Here in the United States I feel I have become closer to Allah The Almighty; and I thank Him for that, as I ask Him to make us all steadfast on His path. Among the many reasons for this intimacy is the estrangement that has led me to know, with certainty, that there is no one but Allah, to resort to, amidst the Jews and Christians. It is also out of fear for my children, who I want to be a good role model for.
Thus, I am devastated to see how my fellow Muslims here have lost their religion and children in this country. Muslims in the Caucasus the Balkan states and other parts of the world have been tortured and killed to give up their religion, whereas Muslims who choose to immigrate to the United States in search of freedom, find that they are mostly not restricted from practicing the rites of their religion. Therefore, what excuse will they give to Allah The Almighty for having lost their faith and abandoned its teachings, and instead mimicking the customs of the Jews and Christians.
In Wilmington where I live, along with other districts in North Carolina I see things that shatter my heart. I know of a Muslim woman who spends the whole day at the mall, leaving a son of hers at liberty to drink alcohol, do drugs and commit fornication, may Allah The Almighty protect all Muslims from such tribulations. I advised her, pointing out how strict I am with my daughters, and that she has not provided an alternative for that young man to satisfy his desires. She is a pious woman, but feels she cannot change what is happening, so she stands by, helplessly watching, unable to take any action. And, she is not alone in her predicament.
The result is that the Muslim generation is generally lost in this country; many of them do not pray or even know anything about Islam. They would even sell pork and alcoholic drinks, with some having become drug and alcohol addicts themselves, with a few even implicated in mob-related cases.
Parents are not better, either. In my district, a young, originally Arab, Muslim man died and his mother insisted on burying him in a tuxedo, with his coffin surrounded by wreaths. They did not even know how to perform the ritual of washing the dead, so they had to call a scholar from Raleigh the capital of the state, which is two hours away, who came and performed it. The even greater tragedy is that the son had taken out a life insurance policy. Now, laws here do not permit the parents to receive the monetary amount if the deceased son was married. Consequently, the parents disputed with a girl who he was involved with, over it, and it is not even known whether she was his wife or girlfriend. A true Muslim hopes from the bottom of his heart that she was his spouse, so that he would not be punished by Allah The Almighty for the time he spent with her, may Allah forgive us and him. However, his relatives hoped that was not the case, or else they knew she alone would get the money from the insurance company.
The young Muslim generation has become spineless; they imitate the non-Muslims, in everything from the nose-rings and tongue-studs they wear to their hairstyles. Sometimes I try to find solutions, but I discover that the issue exceeds the scope of any individual efforts. If anyone could help me with their enlightening ideas, they may help solve the problem.
I believe teaching Arabic as a second language to Arab and Muslim students in public schools may help, like the Hispanics teach their second-generation children Spanish. While this is vital, it is difficult to implement because the Arab and Muslim communities are scattered. Before we put in an official request, we must form sizable constituencies that will be taken into consideration, as many Muslims created communities in cities like
Ann Arbor in Michigan. Alternatively, every weekend, newly immigrated Arabs could teach their language to the children of the second-generation immigrants, who do not know Arabic, as has successfully been done in some places. Children must also be taught chapters of the Quran at an early age, before they master English and neglect Arabic.
Moreover, Muslims must be keen on taking their children to visit their homeland, and better yet, to visit Makkah and Madeenah, so that there would be a contact with their religion in their hearts and they would be protected from going astray. But, before all of this, they should be taught to be proud of their Islam and be loyal to it, as we see some Muslim and Arab students who are even ashamed of their Muslim names and change them, for instance, from Ahmad to Adam, Muhammad to Mickey and ‘Aa’ishah to Elisa.
Muslim preachers usually head for the big cities like Chicago Los Angeles and New York while smaller cities are left alone. Please do not tell me that a person who wants to learn the teachings of Islam must pursue it. Immigrants ge nerally do not have the faith of scholars that inspires them to travel from one place to another, seeking knowledge. Rather, they need to be urged to follow the teachings of their religion.
Lastly, the importance of radio and television channels cannot be denied. The only Arabic channel we can receive is based in Washington; and even that broadcasts films I would not want my daughter to see. It only telecasts the immoral activities of some in the Arab communities while ignoring, perhaps deliberately, the good efforts of other members. We need a channel that telecasts reports that inform our children of their ancestors’ heroic deeds, teaches them Arabic and provides a platform for humanitarian activities.