# Why do so many young Muslims feel confused or embarrassed about Islam today?

*Islam in the media and the questions troubling young Muslims*

- URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/qbvwbhoizw4/s/4/
- Date: 2016-12-21 · Kind: lesson · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: Islam in the 21st Century | Mufti Abu Layth | Ha Meem Foundation (12:05–20:12)
- Status: general teaching
- Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBvWBHOIzW4&t=725s
- Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/qbvwbhoizw4/

**Topics:** Islam and modernity; Technology and media; Race, nation and identity

**Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** Negative media portrayal, extremism, postmodern questions, doubts about rulings, culture and racism all weigh on young Muslims, and Mufti Abu Layth asks what the answer is.

## Longer summary

Mufti Abu Layth says Islam is highlighted in the media almost every day, mostly negatively, so that it seems hijacked, though what is judged is the portrayal of certain Muslims, since Muslims are honoured by Islam, not the other way round. He describes young people embarrassed by extremists and terrorism, the postmodern shift away from ultimate questions towards finding one's own values, and practising Muslims' sincere questions: why God allows evil, why the Sharia distinguishes men and women, why a woman does not pray at certain times, why talaq is instantaneous, why the madhhabs differ, and how culture relates to the deen. He adds the subtle and institutional racism many Muslims face in Britain, and asks what is to be done about it all.

## Sources and names cited

- talaq
- Sharia

## Transcript (machine tier, 12:05–20:12)

[11:26] for the amazing sahaba and the students of it was for all times it was for all places and it has stood the test of time Islam has spread I mean against the greatest of odds at times nothing short of a miracle as the brother spoke before about miracles if you want to see Miracles it's it's an amazing Miracle to just reflect upon the history that we have as Islam unfolds for it to reach us today this is why Allah subhana tala

[12:04] time and time again within the Quran reminds us take take heed so we find ourselves in this in this age where there's so much going on especially recently I would say within especially the last decade decade and a half there seems to be so much that seems to be happening on a global scale but things which come straight back to us here from one perspective you could say Islam is so highlighted in the media

[12:42] every almost every day one perspective or another whether it's you know social media or mainstream media whether it's chat shows or whether it's programs and I'm talking about secular programs secular chat shows Islam is coming up time and time again more often than not in a negative light so from one perspective it feels it does appear that Islam has almost been

[13:11] hijacked I did explain I I I'm referring to Islam but it is really the portrayal or the reflection of certain Muslims it is not obviously Islam but that's how Islam is judged it's judged by the people unfortunately whereas in essence when we look back to the teachings that has taught us Islam that really we are just a people that have been honored by Islam not Islam being honored by us not Islam being carried by us it has

[13:48] actually carried us that if we were to leave it or abandon it Allah will turn us to that debased state where we what we actually deserve the question is that we have we are in a time there's that angle where Islam The Deen is being hijacked you could say and there's huge confusion about what Islam actually is in terms of is it all about uh intolerance is it all about just my way or the highways all about everybody's just on there's these

[14:27] type of questions being thrown and that has its ramifications there are many uh especially younger people growing up sometimes embarrassed of Islam what they perceive to be Islam embarrassed that we don't want to be a part of this and they see some you know crazy whacked out person saying something and and they think ah damn you know God that am I linked to that as well and there's the the absolute extremities where there's acts of whether there's terrorism or things like but even on a lower scale coming down there's still things like people saying sometimes crazy things or just being W

[15:05] and that embarrasses a lot of people they don't want to be a part of it there's this angle but then there's other angles there's angles that we live in an age where there I mean it is in the age of postmodernism we live in an age where there's so many questions philosophical questions the age that and the era that we are in it it's not about ultimate questions anymore I don't mean from an Islamic perspective I mean generally so people are not going around asking what is the purpose of life is there a Creator why I mean some people may ask

[15:43] this but this is not the general Trend this isn't what's trending so to speak like it's not what people are asking are other they've moved this is the whole thing about postmodernism it's shifted from the ultimate questions to just oh you should be a good person you should find alternative values within life that you can settle with and and it's got all of its debates and dialogues and so there's there's these things out there are Muslims tackling or engaging with this discourse these that's another perspective that's another angle out

[16:21] there then we have another angle where those of us that are let's say trying to practice Islam we have questions sometimes certain things that what do I have to do this in this particular way I mean surely you know Islam should allow me to do certain thing sometime sincere questions that can vary and it's something that I want to actually explore with all of you guys in uh shortly I would like to inshallah see some of the questions that you guys have got maybe we can discuss them and see some coming out of that but questions which are genuine questions and sometimes disturbing

[16:59] sometimes people they could be ranging from you know if why is Allah allowing these things to happen such and such and such which Fair those questions have been coming for centuries for thousands of years people have been looking at what they call him philosophy theodes you know how can if God is all loving and all this then how can evil exist in the world and stuff like that exists to lesser questions and more Islamic that why you know why is is why is Allah or I say Allah why is the Shar Islamic guidance making a difference between men and women why is it doing this why these are questions which people genuine Muslims have sometimes they ask

[17:39] sometimes they're too afraid to ask they feel that they'll be too sideline marginalized why is this done in a particular way why does you know even from Salah why is a woman not allowed to pray then why is there a certain age for something why is uh talak done in a particular way that's so you know instantaneous why is there's so people are struggling to try and reconcile and it doesn't this is a bit weird or it's a bit you I don't know there's all of this going on and then there's sometimes those of you who do study you might have other questions why is there a difference in

[18:17] Islam why is there why isn't it all just one God One messenger one Quran one Dean one response why is there difference why is there you know this is according to himal and according to himam how can that be if the Quran is one you know that the messenger of Allah was was one he doesn't speak you know it's supposed to left you upon this clear path that its night is like its day so why this

[18:53] confusion all of these things are here and they have immersed I we are immersed in in these issues in this whether we know it or not we're struggling and then it doesn't stop there because we've got other issues cultural issues we don't know where to stand when it comes to culture is culture Dean is Dean culture are we meant to be how much percent like this because it's you know are we supposed to be sticking to these Eastern values are we supposed to be sticking does Islam overrule does this overrule does family culture what all of these things as well in addition to other aspects of let's

[19:32] say that people this is very specific localized like let's say elements of racism and things like this which many Muslims continue to face every day here in in this part of the world especially whether it's subtle whether it's institutional I don't mean it has to be the open racism like you so and so but it could be subtle it could be you know people not being given jobs because of this not been do they're not going to but it exists this institutional racism so these are so many of the problems that I'm that we're faced with the question is Okay so we've identified all of this so what the hell do we do about it like is there an answer to any of this are you just is

## Cite

Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment QBvWBHOIzW4/s/4. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/qbvwbhoizw4/s/4/

Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.