When Religiosity is Shaped by Social Identity

“And ˹remember˺ when you said, 'O Moses! We cannot endure the same meal ˹every day˺. So ˹just˺ call upon your Lord on our behalf, He will bring forth for us some of what the earth produces of herbs, cucumbers, garlic, lentils, and onions.' Moses scolded ˹them˺, 'Would you exchange what is better for what is worse?'” (2:61).

This verse contains a clear indication of the doctrinal transgression committed by the people of Moses (peace be upon him). It marks a decisive boundary between gratitude and disbelief, and between faith and disobedience. One may ask: What was wrong with their request for ordinary food that grows from the earth?

The issue was not the request itself, but the hearts from which that request arose. Anyone who reflects on the verse will notice that their question is immediately followed by humiliation and misery being cast upon them, and by the anger of Allah (swt) descending upon them, as Allah says afterward: “Humiliation and misery were stamped upon them” (2:61).

Allah (swt) had elevated their rank through faith, and He had blessed them with miracles beyond the natural order: clouds that shaded them, manna and quails sent down to them, and water that gushed forth from rock. Yet, they met these blessings with boredom and impatience. This revealed a lack of proper regard for the grace of The Most Generous Lord, and a disregard for the message and the signs, for their hearts had absorbed the habits to which they were accustomed — habits they saw as the basis of their comfort, security, and happiness. This is what Moses referred to when he said: “Would you exchange what is better for what is worse?”

Finding comfort in worldly life — even with humiliation — and desiring any form of life, even if it comes with misery, leaves no room for dignity, nor for striving toward high ranks, nor for establishing justice and righteousness, nor for seeking the pleasure of Allah. Their preference for what was familiar and habitual became the standard by which they judged religion. The issue is that their understanding of religion became shaped by familiarity and routine, arising from social and political contexts.

At this stage, social identity becomes the foundation and the priority, while religious identity dissolves into this social identity and is reshaped within its framework, and is formed according to its interactions, pressures, and standards. Thus, when a person belongs first and foremost to their social identity, they view religion through its lens and use it to pursue the gains defined by society, rather than those intended by Allah.

As a result, this social identity becomes the primary reference for understanding the human being and constructing the reality that determines an individual’s behavior, role, and status. Within this framework, religion itself is reinterpreted, leading to a reordering of priorities.

Furthermore, within materialistic ideology, the individual is compelled to seek the form of happiness defined by society. Society thus becomes the center of meaning and the producer of value, rather than value being what governs society. Religious scholars no longer guide, direct, or interpret human behavior and life to preserve morality; instead, morality becomes relative, shaped by the influence of psychologists, sociologists, and the media in a broad and comprehensive manner.

Submission to social identity — often an unconscious process — means one’s religiosity becomes shaped through that identity. This submission takes several paths, one of the most prominent of which is viewing religion itself as a restriction. Thus, religious individuals begin to treat religion as a burden that limits their existence and freedom, and so they strive to resist this “restriction” in order to assert themselves, similar to how some minorities resist the constraints of racism.

At this point, some Muslims categorize themselves among minorities preoccupied with securing civil rights, and nothing remains of Islam for them, except a cultural shell and an outward image. They reinterpret religion in ways that align it with the lifestyle they prefer, in an attempt to address their own challenges.

The greatest calamity among such people is the confusion of priorities. You find some of them assuming the forefront of da‘wah, claiming to represent Muslims, striving and struggling in that path, yet unable to perform prayer properly. Their condition resembles that of the people of Moses (peace be upon him), who interpreted their reality only through its material appearance, excluding the divine presence. For when Moses (peace be upon him) said to them: “Seek Allah’s help and be patient. Indeed, the earth belongs to Allah ˹alone.˺ He grants it to whomever He chooses of His servants. The ultimate outcome belongs ˹only˺ to the righteous” (7:128), their only response was: “We have been harmed before you came to us and after you have come to us” (7:129).

A second path is becoming accustomed to the materialistic social lifestyle until the heart absorbs it, and it becomes the absolute truth — beyond which no truth exists. In this person’s view, the “truth” imposed by society becomes the source of safety, happiness, and self-fulfillment. Among such examples is what we observe in certain strands of the feminist movement under the banner of “women’s empowerment,” where scriptural texts are reinterpreted to justify aims that serve specific feminist causes, such as “absolute equality.” This constitutes a distortion of the words of the scripture from their proper context!

After detailing the deviations of the Children of Israel in Surat al-Baqarah, Allah then instructs the believers to enter into Islam wholeheartedly. In our present reality, entering into Islam completely involves takhliyah (purification) first, followed by taḥliyah (adornment).

As for takhliyah: it refers to confronting the phenomenon of emptying religion of its essence and reshaping it to conform to a materialistic social lifestyle, such that religious identity becomes diminished in the face of social identity. One example of this is the attempt to present Islam solely as a religion of love, harmony, and kindness, while neglecting other essential dimensions such as striving, establishing justice, and reform.

As for taḥliyah, it requires restoring correct priorities and reviving the spirit of religion through two elements:

1. Cultivating within the heart and soul the conviction that real honor is found only with Allah, as He says: “Do they seek with them honor [through power]? But indeed, honor belongs to Allah entirely” (4:139).

2. Submission and commitment to the characteristics of the Quran, foremost of which is that the Quran is the root of all roots: it judges everything else, serves as the criterion of truth, and weighs all matters.

Do people shaped only by social identity not reflect upon the words of Allah?

Where are they with respect to His saying: “And do not crave what Allah has given some of you over others. Men will be rewarded according to their deeds and women ˹equally˺ according to theirs. Rather, ask Allah for His bounties. Surely Allah has ˹perfect˺ knowledge of all things” (4:32). And His saying: “If good touches you, it distresses them; but if harm strikes you, they rejoice at it. And if you are patient and fear Allah, their plot will not harm you at all. Indeed, Allah is encompassing of what they do” (3:120). And His saying: “Whoever holds firmly to Allah has indeed been guided to a straight path” (3:101).

Where are they from these noble verses that lay down the foundations of identity and the foundations of building an identity grounded in divine guidance?

Rebuilding identity according to the divine structure is achieved by internalizing the foundational pillar of divine identity: the concept of the Qiblah, which distinguishes this community from all others. Allah says: “And thus We have made you a just (middle) community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you. And We did not make the qiblah which you used to face except that We might make evident who would follow the Messenger from who would turn back on his heels” (2:143).

Thus, we say: one must internalize this foundational pillar of divine identity — the concept of the Qiblah, that distinguishes this community — together with its requirements: sincerity in orientation, honor through Allah, and steadfast adherence to Him. All of this is established through the structure of prayer.

Whoever is negligent in establishing prayer according to Allah’s command has taken the path of betraying the trust; and whoever betrays the trust has betrayed Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), 'O believers! Do not betray Allah and the Messenger, nor betray your trusts knowingly'” (8:27).