Today we live in a reality that embodies the dominance of a single language and openness to globalization. We are exposed to a powerful and capable media machine. We are in the midst of giant global companies spread across most capitals, which work together, intentionally or unintentionally, to obliterate the national civilizational identity and cultural particularity of societies. If a group of young people of different nationalities stood in a single line and we looked at them from behind without seeing their faces; It will often be difficult for an observer to distinguish their nationalities. The Indian will look like the Chinese, the Arab, and the Italian. They all wear the same pants from one brand, and they wear shirts from other brands that are fashionable. Even their hairstyles may look similar. If you ask them about their interests and which celebrities they like, their answers will often be the same. We discover that they eat at the same international fast-food restaurants, spend their time on their mobile phones, play the same game, and watch the same series. We might even find that they all speak English, support the same football player, and listen to the same band. If only it were just about appearances without affecting values and morals. To what extent do we need to protect national and cultural identity and promote a correct understanding of citizenship?
What distinguishes human societies is their cultural identities, which are connected to their civilizational roots and are formed from a set of values, affiliations, and loyalties. These identities are supposed to appear in the behavior of their people, their food, arts, clothing, buildings, and all aspects of daily life. Protecting national cultural identity from the overwhelming current of globalization is a matter of great concern. If we follow a path of prohibition and isolation from the world and distancing ourselves from foreign cultures, we fear that it will lead us to stagnation and backwardness. If we let things slide, continuous exposure to such currents will lead to the distortion and dissolution of national identity and the disappearance of values. Over time, we fear that the roots of connection with the civilizations that constitute this identity will be severed. So, what is the way between prohibition and openness?
According to these data, there seems to be an urgent need to establish the rules and components of citizenship that distinguish cultural identity in a way that ensures the conscious reception of human contributions coming from other cultures, while preserving the national heritage and adhering to the civilizational origin so that our children will be stronger and more resilient, like the authentic palm tree whose roots are firmly planted and which no matter how strong the current may be, can sweep away. To meet this need, let us study more deeply the basic components of citizenship in the child’s personality, which is a collective responsibility shared by the family, the school and society.
To begin with, we must distinguish between the feeling of patriotism and understanding the true meaning of citizenship. Love of one's homeland, the feeling of longing for it, and the defense of it are instinctive feelings in an individual towards the land where he was born, where he spent stages of his life, and where he has some memories. Perhaps some creatures share this feeling with us. Plants are very difficult to cultivate and obtain the same quality of their fruits outside their native land, and migratory birds do not build nests in foreign lands. Love of the land is an innate feeling, and staying in one's homeland and being safe in it is a great blessing. Being forced to migrate is one of the great trials and tribulations that a person faces. When the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, migrated, he looked at Mecca and said, “How good a land you are! You are the most beloved of God’s lands to me, and were it not that your people expelled me from you, I would not have left.” The Arabs of old said, “Elephants in their dreams see India, and camels, despite their hard hearts, yearn for their homeland.”
Citizenship, on the other hand, is the relationship that binds an individual to their homeland, defined by its two pillars: rights and duties. These pillars shape loyalty and belonging. Citizenship is a kind of agreement between the individual and their homeland, whereby the homeland guarantees the citizen rights such as the preservation of religion, security, protection, and education, among others. It also obligates the citizen to certain duties, such as defending religion and the homeland, participating in its development, and preserving its resources, etc. Therefore, achieving national education requires more than just focusing on formalities and reciting slogans and anthems, however appealing they may be. There are essential elements that must be fully developed for citizenship to be realized. These can be explained to the child through real-life situations, stories, and discussion sessions. Thus, these foundations must be established in early childhood, and they are:
- Firstly : The rights and duties of the citizen, which the Islamic religion has outlined for us and defined the framework of the relationship between the citizen and his homeland, to introduce them to the child, talk to him about them, and invite him to think about them, so that each of them understands his rights and his obligations, as the Almighty said: {O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you} [An-Nisa: 59]
- Second : Strengthening the national identity in the child and making him proud of his origins through his appreciation of himself and his community, and pride and honor in his identity that appears in clothing and food, while clarifying its cultural and civilizational dimension.
- Third : Belonging to the community and getting to know its customs and traditions. We begin by introducing the child to his primary affiliations, which begin with the small family, then the extended family, then the community… reaching language and religion, and then extending the roots of the connection with the beliefs and cultural components on which the traditions of the community are built.
- Fourth : Social responsibility in supporting the child’s personality. We start by assigning him small responsibilities at home, then introducing him to the meaning of social responsibility through behaviors such as preserving the nation’s resources and wealth, such as water and electricity, so that he may be a responsible, capable, and empowered person in the future.
- Fifth : Coexistence and ethics of dealing with others, where we teach the child how to adopt Islamic morals, and we teach him the benefits of adhering to all limits, laws and regulations that guarantee a just life for him and for others.
- Sixth : Community participation by teaching the child the necessity of contributing to the building and development of the nation, and that the individual’s advancement is linked to the advancement of his nation, and participation in charitable and voluntary work, and that it is the least we can offer to the land on which we lived and enjoyed its bounty.
Finally, every concept in life has a kind of upbringing if the educator takes care of it and reaches his goal. With regard to conscious national education: if the child is raised on the foundations of citizenship, understands it, practices it, and sees influential role models in society who represent it, and knows its connection to Arabism and Islam, which form the civilizational dimensions and established roots of behavior, then without a doubt, and God willing, he will have a clear understanding of the correct meaning of citizenship and how a good citizen will be, and he will be protected from the consequences of exposure to strange global currents that do not conform to his patriotism.
I ask God Almighty to protect our children and make them righteous, and to help us and guide our steps towards good. I also ask Him to strengthen and protect our homeland and all Muslim homelands.
Amen, O Lord of the Worlds.