As a Muslim living in England, it’s often that I find different parts of me clashing and competing for my attention - which side of me does my society value more? Of course, to me, my religion is first and foremost - without a doubt. For it is my religion itself which not only allows but encourages me to be independent, gain knowledge and make a positive mark on our world. Unfortunately, it is this side of Islam which is unseen by many in society. People overlook such aspects in our faith in order to further implement a divisive agenda, one which separates us rather than unites us. It’s through this labelling and pigeonholing that young Muslims can feel themselves being torn into two: their Muslim side, and their British side. After all, it is advertised to us that the two cannot co-exist in harmony and peace, and one will prevail - the pressure is on us to decide which one. 

Now, I assure you that I’m not describing some sort of supernatural movie with mystical creatures fighting over golden treasure. In fact, it’s real life, which is what makes it so concerning, if you ask me. What is worrying is the fact that teenagers (like myself) are forced to pick and choose between different parts of their identities, to pinpoint which one society finds most acceptable and normal. Think for a moment about all the different things which define you. They may be your religion and ethnicity or your humour and fashion sense. Imagine now that you could only choose one of them to present yourself as - which would you choose? How? Many Muslims in the West face this problem every day as they struggle to fit in and make themselves heard. Moreover, choosing one side inevitably leads the individual to feel guilty for “abandoning” the others - if we choose to stay more deeply rooted in our religion, we’re not “British” enough, and vice versa. Or, we’re defined through the use of an absurd (I apologise in advance for the cringe) “halal-haram” ratio. I’m accepted by the Muslim community because I fast in Ramadan, and I wouldn’t be scrutinised for “starving myself” by Western society if I didn’t. It’s almost like how far of a Muslim we are nowadays is determined by our willingness to accept either faith or societal expectations. However, it could be argued that things cannot be so clear-cut and black and grey. You would think that perhaps our lives become easier when there is an overlap of the two: a slightly humorous example of this would be when I prayed with all my heart for England to reach the Qatar World Cup finals, but that ultimately Morocco would win. Well, either Morocco or Ronaldo (hehe). But there can also come with this a sense of limbo where we lose and gain different parts of ourselves the more we fast or the more we eat fish and chips for school lunches.

It is through these confusing feelings we recognise that a balance is needed. It is important to love our deen (religion) and also to love our society. It is when we feel unheard by the masses that we must - respectfully - make ourselves heard so that all people are taken into consideration to ensure future generations can prosper. A great sign that this is already happening is the positive inclusivity of today’s modern society where people learn from each other about various cultures and ways of life. I feel a burst of pride whenever someone asks me about Afghanistan or being a Pashtun, and I also feel represented when I watch players like Marcus Rashford rise to fame and represent England. We mustn’t hold our society in contempt if it doesn’t align exactly with our religion. We mustn’t resent our fellow citizens for living opposite lives to us because this is exactly what happens to so many of us living in a non-Muslim-majority country. Instead, we must strive to maintain a sense of peace and harmony among all people - after all, it is exactly this that our religion instils in us. An important person in my life advised my family: “keep the deen in one hand and the dunya (world) in the other”. So, with your hands holding both of those things, I pray for you to work hard and well in this life to reap the benefits in the next, Insha’Allah (God Willing).