“Keeping the Faith or Not Keeping the Faith? is the Question in a Western Secular Society

Authors

Riyaz Gayasaddin, Macalester College

Abstract

Islam in the Western world has been one of the fastest and largest growing religions. However, many Muslims, including myself, have found it difficult to balance the lifestyles between following the path of Islam or straying away from the path. It was not easy for me to be a Muslim growing up in a small Midwest city during my childhood. Even though my parents taught me Islam well it was not the same without any Muslim my age except my sister and brother. After high school and moving to Macalester College, I thought I would be surrounded by a large Muslim community; but this was not the case. Since coming to college I have begun to question if I can keep my faith in a Western world. Tariq Ramadan, a Muslim scholar from Europe, believes that a Muslim can keep his faith in the Western world. On the contrary, there are many apostates, Muslims who deviated from Islam and never came back, believe Islam is not function with the Western lifestyle. This essay explores the torn feelings that many Muslims in the Western world feel daily with their faith in Islam and the Western lifestyle.

Recommended Citation

Gayasaddin, Riyaz (2007) "“Keeping the Faith or Not Keeping the Faith? is the Question in a Western Secular Society," Macalester Islam Journal: Vol. 2: Iss. 3, Article 7.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/islam/vol2/iss3/7