"They Said I Shouldn't go to that Masjid" What's pushing Young People and New Shahaddhs Away?

So we're in the shop.... I'm cutting the Imams hair and also lightening some locs for one of my clients. We're having a conversation about why the Young people don't come out to the masjid when I just happened to remember that sister who's hair I was doing was also Muslim and young, so I said well ask her. She'll tell you.
This was a great conversation because if you ever want to know exactly what you're missing or what your audience needs, all you have to do is ask them. Instead, we judge. We look at their exterior and point fingers at what they aren't doing correctly instead of just simply asking them, "how can I help you get to your goals?" We assume that people know, but if no one ever teaches them correctly then how could they know?
#barbershopconversations

[@defrocker0569]

This is a great video, but one of the problems that I see, is that the sister and many youth of today, have a difficult time of articulation. This can be problematic if she can't express herself and may find even the minor things of Islam hard to understand. This stems from the lack of organic social communication.

[@MrResearcher122]

Lack of reading and standard English. Although some people can speak wisely in Ebonics or dialects, it helps if you have some standard diction when it comes to learned topics.

[@TheCastedone]

Education

[@sunnaharoma5517]

I appreciate the sista and the cameraman being honest here, the way a lot of these Imams teaching ain't working they wanna put you in a box and force you to think the way they think. No bring the message down to thier level, meet them where they are, and don't try to strong arm them to view things your way. This is how you run people away

[@saeedm3005]

Are they asking the Imam to dump down islam? Education is the cornerstone to a successful and prosperous community. Recent studies show that america is not living up to its potential, and there is a deliberate attempt to dumb downdown america. The Masjids must become institutions of higher learning and not institutions that reflect the weaknesses of our society

[@TheCastedone]

This is how the Prophet taught

[@justicek.foster2160]

I stopped going because it felt like a lot of pressure without enough explanations on why this pressure should be taken.. God got me, I ain't giving up I'm just not giving in

[@canecat1]

She’s too new and raw to even answer these questions. Words like sallafi don’t even need to be mentioned with people this raw. Just teach with love, patience, care, and Halim❤. Other stuff will fall into place 🤷🏽‍♂️. Bombarding people with words they don’t understand like salafi when these new babies probably can’t recite tashihud or make proper wudu will push them away. Engage more younger people and women to help with new shahadas to bridge the generational gap

[@abduljaleelwilliamson679]

Wow I never went to school and told the teacher that you need to learn how to teach me because my lack of understanding and knowledge, while this teacher has been enlightening students for years and the years add up to decades and the former students some of them are now teachers, but after a decade of teaching and improvising and developing strategies to make sure that the students learn the correct knowledge coupled with the correct methodology.

[@theantracist]

Y'all need to put the names of these Imams and prominent members of your community in the descriptions. That way one can analyze their words and character outside of this one conversation.

[@klindsay4450]

Wow. ! I’m very sad for the young sister.

[@MrJamalrice]

I would love to hear this in a podcast format… or update this to a podcast website

[@rustigjazz]

Love these convo's keep it up ❤👍 baarik allah feekum

[@Meandeath]

From Sénégal I'm watching you sheikh

[@defrocker0569]

The so-called salafi movement used to be huge here in Newark and spread to other cities, such as East Orange, but due to some disagreements with leadership, people broke up and started their own masajid or went to an existing masjid that is not under the "salafi" methodology. There are Muslims, nowadays that have one leg in the salafi school and the other leg out or the hip-hop Muslims and some got knowledge of self, leaving the "Toby" Muhammed mentality behind. Basically, the salafi "movement" is at it's demise.

[@defrocker0569]

@@NorthPhilly-zr7xc I would say that it can, because of the type of music that is played. Most of today's rap music, is on a low frequency range, which can detrimental to your psyche. You may have disgust for a song but after continuing listening to it, you get to like it. I'm an old school brother, like imam Amin and like he said, there were artists that put out conscious rap, although there were negative songs out, but it was balanced back in the 80's and 90's, therefore the window was wide to choose from. In the late 80's and 90's, you were frowned upon if you didn't have some sort of knowledge of self. This generation, that's thrown out the window.

[@defrocker0569]

@@NorthPhilly-zr7xcIn my opinion, the demise of good R&B and rap, was done by design to keep people ignorant with this degenerative stuff, unfortunately, too many of our people that are in the industry have sold out just for the bag$. Now there is a generation of so-called rappers were life imitates art, trying to be a thug and do music.

[@MuBuckets2012]

@@NorthPhilly-zr7xc yea most definitely

[@defrocker0569]

@@NorthPhilly-zr7xc I noticed the change around '99, but I can't lie, I did listen to groups, such as, Mobb Deep and the likes. R&B have gotten ridiculous. Some of the lyrics are explicit and it doesn't leave much to the imagination of the listener.

[@keithgerald9707]

Lol he wasn’t trying hear her lol.

[@adnanabdurrahman419]

You have to stay consistant with your learning. Belief is first understanding comes next and so on and so on...

[@Bobbyrasuli]

Ahh okay. The ahk said tassawuf we are on the same page. Check out Shaykh Ibrahim Osi Efa the journey of the soul. It’s one of the best speeches ever by the Shaykh

[@Bobbyrasuli]

“The Souls Journey After Death” by Shaykh Ibrahim Osi-Efa. It will blow your mind ahk!

[@abidahtheus2954]

This is sad and a problem the Masjids have to do more structured classes

[@ericpowell4350]

Bingo

[@ttokworld]

Assalamu alaykum why is the Muslim communities voice on social media. Shouldn't it be discussed in the masjid or through community gathering. I don't get it.

[@talentedmrcj]

Walaikum Salaam If the muslims are all on social media…. And not attending the masajid as much… then why wouldn’t the Communities be on social media giving dawah in order to call people to Islam?

[@Shaiyino.thebraveone]

Islam is confusing because why in order to understand it’s gotta be like the game of telephone “ no disrespect “ but why do ppl have to learn from another person and everyone isn’t such learning the same thing the same way.

[@MaseerAli]

I can see your confusion. But the reason why is because Islam is to be lived and practiced. And to learn how to live, practice and experience Islam, you need a teacher. Books are useful and you should read them, however having a teacher who loves Islam is extremely important because they can teach you how to live Islam and how to use that book to assist you.

[@Shaiyino.thebraveone]

@@MaseerAli but the confusion comes from the different teachings

[@MaseerAli]

@@Shaiyino.thebraveone When you say different teachings what do you mean? Do you mean in practice, beliefs, both, or other things as well?

[@Shaiyino.thebraveone]

@@MaseerAli the practice

[@MaseerAli]

So for practice, I assume you mean fiqh. The thing to understand is that among Muslims, the majority of things we do or the majority of our fiqh is the same. However you do have differences of opinions among the muslims. The reason/wisdom behind that is the differences of opinion is as a mercy for us muslims.

[@hakeemandrews8475]

Giving dawah is very important Allah as not granted everyone with dawah however to be honest this is not a healthy conversation for a person who is trying to understand Islam more importantly Muslims she not even interested in the conversation look at her postion

[@kevinhoyle8367]

We're just full of crap at the end of the day