Lack of Personal Choice
 

Once born a Muslim, he or she lives and dies a Muslim. To break away openly, means trouble that may eventually lead to certain death. People become household property, like the serf of the Medieval Ages who was bound to the land. Such a person did not have the option or the means to break away and liberate himself. He accepted his fate and succumbed to the will of his lord. So is a Muslim. He is bound by his religious law to seek the association of his own fellowmen. He is prompted to distance himself from unbelievers. Where he has the upper hand as a migrant, he criticizes publicly the practices of other non-Islamic cultures as objectionable. Collectively, Muslim communities abroad bide their time until their community becomes large, powerful and influential. Then they start to lobby to supplant certain civil codes with Islamic laws, such as the use of the Islamic style headscarf (a distinct head covering for women), refraining Muslim females from participating in certain sports activities in school and public gatherings and swim in seclusion in swimming pools exclusive to females. Such laws suppress Muslim individuals from independent thinking. Individual Muslims do not express their personal opinion openly for fear of reprisal. They lack the freedom of choice to decide and perform according to their own free will (Hiro, 1989: pp 45, 193; Aburish, 1994: p 75). When asked, they put on a brave face and deny all charges as malicious lies. They insist that they lead a free and prosperous life.

 

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