Harry Potter and the American Muslims, Part 1

by Rami Mahmoud Elsawah

For many, many Muslims in America there is -- as a friend once put it -- a Jahilaya period, a period of ignorance. What do I mean by this? Well, there are two points in your life when a person becomes a Muslim. The first is when he is born, the second is when he begins to truly accept the path that Islam and the teachings of Muhammed, peace and blessing be upon him, give us. When you go from being raised a Muslim to becoming a true believer. Of course for everyone this level of Jahilaya, so to speak, was different. For some, it was until they first put on that Hijab that they began to turn back to Islam, or when that brother decided grow his beard. For others, it was when they started memorizing Qu'ran on their own or listening to lectures and tapes in the car...you know what I'm talking about. It may have been high school, college, or when you got married when you decided to rediscover your Islam; but you did...or are trying to, otherwise you wouldn't be reading this article would you? If you did some bad things during that time -- or still are -- don't worry. As long as you have faith in Allah and keep pushing forward in your efforts you will get their Insha Allah. Read carefully the verses after ayat Al-Kursi from now on... "Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: Whoever rejects Tagut and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things." (Qu'ran 2: 256) We must ask ourselves, how exactly do things get as bad as they do so often for Muslims here in America? We can blame ourselves...but for the time being I will do as humans do best...blame it on other things...just for now. For many of us, before there were full-time Islamic schools in America, we went through the torment of the public school system. I remember during Ramadan in the 9th grade I wore a kufi to school and people asked me if I was Jewish (just to show you the level of disinformation about Islam in America). My friends didn't understand a thing about Islam, so consequently Islam was never brought up as a topic of great importance in conversation; so your level of Eman begins to silently drift away and you become more and more "Americanized" as most of our parents, if they are foreign ,would put it. You're still Muslim, you still have that Qu'ran memorized, your knowledge of Islam is still there...but you just don't see the need to use it so often anymore, your mind is occupied with other, more day-to-day things. You become a tree with deeply set roots and stunted growth. You have long branches with no leaves...and a kid is carving something juvenile into you bark. It's a perpetual winter for this tree. Other last minute blaming: Can we really expect our children and ourselves to grow up being perfect Muslims in America ? On college campuses....we have to apply the "first look is free" rule just to pass a day of fasting while attending classes in Ramadan. Not to mention that just about the only movie without a curse or a breast in thirty years was "Harry Potter", and by then we had already grown up. Though I still think Harry Potter movies are cool. Getting out of Jahilaya: The sun will come out...and things will begin to change. From there the road gets tough...real tough. After all, you have to grow new leaves. And shake off all those old bugs and dirt. But who the heck ever said it was going to be easy?! Just remember that Allah is the one who guides and protects. As I look back -- and as many of you have probably notice -- there is a direct correlation between Salat and this Jahilaya period. When your Salat is steady and good you begin to notice that your mind is a little clearer and your Eman begins to grow. Many of your previous troubles and problems, you will find, originate from that "Purple haze" (as Jimi Hendrix would put it) that comes from the lack of clairvoyance you would usually be given from making Salat. If you want to think of it in this way, Salat is the Muslim practice of meditation, really. Haven't you ever made Salat before that just made you feel so good and calm? Making good Salat is in my mind how we are going to take ourselves from the darkness into the light...and how we are going to prevent ourselves from going back. I really don't know what I would do without my Salat. Oh Allah, please grant us Peace! From my Journal: Thursday, Dec. 18 2003 23 Shawal 1424 Cairo, Egypt "BismAllah Al-Rahman Al-Raheem I can say quite certainly that as far as the moral and religious aspect is concerned that it is far easier, in my view, to live here in a Muslim country. It doesn't really matter how strong willed you are, there really is no comparing living here as to living in America. At least hear I can AVOID temptation, or at least avoid seeing, hearing, doing things not allowed in Islamic conduct. I think, maybe, that it is almost...I stress almost...unavoidable for one to veer off in some aspect there. Here the problem is that there is not enough appreciation for the deen of Allah. Ahmed, my dear cousin, said it best when he said that you really learn to appreciate Islam when living around Non-Muslims, or in a Non-Muslim country. I, and others like me, without the deen of Islam, the deen of Allah, would be in Jahilaya...which no one should ever want to be in...it is a terrible way of life. Oh Allah, please save us from the Jahilaya. Ameen."

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