Got Ummah?

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In May of 2011, Sister Jann McClary and her husband Tariq moved from the Washington DC metropolitan area to establish a new home in the mountains of Colorado, building it from the ground up as part of their plan to become free of the spiritual and physical stress of modern urban life. Sister Jann is documenting her experiences for the Muslim Link. See her earlier installments at www.muslimlinkpaper.com by searching for “Running for the Hills”. Make sure you select “Exact Phrase” in the search options. – TML


 

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“There is not a moving (living) creature on earth, nor a bird that flies with its two wings, but are communities like you. We have neglected nothing in the Book, then unto their Lord they (all) shall be gathered.” (Surat ul An'aam: Ayat 38). Every creature Allah subhana wa ta'ala has made is part of an ummah, some closer knit than others. Even those who appear solitary, like bears or mountain lions are part of the community of others like themselves who travel about an area. There are still hierarchies, adaab and rules of engagement to be observed. Allah's four- and multi-legged creations have it down pretty well. It's the two-leggeds who need reminding.


What comes to mind when you think of community? All the 2.5 billion Muslims on the planet? The Muslims in your town? At your masjid? The people in your development?  Correct answer: All of the above. An ummah can be as large as an entire population, or as small as just a few folks. The main point is people working together toward common goals to benefit the welfare of all. Sound good? Sound like a commune? It's not. It's community. But it's not folks happily skipping into the sunset. It's not everybody selflessly sharing everything all the time. And it is often not everybody being on the same page at the same time. But it is a big part of Islam, and the benefits of working toward establishing community far surpass the frustrations of trying to get there. You think the ansaar and muhaajireen were always huggy-huggy? Don't you think that third foot called nafs sometimes tripped them up too? They were human, but they also had the best example of how to build community leading them and living among them: Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).Because we don't have him among us, we have to utilize the many examples he left behind. But still, trying to get folks out here, Muslim or not, into a community-state-of-mind is proving challenging.


Two things we've observed since coming to Colorado that pretty much take the wind out of the sails of community are 40 acres and a leave-me-be attitude. The leave-me-be folks aren't necessarily rude or unsociable, mind you. They'll be right gracious in inviting you in to sit a spell. But when your glass of sweet tea is finished it's just about understood that the visit should be ending shortly thereafter. We've come to understand that folks purchase 40 acres for a reason. Privacy and space. That much acreage just about ensures that neighbors won't be peering into your yard or hearing conversations you'd prefer to keep private. But it also ensures that you're disconnected from your neighbor. You don't see them, they don't see  you, out of sight out of mind. Then again, cozying up in a townhouse or apartment building doesn't guarantee a tight-knit community either.  Many city dwellers have lived on the same street for years and only known their neighbors on a wave-at-them-as-you-back-out-of-your-driveway basis.


What is this phenomenon about? It's about being removed, emotionally and physically, from a time when people lived together in extended families, members of a whole clan living in close proximity to each other, and that engendered a sense of community, sense of jamaat.  Somehow, that didn't translate well when people started coming to America. With a few exceptions, for the most part folks looked to getting their own hunk of land to homestead for themselves, or their own slice of metropolitan pie.  Parents nowadays routinely boot their grown kids out of the house to start their own lives, apart from family. And you know the shaytaan loves this because it's one of many subtle ways to break up families. Together, a family is strong. Separated, shaytaan can pick them off like so many unwary sheep.


So, while we have our own modest acreage, we're hoping to establish a small Muslim community here.  So far, so challenging.  The intention was to invite two or three Muslim families to come live on the property, build their own place and homestead with us. It would be a way to free a Muslim from the economic binds of living in the city. Well, we've approached some Muslims we know and trust, and it seems too many Muslims are so used to city life that they can't imagine another kind of living where “Ya Allah, I've got to set up and maintain my own amenities?! My water, my heat, my lights? You mean I've got to-ack!-grow my own food?!” Well, yeah, that's the plan.


When you do these things for yourself you appreciate Allah subhana wa ta'ala's provision and bounty. You develop new skills and confidence. And you get rid of that spare tire around your middle.   And when you can do these things in conjunction with other like-minded people you begin to foster community. Why do you think Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) bought the muhajireen to the ansaar? To have them begin to work with each other, share, cooperate, learn from and strengthen each other and thereby, Islam. Look at your own communities. See how you've all come together to organize, establish and share in the barakaat of the Eid prayer?  That takes community. May Allah help us establish a good one here, too.

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