I’m Zaynab Dawood from Lancashire, England. I’m a busy mum of four, a teacher and author. For me there are three delights in life: ibadah, spending time with family and friends, and reading good literature!
Islam came into the world as the truth and Allah (SWT) has made Al-Haqq, the Truth, as one of His many Names. It is the truth of reality that shapes who we are as people and even more so as Muslims. However, many societies have distorted simple yet unequivocal truths to such an extent that how we see ourselves and others has changed. Identity has become a disturbing issue in society. The truth of identity has been lost, erased and warped because of the relentless misconception of the self’s own ability to determine its guidance.
Individuality as Muslims
My individual choices, the identities and labels I choose for myself, such as being a mother and a baker, should contribute to my identity as a Muslim and being a Muslim mostly certainly elevates my identity as a mother and even puts blessings into seemingly innocuous labels such as being an avid gardener. As Muslims there is no need to erase our individualities as long as these identities we use to see and label ourselves do not disregard the truth that Allah (SWT) has given us; the truth that acts as streetlights so we can navigate our vehicles safely. Nor should our individualities destroy the truth that has been given to us through shared wisdom and Divine Guidance from the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Driving towards a cliff edge and concocting my own truth that my vehicle is not a car but a plane does not and will not change the truth of the cliff being there and that my vehicle will not fly. Reframing a falsity as truth amounts to lying to oneself. The truth is established by Al-Haqq and we must navigate ourselves truthfully. My individual identity must reflect and endorse the truth that Allah (SWT) has revealed.
Beyond my personal identity: connecting to the Ummah
One of the magnetic factors that drive people to submit to Islam is the sense of togetherness, a sense of belonging to a global and historic ummah: being individuals that are connected to something greater. Allah (SWT) reminds us again and again of this spiritual connection that we have with other believers that transcends time and geographical borders. Daily, how many times do we vocalise our collective identity? When we offer the five daily Salah we recite
“You do we worship and Your help do we seek. Guide us to the straightway…” (Qur’an 1:5-6)
We begin our Salah with Surah Al Fatihah which reaffirms our collective identity and reminds us that we are all parts of a whole. We end our prayers by asking for “Peace be upon us and all the righteous servants of Allah” which crystallises the responsibility we have to pray for each other, thus teaching us that as individuals we belong to a collective entity and this defines and shapes our identity. This is reaffirmed with our collective prayers, sharing a single focus, the Qibla and moving through a calendar through which we demonstrate our collective identity through Hajj, fasting in Ramadan and other religious rites.
One source of our identity
As Believers we share the same source just as we share the same source as our siblings. We all came from Adam and Hawa (Eve) upon them be peace. We share an ancestral source that also defines our identity. No matter how much one may try to craft themselves into something very different and unique, we all share the same biological heritage. This gives us a broader sense of identity which goes beyond us as individuals. It should also cultivate a sense of duty and good-will towards others.
Prophet Ibrahim’s legacy (upon him be peace)
We are reminded of our shared identity through the life and sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim (upon him be Allah’s blessings). Throughout the centuries, believers in One God, the Hanifs, and since the time of Prophet Muhammad (upon him be peace), Muslims have been renewing their faith through the rites established by Prophet Ibrahim (AS). This elevates the individual to think beyond their own self and happiness and to strive to keep the legacies of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and Prophet Muhammad (upon him be Allah’s blessings) alive and current, no matter who we are as ethnic people, which nation we reside in and which political era we are living in. We circumambulate the Kaba’ as these Prophets did, we pelt stones at the devil at Mina and engage in all the other rites. Why? Generations before have done this and generations to come, by Allah’s (SWT) command, will also do this because we cannot be who we are without being connected to the prophetic legacy we have been given and we cannot ignore or sever the bonds of faith with believers as this makes us who we are.
One destination
A Muslim cannot be so individualistic that their identity excludes others. The Prophet Muhammad (upon him be Allah’s blessings) taught us that the Ummah is like one body and when any part of it feels pain the rest of it feels pain too. Therefore, we share our personal wealth through Zakah (obligatory charity) and Sadaqah (optional charity). We exercise Ihsan in our daily interactions with others, Muslims and non-Muslims, even towards animals and the natural world. We see mosques open their doors to the wider community, organise soup kitchens and invite the public to partake in Iftar meals. We extend our humanity to everything and we do this because we share the same destination. We will all be resurrected after we die and those who believe and do good deeds will be rewarded with heaven insha’Allah. Our judgement will reveal how much we contributed to the care, safety and well-being of others as well as how much and how well we acknowledged Allah (SWT) as our Lord. We cannot truly love Allah (SWT) without loving His righteous creation.
Presently, the world is in a deep state of suffering and we must be grateful for the light of faith that we all hold on to during these dark and testing times. We must not be selfish and keep the light to ourselves. We must share it with others. Our good deeds, our kindness and our prayers, revives the light in each and every one of us by the permission of Allah SWT. This is our religious duty. We will be together in the afterlife insha’Allah.
