The way we think in a secular world

The modern day secular states and world order is constantly trying to establish new norms which were considered weird practices only a few decades back. But, these changes are pushed so subtly that even practicing Muslims rarely understand that they have been sold out to such ideologies long before. Let’s take an example.

Settling abroad for a career and deciding not to see family members for months or years is now a norm. Rather, people will consider it as a foolish decision if a bright boy decides to stay back in home country to accompany his parents till their death. The matter of being successful in a career has been promoted in such a manner that people seldom think about relishing their personal relationships. This is a shift in thought process.

Similarly, a male is considered sinister if he shows possessiveness about his womenfolk. So, a prospective groom gets rejected for being explicit about his intent not to allow her future spouse to work outside. Even 20 to 30 years back, this was not the case in non Muslim society (Christian, Jew, Hindu), let alone Muslims.

Even the purpose of education has changed. It’s no more a process to become a better human being. One of my secondary school’s Hindu teachers used to tell us all the time that doing a corporate job is not education’s goal. It can be a way of earning bread and butter.

The above paragraphs have been an introduction to tell the following lines. The new world order has changed Muslim women’s mind and yet they do not know it.

1. They consider their husband’s possessiveness as a burden. They think their husbands are holding them back.

2. They feel ashamed to be dependent on their husbands financially. Although, Muslim males should take a fair share of this behavioral change of their womenfolk by disrespecting them for this dependency.

3. They give priority to serving the community over serving their own family members. It relates to that understanding of what education is intended for in the first place. As soon as you enroll for higher education, women are programmed to think that they need to serve society at the expense of their family lives.

4. They feel a constant void inside them as consumerism has brought a new definition of happiness. So, a family is never well-off until both spouses are working. Even Muslim women nowadays ask another fellow woman, " Was this third child of you an accident?" They sympathize every woman in disrespectful manner who has chosen to be a mother and a wife.

Abu Aaisha