THE ISOLATIONIST POSITION
 

"There are many methods that may be used to assist in discovering the inner meaning of reality. Some find purification, abandonment of the world, the resistance of temptation, and reliance on the will of the Divine to be a way to discover reality. Others find meditation, prayers, and service as ways to find salvation."
Shah Nazar Seyed Dr. Ali Kianfar, Sufism: An Inquiry.
 

Some Muslims prefer to hide themselves at home and interact as little as possible with the society that they differ from so much. They live as isolated a life as is possible in the great cities of the twenty-first century. Their homes are a haven for their own culture, their children are not allowed out, and the parents themselves only venture forth to go to the masjid, out of necessity or to visit the houses of the likeminded.

Now many readers may see a great wisdom in this. For the isolationist at least tries to protect his Deen and recognises the inherent danger that lurks in every concept, on every street corner, in every playground. For all of us, our homes are bastions for our beliefs. We protect our family and home first and foremost and have enough influence over them to do so. But the isolationist goes a step further and tries to avoid, as much as is possible, any interaction in society. He avoids Kufr, for he does understand the difference between a Muslim and a Kafir. He therefore neglects da'wah. As for politics, community affairs and the like, he does not entertain them, as such things are not in his realm.

The advocates and champions of this view say that we must first build strong families and then these families will become communities and finally then a society. This attracts the timid, the simple and those who do have not the potency to fight for their belief to dominate. It draws those who wish simply to pray and recite Qur'an while the affairs of the world do not distract them from their studies, jobs and family.

Their great failing is that individual families can never change a society. Rather the people of the society as a whole incline towards the common thoughts, concepts and ideas of the society. This is by far the more potent force. The isolated families appear to others as freakish and backward as a consequence of their lack of interaction. How many kind and well-meaning Muslim parents do we see, who themselves may spend much time engaged in 'ibadaat in their bubble world, while their children, brought up in the same environment, have turned to the revelries of this society, its bars, clubs, drugs and relationships, magnetised by its far greater force.

Those who understand this and do not lack the fortitude to try and change the situation understand that only by changing the common thoughts and emotions of the society first can families be changed. It is the pulse of the city that unlocks every door and chains the psyche of the
individuals.

The Prophet (saw) understood this well. That the first converts were Khadijah [his wife] and Ali ibn Abi Talib [his young cousin] indicates that he naturally spoke to them first. He did also invite the elders of his tribe to a feast, where he (saw) invited them and they all rebuked him, apart from Ali [ra]. But during the culturing stage of the da'wah he (saw) also called to each and every person he could and the number of converts numbered many. He did not in any way just concentrate his (saw) efforts on his family alone, any more than he waited for his uncle Abu Talib to embrace Islam, something he never did. Once his Sahabah were strong enough, Allah (swt) ordered them to go forth and change the society, which they did in a bold and challenging fashion. The common thoughts and ideas, like polytheism and riba, were specifically attacked in this phase and the most influential members of society, the warriors, chiefs and nobles were specifically targeted. Even prior to this command, the Prophet (saw) made du'a that either Abu Jahl ('Amr bin Hishaam) or Umar bin al-Khattab (ra) embrace Islam, because these powerful men could help Islam become more influential. As we know, it was Umar (ra) who embraced Islam and he led one of the columns in the march to the Ka'bah. Today we have many thousands of sincere and capable da'wah carriers ready to change the ideas and views of our societies in the Muslim world and our communities here. Thus it can only be construed that the method of revival is to build individual family units, one at a time, by those who desire to see this in the evidences, rather than take the evidences as they are.

The fault of the isolationists is two-fold. Islam by its nature is not individualistic. We are commanded to work for Khilafah, to work in our communities, to resume Jihad, enjoy good and forbid evil and to carry Islam to the kafir who live around us whenever given the opportunity. All such duties are neglected if we don't impact on the community in which we live. Secondly, the kafir have long had a plan to make the Muslims happily functioning secular individuals of this society. The Sunday Times editorial on
May 12th 2002 stated; "The intolerance of Muslim extremists is the problem and the remedy is clear. They must accept our political culture, not our religion. That is the best way for them to succeed in Britain and the best way to live happily alongside us."

While they prefer an integrated individual to present a shining example of how Muslims can exist in the West, the isolationist is the next best thing. For in his isolation he affects nothing. He alone suffers as a result. In the inevitable clash of civilisations that will always occur between the haq [truth] and the batil [falsehood], Islam and Kufr, the isolationists by their very nature fit into the secular society and do not take the position of Islam's da'wah carriers, the challengers and campaigners. Ironically, they unknowingly take the side of the secularists, an irony which takes some insight to unveil and is lost on them. For in the inevitable clash there are no neutrals, only those who do not know who their masters are.

MAINTAINING THE IDENTITY

If one cannot integrate, isolation is not the sole remaining option. Rather isolation is itself an unnatural position. It is considered backward, strange and to the detriment of its practitioners for good reason, because interaction with society is an inevitable and necessary matter. The society is where we work, where we purchase both our requirements and the luxuries, where we learn and our children learn. It is where we go out and spend time with our loved ones. It is necessary to use its schools, hospitals, restaurants, shops, libraries, universities, fire departments, police stations and so forth. In these places, the interaction and meeting with its inhabitants is a predictable and expected thing. In trying to avoid this one would not be able to organise life's affairs in the best manner. To try to do so in some self perceived martyrdom would not only disadvantage oneself, but also the family unit and the wider Muslim community.
 

