Muslims have been in America since before America was a formal country, but Islamic identity was never mainstreamed. As Muslims are often portrayed in the media as strange, senseless, cold, and angry, being Muslim in America can feel like an isolating experience. These feelings can be amplified in secular environments like school or the workplace. The reality, however, is that being a Muslim is the default state of the human being. Our practices- ṣalāh, duʿāʾ, hijāb, fasting, and more- are innate to the human spirit. Being Muslim couldn’t be more normal.
Secular society often perpetuates conscious and unconscious islamophobia. It is important to remember that when you show up as your normal Muslim self in secular spaces, you are representing Islam to that collective Western bias. In doing so, you normalize the Islamic identity for yourself and others. Imām aṣ-Ṣādiq (ʿa) said: “The believer possesses strength in his religion, prudence in his leniency, faith in conviction, an avid desire for religious understanding, activity in [matters pertaining to] guidance… and prayer during times of preoccupation.” Leading with faith in our lives gives structure to our Muslim identity, foremost by grounding us in confidence in secular spaces.
It’s easier, though, to show up as an unapologetic Muslim when you go to the masjid. We feel more confident as Muslims to present ourselves openly as members of our faith if we come from a strong religious community. It’s our religiosity in our mosques that emboldens us to treat our religion like it’s normal and even expected- signalling to our secular friends to do the same. Secular environments are just a fact of life, but ironically, Muslims will have an easier time fitting into them if we also identify heavily with the Muslim community. Therefore, Islam has to be integrated into all facets of our lives. Prophet Muḥammad (ṣ) said: “Faith and action are two brothers, bound together with a single rope. Allah will not accept either one without the other.”
The more we normalize Islam for ourselves, the less anyone else can take it from us. Being Muslim isn’t just a matter of belief, but also of action. What is the purpose of stated belief if it is not followed by deeds? Imām ʿAlī (ʿa) said: “If faith were a mere statement, then fasting, prayers, the lawful and the unlawful things would not have been prescribed for it.” In committing to these acts, even outside of religious circles, we mold ourselves into better Muslims.
Showing up as a Muslim in secular society has been growing easier with time for Muslims in America, with the increase in Muslim representation in the media. Whereas a generation ago, the average American hardly knew what a Muslim was, Muslims are now more broadly recognized. This representation has been gaining traction.
Perhaps the most widely recognized Muslim in America is Muhammad Ali, the heavyweight champion, who publicly declared his shahādah in 1964. He, along with El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, was one of the two most prominent Muslims made known to the general American public. In this way, Islam was introduced to the American public as a part of the struggle for racial justice in America, reflecting the Islamic value of material action in accordance with dialectical belief. Islamic public presence continued to expand with the rise of social media. There were now Muslim influencers who would often share content personal to their lives or whose offline fame was amplified by social media. Because they are Muslim, Islam came naturally as a part of the package, but wasn’t necessarily central to their public persona. They’re interesting, complex, nuanced, normal people, some good, some flawed, and they are Muslims. With the rise of social media and the subsequent boom in self-improvement content among Gen Z, we see many Islamic practices becoming mainstream in secular spaces.
Waking up early to meditate, reading, fasting, clean eating, gratitude practices, and incorporating meaningful worship and reflection into one’s life have not only long been normal among Gen Z, but they have also become cool. These disciplinary practices make it easier for Muslims to talk about their practices with their friends and coworkers and work around them when they come up (eg, “Oh sorry, man, I can’t go to lunch that day, I’ll be fasting.”). With the increased perception of Islam as a religion of discipline and self-ownership in a world of entertainment and endless commodification, non-Muslims increasingly see Islam and Muslims as principled, standing out in achievement, rather than succumbing to baselessness. Imām aṣ-Ṣādiq (ʿa) said: “The believer is he whom all things fear, and that is because he is empowered by the religion of Allah, and does not fear anything. This is the sign of every believer.”
Islam’s presence in America is here, and it’s felt by Muslims and non-Muslims alike. It will only continue to grow. Meanwhile, we as Muslims owe it to ourselves and our community to show up authentically. By investing in our bond with our faith, we normalize it. By not compromising on the rules of our religion, we normalize it. By our proud, unapologetic demeanor, we normalize it. It doesn’t matter how inconvenient it may be perceived, Islam is human, and it is here to stay.
Fatima Fawaz is an Arab-American writer, reader, and lifelong learner. She grew up after the turn of the century in an Arabic-English bilingual Muslim household with a Lebanese father and American convert mother, before moving to Lebanon for several years to pursue higher education. There in Lebanon, she obtained a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the Lebanese American University. Due to her unique experiences, Fawaz developed a deep insight into what it means to be Muslim in America and growing up Muslim in the West.