lifestyles and different beliefs. All of it had one thing in common and that is I-N-F-L-U-E-N-C-E. I’ve written a similar article but In sha Allah this article will provide a deeper insight and a wider perspective of how grave this matter is. A lot can be said about the subject, but I will keep my article restricted to the Muslim youth.

Undoubtedly the Muslim youth today are being deluded by the worldly entertainment. Some of you might just shut down their systems and stop reading this article already (:P). No, this is not just another article about how the youth is misled by the fitnah around them and how they’re disappointing their parents and how that’s leading them to hell fire. No. According to me, there’s a much more important issue that needs to be solved. And that’s the identity of a Muslim. Unless we deal with the identity crises faced by the Muslim youth, we cannot jump on to topics about how they need to be warriors in this world. I’m not saying that the youth shouldn’t be taught about the aakhirah or sins or rewards but I think it’s all about priority.

Cause until the Muslim youth are proud of their Deen, are not afraid of expressing their religion in speech and in action and are confident about their identity, they’re least expected to take the other teachings of Islam seriously.

Why aren’t we confident about our identity? We are we afraid to follow Deen in public? Why do we hesitate and become reluctant when it comes to offering Salah in a public place? What is happening to us?

Peer pressure. I had to mention that ofcourse. You know you’re falling into peer pressure when you’re being pushed or encouraged to do or follow your peers for which you feel uncomfortable. If you’re being forced to do something like that, then they’re not really your friends. And that group isn’t where you belong. When you accept to do what your peers force you to do, then you end up being a product of their entertainment. Answer this. Is your worth so low that you can compromise your beliefs for a person? Be strong and be firm; never compromise your faith. A flag blows in the direction of the wind. But the pole remains firm in its place. Question is, are we like the flag, or the pole?

But the most important and fundamental cause is something else.

We as Muslims have lost the foundations of our faith and if the foundation is destroyed, how can we build knowledge upon it?

And the foundation of our faith is the unshakable belief and trust on Allah azza wa jal. This sole foundation guides the rest of our affairs. When our Iman is low, our control over our heart becomes weak, which causes the Shaytan to take over, making our desires strong and we lose the fight against evil – regardless of how much knowledge we have.

Now, what does this do to us?

Some of us may feel it’s okay to follow their peers simply because they wouldn’t want to feel lonely or left out in the group. But do we realize what is this actually doing to us? This fear of rejection makes us forget who we really are and whom should we be actually pleasing. We try to be a person that’s not really us and utlimately lose focus in life. Trying to be that new person becomes our aim. We end up losing our identity causing us to be depressed with no peace in the mind or in the heart and it lowers our self-esteem. Will you be happy losing your identity just to be a part of a group where you don’t belong?

In pleasing the creations of the Almighty, we end up disobeying the Creator Himself. We will realize the beauty of pleasing Allah only after obeying Him, whole heartedly. Sometimes we may not feel the inner desire to attain the qualities that please Allah (swt). We may think that it’s enough to survive in this world, establish friendships to keep away from being lonely and reach the worldly goals we desire. Allah has revealed the kind of moral behavior that pleases Him; but sometimes our narrow goals prevent us from caring about trying to win Allah’s favour and mercy. Thereby we prefer to be among those who strive for the ordinary, the mediocre; worldly goals.

However, the basic purpose of human creation is quite different, and of a higher order than these worldly ambitions. Allah reveals us in the Qur’an what this purpose is in Surah Mulk, verse 2;

“(He) created death and life to test which of you is best in action…”

In another verse, He asks this question of those who are unaware of this purpose and choose to live a shallow, superficial life:

Did you suppose that We created you for amusement and that you would not return to Us? (Surah al-Muminun, verse 115)

When our return is to Allah (swt), why should we waste our lives trying to do something that is not in obedience to Allah, The Almighty?

So what do we do now?

Allah (swt) says in Surah Zukhruf, verse 36;

“He who turns away from the remembrance (Reminder) of the

Compassionate (Allah), We assign a shaitan for him, who becomes his

intimate companion”

And once the Shaytan becomes a person’s close companion, he decorates all his negative actions for him and make them appear good. Anytime a person swings from the remembrance of Allah, he becomes a ball in the hands of Shaytan.

To go on a journey of Imaan and to build that foundation of faith, we need to have four qualities:

1. To busy your tongue and heart with the remembrance of Allah.

2. To hold tight your heart to Allah (check your actions all the time)

3. Control your nafs. Reflect on your desires.

4. Purify the niyyah (intention) all the time.

It is vital that we choose our identity and strive for the qualities of the title (a true believer) that we aspire to attain. May Allah azza wa jal grant us the ability to travel on the Straight Path and allow us to reach the best abode—Jannah. Ameen.

Assalam Alaykum.