Finding the Peace in Islam Through Tragedy and Controversy Essay

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One of the greatest desires and pursuit in the life of human beings is the search for peace. According to psychologists, the greatest human drive is the search for peace, which dominates all human endeavors.[footnoteRef:1] Peace and tranquility has become man’s greatest desire and pursuit since it’s strongly linked to contentment of the heart. However, achieving this is a relatively difficult and complex process because the surrounding world is characterized by tragedy and controversies that make us troubled individuals. As a result, people turn to religion as a pathway for finding peace and tranquility amidst the difficulties experienced in the world. Islam is considered as a religion of peace, which implies that it is a pathway for tranquility. Despite the view of Islam as a religion of peace, some Muslims struggle to find peace and tranquility in their lives. This paper provides a narrative about a convert to Islam who struggles to find peace and tranquility amidst tragedy and controversy. [1: Raiiq Ridwan, “5 Things Bring Inner Peace and Tranquility”, About Islam, April 9, 2018, http://aboutislam.net/reading-islam/finding-peace/inner-peace/5-things-bring-inner-peace-and-tranquility/]

Melanie’s Case Study

Melanie is a young woman and a current medical student at Florida State University. She is originally from London, England. Her mother is an Anglican (non-practicing) and her father is a direct descendent of a Polish holocaust survivor. Melanie was not brought up in a religious household but the family did practice Eastern Spirituality. Eastern Spirituality was attractive to Melanie’s family because of its concept of personal autonomy. Through personal autonomy, Melanie’s family members were free to practice their own individual spirituality rather than simply follow a set of mandatory beliefs and practices associated with the various religions across the world. In essence, Eastern Spirituality differs from world’s religion in the sense that it does not impose mandatory beliefs and practices. The focus of Eastern Spirituality as practiced in Melanie’s family is self-fulfillment.

Melanie’s journey from naivety to danger to growth to liberation was influenced by self-fulfillment brought by personal autonomy. Unlike in families that practice certain religious practices, Melanie was free to chart her own path or course in life and find self-fulfillment. The practice of Eastern Spirituality in her home gave her the freedom to decide who she would want to become. Despite being an essentially good thing, personal autonomy was relatively challenging for Melanie since she was naïve. As a young child, Melanie did not understand spirituality and how she could find peace and tranquility in a world that is full of chaos, controversy, and tragedy.

From Naivety to Islam

Melanie’s naivety about spirituality and religion was influenced by her upbringing in a family that practiced Eastern Spirituality. However, her life took a different path when she went to college to study the world’s religions in order to meet people where they are. Her decision to study the world’s religions was seemingly influenced by a deeper desire to find a sense of belonging and understand her existence. Given her upbringing in a family atmosphere that did not practice religion, Melanie had a desire to understand her existence and develop a sense of belonging. Moreover, Melanie’s decision to study the world’s religions could have been influenced by desire to find inner peace. Inner peace is achieved when life and events takes place in a manner that satisfies the heart and mind.[footnoteRef:2] [2: Zuleyha Keskin, “Inner Peace in Islam”, Australian Journal of Islamic Studies (2016):23]

It was during this study that she came across the study of Islam. Her professor was very persuasive and guided her in a romanticized Sufi direction. Sufism is one of the dimensions in Islam and reflects the inward-looking, spiritual dimension of this religion. Sufism is always mistakenly considered to be its own sect or denomination like Sunni Islam. However, it is better understood as a dimension in Islam that combines mainstream religious adherences like everyday prayers, with a series of complementary spiritual practices like the ritual reciting of God’s characteristics (zhikr) or the adoration of saints.

Melanie’s conversion to Islam was largely influenced her professor who was persuasive and guided her. She subscribed to the vision of Islam presented to her by her professor. This is similar to Imam Mohammad Tawhidi whose journey in Islam was largely influenced by the vision presented to him by his religious teachers and leaders. In his book, The Tragedy of Islam: Admissions of a Muslim Imam, Imam Mohammad notes that his religious practice just like other Muslims is influenced by the vision of Islam presented and depicted by religious teachers.[footnoteRef:3] Imam Mohammad attributes the rise of extremists and fundamentalist ideologies in Islam to the vision presented to Muslims by their religious teachers.

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If a religious teacher presents a vision of extremism and fundamentalism, his/her students are likely to become extremists or religious fundamentalists. Therefore, religious teachings play a critical role in individual understanding of and journey in Islam. This is evident in Melanie’s case since her foundational knowledge in Islam was Sufism. Melanie became attracted to Islam, particularly Sufism, due to the influence and teachings of her professor. Through this she was presented a vision of inward-looking, mystical dimension of Islam that became her foundational understanding and practice of this religion. [3: Mohammad Tawhidi, The Tragedy of Islam: Admissions of a Muslim Imam (New York, NY: Reason Books), 2018:1]

Sufism originated during the time of the Prophet Muhammad and it has existed in Muslim communities for over 12 centuries. Historically, Sufis were arranged into several brotherhoods or mystical orders known as tariqat, which literally means “paths.” Each of these brotherhoods has its own religious rites, saintly ancestry and leadership structure. The orders or brotherhoods…

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…at a time when anti-Muslim hostility has been growing in the United States. In the aftermath of the incident, Ajrami started questioning himself about his faith and what he had to do to prove he is a good guy. Ajrami saw this experience as an opportunity for him to defend his faith and the goodness of Islam. Unlike other Muslims, Ajrami was on the frontlines speaking to the media on his faith despite his misgivings.[footnoteRef:11] His actions were part of the process of growth, which started with personal interrogation of his faith. Similarly, Melanie’s journey to growth started with inner interrogation of his predicament and beliefs, which resulted in outward action. [11: Leila Fadel, “How Muslims, Often Misunderstood, Are Thriving in America”, National Geographic, May 2018, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/05/being-muslim-in-america/]

From Growth to Liberation

After getting out of that situation, Melanie had to rethink her thoughts about Islam, Spirituality, and her place in the religion. It has taken many years, but now Melanie embraces and Islam that is leaning forward. An Islam that embraces female Imam’s, women’s rights, and equality for all. This implies that Melanie experienced liberation from the Sufi order and the marriage that acted as a source of oppression rather than spiritual fulfillment. Such liberation takes place when Muslims begin to interrogate themselves and their believes in light of the vision of Islam presented to them by their religious teachers and leaders. At a time when violent extremism and anti-Muslim hostility continues to rise, Muslims face significant challenges just like Melanie. These challenges and association with terrorism and violent extremism can make some of them to quit the religion. However, Melanie’s case provides a good example for all Muslims to follow since she fought from the inside rather than quit Islam. Melanie’s journey can happen to anyone, in any religion. It is interesting that through the trials and tribulations, she stuck with Islam. Many would abandon any type of religious practice that was so abusive and backwards but Melanie was able to glean the true beauty of God and the message of love. 

In conclusion, Melanie journey from naivety to danger to growth to liberation is an example of some of the struggles that Muslims experience today in their quest for inner peace and tranquility as well as spiritual fulfillment. As shown in this example, Islam is a religion of peace that can end up becoming a source of oppression if based on incorrect understanding and interpretations of Muslim doctrine. While individual Muslims may not have the exact experience like Melanie, most of them have challenges that could make them quit Islam. Most of these challenges are attributable to the vision of Islam presented to them by their religious teachers and leaders. However, quitting Islam is not the best option for Muslims as shown in Melanie’s example. The process or….....

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