The latest rise of identitarian ideologies across the world is profoundly disturbing. In several political and religious contexts, people construct a false ‘Us versus Them’ binary based upon their group identity. They show reflexive hostility to the out-groups, even if they have nothing personally against them as individuals, and they demand neutral by-standers choose their side or become the enemy themselves. You can only be with them or against them. Identitarianism naturally produces bigotry and xenophobia, the fear and hatred of different identities. In its most extreme form, the identitarian considers the mere existence of other identities a threat to their own, which results in the logic of violence, genocide, and ethnic cleansing to make the State or Culture pure again. The basic dynamic works the same in any country and specifically at the two far-end poles of the political spectrum.
In the time of the Prophet (s), this spiritual disease was known as tribalism or party-spirit (‘asabiyyah). The great manifestations of 21st century bigotry are rooted in this same primal human tendency, including some who work under the cover of Islam. The Prophet (s) disavowed Muslims in the strongest terms who adhere to ‘asabiyyah, because by definition tribalists are oppressing out-groups or are at the very least indifferent to their suffering. Rather, Islam is based upon the principle of universal justice and our loyalty to justice must take precedence before our loyalty to people.
I have thought long and hard about how to best respond to identitarian discourses. The friend/enemy construct is so viscerally powerful that it trumps rationality (pun-intended) and good faith debate, as if their hearts were as hard as stone. They are close-minded and insular, all the more protected from opposing views by retreating to the comforting echo chambers of social media. Reasoned debate has its place in all this but, more importantly, these people need their hearts softened. They need to be exposed to other people’s stories. Their fear and anger must be met with calm and forbearance. We need to humanize for them every human being, for if they can see a reflection of their own humanity in their alleged enemy, they will be less likely to wrong them. May Allah guide them and us.
ليست هناك تعليقات:
إرسال تعليق