Note: The opinions of the people we interview are not always a reflection of the opinions of Candor | Muslim Lifestyle Magazine or its affiliates. Thank you.
In the winter of 2010, Islamic Relief Canada hosted a two-part event featuring Imam Zaid Shakir in Vancouver, British Columbia.
A day-long affair, the event began with a hike in Lynn Canyon Park in the morning and ended with a talk, presented by the Imam, on the merits of living by example of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
After the event, I had the honour of interviewing the Imam, who accepted Islam in 1977 and since then has studied Arabic, Quran Studies and Islamic Law in various countries including Egypt, Syria and Morocco. Frequently cited as an example of Islamic moderation and listed as one of The 500 Most Influential Muslims in 2009, the Imam has emerged as one the continent’s top Islamic scholars.
Preparing for this interview was a complex task. There were so many questions I wanted to ask of the Imam and my twenty-minute slot proved to be very insufficient.
So, I made the decision to speak with the Imam on matters pertaining to identity, involvement and engagement in one’s community.
The reasoning behind the focus of my interview was two-fold.
First, for the better part of 2010 I had been immersed in these topics by virtue of my work with the Canadian Council for Muslim Women’s youth chapter, aptly titled Muslim Youth Canada (MYCanada).
Secondly, given the current climate of ‘Islamophobia’ permeating the lives of many Muslims living in the West, I felt it pertinent to address issues of faith-based identity and the importance of engaging this identity in a positive manner in one’s community.
What advice do you have for Muslim youth that find themselves amidst the constant struggle of pluralistic identities such as Pakistani-Canadian, Egyptian-American, etc.
It’s very important for them to embrace the fact that they have these multiple identities. They also need to understand that it’s dangerous to deny any one of those identities. So if one is Pakistani-Canadian or Egyptian-Canadian or whatever then all of these identities have to be embraced. By integrating these identities in a holistic way you see a mutual reinforcement of each identity. And only in doing so is an individual able to avoid a form of religiously-induced schizophrenia.
It’s very important for young people to realize that their true spiritual fulfillment comes through refining and developing themselves traditionally. This might involve trying to meld their talents and abilities according to more traditionally recognized manifestations of those talents; so a Muslim artist would be more productive if they avoided painting life forms. By avoiding human forms and engaging in forms of say, calligraphy, landscape or other artistic expressions that avoid human forms – you avoid having to deal with that pushback from more conservative elements in the community.
So the removal of such barriers is to a large extent the responsibility of the individual in question?
Yes. It helps one avoid being torn and placing themselves or being placed into a situation where they think the only way they can express themselves is by not being or acting like a Muslim because being a Muslim has all these barriers – which is a mistake. So the removal of these barriers is, to a large extent, the individual’s responsibility.
The same thing applies to music. It’s one thing to be totally immersed in contemporary genres that are heavily tied to commercialization, consumerism and materialism. It is another thing to take that musical ability, study classical and traditional music forms – which are in danger of being extinct. And in doing so, you are able to do two things: express art and help preserve an integral part of human species.
What are some ways in which you, a personal or communal level, engage with your community?
Imam Zaid Shakir, while speaking at the Burnaby Mosque, at an event hosted by Islamic Relief Canada.
“We’ve been involved in everything. From community clean ups to anti-drug programs to homeless shelters and food banks – you name it. I think it’s very important for Muslims to not view communal involvement as some sort of separate program. It should be an extension of their life. Have relations with your community. You know the needs of your community the best and you can step up and help meet those needs. The most important thing is to make sure that one is an integral part of the community, that one is involved and integrated. There are a thousand opportunities to do something constructive, beneficial and helpful.”
But in the current social and political climate where the buzzword “Islamophobia” has permeated into much of Western media and society, involvement in the community might be something that the average Muslim shies away from for various reasons.
“A big problem, I think, in America and Canada is a lot of Muslims assume that because they are socioeconomically privileged they are no longer a racial ethnic minority. And I think this current climate of anti-Muslim hysteria is forcing people to come to grips with the fact that you are not a white, middle-class American. You are a racial ethnic minority. As such, you are a part of history of struggle. For instance, Canada has a large First Nations population that has had to deal with far worse than anything Muslims could imagine – they’ve been systematically stripped of their culture in the most brutal way – so someone calling you a name, or talking or looking at you funny should not be a cause to abandon your identity. It should make you fight all the harder to main it.”
So, essentially embrace what sets us apart and find peace in it?
“Yes. And don’t see yourself as someone who just dropped in from another planet and suddenly discovered that you’re different. See yourself as part of the minority struggling for their rights and identity against a sometimes bigoted and at times, outright racist majority.”
Photo credit: Nafees Shams
