Asalaamu alaykum. This is a great topic that needs to be discussed. The main problem being the influence of popular culture on young Muslims. Values, degrading attire, and promoting the "dumbing- down" of Americans are heavily promoted through pop music, television, and all sorts of media. How in the world can Muslim parents contend with pop culture? Any advice? Thankyou very much.
Answer
Wa alaykum as-salaam,
This is indeed a tremendous challenge to Muslims today, not only in America but increasingly around the globe as the globalization of media has taken hold. Even in the most socially conservative areas satellite dishes are becoming common. I think it's tremendously important for us as a community to develop our own cultural voice, because at the present there really is not much alternative. This is beginning to happen, with, for example, "Islamic rap" groups, "Islamic fashion" i.e. T-shirts reading "it's good in the hood" referring to hijab, etc. One thing that in my experience has been tremendously helpful in dealing with young people's attraction to media images and un-Islamic culture has been for parents to first of all keep open lines of communication with kids, knowing what they're watching and listening to, and teaching them about the Islamic point of view. Specifically, when we educate *ourselves* about the ideas lurking behind the music and the negative messages hidden in films and TV shows, we can show them *how* these things could harm them.
Teaching children the great history of Islamic civilization can help instill a sense of pride in being Muslim as well, and we should also try to provide other activities for young people altogether. For example, arranging Qur'an recitation classes, when available, can teach children a great art with spiritual values and blessings.
Also very important: we should always do our best to set a good example. How can we ask our kids not to watch certain shows when we find them irresistible ourselves?
Finally let's not forget to make du'a for us and our children.
Name
Ismail
- United States
Profession
Question
From your experience in the past 15 years as a muslim, can you talk about your observations of the development of the American muslim community during this period.
Answer
Yes, though I can speak only from my own experience. When I started college, there was an active Muslim group on campus. I was one of a handful of Muslim women wearing hijab on campus, and people were actively putting it on largely through positive peer pressure. But at that time the community consisted mainly of immigrants, students who planned to return home, and several converts. When I returned to the campus four years later the community had changed, and then consisted of a large number of second generation American Muslims. Muslims who grew up in the states had very different ways of seeing things than the immigrant Muslims, and it became even more of a challenge to work together. I have noticed that the pressure on this group to fit in or assimilate has been great. A recently published book called "American Muslims: The New Generation" explains the view of many that the "small things" are not so important as retaining a Muslim identity. For many, hijab is one of these details, and for many salat is as well. So now I'm seeing more acceptance of non-practice of Islam. But I also see Muslims becoming more and more active in civic culture, voting, and speaking up for their rights, and also the development of Islamic schools and institutions. This is for the good, and will help us heed the warning of the Prophet (S) about following those who came before us even "into the lizard's hole."
Name
Tabitha
- United States
Profession
Question
In what ways do you envision the American muslims creating a unique American muslim culture out of their American experiance that is different from their immigrant background(if they are children of immigrants) or their american culture if they are indigenous? What will be some unique qualities to this culture in your opinion.
Answer
Interesting question. It's difficult to know with things changing so fast, especially since the development of culture is so tied to politics and power structures. But I would expect from what I see now that it will be a mix of Islamic ideas and Western forms. Like the "Islamic rap" I mentioned earlier. But the new culture would (I hope) avoid the obvious problems of immorality and immodesty, and would have alternatives to what Islam forbids or discourages. (I'm thinking particularly of music here.) I also envision a mix of ethnic traditions. One good thing I've seen, which I did not mention before, has been the increasing willingness of Muslims to cross the boundaries of ethnic backgrounds in their personal affiliations, marriages, etc. I see this affecting the development of a Muslim American culture.
Name
Angie
- United States
Profession
student
Question
As a former Christian I saw how pop culture infiltrated the church youth groups to the point where (and it still is today) there was not that much difference between a Christian and a secular teenager. Christian "pop" music copied regular pop music, the clothing was similar, a need to have excessive amounts of fun was similar, consumerism was similar, you name it. Now, I'm wondering if this trend will also take hold with Muslims in this country, meaning that eventually the differences between the average secular American and average Muslim will not be that much of a difference. What are your thoughts on this?
Answer
I've seen it happening already. But I'm not completely discouraged because in one sense we're still a new element in this culture. So when we see ourselves being dominated, we shouldn't assume that we won't make important contributions. Hip-hop has been, even if to a small extent, influenced by Islam and Muslims, so that people are at least being exposed to Islam. As the Muslims population grows, I expect the influence of Muslims to grow. Also, I think that as the Muslim Ummah emerges in the world, we will begin to have more of our own media to communicate our ideas and culture.
Again, knowledge of Islam and the dangers of imitation are key.
Name
Lamia
- Egypt
Profession
Question
Why do Muslims find American Popular Culture irresistable?
Answer
Good question. There is more than one way of looking at the issue. On one level there are the large-scale, political and economic realities at work. Powerful media organizations that transmit American popular culture both to American citizens and around the globe are in the hands of a few powerful corporations. The fact that these images are out there, and in fact we are bombarded with them, is enough for us to be influenced. And studies have shown that we don't even have to believe in something for it to affect our behavior -- like flimsy ads that nevertheless make us want to buy. The music, TV shows and films, etc., are made to gratify and thus sell, unfortunately appealing to the baser appetites.
For people with not much else to do and not much else to believe in, American pop culture provides an enjoyable pastime, and for people living in unpleasant circumstances, the images show a different world to aspire to, a world sanitized of real-world suffering.
Also, just the fact that it's "made in America" is enough to convince many that it's something good, something cool, and better than whatever else is out there. Unfortunately we are not always critical enough of the content and how much of it is against what we believe. For example, American culture has been greatly influenced by the logic of Western thought, which holds to the idea of Progress. Western culture is seen as the most "evolved" and at the same time favors the material world. According to the logic of this culture, materialism is progress, even if it is devoid of values as pointed out by Muslim thinkers and writers such as Sayed Qutb.
As Muslim societies have been in decline, we have not effectively countered these ideas. But better things are possible for us and as we develop insha’Allah we will make *real* progress in the area of culture.
Name
Abu Salma
- Egypt
Profession
Question
Dear sir, why do you think the American Popular Culture is substantively biased towards the Israelis and their aggressive acting in the Occupied Lands of Palestine? and, how - in your opinion - should Muslim act to overcome this?
Answer
A lot of this has to do with control of the media. As Noam Chomsky (a previous Live Dialogue Guest) and others have pointed out, powerful filters are at work. One level of filtering lies in the hands of a few interests and corporations. Another filter takes place more directly with the media as they rely on "official" sources of information, such as the U.S. government.
Another factor is the powerful pro-Israeli lobby, its financial resources, and thus its ties to elected officials who continue to uphold its views. The Christian Right is also becoming more and more forceful in its support for the Zionist cause. I think as Muslims and Muslim organizations become increasingly active in politics and media, there will be room for our views and voices. So I think that yes, it is helpful for Muslims to be active in this area, and this view has been expressed by several American-based scholars.
