Whose Responsibility

If they are lucky enough to find favourable circumstances, they slowly grow stronger in their faith. The superficial impression they initially had of Islam changes into one of greater profundity. But as for those who do not find the circumstances propitious after their conversion to Islam, their faith by degrees becomes weaker. It does not take root in their consciousness. Some of these people spend their lives in a state of weakened faith; others return to their past lives. Just as one reason of no greater significance caused them to accept Islam, another such reason causes them to leave the Islamic fold. It is the responsibility of Muslims to absorb converts into their society; but Muslim society fails in this responsibility. As a result, converts become like aliens among their new co-religionists. This alienation sometimes culminates in the extreme form that we call apostasy. It is a fact that apostasy is more often the result of negligence than of plots by enemies of Islam. This negligence is of three main kinds: 1. Missionary work is not conducted in such a way that it can change a person’s way of thinking on a profound level. If one accepts Islam for some superficial or casual reason, without undergoing any transformation in consciousness, then one’s faith cannot be very long-lasting. 2. When a non-Muslim accepts Islam, he leaves a completely different society behind and enters the fold of Islam. In such circumstances, education is absolutely essential to strengthen his Islamic faith. But Muslims do not possess the ways and means to educate him in Islamic thought. This education is entirely the responsibility of Muslims, but as yet Muslims have not done anything to provide it. 3. Then there is the social problem. When they accept Islam, converts are on the one hand ostracised from their own society, and on the other they are not fully accepted by Muslims society. Such alienation proves unbearable for a social animal like man. Factors such as these usually create a latent malaise within Muslim converts; they remain in a constant state of frustration and, when confronted with some dilemma, forsake Islam and return to their former ways. Abdullah Ibn Masud asked the Prophet what action was best. “Praying at the proper time,” he replied. “What comes next, Messenger of God?” “Not saying things which hurt others,” the Prophet said.