There is a verse in the Qur’an that states:
“Never will the Jews or the Christians be pleased with you until you follow their religion”
— Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 120
The words of Allah are timeless. We see this verse manifesting in our world today, especially in the political and social spaces Muslims navigate. Consider the case of Zohran Mamdani, a Shia Muslim and likely the up and coming new mayor of New York City. He has been praised by segments of the progressive left for his vocal support of Palestine (and most clearly the reason for his astounding victory over Cuomo) — and in that, credit is due. But the limits of that support become clear when the conversation begins to address real movements for liberation, such as praising and supporting hummus, or using terms that glorify the very people selling their bodies in exchange for Jannah (Paradise).
In those moments, the same voices that claim to champion justice quickly retreat. The political right labels him an extremist. The liberal left, which often romanticizes the image of resistance — waving flags, chanting slogans — abandons any cause that risks disrupting the political status quo. Their support is conditional. It only lasts so long as the message remains safe, sanitized, and digestible.
Despite attending pride events, championing trans rights, and aligning himself with liberal causes more openly than many of his peers, Mamdani is still treated with suspicion. His efforts to humanize his public persona — through outreach, identity politics, and positioning himself as a “brown Muslim leader” — do little to shield him from criticism. Why? Because the core issue is not his political alignment. It is his Muslim identity.
No matter how softened, diluted, or rebranded Islam becomes, it remains unacceptable to many unless stripped of its essence. Our faith does not demand conformity with secular ideologies. In fact, it warns us against it. Muslims are prohibited from compromising their core beliefs for public approval — unless under threat of harm or death. Yet this is the trap: in seeking acceptance by abandoning parts of our deen, we lose both their approval and our integrity.
Allah has already told us: they will never truly be pleased with you unless you follow their way.
So we must not fall for the illusion that acceptance equals security. Be kind. Be fair. Be principled. But never lose sight of who you are. Losing public favor may cost you influence — but preserving your faith preserves your place in the ummah. And that is worth far more.
Know that we do not strengthen Islam; rather, it is Islam that strengthens us.