The Heart of the Matter

Sometimes we have a problem with a Muslim or Muslims, and we get
frustrated and we think, "I don't want to be around those people
anymore." Orsomething happens at the Masjid (the mosque) that we don't
like, maybe the Imam says something we don't agree with, or we don't
like the Masjid policies, and we feel offended and we stop going.
Maybe we pray at home, and stop associating with Muslims, then maybe
over time we become slack in our prayers, but we tell ourselves it's
okay becausewe're still Muslim "in our hearts".
That's one kind of trap.
On top of that it's hard to represent this deen amongnon-Muslims. It's
hard to carry yourself as a Muslim at work when you're the only one
there and you're aware that some of your co-workers are bigots or are
operating on negative stereotypes. It's hard to wear the hijab when
somepeople look at you as if you're a terrorist.
So maybe we give up the outer trappings of Islam, telling ourselves
that we have to survive in this society.
That's another trap.
And if you're a convert andyour family is opposed to your conversion
to Islam, that's another weight to carry. If they are openly hostile,
and if you still live with them as they mock your deen (maybe in front
of your children) and try toundercut your childrens' practice of Islam
by feeding them pork or letting them have "a little taste" of wine… or
something comes on the news about a conflict in the Muslim world and
yourfamily says, "Look, those Muslims are at it again…" And you don't
know how to respond, or you don't want to start another fightso you
keep your mouth shut, but inside you feel humiliated and confused…
And if you are isolated from the Muslim community for racial reasons
(this is not supposed to happen but it does) or for simple
culturalreasons, because you can't speak Arabic or Urdu and you don't
fit in, and you haven't been able to makeany Muslim friends, or you
feel that the Masjid crowd don't regard you in the same way as
so-called "born Muslims"… instead they look at you as an oddity, or a
child, or a trophy of some kind, as if your conversion somehow
validates their faith…
Well, then, you might startto say to yourself, "What's the point? Is
it really worth it? Is it even really true?"
That's obviously a huge, deadly trap.
Okay, if you're a "born Muslim" you might not reach the point of that
laststatement ("Is it even true?") because for most ofus who were
raised Muslim, Islam is bred into us from childhood, and it's a part
of us even when wedon't understand it or appreciate it. But you still
might feel that identifying as a Muslim is too much trouble… it's
easier to associate with non-Muslims, abandon your prayers, drink wine
atthe company dinner, have relationships with non-Muslims, and not
haveto battle against society every day, not to mention battling
against your own nafs (desires). This is an easy trap to fall into if
you are a professional living alone.
We fall into these traps because we forget what this deen is. Shaytan
(Satan) isolates us just as awolf isolates a sheep, driving it away
from the herd; then he plays games with our minds so that we become
reactive, responding emotionally tocircumstances in our environments.
("That Muslim cheated me, so I don't trust Muslims anymore.") Shaytan
gives us pathetic rationalizationsthat we latch onto as if they really
mean something. ("I'm a single Muslim alone in a non-Muslim
environment. It's not practical for me to live an Islamic lifestyle
right now.")
Or whatever.
We fall into these spiritual traps because we forget what Islam is all
about. Weforget the heart of the matter, the core, the fulcrum upon
which the universe turns, the foundation of reality itself:
Laa ilaha il-Allah.
There is no God but Allah.