Imam Luqman Ahmad Mosque Without Borders

By Imam Luqman Ahmad

“Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” (Surah Ar-Ra’d, 13:11)

This verse is one of the most quoted in our community. We recite it when we talk about building businesses, demanding justice, or escaping the cycle of poverty. We rightly criticize the broader systems that have held us back. We correctly emphasize the importance of economic independence, a legacy carried by pioneers like Sheikh Daoud Ahmed Faisal and the leadership of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.

But as a community, we have to ask ourselves a hard question: Are we looking at the external systems while ignoring the internal decay?

We speak eloquently about the economics of Islam. We want the wealth that the Sahaba (Companions) had. But we are ignoring the behavior that allowed them to attain and keep that blessing. Today, there are alarming trends in our communities—specifically African American Muslim communities—that are working directly against the economic revival we claim to want.

If we want Allah to change the condition of our bank accounts, we must first change what is in our souls and our homes.

Here are three areas where our lifestyle is sabotaging our economics.

1. The Culture of “Frontin’” (Fashion Over Fundamentals)

We live in an era of “Islamic fashion.” We want the freshest thobe, the most expensive hijab prints, and the latest miswak holder. There is nothing wrong with looking good; the Prophet (peace be upon him) was beautiful and loved beauty. But when our disposable income is spent on outward appearances while our savings accounts are empty, we have fallen into a trap.

This obsession with image is a direct contributor to poverty. It creates a culture of debt and financial instability. We are spending zakat money on luxury goods. We are buying cars we can’t afford to impress people at the masjid we don’t really like.

The Change: True Islamic economics begins with fiscal responsibility. It means distinguishing between a need and a want. It means dressing modestly and with dignity, but prioritizing paying off debt and investing in halal assets over keeping up with the latest trends.

2. The Rise of “Spiritual Individualism”

There is a growing trend in our community of extreme individualism. We treat the deen like a private contract between “me and Allah.” We go to Jumu’ah, we pray, but we feel no sense of collective responsibility for our brothers and sisters.

In the time of the Prophet (SAW), if one person in the community was in debt, it affected the entire tribe. If one person was hungry, it was a communal disgrace. Today, we see single mothers struggling to pay rent while we post aesthetic pictures of our iftar tables. We see brothers getting evicted, and we say, “That’s sad,” and scroll on.

This individualism breaks the economic safety net. When everyone looks out for “Number One,” there is no community wealth. There is no rotating credit system (like traditional esusu or koo groups) because we don’t trust each other anymore. We have lost the Asabiyyah (social solidarity) that holds a community together.

The Change: We must revert to the Islamic model of the Ummah. If your neighbor is struggling, your life is incomplete. We need to bring back the concept of Qard Hasan (benevolent loans) between families, and stop treating charity as something we only do during Ramadan.

3. The Breakdown of the Family Unit

This is the elephant in the room. You cannot build a strong economy on a foundation of broken homes.

Among the greatest contributors to long-term poverty in any community is the instability of the family. Yet, in our community, we are seeing high rates of divorce, single parenthood, and a casual attitude towards marriage.

When a household is run by a single mother (or father) struggling alone, there is no economic multiplier effect. One income barely covers survival; it cannot generate wealth. Children raised in unstable environments often lack the mentorship and financial literacy needed to break the cycle of poverty.

Furthermore, the emphasis on “finding the perfect spouse” based on superficial traits—skin tone, height, income level—rather than taqwa (consciousness of Allah) leads to marriages built on sand. When the first storm hits, the marriage crumbles, leaving another broken home in its wake.

The Change: We have to revere marriage. We have to teach our young people that marriage is half the deen, not just a social contract you can exit when you get bored. We must support married couples with counseling and community pressure to work things out. A two-parent household, striving together for Allah, has exponentially more economic power than two individuals living apart.

The Path Forward

Allah promised us in the Quran that if we help Him (by establishing His Deen), He will help us and make our foothold firm. But that help requires a unified body, a stable family, and a community focused on substance rather than style.

If we are serious about Black economic power, we must stop chasing the dunya (worldly life) with the desperation of the lost. We must build strong families, look out for our neighbors, and spend our money on assets that appreciate rather than clothes that depreciate.

Let us change ourselves, so Allah can change our condition. And Allah knows best.

Imam Luqman Ahmad

Imamabulaith@yahoo.com