ISLAM AND THE RISING GENERATION (A Message for our Youth)

ISLAM AND THE RISING GENERATION

A Message for our Youth

Maryam Jameelah Begum

With exceptions, our modern educated youth equate the Islamic way of life with the mere traditional customs of their elders. In their minds, Islam is identified with the quaint, the ancient, the out-moded, and the dying. Strict adherence to Islamic injunctions means to them "conservatism" "backwardness", or the "reactionary fanaticism" "of aged, white-bearded "mullahs." For more than a half-century, our rising generation have been taught that an unadulterated Islam intrinsically lacks appeal to the minds of today's young. If only they could know how enormously mistaken they are!

 In the growing minds of each child is the insatiable hunger for exemplary people with whom he can identify himself and esteem as a guiding inspiration after which to pattern his own behaviour and ideals. This is why Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley, and now the "Beatles" arouse so much excitement among the adolescents wherever they go. When these "pop" singers make their tours in Europe and America, they are beseiged with clawing mobs of thirteen, fourteen and fifteen-year-olds. A mere glimpse from after is enough to incite the girls to cry, yell and scream and in their frenzy, beat their breasts and tear out their hair. Some are so overwhelmed, they faint in ecstasy. Is it not pathetic that for these young girls and boys, society can offer them no better models than "pop" singers, film stars and nightclub entertainers? Because these can never quench the thirst of our young for inspiring ideals to emulate, is it any wonder why in their frustration, they resort to "teddyism" and juvenile delinquency?

 For the young in search of a hero, what has Islam to offer?

My Lord! Vouchesafe me of the righteous! So we gave him tidings of a gentle son.

And when his son was old enough to walk with him, Abraham said,

Oh my dear son, I have seen in a dream that I must sacrifice thee.

So what thinkest thou?

He said: Oh my father! Do that which thou art commanded!

Allah willing, thou Shalt find me of the steadfast! (XXXVII : 100—102)

 

The "gentle son" was none other than Hazrat Ismail (peace be upon him). When this event took place he could not have been more than a child of twelve or thirteen.

After his wife Khadijah, the first to follow our Holy Prophet was Ali Ibn Abu Talib, at that time only a boy of nine, living with them as their adopted son. When our Holy Prophet asked the boy to believe in his message, Ali replied, "I will ask my father". But the next morning he came up and said "God created me without consulting my father so why should I consult him in order to serve God?" When our Holy Prophet was commanded by God to make his message public, he gave a feast and invited all his relatives, the great men of the Quraish to his house and called them to God. When they had finished eating, he said to them. "I know not any man of the Arabs who has brought you a thing better than I have. I have brought you what will do you good in this life and the next. And my Lord has commanded me to call you to it. Who among you will help me in this affair"? There as only a silent rebuke as the great men of the Quraish turned their faces away from him and resolved to leave him. But Ali who was then still only a small boy, rose to his feet and said, "Oh Prophet of God! I will be thy help! My eyes are sore and my legs are thin but I will stand by you, Oh Messenger of Allah! I will fight him who fights thee!" In subsequent years Ali was to fulfill his promise and much more.

And what was he who brought Islam to India, led an army to victory and ruled the people with such justice and righteousness but Muhammad bin Qasim, when he was but a mere boy of seventeen! Should not he provide a greater inspiration for our youth than the "teddies" or "Beatles”?

Lest our youth spurn the heroes of Islam as relegated to the remote past, may they rest assured they are not absent from the scene even today.

The most outstanding characteristic of youth everywhere is their unlimited idealism. To our youth so thirsty for high ideals, modern civilization has nothing to tell them except, "Be happy! Have fun and enjoy a good time to the limit while you can!" But deep down in their hearts, our youth are not convinced because even they know that not everybody can be happy. What of those suffering on their sick beds, in hospitals, mental asylums and prisons throughout the world? How can they "enjoy life"! If there are no goals in life other than happiness, prosperity and worldly success, what remains for these unfortunates but to commit suicide?

According to Islamic teachings, life is not a pleasure trip but an examination. Every minute of our lives we are being tested and the suffering and misfortune we endure on this earth is not the decisive calamity but only part of the testing. God did not put us here to be happy and enjoy ourselves but that we may succeed or fail in His examination, the final results which will not be known until the Hereafter. Far from encouraging stagnation and decadence, Islam is the most dynamic and revolutionary faith ever known. Were the Takbir implemented fully now, how many monarchs would topple down from their thrones and dictatorships crumble to nothingness? In their heart of hearts, our youth don't want comfort and ease. They yearn the world-over for the excitement and challenge only a sacrifice of self to a higher end can bring. The harder the struggle, the greater the obstacles to overcome, the sweeter the ultimate triumph.