Legis Islamica

Assalam Walaikum. May the peace and blessings of the almighty be upon you.

I suppose that I should begin with an explanation of why I am here. The answer is simple: to explore the nature of Islam in America. I consider myself an American-Muslim; I was born here, have lived here all of my life, and have studied numerous aspects of it's society, including government, history, law, culture, and media among others. There is no other place on Earth that I call home.

Being a second generation American also means that I have been raised in an environment dictated by my parents. Their efforts can be described with one word: dedication. I was taught to read the Quran in Arabic at an early age. I was relatively shielded from the amazingly incompetent public education system through their constantly high standards. It is because of my parents that I feel obliged to explore the application of my religion in America today. I have seen how hard it is to raise a Muslim child in this society; many have failed. I only hope that sharing my experiences can make it a less daunting task for others in the future.

My life has been a conglomeration of both Islamic concepts and American ideals. Sometimes, it is difficult to find ways to reconcile the two, but Lupe Fiasco said it best: "The Blessing is in the Struggle." I firmly believe that Islam can not only survive in America, but it can flourish. So many of the ideologies of the two go hand-in-hand that it is impossible to be adequately knowledgeable about both and believe that they are irreconcilable. It is up to us, the young Muslims of America, to forge a path now.

The old culture of defeat and awe of Western capitalism, culture and technology that pervaded much of the previous generations is going to die. A rebirth of the spirit of Islam as the religion and way of life is coming. And contrary to the beliefs of many Islamophobes, this will only serve to strengthen the intellectual tradition of America. My belief is that Islam is the best pathway to living a healthy and constructive lifestyle; others will disagree. But that is the beauty of the situation because dissent is truly an American tradition.

"Legis Islamica" is translated roughly from Latin as "Law of Islam". However, seeing this religion simply as a set of laws that dictate our behavior and thought would not do Islam justice. Being a Muslim is an experience that, while the guiding principles remain constant, is constantly alive and changing. We can attempt to understand living Islam by staccato snapshots of different situations, but know that a Muslim's life is as dynamic as the world around us.

Hopefully, these experiences and thoughts can be as much of use to you, the reader, as it is to me. I want nothing more than to impact the world to make it better; I believe that is a desire that can be appreciated by all those who consider themselves human.

Assalam Walaikum. May peace be upon you.