Seeking Advice About My Family's Lax Approach to Islam
As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. I've been staying with my family the last few days and it's become clear that their casual approach to our deen is really hard for me to accept. I could use some advice and perspective. JazakAllahu khayran in advance. Context: My parents never forced religion on us; if anything, they were too relaxed. We live in a middle-class American suburb with a large Muslim community. My mother (a revert) and I are the only ones who wear hijab. My siblings (all 25+) went to Islamic school, so they have some basic knowledge. My father has a religious background culturally and educationally, but his lenient attitude has let a lot slide. Examples: Sister #2: - Drinks alcohol and talks about it casually. - Bought cereal with pork gelatin and tried to give it to our nieces and nephews; when I pointed it out she joked it wasn’t the same as “real pork” and wanted to eat in peace. - Lets her daughter celebrate Halloween. - Dates casually and shares details about relationships with her child. Sister #3: - Uses weed frequently. - Recently divorced her husband (who’s in the music scene). - Spent a weekend at a man’s apartment out of state after just meeting him because she said she’s “interested in marrying him.” Sister #1: - Visited a psychic twice in two years. - Openly criticizes Islam on things like gender roles and qadr. - Her kids celebrate Halloween, yet she still sends them to Islamic school sometimes, which confuses me. Father: - Largely enabled all this by not guiding or correcting them. - Recently told me I could go out without my hijab because it was nighttime and “no one would see,” which felt like a misunderstanding of hijab’s purpose. Family friend (like a fifth sister): - Supports LGBT issues and transitioning. - Identifies as a hijabi radical feminist/Marxist. - Can be passive-aggressive when I talk about my husband or don’t join in criticizing men. I’m not sure whether they recognize some of these actions as sinful or if they think it’s acceptable. I don’t want to judge anyone’s testing before Allah, and I try to make dua and gently remind them, but it’s painful that many of these things are done openly and even admitted. I hope I don’t sound overly judgmental, but this all feels so wrong to me. I see consequences in their messy lives that I believe stem from neglecting Allah SWT. Their apparent inability or unwillingness to change really upsets me. I’ve tried soft reminders and letting things be, but their openness makes it hard. Am I being gentle enough? I have a good relationship with them - should I call a family meeting or speak to each person individually? Any practical advice on speaking kindly but firmly, setting boundaries, and protecting my own iman would be so helpful. JazakAllahu khayran for any guidance and duas.