So naturally we interact, but the simple truth is that we must interact as Muslims whose identities are unmarred by compromise and clear to behold. By conforming to the Shari'ah at all times in our interaction, we can fulfil our duties, in work, learning, with our families and in the political realm. The Shari'ah will determine the interaction naturally. There will be many instances where we may be allowed to interact. To work in a hospital casualty department for example is permitted.

There will be many instances where we are not permitted to take part, such as in a parliamentary election. Such times are opportunities to explain the Islamic political system and discuss the Shari'ah evidences regarding voting in man-made systems in our communities. At other times problems arising due to our unique identity may be brought to us. Someone may ask you to accompany them on a 'date', or a member of the opposite sex places a familiar hand upon your shoulder. Of course one should not elect to venture forth on the date. Yet the manner of rebuff leaves a lot of scope for imagination. Is the one who politely declines, while still correct, superior to the one who took the opportunity to explain and discuss his position as a Muslim? In the familiar hand scenario, the need to remove the offending hand is more urgent and direct, it would be wrong to suffer the embrace in silence. Again however, if Islam's position is explained, at the very least the offender will respect Muslims of the opposite sex in the future and may even be sufficiently impressed by Islam's venerable social system to study and embrace it. Also, there is the matter of Allah's (swt) pleasure at the believer's efforts to maintain his or her identity, obey the Creator and carry da'wah. Desirable outcomes bought for the price of a little courage.
 

The key it seems, is not to follow some form of integrationist or isolationist paradigm, but to naturally interact with society while adhering strictly to the Shari'ah rules and to let one's identity be clear for all to see and present it in the best way possible. It is worth mentioning that aside from the benefit to the Kafir, other Muslims who face the same issues will become heartened by each other's good example. It is worth mentioning that, once freed of the integrationist/isolationist dogma, the Muslim is now free to discuss Islam as a whole. Jihad, current affairs, Khilafah, politics, the tyranny of rulers, the solution of the Middle East problem and so on; such matters cannot be touched by the isolationists, while those integrationists who do discuss such matters twist them to make them seem palatable to those they seek to integrate with. Once freed of these restrictions, only the believer whose sole concern is to speak the truth can discuss all such matters without fear or shame.
"Nay we fling the truth (haq) against the falsehood (batil) so it destroys it. And behold, it is vanished!" [ Al-Anbiyah: 18]

A BEAUTIFUL ARCHETYPE

To end with the most excellent illustration of how to carry oneself as a believer, we should consider the Sahabah who emigrated to Abyssinia. Newly arrived in a foreign land, in a foreign continent, they faced stern questioning from the Negus while he was goaded on by two of their staunch enemies from Quraysh. They neither hid what they believed, nor did they alter it in any fashion. Rather their beautiful presentation of the truth inclined the hearts towards their call.
From Abu Musa (ra) who said; "The Messenger of Allah (saw) commanded us to depart to the land of An-Najashi. That reached Quraysh and they sent Amr bin Al-'Aas and 'Amara bin Ala Waleed, and they collected gifts for An-Najashi. They came to us and advanced to An-Najashi, arrived to him with gifts, kissed him and prostrated to him. Then 'Amr bin Al-'Aas said; 'Verily a folk from us disliked our religion and they are in your land.' An-Najashi said to him; 'In my land?' He said; 'Yes.' He said; 'Send them to me.' Ja'far said to us; 'Let none of you speak. I am your speaker today.' So we reached An-Najashi while he was sitting in his assembly, 'Amr at his right and 'Amara at his left and the priests and monks seated. 'Amr and 'Amara said to him; 'They do not prostrate to you.' When we reached him, the priests and monks with him chided us: 'Prostrate to your king.' Ja'far said; 'We do not prostrate except to Allah.' An-Najashi said to him; 'And who is that?' He said; 'Verily Allah sent among us His Messenger and he is the Messenger that Isa prophesied (to come) after him whose name is Ahmad. He commanded us to worship Allah without associating anything with Him, to establish the prayer, pay the zakah and he commanded us the good and forbade us from the evil.' His words amazed the people. When 'Amr saw that, he said to him; 'Allah make the king prosper. They oppose you in 'Isa bin Maryam.' So An-Najashi said to Ja'far; 'What does your companion say about the son of Mary?' He said; 'He says about him the saying of Allah; He is the spirit of Allah and His word that He brought forth from the maiden virgin whom no man had
approached.' Then An-Najashi picked a stick from the ground, then raised it and said; 'O priests and monks, these do no exceed the width of this, what you say about Isa bin Maryam.Welcome to you and to the one whom you came from. Verily I bear witness that he is the Messenger of Allah, and that he is the one Isa bin Maryam prophesied of. Were it not for what I am on of kingship, I would go to him until I carry his shoes. Dwell in my land as long as you wish', and he commanded food and clothing for them and he said; 'Return to these two ('Amr and 'Amara) their gifts.'"

Ahmad also reported this hadith in greater length and detail from Umm Salamah (ra) and Al- Haithami reported it in 'Al-Majma'a and said; Its men are the men of saheeh apart from ibn Ishaaq and he explicitly said that he heard it.