A closer look at our Muslim youth today

OUR youth will argue that Islam, as a set of beliefs and ideals, should not be blamed for the malfeasance of its followers. They will say that the fact that certain people who call themselves Muslims commit acts of ugliness is due to economic, political, and socio-cultural factors that breed violence and intolerance, not to Islam. Because of this view, it is hard to teach them to critically examine Islamic doctrines, beliefs, or history when evaluating the contemporary problems that our Umma is facing today. I agree at some extent with the views of our Muslim youth, there is nothing wrong with Islam. But we need to ask what went wrong with the Muslims today?

I agree only at some extent in raising that question, but applying this argument as a general rule, it is not a satisfying way of addressing the challenges that confront all Muslims in this modern age.

For me, this argument (blaming the Muslims) can be misleading. This can be misleading because it is a dead end. Therefore, we need to help our youth to come up with tools of analysis and framework to have a critical view of Islamic traditions, doctrines, and practices. Our youth today must understand that they can remain true to the moral message of Islam and at the same time can discharge their basic duty with God through introspective self-criticism and reform.

Muslims have to accept that schism exists in our Ummah today. Schism refers to a split or division between strongly opposed sections or parties, caused by differences in opinion or belief. This does not refer to Sunni or Shiite divide. In my visit at the University of Califor- nia Los Angeles, I met Dr. Khaled El Fadl. Dr. El Fadl is one of the most important and influential Islamic thinkers in the modern age. He is an accomplished Islamic jurist and scholar, a Professor of Law at the UCLA School of Law. He teaches Islamic law, Immigration, Human Rights, International and National Security Law in the said university.

According to him, “The schism refers to the divide between moderate and puritan Muslims that has become distinct, pronounced, and real, this division is not explicitly recognised in the Muslim world”. Dr. El Fadl also said, "The dichotomy between the two groups is a lived and felt reality, but there has been no attempt to recognise the systematic differences between the two contending parties”.

In my engagements with our youth, I sensed their reluctance to speak openly of two primary orientations. For me, this is alarming. Our failure to acknowledge the existence of such a division has contributed to the confusion to both, the Muslims and non Muslims, about who in Islam believes in what, and it may also be responsible for the widespread misconceptions about the teachings and doctrines of our faith and religion that enters the mind of our youth.

In my next article, I will discuss further the reasons of the reluctance of most Muslims, especially the youth, in discussing these two views about Islam.