Conforming to a Liberal way

Bismillah hir Rahman nir Rahim 

Salaam alaykom respected readers,

Recently I was comforted with a lecture that got me thinking of how I see myself, and if I see myself as a Muslim, and if so what type of Muslim? The lecture went on to explain briefly what liberal Muslims stood for, and their side of the scope of being a Muslim.

In the past I've encountered several people calling themselves Liberal Muslim. If fact when I watched their behavior and the way they presented themselves, which obviously to those that aren't familiar with Islam one would think this is what Islam stood for. From no hijabs to partying like secular people, I had started seeing the unbelievable things being done. 

This got me thinking what is a Liberal as some said they believe in one way or Islam and another one said they believed in another way. However if we look at Quran, the book every Muslim adhered to as a book from Allah swt.  The ayat stands out quiet boldly
Surah 5 ayat 3
"..This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion."

And just to make it clearer another ayat
Surah 6 ayat 153
"This is my straight path, so follow it, and do not follow other paths, lest they scatter you from His Path. This He has enjoined upon you, that you keep from disobedience to Him in reverence for Him and piety to deserve His protection."

Now with just these two ayats I know that their is a straight path, and this straight path is the correct way Allah wants us to be on, this path is Islam. So with this throught in my mind I needed to find what exactly this path entailed. Was the liberal Islam the right and straight path or was it a path opposite to this?

First I want to give my observation on how I have seen Liberal Muslims that I have been in contact with. I believe the best detention for them and a simple one was they formed their thoughts and desires and moulded their ideas to say that this is Islam. For example they believe we should be more like others, to fit in and so others will see that we are similar to them. 

First this is the wrong way of thinking, to feel or believe you need to be like anyone else but what Allah has asked of you. So if we look at the example of hijab Allah has clearly asked us in Quran,

Surah 24 ayat 30-31
“Say to the believing men that: they should cast down their glances and guard their private parts (by being chaste). This is better for them.”

“Say to the believing women that: they should cast down their glances and guard their private parts (by being chaste) and not display their beauty except what is apparent, and they should place their khumur over their bosoms…"

Surah 33 ayat 59
"O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful."

So forming any ideas other then this is opposing Allah's command on us. But that's not it for us as Shias. We have more then this, as we also have sayings from our Imams AS in which one needs to look at as we believe they continued to teach what the Prophet Muhammad SAWA taught, and these teaching reflected what Allah swt ask from us. We really do not have any right to say we know better. Certainly anyone with a sound mind can clearly understand Allah, the One who created us, knows us better than we know ourselves.

Surah 50 ayat 16
"And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein"

With this beautiful ayat I will end this blog with saying that our souls can whisper to do what we desire but we need to oppose this when its conflicting with what we can clearly see in Quran. We can not conform to all those around us, these differences stand out and many will find truth because of our differences, I for one was that person. Don't feel the need to be like those around you, you don't answer to them on the day of judgement. Their way is not always the right way, we need to be careful not to go with our low desires and end up displeasing Allah.

For just one moment I want you to think, if others see you like them is there any reason for them to even look into our religion and see what it is all about? I tell you from experience that no they will not. They will treat you like all others and look right past the Islamic path, which I already established was the correct religion.

And to end now I want to just make a small note, it is perfectly fine to respect everyone as a human beings as our beloved Imam Ali AS said "People are of two types: they are either your brothers in faith or your equals in humanity."