The Socialization of Muslim Children in America

Abstract

Introduction Within the social and behavioral sciences, the study of socialization has occupied a central position. A commonly accepted definition that has been offered by Brim describes socialization as "the process by which individuals acquire the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that enable them to participate as more or less effective members of groups and the societym1 Thus, socializaton is a prooess that begins at birth and extends thmughout the course of an individual's life. For the Muslim, this acquisition of knowledge, skills and dispositions must be a process guided by the Qur'an and Sunnah. The knowledge of Allah's will and the laws and patterns of His creation represent, in essence, all that can be known. The Qur'an is the guidebook in the quest for knowledge while the skills and dispositions needed by the Muslims are reflected in the life of Prophet Muhammad (SAAS). His Hadith and Sunnah provide the Muslim with a realistic conat within which to apply abilities and attitudes in an Islamic manner. It is doubtful that any Muslim would question the relevance of the Qur'an and Sunnah to the socialization process. However, when this processes takes place within a non-Muslim society like America, the complexity of their application becomes an issue that requires considerable attention. This paper will seek to address this complexity by suggesting a conceptual framework for examining the socialization of Muslim children in America. First of all, it will contrast Islamic and Western perspectives on socialization. Secondly, in an effort to "Islamize" our thmking about socialization, it will offer a clefinition of successful Muslim socialization. Thirdly, the paper will contrast the Islamic and Western world-views and discuss their implications for the socialization of minority status groups in America. Finally, the paper will suggest elements of a conceptual framework that can be used to study the socialization of Muslim children in America. In sha'a Allah, this effort will serve as a stimulus for those who wish to systematically study Muslim socialization in the American context. Western Perspectives on Socialization Levine has suggested that three different perspectives on the socialization process have dominated Western behavioral science theory and research, each reflecting a specific disciplinary orientation. Cultural anthropology sees socialization as enculturation or the intergenerational transmission of culture. This point of view sees the child as essentially a blank slate (tabula rasa), or as an organism that acquires culture by being immersed in it. The enculturation perspective, in its more sophisticated form also recognizes the role of cognitive processes in socialization. The desired outcome seems to be an individual who has absorbed the culture in which he has been raised ...