by Jenn Fawzy
In an era where I pads and touch screen phones are the latest craze, it is astounding to see how people cannot believe that all of these gadgets were merely concepts about 11 years ago. Technology has made it possible to find friends and relatives that we fall out of touch with, obtain employment in exotic lands, and play games. With all these great technological advancements that our society has made, do we ever stop to think of how it has changed our culture?
While technology and science definitely have their place in our world, how many people place its value and importance over that of the importance of God? The West has become a beacon of light for this particular issue as religion has taken the back seat to the New Age of Reason. People only want to have tangible facts and evidence and no longer have faith in something that they cannot see.
America is a secular nation, which is to say that the government does not have an official religion for its citizens to uphold. It gives the freedom of religion to each individual and not to the society. As noble and fair as that may sound, it has dire opposite effects. The majority of Americans are Christians, even in name if not in actual practice. Islam is the fastest growing religion to date in the United States with people converting to Islam as well as Muslim immigration to the United States. Of course this is a good thing for those who believe in Islam and practices it, but it can also be challenging.
Atheism is also rising. Americans have begun to defy their Christian heritage and look for answers outside of the realm of God. They are looking for solutions to problems that Christianity cannot seem to accurately explain. They say that religious books are antiquated and no longer address the needs of a modern society. Religion is a cult and adult make-believe for a primitive peoples and it simply cannot be relied upon. This is a huge problem for Muslims and Christians alike.
Imagine living in a faithless, hopeless world. Envision giving credit to Darwin for his philosophical ideas that we are just animals that happened to evolve out of primordial soup, and we have no higher purpose. Think of being forced to believe that humans have nothing to look forward to in the Afterlife, and we die it is just a curtain call. Personally, I will not accept a society like that. Darwin, after all is just a man himself.
Science is a tool for explanation, but not explanation itself. For each scientific discovery that is made, we uncover a new question that science is unable to solve. God has given us science as a tool to understand Him. It gives us a depth of understanding for the natural world around us and to constantly remind us that as things exist, they do not exist all on their own. Someone put them there.
The Law of Biogenesis states that living things originate only from other living things. As many skeptics will simply say that we did come from Apes which are living, and say that all life came from primordial soup, which is alive, they never ask who Manufactured the soup? It certainly was not Campbell’s. Someone had to create the soup, and that someone is God. An Almighty, All Merciful God. He alone takes credit for the creation of the Universe, not an animal.
For some reason though, Western culture has forgotten God. Some Christians remember Him only on Sunday morning, or in the event of a financial crisis. Many Muslims have lost their tradition of actually living by the rules of Islam and making the Lord their personal priority. Too many of us have conformed to secular society and embraced it with open arms only to embrace the Shaytaan in the guise of modernity.
There was a period of time not that long ago when prayer was allowed in public schools in America. Schools did not have shootings in this era, either. For many, this will just be like reading a passage in history books, but for those old enough to remember those days, it is a heartbreaking reminder of how just a few changed the lives of many.
I say to the readers, renew your mind daily with prayer. Give your charity and your time to the needy. Help those you are able to help. Set yourself steadfast against sinful conduct. Lastly, I am not saying to put away all your gadgets and stop studying science. Strike a balance with the society, just as all the Prophets before us did. Just know in your heart that God does exist, and one day, we will in fact meet him, we just do not know when. If we all manage to do this, we will not live in a world that is post religion, we will live in a better one.
Peace be upon all of you, and I wish you the highest faith.
Feb 26, 2012
Post Religious America
I'd love to hear your views on this topic. Please comment below and let me know! :)
4 comments:
Salam alaikum, This is very informative post. I'm a converted muslim. I live
2 hours away from our closest masjid. I'm probably the only muslim in the area that I live. However; yes it is very sad that our youth have no knowledge of GOD Allah(swt). It breaks my heart to see the hourendous things our youth are doing. In my own opinion, I believe on estimate that maybe 2 out of every 5 children know anything about FAITH and the Belief in a HIGHER POWER. A few years ago one of my granddaughters, during casual conversation heard her mother and I discussing morals. My granddaughter is now 21 yrs. old. She asked; "What are morals?" I was astonished that this chid didn't know what morals were. Her mother was even taken aback. My daughter explained to her what it meant. She the granddaughter stated that she had them.
To myself, I reflected upon this niave child and how many more there were out there. A child being taken for granted that they should know something as signifcant as morals; how then will they know about Allah(swt) GOD. We are to set examples and teach them as parents, but the sad thing is; how many parents even know?
Walaikum salam wr wb
I am always stunned to meet people who have it all at least it seems like (money house car kids etc...) but struggle with emptiness and fear and darkness and some more mental illnesses!! we have been conditioned to think that you can buy happiness realizing your materialistic dreams but happiness is a byproduct that can only be assured through spirituality meaning a candid relationship to Allah! I feel some times so annoyed and hurt by the level of mediocrity people can go down to!? Islam is the perfect guide to the pursuit of True Happiness...
It becoming undeniably clear that the Shaytaan is very busy in the West. He's busy everywhere, but especially in western civilizations. I am a born and raised American revert, and I can testify firsthand to the difficulties of growing up Muslim in America and trying to raise Muslim children here. I think the only thing we can do is make dua constantly and if possible try to make hijrah. The worst Muslim society is better than the best Kuffar society.
http://ummqamarblogs.wordpress.com
By the way I love this blog...Habibi Halaqas always keeps it real!
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