On
being Muslim and talking too much
Sunday, June 22, 2008
I am thinking
that maybe Islam is a religion where one shouldn't talk so much. Perhaps it is
better to manifest the faith through one's action's primarily. I know this may
sound obvious, yet I am becoming increasingly aware that many Muslims put too
much energy into talking about Islam and what Islam stands for, rather then
putting energy into exemplifying Islam through their actions. This creates a
kind of anxiety or hyper-defensiveness that just isn't helpful when giving
dawah. Just look at many of the comments on you tube for example for some
Islamic videos. Some folks engage in arguments trying to defend the religion
using profane language! This is just embarrassing and really misses the point.
What are we really trying to defend, and does it need defending? Islam is what
it is, and you either believe in it or you don't.
Yesterday I was thinking about the Prophet's (saw) marriage to Aisha,
particularly as it pertains to her age. I had never heard of an explanation
that made me feel completely at ease. So I texted some of my trusted Muslim
friends to see what they had to say about issue--that is how did they reconcile
or explain the Prophet's marriage to Aisha without glossing over the facts or
sounding too apologetic. Among one of the answer's that I appreciated the most,
was a simple "I don't know, because I don't understand it." Furthermore,
the sister implied that she would not try to explain something that she didn't
understand, from a paradigm that was limited by time, location, and cultural
prejudice. I realized that it never occurs to some Muslims just to say that.
That it may seem for some to be a defeat.
I would like to know: "When we are "defending" Islam are we
really defending our own egos and need to be right? Are we guising our own
insecurities about the religion? Do Muslims benefit/suffer? from a double
consciousness-- a "second-sight in this American world,--a world which
yields him [or her] no true self-consciousness, but only lets him [or her] see
himself [or herself] through the revelation of the other world[? . . .] It is a
peculiar sensation . . . this sense of always looking at one's self through the
eyes of others, of measuring one's soul by the tape of a world that looks on in
amused contempt and pity." (Excerpted from the chapter "Of Our
Spiritual Strivings" in his book The Souls of Black Folk.) I think
there is the feeling of needing to make things look pretty, not just for the
supposedly monolithic (Western) world, but to those who doubt the religion or
take issue with aspects of the faith or the character/practices of the Prophet
(saw).
Post 9/11/ especially, there is this sense in the community that we must have a
quick rebuttal for everything. Hence people may end up saying things that don't
make complete sense, such as some explanations regarding the supposed benefits
of hijab. I have actually heard some some people reference hijab as a means of
protection against rape, implying that hijab does not entice a potential rapist
in the same way that a "scantily clad" woman does. This is a really
horrendous assertion, especially because many women (and one is too many) in
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Egypt etc. have been victims of sexual
violence despite being completely covered. It is more helpful to be honest
about this, then to perpetuate very problematic patterns of blaming the victim.
Furthermore, it obscures the real reason for rape which is rooted in power. I
explain my observance of hijab in terms of submission to Allah (swt), as well
as it being a useful tool to purify by own intentions. For me it is less about
"helping" men not see me as a "sex object" because this
kind of thinking alludes to more profound gender issues then what a woman is
wearing.
Coming back to the Prophet's marriage to Aisha, some other answers that I got
included (abridged):
"Well I know for a fact that in that society at that time, age nine isn't
what it is now. They lived relatively short lives, and nine was child bearing
age. It wasn't unusual for that to happen in their society. Difference in
culture. We may not understand why a foreigner does what they do; but it may
make perfect sense in their society. Furthermore, the Prophet wouldn't have
done it if it was incorrect. And if it is not a situation where someone is
being oppressed, then who are we to judge? [References young people becoming
pregnant in our society.] Society picks and chooses what is right and wrong
according to what it feels like doing. If the enemy does it then its
automatically the worst thing in the world though other's do it"
"As you know I do not take everything literally. The angels had wings of 2
& 3 & 4. Thus there is some symbolism to the number nine. Furthermore,
she did not move with him until she was older. Trust me, there is so much more
to the Qur'an and Sunnah then we will ever know. Islam is a perfect religion,
but we have to study more."
"There is nothing to gloss over. Puberty was marrying age. Talmud
preferred marriage by puberty. [She also references various ages of consent
around the world in different times. Example: Today: Japan-13; Spain-12; 1900
USA-10 (Cali was 1st to up age to 14 circa 1889. . . Using culture over biology
is illogical"
In conclusion I think that I am going to work on getting back to the basics or
fundamentals of the religion if you will, and really seek to understand and
implement this religion on a really organic level. I want to move from spaces
of speculation and defensiveness to securing sound knowledge and the faith that
come from knowing.
Posted by
Talibah at 10:33
AM http://www.blogger.com/email-post.g?blogID=18590693&postID=6924175451704268484
1 comments:
Tariq Nelson
said...
In
conclusion I think that I am going to work on getting back to the basics or
fundamentals of the religion if you will, and really seek to understand and
implement this religion on a really organic level. I want to move from spaces
of speculation and defensiveness to securing sound knowledge and the faith that
come from knowing.
This is exactly where I am. Let's just go back to the basics and stay there
6:53
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