What is the problem with Muslim Youths?

Demistifying 5 biggest issues affecting the Muslim Youths in South West Nigeria

One of the most underestimated impacts of Islamophobia is the effect it is having on Muslim youths who are experiencing multiple attacks against their faith, Bashir Arowojobe, the head of exam board at Darul-Hadeeth Institute of Arabic and Islamic studies, Gbagi, Ibadan, and sole founder of iSTUDYISLAM, has identified 5 of the crises affecting Muslim Youths in South West Nigeria

1. Low self-esteem

What is low self-esteem?

Low self-esteem is when someone lacks confidence about who they are and what they do.

I have identified three causes of this problem.

*i. Lack of adequate knowledge about Islam*

Growing up, I observed my school classroom arrangement and our class settings in Madrasa (Islamic theological school) while the former was more sophisticated and appealing to me, the later was like a scavengers' rendezvous, I later discovered that my teacher in school was capable and skilled about his subject and chosen career, but my 'Alfa' competencies as long as Islamic field of study is concern was equivalent to primary six certificate or at best SSCE, while the pcase is changing, majority of the traditional madaaris remain the same (though Islamic scholarship and erudition can be attained through informal training).

I noticed that while my teacher was well-paid (averagely) my Mallam had *NO* salary save for occasional giveaways during Naming ceremonies, weddings, Ramadan, etc.

While I was mostly enthusiastic to meet and learn from my teacher at school, I use to pray for heavy rainfall or disaster that will make me skip my presence in Madrasa in view of the hostility and anger my Mallam will throw at us.

My teacher enlightened me about my environment : socially, politically, economically, scientifically, and so on, while my Alfa only taught me how to join Arabic alphabets together and nothing more; or tell us baseless stories and irrational claims to justify why we are lucky to be Muslims.

My friends, whose parents could afford hiring a Mallam to teach them privately, told me how curious they were, when they found out that their home-lesson teachers were paid triple or more compared to what the Mallam was offered as salary.

As time passes by, most of my colleagues with this 'Islamic' training patterns had *apostasized*. They believe Islam does not possess the comprehensive solution to the problems of its adherent as claimed. Others who remain as Muslims are divided into two extremes:

- *Apologist*

Those apologising on behalf of the Noble Prophet Muhammad (sollallahu alayi wasallam) that he did not say sharia (Islamic law) is unchangeable or assume it is ideal in all facets of life, thus, denying the basis and fundamentals of Islamic beliefs.

- *Over-confident' Muslim*

These are the group of people who arrogated for the Prophet what he is not, ascribing to Islam unjustifiable claims and illogical stories all in the name of defending Islam at all cost.

*ii* *Inferiorization of Muslims by Non-Muslims*

I don't have much to say about this, having read an article written by Farooq Kperogi on the *Casual bigotry Against Yoruba Muslims*

In one of the paragraph, he said '' Many Yoruba Muslims are seething with frustration and deep-seated inferiority complex on account of their faith-based systematic exclusion and demonization, but they are grinning and bearing their fate in smoldering silence out of social pressures, out of anxieties about social ostracism '' in another paragraph, he quoted anecdotal encounters of casual bigotry shared by some Yoruba Muslims, he said '' habitually ridiculed for their faith, sneered at for their Muslim sartorial choices, alienated and rhetorically marginalized, and outright denied opportunities by people with whom they share the same ethnicity ''

*iii* *Lack of adequate Role Model*

An ideal role model in political space or corporate strata to offer a reassuring narrative, which the youth can emulate in their faith, work, and family life, is relatively inadequate.

You rather find someone hiding his Islamic identity or someone using his Islamic identity in an unislamic venture to fit in.

And in the instance of the presence of a good role model, the Muslim youth either does not recognize this reality or consciously ignores due to varying reasons.

*To be Continued…* (inshaALlah)

Bashir writes in from Ibadan through: bashirarowojobe@gmail.com

*If this write-up is worth sharing, you can pass it on.*

I hope you stay on course waiting for your next point.

Muslim Youth?

All these things you mentioned is not amongst Muslims youth..


You are probably talking ignorant Muslims (amaatu Nas)