Answer
Short Answer: First ask yourself some questions: Why am I here, on earth? Why was I born? What will happen to me after I die? If God created me, why did He do so? And what does He want from me, anyway? Henceforth, try to seek the answers to these questions from the Quran.
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Asalaamu alaykum, and thank you for sending in your question to our website.
Brother, I am sorry to hear that you have been experiencing such a dip in your faith in Islam.
Allow me to say that this is is an expected outcome when a Muslim child is raised with a more culturally ritualistic practice of Islam, instead of a gradual, logical, intellectual, and belief-centered methodology based upon proofs from the authentic sources of Islamic knowledge: the Quran and sunnah.
Shaky Foundation of Belief Undermines Faith
It should therefore, come as no surprise when a Muslim child, who was coerced to perform the rituals of worship in Islam, and adhere to its major do’s and don’ts throughout their childhood mainly due to a fear of the disapproval of the adults and society around them, begins to doubt and question their faith when they cross the threshold of puberty and enter the age of young adulthood.
As a newly independent adult, a child who was never introduced to the traits of their Creator, nor ever made to recognize and get to know Allah through His praiseworthy and awe-striking attributes, nor taught the proofs of Islam through its main source, the Quran, will begin to regard their religion as merely a set of cumbersome and restrictive outward rituals, instead of a matter of the heart.
At the cusp of adulthood, just when other secular youngsters around them are beginning to experiment with “freedoms”, the Muslim young adult with weak faith ends up feeling stifled and suffocated.
It seems to him or her as if the non-believers enjoy so much fun and freedom despite their disbelief and lack of adherence to any religious restrictions. Whereas they have to stay away from all kinds of enticements just because the latter are haram in Islam.
Why is drinking alcohol or being gay such a big sin?
So what if I give up prayers, or eat non-zabihah food?
They therefore begin to loathe the very concept of the punishment of Hell, and inch towards the idea of dropping religion from their life altogether.
The Effect on Faith of Authentic Knowledge
Brother, instead of letting your doubts, insinuations from Satan, and the ethos of the so-called “free” secular society around you let you move away from your religion, perhaps you can sincerely pray to Allah to guide you; to answer your questions and to address your doubts about Islam?
In lieu of that, maybe you can endeavor to study Islam from its main source; the Quran.
However, before you begin your studies of Quran, you should first ask yourself some questions: Why am I here, on earth?
Why was I born?
What will happen to me after I die?
If God created me, why did He do so?
And what does He want from me, anyway?
Henceforth, try to seek the answers to these questions from the Quran. When I was a teenager, as a protege of a traditional, largely cultural Muslim household, I too began having questions about my religion.
And I am grateful to Allah that my quest to study the Quran, to seek the answers myself, turned out to be a very fruitful way to find the right path back to Allah.
Rules of Religion, Years of Youth, & Age-Related Wisdom
Brother, in the end I would like to address your last question.
When one is young, one doesn’t know or realize the harmful effects of many apparently harmless activities and pursuits undertaken for entertainment.
Only with time, do harsh realities begin to dawn upon a frivolous person, leading to many problems for them, that are increasingly difficult to solve without seeking the help of Allah.
So, suppose a youngster had no belief in the Hereafter, but they still chose to stay away from supposedly “fun” things that Islam is forbidden, such as free mixing, smoking, drinking, gambling, clubbing, partying, random sex, and eating all kinds of food.
Your question is: would it all still be worth it?
And the answer is: YES.
Do you know the long-term effects of substance abuse?
The complications and diseases that arise due to one-night stands and random sex?
The harmful, long-term effects on one’s body of eating wrong kinds of foods/drink?
The rising statistical numbers related to mental illness?
The myriad of social/family-related problems that plague secular societies?
Have you ever read wellness and self-help literature?
Do you know what the contemporary concept of ‘Zen habits is?
Fight Satan Your Worst Enemy
The truth is, that even many wise non-Muslims have realized the good in abstaining from all those things that are forbidden in Islam.
Try to read up about how youngsters like you, who chose to pursue a “free”, hippie kind of lifestyle back in the 70’s and 80’s, eventually ended up after they hit age 40.
The truth is that those who were able to overcome their addictions and other problems were only able to do so by cutting out the harmful habits from their life, cold turkey: which turned out to be, ironically, all those things that Islam already forbids.
I hope and pray that you will be able to succeed in resisting the insinuations of Satan, and in asking Allah to guide you back to high ranks of faith in Islam.
Ameen.
And Allah knows best.
I hope that this answers your questions.
Salam. Please stay in touch.
(From Ask About Islam archives)
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