The Loss of the Ghetto Mentality

The Loss of the Ghetto Mentality The state of Muslims today is that almost all of them indulge in negative thinking. Both religious and secular Muslims, men and women, suffer from having this negative frame of mind. Talk to any Muslim, attend any number of their gatherings, visit any Muslim institution, read any Muslim newspaper or magazine and you will find no constructive approach to any of the problems of the Muslim community. Although negative thinking is invariably directed against others, it is a very unfortunate fact that negative thinking does harm to the negative thinker himself, and not to those who are the subjects of his negative thought. This is the law of nature, and this law is unchangeable. Negative thinking implies the prevalence of a ghetto mentality. This way of thinking is bound to create a separatist mentality. Those with this mindset start living in their own cells, they do not interact with others, and the baneful result of this ghettoized thinking is the kind of backwardness which causes them to lag behind others. The secret of a worthwhile life lies in interaction, not in separatism or ghettoism. It lies in coming closer to people, not in distancing oneself from them. It lies in becoming their well-wisher and not in harbouring hatred for them. It lies in positive thinking. Negative thinking leads only to destruction, not construction. Changing the Verdict of History The Kaaba was built in Makkah by Abraham about four thousand years ago. At that time the Kaaba was rectangular in shape. It was rebuilt by the Quraysh before Muhammad (pbuh) was appointed Prophet. At that time they constructed it in the form of a cube, shortening its length. This square Kaaba remains cuboid in shape till today. According to the traditions, the Prophet of Islam told his wife, Aisha, that he wanted the Kaaba to be rebuilt on Abraham’s rectangular base. But the Prophet did not have this done, for this, for certain practical reasons, would have proved to be a greater evil (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 1583) From this narration, we learn of a very important principle, that