Gangster, rude boy, bad man, ‘G'...these are just some of the words that have been used to describe followers of the infamous thug life culture in the UK. Role models like 50 Cent, The Game and even (12 years on after his death) 2Pac are copied to such an extent that city streets are filled with boys smoking zoots (cannabis), girls that look like men and a society that are generally fearful of their youth.
The problem is further exacerbated by contradictions in government policy that seem determined to eradicate thug life from society yet promote the glamorization of its culture on TV channels such as MTV and radio stations like Choice FM and as a result, any counter strategy that is eventually employed has no impact.
Behind all the guns, ‘bling' and captivating lyrics that come with thug life are some harsh truths that their promoters forget to mention. Here are a few of them:
No respect for parents: parents are commonly lied to as well as ignored and money is frequently taken from them without their permission to finance expensive drug habits. It is also not rare to find parents on the receiving end of foul language and physical violence. The rapper Eminem is a good example to help illustrate this point.
Unwanted teenage pregnancies: due to the promiscuous or ‘loose' nature of thug life role models, teenage girls are prone to unwanted pregnancies, which in turn lead to ruthless abortions or children with a bad upbringing.
Embarrassment for the future: ironically, because thug life is generally a youth culture, those who grow old lose touch with its progression and end up using worn out phrases like, ‘that's dark man' or listening to singers who turn out to be drug addicts or paedophiles. The generally lazy and drug dependent lifestyles also lead to diseases such as asthma and schizophrenia and the trademark ‘knee-low trousers' as well as other symbolic clothing no longer suit the aging body.
Man-made law is the problem
The root of the problem is the man-made law that generates a society desensitised to corruption. Parents are irresponsible allowing their children to listen to immoral music, free-mix at parties then come down on them heavy handed if they utter foul language or walk home pregnant.
The youth are also left in a limbo, being semi-adults, physically mature yet given no real responsibility in life which in turn leaves them hunting for respect through other means; no understanding of the purpose of life is instilled in their hearts, of accountability to our Creator or the consequences of evil deeds and as a result the ‘inner-police' or taqwa (piety) which is present in a Muslim is absent leaving their actions unrestrained.
Islam is the solution
Indeed thugs are not a new phenomenon and in fact they used to exist during the dawn of Islam. Umar bin al-Khattab (ra) is a good example to demonstrate this point. He used to be engrossed in the ills of his society, worshipping idols, torturing men and women and even buried his own daughter alive, yet when the light of Islam entered his heart, and the justice of the shari'ah (Islamic law) manifested in his actions he soon changed into an enviable role model. Other examples that are worth mentioning are individuals such as Tariq bin Ziyaad ra), a Muslim, who at the age of 17 led an army and with it conquered Spain.
Under Islam, the youth would not be left to their own whims and desires rather they will be given divine guidelines on how to live their lives. They will be given responsibility and treated like an adult from the moment they turn physically mature or reach the age of 15; marriage at a young age will be encouraged and respect for elders will be instilled in their hearts; fear of God and the Day of Judgement will help prevent negligent actions and because all corrupt role models and indecent culture will be banned the youth will be surrounded by a healthy environment encouraging justice and piety and dispraising anything to the contrary.
Those engaged in the thug life culture need ask themselves why they are in it and if in the long run it is really worth it - which it isn't. If they have realised this point they should seriously look to Islam as the way forward for their lives.
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