A few weeks ago, a European friend asked me to counsel her best friend who was experiencing severe psychological stress and was suicidal. When I met with the young lady, I learned she was of Moroccan descent although born, raised and educated in Europe. She had few recollections of Morocco and considered herself Dutch. The few sessions I spent with her demonstrated that the psychological issues she had been experiencing were derived from her European upbringing and had no connection to her racial or religious origins. As such, I had to treat her as a young Dutch woman and not as a Moroccan or Muslim. That was the only way to help her understand the difficulties that were contributing to her suicidal thoughts.
Many young Dutch and European men and women, like my client, have completely lost connection with their religious and ethnic origins and family history. They fully embrace the mind-set, values and cultural attitudes of their country of birth or upbringing. They are totally immersed in their Dutch, French, Spanish, British, Swiss, German or European personae and, on some level, fear rejection of their adopted homeland if they demonstrate any degree of interest in their cultural origins.
In some respects, they are hopeless refugees within their adopted homeland. On the one hand, returning to their country of origin is not an option. And, on the other, because many of these individuals have a legitimate European family connection (i.e. one of their parents or a close relative is of European descent), discriminating against them would constitute discrimination against European society as a whole – contributing to a dysfunctional and fragmented continent.
According to the German Central Institute Islamic Archive, there are more than 55 million Muslims in Europe, including more than 18 million in the European Union. The sheer magnitude of these numbers, suggests there is no option but to enable them to fully integrate into European society while respecting their need to maintain connections with their countries of origin if they so desire.
I trust the wisdom and long-term geo-strategic and political perspectives of European leaders and I am confident they understand that by enabling Muslim citizens to live their lives according to their religious belief (without disturbing the rest of their neighbors of course) the entire population has much to gain. Islam, when it is well understood and well implemented, can serve as a positive catalyst, moving the social well-being of European society forward.
Let us look at a few verses of the Qur’an that can support the continued civilization of man.
Islam’s concept of a virtuous man or woman is individuals who reflect the characteristics and subscribe to the values described below
(chapter 23: 1-11):
The believers must (eventually) win through,-
Those who humble themselves in their prayers;
Who avoid vain talk;
Who are active in deeds of charity;
Who abstain from unlawful sex,
……
But those whose desires exceed those limits are transgressors;-
Those who faithfully observe their trusts and their covenants;
And who (strictly) guard their prayers;-
These will be the heirs,
Who will inherit Paradise: they will dwell therein (for ever).
Or this (Chapter 25:63-76)
And the servants of ((Allah)) Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say, “Peace!”; Those who spend the night in adoration of their Lord prostrate and standing; Those who say, “Our Lord! avert from us the Wrath of Hell, for its Wrath is indeed an affliction grievous,- “Evil indeed is it as an abode, and as a place to rest in”; Those who, when they spend, are not extravagant and not niggardly, but hold a just (balance) between those (extremes); Those who invoke not, with Allah, any other god, nor slay such life as Allah has made sacred except for just cause, nor commit fornication; – and any that does this (not only) meets punishment. (But) the Penalty on the Day of Judgment will be doubled to him, and he will dwell therein in ignominy,- Unless he repents, believes, and works righteous deeds, for Allah will change the evil of such persons into good, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful, And whoever repents and does good has truly turned to Allah with an (acceptable) conversion;- Those who witness no falsehood, and, if they pass by futility, they pass by it with honorable (avoidance); Those who, when they are admonished with the Signs of their Lord, droop not down at them as if they were deaf or blind; And those who pray, “Our Lord! Grant unto us wives and offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes, and give us (the grace) to lead the righteous.”
Those are the ones who will be rewarded with the highest place in heaven, because of their patient constancy: therein shall they be met with salutations and peace,
Dwelling therein;- how beautiful an abode and place of rest!
These are some of the teachings of Islam and its approach to civilizing mankind and creating a society where high ethical standards and good manners contribute to the well-being of the entire community.
By enabling Muslims to live and work peacefully in Europe, among their fellow citizens, these virtues and great articles of humanity will spread. As this begins happening, the risk of seeing a young man or woman considering suicide will be reduced.
Thank you for your time. In the next article, we’ll talk about the first five verses of the Qur’an and the foundation of Islamic civilization and how this new understanding may shape the lives of many Western societies.
By: Dr. Abdelmalek Yamani