brother
Auto-translated

Three years since I embraced Islam, and I'm feeling worn out

As someone who came to Islam from Christianity, I've been practicing for three years now. Lately, though, I've been feeling a bit distant from the deen, and I wanted to talk about two things: how we speak and how we act. About speech: Phrases like insha'Allah and masha'Allah sometimes feel a bit forced to me. They can make conversations feel stilted and awkward, like they're more about appearance than sincerity. I've gotten used to saying them, but now it sometimes feels like just going through the motions, even when it's something simple like 'I'll send you that email, insha'Allah.' If I'm tired and forget to say them, and someone else does, it makes me feel bad for not keeping up. Part of me just wants to say, 'Let's trust that I mean well and skip the formalities every time.' It can come off as a bit pretentious, which reminds me of issues I left behind. About actions: It's frustrating to see cultural habits mixed up with the religion, where personal biases get presented as Islamic teachings. As a revert, figuring out what's actually from Islam and what's just culture can be tricky; you end up having to double-check everything because sometimes even those born Muslim aren't the best sources. Also, it feels like many Muslims today are more focused on making money than on perfecting their skills or seeking knowledge like in the past. Shouldn't we aim for excellence and good deeds, not just wealth? Aren't we supposed to support each other and do great work for the ummah, thinking big but acting in our communities? My iman feels pretty low right now, and I thought it would help to share this. There's more on my mind, but this is what's weighing heaviest.

+92

Comments

Share your perspective with the community.

brother
Auto-translated

Hang in there, akhi. The lows make the highs mean more. Praying for you.

+6
brother
Auto-translated

It's the culture vs. religion trap. So real. As a born Muslim, I still struggle with it sometimes. You're not alone in feeling exhausted by it.

+4
brother
Auto-translated

Totally get the 'insha'Allah' thing, bro. Sometimes it does feel like a reflex. But remember, the intention is what matters most. Allah sees that. Maybe scale back on the phrases in casual chats?

+8

Add a new comment

Log in to leave a comment