The #postmodern spell that many who claim activism in the Muslim community have fallen under is no better displayed by the manner in which some "celebrity" actors attacked perceived power structures. In fact, nothing could be more post-modern than to see the world almost
exclusively through the lens of power. As a result, these self-proclaimed activists, who also attempt to claim Islamic orthodoxy and legitimacy, seek to supplant the very authoritarian power structures they claim to be fighting against with their own brand of authoritarianism:
inclusivity. One one hand they wail and gnash their nails and teeth over a variety of power structures such as #patriarchy, sexism, etc. Some even has even been some claim to truth in their observations but sadly their tactics are closer to slash and burn than to any discernable
strategy outside of "raging against the machine". This is partly due to the confusing nature of #postmodernity, which, as Leonard Hawes writes in his 1992 article, "Postmodernism and Power/Control", he states:
"[we live in] a world whose familiar systems and structures are changing at such a dizzying pace that obsolescence seems to be displacing history, style seems to be displacing memory".
Of course, as par for the course, the postmodern Muslim activist loathes history and anything that either came from it or was birthed in it. Their attempts at laying claim to Islamic legitimacy as constantly foiled (at least to those either in the know or those who give a damn
about Islamic orthodox morals, ethics, and beliefs) by the fact that they simultaneously detest the very tradition they claim to adhere to. The result is not only a Frankensteinian Islam (or rather, Muslim) but also, speaking purely from a practical point of view, ineffectual.
They seldom give Islam a chance to speak to them, advise them, or counsel them as to how one might best convince an opponent of the error of their ways and perhaps, most important of all, is this even pleasing to God.
It is this last point that is so troublesome in that the postmodern Muslim activist seems to be almost entirely impervious to Revelation, either woefully ignorant of its dictates or shamefully disregarding of it.
And if we're not asking ourselves, "how is this pleasing to God" or "perhaps this is DISpleasing to God", then how is our raison d'être for entering into politics or the public sphere going to be blessed let alone be sanctioned with Divine success?
