Spiritual Dimension of Activism
This is a summary of Dalia Mogahed's RIS2013 talk:ย http://ristalks.com/details.php?v=79ย
Muslims have to be involved in some capacity in the public square.
To take on a public role we can learn from first 7 ayas of Surah el Mudathir:
"ููุง ุฃููููููุง ุงููู
ูุฏููุซููุฑู": When the prophet came back terrified after receiving the first revelation. He was scared, he suffered from self-doubt, he didn't know what was happening to him, he ran to his wife and he asked her to cover him. He wasn't seeking this. He wasn't running to this. He was running away from it, covering himself from it.
First lesson: If you are running to this life of activism and of a public role then stay away from it. If you are doing it out of ambition, run away from it. It should only be for those who are being called out of that covering, out of that fear of responsibility.ย
"ููู
ู ููุฃููุฐูุฑู": Arise and deliver thy warning.
The prophet was not told to rise and make everybody Muslim. He was not asked for results. He was told to deliver a message. Even the prophet was not asked for outcomes, he was asked for obedience.
Second lesson: Divorce yourself to your attachments of the outcomes. If you attach yourself, you will very quickly fall into a philosophy of the means justify the ends. You are so eager for people to come to your event, so you start recruiting out of somebody else's group and then there is division and hate between groups among the Muslim community. The outcomes are not your responsibility. Your role is as a warner, to deliver the truth, not to make people swallow it whole.ย Think of yourself as a mailman not a missionary. The question you will be asked is: Did you deliver the mail? Not: did they open it, read it, and accept it?ย We will be asked only about our obedience.
"ููุฑูุจูููู ููููุจููุฑู": And thy lord you should magnify.
Third lesson: A public role must be to glorify God, not your organization, not your movement, not some brand, not your leader. People mistake the means and the mission. If God is the real goal, then we're not going to compete on petty things because we will all be working towards the same goal even if our means are different.ย Attach yourself to the mission, not the means.
"ููุซูููุงุจููู ููุทููููุฑู": Make sure that your garment is from halal means. Make sure how you are conducting yourselves is from halal means, the resources you are using for that public role are befitting the mission of your public role.
Fourth lesson: Another meaning to this aya is that it refers to your heart, your inner soul that you should purify. If you are going to take on a public role, you have just signed yourself up to do way more in terms of inner work than the regular person. The training that you need to compete to be whole in this new world of being scrutinized and being written about and insulted is a whole new world of spiritual fitness. Purify your soul, do the inner work. Without it you will fall to attachment to the means, the fame, and the ego. This inner work requires extreme self-awareness.
"ููุงูุฑููุฌูุฒู ููุงููุฌูุฑู": rojs (pagan God). Shun what is defiled, what is not pure.ย Shunning false idols. Prophet never worshipped false idols.
Fifth lesson: The INVISIBLE idols that we deal with every day. The EGO, the love of REPUTATION, the love of FAME. We have to shun these. We have to purify our intentions over and over and over and over. This does not mean that at the first feeling of enjoying the recognition that you should quit. This is about self-awareness. This is about being a part of a struggle against yourself. Always in struggle. If you are struggling you are okay. If you are beating yourself up, then you are falling into a trap of shaytan. If you are feeling way too satisfied then you have also fallen into a trap of shaytan. You need to be in the middle where you are constantly asking yourself what am I doing and how do I get there. Struggle with yourself. Don't beat yourself up and don't be satisfied.
"ูููุง ุชูู
ูููู ุชูุณูุชูููุซูุฑู": Don't give so that you may increase yourself.
Sixth lesson: Don't contribute so that you are feeding your own self-interest. Be honest with why you are doing what you are doing. What is needed for us to be the vital organs that we need to be is for this work to be rooted in sincerity. Selfless giving. Expecting NOTHING, in fact expecting nothing but HARM. Don't give so that you may increase yourself.
Another meaning: Don't weaken in your quest for good. Don't be weak! If you are going to do something, do it with ihsan.ย Don't half do it. Give it your all or stay home.
"ููููุฑูุจูููู ููุงุตูุจูุฑู": and to your sustainer turn in patience.
Seventh lesson: the road will be rocky, you will feel weak, turn to Allah the sustainer. Don't go to people. The real energy, the real source of resting is your sustainer. Go to Him when you are weak.ย
If you are in a public role and you are not facing any slander, check yourself!
How should you deal with it?
Recognize you are in great company, because the prophet was slandered. He was told specifically to be patient about what they say.
Consider your reputation an honor, a sadaqa that you will donate to do God's work.
Be grateful for it because it is creating friction between you, your heart and the public profile you have. You are seeing the bad side, the ugly side, the uncomfortable side of fame so you don't get attached to it. It keeps your heart safe.
Hold your head up. Feel proud. It means you matter. It means you threaten injustice at least a little. That alone is worth a little bit of hardship. They wouldn't be going after you if you weren't threatening some status quo built on injustice.
