Answer
Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
Muslim Youth can maintain their Islamic identity only by:
1- Imparting sound Islamic beliefs and practices at home.
2- Exposing the youth to the authentic Islamic knowledge.
3- Engaging them in the activities that foster a sense of community and belonging.
In his response to your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:
Muslim Youth and Keeping Their Identity
Muslim Youth can maintain their Islamic identity by:
1- Imparting sound Islamic beliefs and practices at home.
Allah says:
{O you who believe, save yourselves and your families from the fire of hell, whose fuel is human beings and stones: in charge of it the angels who are stern and severe, who do not disobey God in whatever He has commanded them, but [always] do what they are bidden to do.} (At-Tahrim 66:6)
2- Exposing the youth to the authentic Islamic knowledge and inculcating in them a desire to enhance learning and practice through those who trained and reputable.
3- Engaging them in the activities that foster a sense of community and belonging. Prayer or worship alone is not sufficient; instead they need to be part of a spiritual community with shared values and beliefs.
Praying to Allah constantly: Allah says:
{Our Lord, Grant us joy in our spouses and our offspring, and include us among those who are ever mindful (and conscious) of You.} (Al-Furqan 25:74)
Almighty Allah knows best.
Editor’s note: This fatwa is from Ask the Scholar’s archive and was originally published at an earlier date.