Br. Nouman Ali Khan from Bayyinah Institute, just gave the evening wild card session reminding us that there are three main groups of Muslim youth in our communities, us, the so-called “religious” ones that have the outer accoutrements of Islam and attend seminars to learn more about our religion. Often, we are the outcasts and weirdos amongst our own families and amongst our friends, classmates, and co-workers. How quickly we forget that just yesterday, we were not that religious and how quickly we become self-righteous, full of arrogance and condescension toward those who we judge or believe are below us in religious knowledge and practice. On the other extreme are the really messed up youth and in between the two groups are those in the middle, the ones that waver between the extremes.
In all the classes I take to benefit from this knowledge, realizing the religion is so vast and so beautiful and amazing that it increases my emaan (faith), encourages me to return and increase in my good deeds and purification of my soul, I’ve struggled to implement what I have learned in benefitting others. I haphazardly volunteer my time for various projects, engage in occasional dawah to Muslims and non-Muslims and try to excel in my personal life. I’d like to make my goals less selfish, less focused solely on my inner mental stimulation and purification.
Amongst my goals for this year is a goal of making my preferred masjid more community friendly and I’ve taken some steps in that direction and to encourage and develop enriching community activities that are inclusive of the diversity of Muslims in the community, all ages, backgrounds, and levels of their Islam.
Ify Okoye 