By Alhaji Brother Wusha

As societies grapple with cultural change, digital disruption, youth disobedience and religious tensions, blaming Islam for the world’s problems risks distracting us from deeper questions about family responsibility, technological influence, social cohesion and the implications of human rights.

In an increasingly interconnected world, where information travels across borders in seconds and technology shapes the attitudes of our younger generations, one question deserves serious consideration: Why is Islam so often blamed for problems whose causes are far more complex than religion alone?

From social unrest and the breakdown of family relationships to the growing influence of digital technology, societies are confronting challenges that demand honest reflection. Yet, whenever violence or disorder involves someone identified as Muslim, the spotlight frequently shifts from the individual’s actions to Islam itself. The religion becomes the defendant, its followers become suspects.

This tendency is neither logically sound nor encouraging to peaceful coexistence. If we are serious about understanding the world’s problems, we must be prepared to examine the influence of modern human rights culture, the misuse of technology, the weakening of family relationships and the growing tension between individual freedoms and collective responsibilities.

The purpose of this article is not to dismiss legitimate concerns about religious extremism; it is to insist that we examine every relevant cause fairly rather than use Islam as a convenient explanation for society’s failures. On sectarian conflict and the abuse of religious power, Muslims who belong to various Islamic sects experience persecution, discrimination, and violence at the hands of their fellow Muslims, often more severely than individuals of other religions do.

Individual Actions Versus Religious Teaching

One of the most persistent mistakes in public debate is the assumption that the actions of individuals necessarily represent the teachings of the religion to which they belong.

Islam, like Christianity and other major religious traditions, contains teachings about moral conduct, justice, compassion, personal responsibility and accountability before Allah/God. The Holy Qur’an places considerable emphasis on justice, kindness to parents, respect for human life and the rejection of wrongdoing.

In Surah An-Nisa 4:135, Muslims are instructed to uphold justice, even when doing so is against their own interests or those of their relatives. Surah Al-Isra 17:23 commands believers to worship Allah alone and to treat their parents with kindness.

These teachings provide a moral framework against which the conduct of believers can be examined. They do not, however, guarantee that every person who identifies as Muslim will live according to the teachings of the verse. As in every religious community, there are people who uphold their faith’s ethical principles and others who fail to do so.

The same difference must apply when discussing Christianity, Judaism and other belief systems. A crime committed by a Christian does not automatically become evidence that Christianity endorses crime. Equally, the misconduct of an individual Muslim should not automatically be presented as proof that Islam is responsible.

Criticism of religious teachings is legitimate. So is scrutiny of religious institutions and those who claim to speak on behalf of a faith. However, criticism must be evidence-based and must distinguish between doctrine, interpretation and individual behaviour.

If we want justice, we must judge people by their actions and examine religious claims on their actual merits, not by tags.

Rights, Responsibilities and the Rule of Law

Human rights are among the most important achievements of modern international society. They protect people from arbitrary detention, torture, discrimination and abuse. They safeguard freedom of conscience, expression and religious belief. These protections are particularly important for children, vulnerable people and those whose voices are often overlooked.

However, a serious debate is needed about how rights are understood, taught and exercised in everyday life.

Too often, public discussions present rights and responsibilities as though they are competing ideas. In reality, a healthy society needs both. A person’s freedom must be respected, but that freedom does not give them permission to violate another person’s rights, destroy public property, intimidate their neighbours or attack places of worship, especially the church and the mosque.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognises both the rights of individuals and the importance of duties to the community. Article 29 acknowledges that everyone has responsibilities to the community in which their personality can develop freely and fully.

This is an important principle: freedom must coexist with accountability.

Yet it would be a mistake to conclude that human rights laws themselves are responsible for social disorder. Human rights protections are not a licence for lawlessness, and they do not prevent authorities from responding lawfully to violence. Rather, problems arise when rights are misunderstood, when responsibilities are neglected, or when authorities apply the law inconsistently.

The answer is not to abandon human rights but to promote a more complete understanding of them, one that recognises individual dignity alongside respect for others, civic duty and the rule of law.

A society that teaches its citizens only what they are entitled to receive, without teaching them what they owe to others, risks creating an imbalance. However, a society that emphasises obedience without protecting individuals from abuse risks an equally serious injustice.

Family, Faith and the Generational Divide

The family is one of the first institutions in which children learn values, discipline, empathy and respect for others. Parents and guardians have a profound responsibility to prepare their children for life, and children need guidance, boundaries and opportunities to develop sound judgement.

Islam places considerable emphasis on kindness and respect towards parents. Christianity likewise teaches children to honour their parents, while also calling parents to act with love and care. These principles should encourage societies to reflect on how family relationships are changing.

Across many households, parents report difficulties in communicating with children who are growing up in a world shaped by social media, online celebrities, digital entertainment and competing cultural messages. Some young people may become dismissive of parental advice, while some parents struggle to understand the pressures their children face.

It is tempting to attribute these changes entirely to western culture or human rights education. Generational conflict is influenced by many factors, including economic hardship, inconsistent parenting, peer pressure, changing social expectations, online apps and the quality of education.

Children also have rights that must be respected. Protecting children from violence, exploitation and neglect is not an attack on parental authority. It is an essential part of responsible parenting and a just society.

The real question is how families can preserve respect and discipline while ensuring that children are safe, heard and treated fairly.

Parents should not have to choose between protecting their authority and respecting their children’s dignity. Both can exist together.

Religious institutions, schools, community leaders and governments should therefore work together to help parents navigate this changing environment. The objective should be to build stronger families, not to create a conflict between generations or portray children as enemies of their parents, as we sometimes see framed in western human rights discourse.

To be continued.