Belonging and rioting
INsights 051, Friday 9th August 2024
Belonging and rioting
INsights 051, Friday 9th August 2024
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Whatever is going on in your life or all around you, never ever lose sight of the overall vision towards which you have a duty to strive and contribute: a prosperous and harmonious society built on a unifying foundation of monotheism.
This requires each of us as believers to do whatever we can, and to work together, to convey the value proposition of faith to everyone around us.
Conveying means articulating and demonstrating. Not just talking but becoming inspirational living examples, individually, collectively and institutionally.
The principle of belonging
In order to make any progress on this necessary path, what seems abundantly clear from revelation is as follows:
We will never be able to pursue the mission of monotheism successfully in our societies if we don’t feel a deep sense of belonging to the people amongst whom we live… even if we are shunned and rejected by them.
It’s quite remarkable how God specifically emphasises the relevance of belonging so many times, in so many ways, and in so many prophetic stories across revelation.
When Abraham famously called upon his Lord for a messenger to be sent to the land in which he and Ishmael, peace be upon them both, had built the Sacred House, he specifically asked for “…a messenger of their own rise up from among them, to recite Your revelations to them, teach them the Scripture and wisdom, and purify them…” (2:129)
When his prayer was eventually answered with the arrival of Muhammad, peace be upon him, God echoed the words of the Abrahamic call as follows: “…We have sent among you a Messenger of your own to recite Our revelations to you, purify you and teach you the Scripture, wisdom, and other things you did not know.” (2:151)
Overall, there are around ten verses in which the self-evident fact that the final messenger came from within his own people is emphasised.
In addition to this, he is referred to as being a companion of his people, and there are several references to his profound and even excessive level of concern for them, especially with respect to their guidance.
When it comes to previous prophets, the same idea is highlighted over and over again. Many of them are referred to being one of their people, and as their brother. Even in their criticism, their detractors would often recognise this fact.
Why does belonging matter?
Why is this feature of prophetic belonging stressed over and over again?
Because when it comes to conveying the message of faith and initiating potentially revolutionary change based on the simple but profound truth of there being no god but the one God, the chances of acceptance and openness amongst the people are so much greater if there is a pre-existing trust, connection and relatability between the advocates and the audience.
Even then, it can be a terribly difficult task to persuade people of the truth as we well know from the sacred history revealed by God.
But without this authentic sense of belonging on the part of the believers, the task won’t just be difficult, it will be almost impossible.
Also, with a feeling of belonging comes a sense of responsibility, which is vital in helping us to keep going with the real task at hand even when we receive hurtful comments and have to deal with objections and animosity.
It’s only if we feel that we belong that we will care and fulfil our responsibility in striving for God’s cause, come what may.
We have to be like parents who simply don’t give up on their young children, no matter how badly they misbehave or how rudely they communicate.
If we too lose our cool temporarily, we need to be the first to self-correct and get the relationship back on track.
In considering how to view and engage with unbelievers around us, the impatient mindset that says “to hell with them” is as tempting and convenient as it is unacceptable.
The patient mindset of the believer is “to heaven with us all” until the very end.
But we’re not even welcome!
For those of us who are believers living as minorities in English speaking societies, as we consider our collective future in an increasingly polarised and hostile environment, we need to internalise the principle of belonging more than ever.
In Britain, after a week or so of widespread rioting by far-right protestors, my suggestion might seem laughable.
How can we possibly feel any sense of belonging to a people where such levels of hatred, bigotry and prejudice are on display?
How can we care about people in a society where God and His messenger are regularly maligned, where our faith and worldview are considered fanciful?
The context isn’t lost on me at all.
But I also know that if we confront hatred with hatred and darkness with darkness, all that will be left are hatred and darkness.
It might seem counterintuitive not to fight fire with fire, but frankly where does that get us all except to a place where everything is burned down?
The only way forward
If it is the case that, in Britain for example, many see us as foreign, isn’t that more reason to keep up our efforts to build trust and show the extent to which we do belong until it becomes undeniable?
Let’s not deny the extent to which we so often unnecessarily present ourselves and our faith as foreign and insular, rather than indigenous and universal.
If they see us through the colour of our skin, isn’t that more reason not to see them through the colour of their skin, but rather to keep up our efforts to establish a deeper connection with them as our fellow human beings, until the extent of our concern for them becomes undeniable?
Let’s not deny the extent to which we might be racist too, often confusing faith and skin colour, or faith and ethnicity, as being connected or even synonymous.
If they are ignorant and full of misunderstanding about what we believe and what we intend, isn’t that more reason to engage with and educate them in a relatable way until our sincerity to the truth and its benefits for us all become undeniable?
Let’s not deny the extent to which we often ghettoise ourselves and lack the ability or desire to articulate the substance and value of our faith in an understandable manner.
I know that what I’m suggesting requires us to introspect, which no one likes to do when they feel under pressure from others.
I know that what I’m advocating requires long-term thinking, courage, patience and magnanimity, none of which are commonly found when tensions are high.
Well, let’s increase our introspection and reduce our tension levels by remembering God.
Let’s reinforce our principles and carve out our path by remembering the examples of His prophets.
You see, the real danger of the riots or any kind of attack on us is not the near-term safety and security threats posed, serious as they may be and much as they have to be dealt with swiftly and appropriately.
The real danger would be for us to further internalise the psychology of victimhood, losing sight of the overall vision and mission of monotheism.
The real shame would be for us to forget that our ambassadorial role for God, truth, justice, prosperity and harmony is paramount.
The real tragedy would be for us to remain stuck in our own unhelpful ways, losing the opportunity to vastly improve our long-term public engagement and education methods once the rioting is over and the dust has settled.
God’s acceptance is all that matters
If in the end, despite all our efforts that align with divinely revealed principles, it has simply been decreed for dismissal and denial to persist amongst those around us, we will still have succeeded in our duty to God and in staying the right course.
At least we’ll have a chance of being accepted by Him, if not by the people.
What a disaster if we end up being rejected by the people now and later by Him because we represented Him so abysmally?
As ever, it’s all there in revelation:
You are sure to be tested through your possessions and persons; you are sure to hear much that is hurtful from those who were given the Scripture before you and from those who associate others with God. If you are steadfast and mindful of God, that is the best course. (3:186)
Finally, consider the deeply moving words attributed to the final messenger, peace be upon him, soon after he was expelled, injured and bleeding, from a town called Taif, having gone there to bring the people to the straight path:
O God! I complain to you of my weakness, my scarcity of resources and humiliation before the people. O Most Merciful, the Lord of the weak and my Lord too! To whom have You entrusted me? To one who does not care for me? Or have You appointed my enemy as master of my affairs? As long as You are not angry with me, I care not. Your favour is abundant for me. I seek refuge in the light of Your Face, by which all darkness is dispelled and every affair of this world and the next is set right, lest Your anger or your displeasure descend upon me. I desire your pleasure and satisfaction until You are pleased. There is no power and no might except with You.
It’s also reported that when he was offered the opportunity to have the town crushed for its insolence, he replied, "No, rather I hope God will bring out from their progeny those who would worship God alone without associating any partners with Him."
Separately, it’s reported that he would tell the story of a fellow prophet of old who was beaten by his people, and as he wiped the blood from his face, would say, “My Lord, forgive my people for they do not know.”
Sometime later, the whole of Taif submitted to God Almighty.
Doesn’t that just say all that needs to be said?
May God illuminate the way ahead for us all.
Until next time.
Iqbal
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