I am reading 'Islam and the Problems of the Youth'

I am reading

Islam and the Problems of the Youth by Imam Muhammad Sa'id Ramadan al-Buti, translated by Mahdi Lock. (Published by Nawa Books)

Why this book

Recently I found myself in situations where I was unable to comprehend certain actions and mannerisms of the youth. I picked up this book hoping to find some insight into the matter.

What this book is about

Shaykh Ramadan al-Buti lays it matter-of-factly that the problems of the youth are not problems that are connected to them insomuch as they are problems of the community that they live in. To him, “the youth are like a sensor that displays everything that is concealed in the community: the chaos, the confusion, and the disorder.” The shaykh then elaborates on this by expounding on the main issues: the problems in education and knowledge, the psychological struggle, as well as the social pitfalls. In the second part of the book, he lays out his proposed solutions.

My thoughts on it

I have never viewed the youth as a mirror of the community, and Shaykh Ramadan takes the bull by the horns and tells us – the “adults” most likely reading his book – that the problem is not the youth; it is us, all of us. WE are the problem and the youth are all our issues manifest.

The Shaykh also manages to succinctly explain why the youth people today are prone to doubt, confusion, and general loss of meaning, all of which are reflected in the numbers of depressed and/or narcissistic individuals we see in society today.

One Highlight (Quote)

“It is normal to find that most of these young people do not believe in anything, because nothing is the logical outcome of a constant struggle between two things.”