Why Do We Hesitate to Say: "Haram"?
There are situations that require us to say: "This is haram," but instead, we say: "This does not align with our customs and traditions." When we are in a lecture at a mosque, for example, or a meeting at a company, and there is an activity, behavior, or appearance that is forbidden; why do we hesitate to call the thing by its name, "haram," even though others openly declare their religious identity at the highest political levels?
Reasons for Avoiding the Legal Term
Perhaps because the word "haram" means in the religion of God Almighty in Islam, and among the fifty students, there might be one Christian. Therefore, when you refer to Islam, it is as if you are imposing your religion on him; no, "let us say our customs and traditions," for this unites us all as Easterners.
Or perhaps because some of the attendees are Muslims but are not committed, and the word "haram" is not what convinces them. I think that when I say "haram" or "God said" or "God commanded," it is as if I am imposing my personal way of thinking and religion on them; so let us use a word that unites us all, such as "our customs and traditions" or "our culture."
Pride in Religious Identity
Glory be to God! The American Secretary of War says:
"As a Christian nation, we will remain a Christian nation in our DNA if we can preserve that."
The American Secretary of State stands at a conference in Munich, Germany, to say that the Christian faith helped shape Western civilization, and warns against open-border policies as they may alter the Christian demographic.
They speak with such confidence, even though the percentage of those who identify as Christian in America, in the latest update, is only 62%. Meanwhile, in our countries and among our communities, we feel ashamed, our faces turn red, and we sweat if we want to say that the forbidden is "haram" or "God said and His Messenger said." And this is not at global political conferences as they do, but at the level of a lecture or a meeting! Why? Because there might be one among us who is not of our faith, so we flee to vague phrases like "it does not suit our culture" or "our customs and traditions."
Double Standards and Psychological Defeat
Similarly, the statements of the American president and American and Israeli politicians about possessing nuclear weapons, and their open criticism of our faith as Muslims and our Prophet, peace be upon him, while we are ashamed of using religious terms among ourselves.
Only Muslims are expected to have no identity to proclaim, to be strangers in their own land, and only they should be ashamed to show their religion, even though it is the truth. If we do not enter the civilizational battle with our religion, we will not succeed. All people of faith proclaim their religions and take pride in them, even though they, especially their leaders, trade in religious slogans for political goals, while we are ashamed to proclaim the truth we carry.
Indicator of Spiritual Subjugation
The hesitation to proclaim the reference of the Sharia in our societies is an indicator that the conquering nations have succeeded in restricting our spirits, even if they have disappeared militarily. They respect us when we are proud of our religion, while they do not respect the hesitant one with a blurred identity.
A Call to Pride in the Truth
Even if you are deficient, and even if you are not veiled; show pride in your Islam and call the forbidden by its name. And if someone says to you: "You also do what is forbidden," say to him: "Yes, but abandoning the command to enjoin good and forbid evil is another forbidden act, and what is in me is enough, and I ask God to help me fulfill His command."
May you share in the comments situations where one of you took pride in his religion in front of everyone.
{And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah and does righteousness and says, "Indeed, I am of the Muslims"?}
Peace be upon you and the mercy of God.