What happened to kindness?

readers, this week we’re taking a different approach to hottakes than usual - less funny, more personal. we hope you enjoy our take on the state of american politics and how american muslims can contribute to it.

Muslims’ role in American Politics:

Muslims in America are often asked whether and how we can add to the public political square. while the former is still hotly debated among the far-right and far-left, let’s pretend for the time being that it’s a settled question - of course, any minority can contribute to the American tapestry.

the more intriguing question, particularly for politically inclined American Muslims, is how we can add our body politic. of course this question is not limited to the US, but extends broadly to all liberal democracies. however, the question is particularly intricate here in the US as the line between religion and state is blurry, constantly shifting, and varies even from state to state.

a Historical View of Muslim Lawmakers

historically, Muslim law was decided at a super-local level, with judges issuing rulings for the communities in which they resided. it was only in the 1800’s when the ottomans began “modernizing” their caliphate that any sort of centralized lawmaking was widely introduced. prior to this, judges could make seemingly contradictory decisions based on local factors, and most laws was decided at this level.

now, that’s not to say that there isn’t a strong tradition of central government and rule. Sultan Suleiman is known as Suleiman the Magnificent in the west, but as Suleiman the Lawgiver in the east. Islam has several schools of thought which scholars and judges follow when issuing rulings. however, virtually no Muslim government in the past had any centralized legal code similar to today’s federal register or criminal codes. local rulings could be appealed to the ruler of the area, but those decisions rarely constricted future rulings. muslims have traditionally relied on local experts to uphold religious law and the role of religion in law.

Modernity vs Tradition:

this is radically different from a liberal democracy’s approach to lawmaking, which involves written constitutions, massive bureaucracies, and incredible centralization of and decision making. again, this isn’t to say that this approach not possible or has never happened before, simply that we as a Muslim community have little experience with it. malaysia, tunisia, and pakistan are all liberal democracies which have - to varying degrees of success - managed to combine what we think of as secular and religious law.

so if american muslims have no practical or historical reasons to restrict or loosen rights on today’s hot-button issues - from abortion to marriage - what is our role? if we don’t dogmatically have a specific agenda to fight for, what should we do?

the Fight against Islamophobia

there are those in our community who focus exclusively on issues facing today’s American Muslims. structural racism, explicit Islamophobia, and hate crimes are too often experienced by community members.

faced with an onslaught of negativity, it is easy to see why some would choose to become friends with virtually anyone if they show even the slightest tolerance for Muslims. it is easy to understand why some may believe proximity to power will protect them from the worst of bigotry. it is even easy to empathize with those who believe our community’s fate depends on allying ourselves inextricably with one political movement.

however, this reactionary impulse is just that - reactionary. it is neither principled nor sustainable. that’s not to say islamophobia must not be fought or isn’t a threat to our community - simply that it isn’t the end all be all, or an issue of such import that its solving justifies any means. Muslims are not a persecuted minority fighting for our lives in the pre-modern era, or Uighurs in modern china.

What Happened to Kindness?

so again, the question becomes - how do American Muslims constructively and proactively contribute to politics in a traditional manner? if fighting islamophobia at any cost is not that, then what is? we argue the overwhelming responsibility of American Muslims is to instill our sense of morality, ethics, and kindness into the political discourse.

kindness is a value which cannot be overstated in our tradition. contemporary sources of the prophet Muhammad cite his strength of character, with perhaps the most famous example of his kindness coming during the conquest of Makkah. despite the city being the epicenter of violent resistance against him for decades, Muhammad was able to take the city without a fight. only about a dozen violent individuals died that day. Muslims treated their worst enemies with unimaginable kindness, allowing them not only to live, but also to keep their status, families, and wealth.

it’s hard to imagine that sort of kindness in today’s America. conservatives, even evangelicals, are well known for turning their back on any spirit of generosity, affection, or selflessness. their kin comes before anyone else, regardless of circumstance. they are angry, bitter, and mean because they fear the future and a more diverse America. they continue to believe in economic theories which have been disproven, from trickle-down economics to bootstrapping. conservatives cannot fathom an America in which government could be kind to its citizenry, concerned that if everyone can get an equal shot, that eliminates their privilege.

however, the truth of the matter is that progressives don’t believe in kindness either. their lack of tolerance or empathy for anyone who expresses a view rooted in religion, or publicly affirms faith, is staggering. they have become so wrapped up in identity politics they cannot understand anyone who rejects that paradigm of thinking. they believe so little in the power of familial kindness that their policies revolve around supplanting any communal responsibility with a mandate or social program. while they are not motivated by a fear of the future, they are motivated by continual angst that the future cannot arrive soon enough.

given this utter dearth of kindness on both ends of the political spectrum, American Muslims can play an indispensable role in reviving its practice. the Muslim community is no monolith, but we can unite behind a common flag of kindness. what can we add to the public political sphere? decency, respect, and concern for all Americans, regardless of what political tribe they belong to.