دار محمد Daar Muhammed

Somewhere early on, this idea was instilled in us through what we saw, heard, and read: that there is a premade mould, and we need to fit into it. This mould was mostly good. Usually, it was built around tried and tested methods for living. Perhaps we can call it a societal “norm.” It provided something of a timeline to work around and brought a sense of order.

If the premade mould fits, if the temperature is right, then go for it.
By “temperature,” I mean the security a woman needs to be given: the elders are fair, rights are secure, and there is genuine interest and goodwill in the muslimah’s affairs.

However, if the mould exists to cripple your soul, make you dance to someone else’s music, and use you to their advantage, then we have a problem.

When fitting into the mould becomes your purpose in life, we have a problem—a problem that cannot be ignored. The true purpose is different. It is to live a worthy life: worthy in all the different ways Allah has offered us, worthy enough to make you a special slave when you stand before Him on the Great Day whether that fits the “perfect” mould of a corrupt society or not.

It does not make sense to try to fit into such a mould or to give your life and time to it.

At times, in the pursuit of living a worthy life, you may need to break the mould with your bare hands to rebel against the “norm” with all your heart, and to do so unapologetically. The issue is not small, because living for Allah transcends all defective societal expectations.

So yes, so long as remaining in place fulfils Allah’s purpose in placing you on this earth, remain. But when it begins to cause unnecessary disturbance, to the point that you lose the ability to serve Him properly, then flee.

(Photo by Optical Chemist)