A Gallup poll towards the end of 2022 indicated that a broad-based trend of declining attendance to places of worship in America is taking place. This trend, coupled with the challenges of employment and social isolation can make Muslims susceptible to becoming part of this statistic.To avoid this, Muslims need to continue prioritizing spiritual needs and engage in activities that promote community Islamic engagement. This will provide numerous benefits. For example, regular attendance to the Musjid, participation in community service and volunteer activities while seeking out opportunities for connection with other Muslims will help to build strong bonds within the community, help gain a deeper understanding of our religion and its practices while building and developing a sense of purpose and fulfillment to self and others.

Failing to prioritize our spiritual needs will have devastating consequences, including social and spiritual isolation. As an example, consider a recent funeral where only the Imaam and the deceased were in attendance. The children mentioned that they were no longer practicing Islam, yet they wanted to honor the father’s wish to be buried as a Muslim so that his wealth could be distributed accordingly. Sadly, this is not an isolated incident, highlighting the risk of losing touch with faith and community. As Muslims, we have a purpose on earth, and part of this purpose is to not let go of understanding this purpose and continue finding ways to make our purpose be our driving force to connect with what Allah (SWT) and what is expected of us. 

Allah Certainly Knows Best.