LINGERING DOUBTS

them that even if they wanted to let go of them, they probably couldn’t. This phenomenon applies not only to the visible beliefs still present in their lives but also to those that might not be outwardly expressed yet are stored in their memory. When individuals are influenced by a movement that claims to revive Islam, all those previous feelings about Islam, which were buried in their subconscious, will resurface. Along with adopting the specific program of the movement, they will also naturally accept aspects of Islam that the movement did not explicitly promote but which their subconscious tells them are necessary to be a Muslim. This is why, for example, a secular-minded young person in Egypt influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood does not necessarily feel compelled to grow a beard or avoid photography. In contrast, a similarly secularminded young person in India, influenced by an equivalent movement, might grow a beard and even tear up their photographs. This difference between Egypt and India arises from the differences in the form of Islam traditionally practiced in each country. When something stems from subconscious emotions, it does not genuinely become part of one’s life or conscious understanding. Instead, it may only show up on paper or in outward behavior. Observers can easily see that the version of Islam a person practices