Muslim Women Activists in North America: Speaking for Ourselves

11: In Pursuit of Peace and Justice

117 Nadira Mustapha The quest to achieve peace and justice remains the heartbeat of every activist. The ardent desire to pursue a promising global agenda constantly and vigorously runs through the activist’s blood every second of his/her life. The overwhelming yearning and willingness to make a significant, worthwhile, influential, and long-lasting change is viewed as a grave and imperative matter . The matter is neither a hoax nor a game. It is a matter of turning dreams into living realities. Furthermore, it is crucial to experience at least the budding phases of these dreams in the activist’s life span, God willing. The activist’s life knows not the meaning of free time, and sleep knows no friend for the task. The task is accomplished with sheer pleasure, utmost gratification , precision, and finesse. The world’s injustices, whether political, economical , psychological, or socioreligious, must come to an end. It is the goal of every activist to attempt to implement and achieve the preceding elements in order to make a substantial change. Whether or not one is viewed as influential is not a concern; to alleviate crises in the world remains an imperative matter. We refuse to remain stagnant, and through writing, speaking, teaching, and lobbying, we will continue to offer unwavering support for the cause until justice is served. Nadira Mustapha 11 In Pursuit of Peace and Justice 118 In Pursuit of Peace and Justice Roots of Religious Activism The Ikhwan al-Muslimoon, the Muslim Brotherhood, was established in Egypt in 1928 after the collapse of the Khilaafa (universal Muslim political system) in 1924. Its founder and leader was Hasan al-Banna, who was executed by the Egyptian government in 1949 because his philosophy and the formidable success of his movement were interpreted as a threat to the government. He formulated the Ikhwan al-Muslimoon as an organization with well-established and intricate rules so that the movement would continue long after his death. Today, the organization functions in over seventy countries around the world. The Ikhwan al-Muslimoon works to establish worldwide peace by first establishing peace within the individual. Thereafter, this internal peace, sincerity, love, and compassion should follow to the development of the family, the community, the “state,” and eventually throughout the world. Hasan al-Banna and aspects of his inspiring, prestigious, and sincere movement prompted my religious activism from an early age. Central to my activism is an appreciation of the benefits that an Islamic “state” can bring forth. The purpose of a “state” in Islam is to provide a unification mechanism for the community or the ummah, to make available a governing forum for Islamic laws, and to establish peace and justice in the community. Hasan al-Banna’s spiritual philosophy is one of the major factors that led me to a spiritual awakening. This philosophy remains the backbone of my religious-related activism, and is one of the key elements that channeled me to select my first career as a teacher at the secondary level in order to work with the next generation. Another factor catalyzing one’s religious growth and life paradigm is one’s family background. Born in Canada and of Caribbean descent, and thus raised in a Western cultural environment, I grew up within a family embracing strong Islamic morals that engraved in me the true meaning of the oneness of God, the logic of religion, the dynamics of spirituality, the meaning of this temporary life, the importance of humility, the significance of ethical and physical purity, the value of organizational and leadership skills, and the permissibility of enjoying this temporary life within God’s guidelines. Each member of one’s family plays a different role in developing, shaping , and crystallizing one’s personality. My parents, activists within the Muslim community, hold notable leadership roles as well as formidable organizational qualities. While the implementation of the five pillars of Islam, especially the five daily prayers, is of grave importance for my parents 119 Nadira Mustapha and their household, my father’s implementation of the religion is scientifically based while my mother’s implementation of the religion is spiritually based. My father maintains a substantial Islamic library for research and increasing understanding of the faith, whereas my mother propagates the fundamental faith-bound principles of the religion such as the oneness of God and absolute trust in God. The exposure to spirituality at an early age assists in...