Islam is in the western world to stay but it is not necessary welcome.  Being bombarded with images of Muslims behaving badly, non-Muslims around the world especially in North America and Europe are increasingly expressing anti-Muslim sentiment. 

As a result, many Muslims encounter some form of discrimination periodically be it in their daily lives or through the media. This, coupled with dealing with less than ideal conditions in many of our home countries, is making many Muslims very stressed.

A case of negativity breeding more negativity. With few structures in place to help address these issues, and with the media continuing to spew out negative images of the Muslim world, there seems to be no end in sight.

A pattern taking root in our Muslim community today is that people are abandoning all outward markers of their religion in response to the current dynamic in our world today. Passing for a member of a more acceptable group is not new. In African American society, situations exist whereby a mixed race child is born with very strong Caucasian features, such a person would then go on to live “white” usually a ticket out of poverty and discrimination. Some commonly observed circumstances surrounding this choice of a Muslims to go “undercover” include:

•   Muslims, especially the youth, develop feelings of shame, guilt or self loathing as a result of buying into the negative stereotypes they see around them and may choose to hide their religious identity to assuage these feelings.

•   Feeling powerless to address the ridicule or isolation that they fear they will experience in the workplace or in other non-Muslim social circles.

•   Fearing that by being visibly Muslim they may not be accepted on an equal footing with others and that his could potentially hinder their progress and overall success in the workplace and community at large.

•   Excessive love for the ideals and lifestyle of non-Muslims and the resultant need to belong.

•   Disillusionment and resentment stemming from painful experiences at the hands of other Muslims (e.g. oppressive governments, family discord etc).

“Passing” creates a double life in which a person is not fully one or the another. This disconnect can be a source of much spiritual angst as an individual struggles to reconcile his religious beliefs with his daily goings-on like his career, social circle etc.

This spiritual tension if unchecked can bring forth a form of malaise and feelings of inadequacy that could ultimately lead to depression. Eventually, a person will need to either find a healthy way to express the full spectrum of his self or find himself or herself having to make an unfortunate choice between Islam and his work, social life etc.

Self-disclosure is an important way of finding fulfillment in our lives and meaningfully connecting with others. Individually and collectively we will not positively change our experience as Muslims in modern times unless we continue to engage the “other”.

God willing, through dialogue, we can change misconceptions about our religion one situation at a time. What is fruitless and potentially harmful is to be apologetic, or try to redefine our Islamic teachings in order to appease those who are unhappy with our way of life.

Do I feel confident to dress in such a way as to be recognized as Muslim?  Did I change or modify my name so as to remove its Muslim nature like “Mohammed” becoming “Mo”? Do I try to avoid asking for concessions at work like being excused for the daily, Friday or Eid prayers? Do I feel the need to justify Islamic beliefs when asked about them? Do I feel a deep sense of shame when the excesses of Muslims are highlighted? Answering yes to questions like these may point out to us that we are having trouble being Muslim in the public eye.

Integrating Islam into our lives in the mainstream is not easy for everyone. Many of us are self-conscious about presenting our religious beliefs and needs to people that we assume do not understand or approve. Here are some ideas that could help bridge that divide.

•   First we need to believe that being a Muslim is a good and noble thing. If we don’t believe it ourselves we cannot convince someone else of it.

•   We should exhibit excellence in character at all times as this endears even the hardest hearts or at the very least commands respect.

•   Knowledge is power. We need to learn more about Islam from reliable sources. The more we learn from Quran and the life of Prophet Muhammad, may peace and blessings be upon him, the more likely that we will come to love Islam, see it as the beautiful religion it is and feel motivated to share it with others in a good way.

•   We should connect with people who share our faith so we can find support, comfort and strength in them.

•   We should open up to non-Muslims and take time to discuss our belief and practice with them in a relaxed and open way. Starting off with neutral topics like our festivals is helpful. Discussing things we have in common is also a good launching pad.

•   We need to accept that it is okay to be different.

•   We need to trust that God will provide for us and that He is the one that will ensure our success.

•   We should open our hearts to the idea that no great thing was ever achieved without great sacrifice. Knowing this, we resign ourselves to difficulties that crop up in our lives. We understand that these are not permanent; that a loving, giving God is at the helm of our affairs and that all will be well in the end.

I contemplate this Quranic verse as I dream of Jannah:

 “O you who have attained to faith! It is (but) for your own selves that you are responsible: those who go astray can do you no harm if you (yourselves) are on the right path. Unto God you all must return: and then He will make you (truly) understand all that you were doing (in life). (Ch.5, v.105)