Crabs In the Muslim Bucket

How many times we feel joy when we see someone embrace the message of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. People who we term as converts or reverts. The change from one religion to the religion of Islam causes a sense of pride in us, and a feeling of happiness for the person who has been chosen by God to be elevated to the beautiful message of our Prophet. Once someone is a Muslim however, we often times do not have that same feeling of joy when that person appears to be elevated by God in a more meaningful connection to Him or His Prophet. If we see our brother or sister behaving in a better manner, praying more, trying to improve themselves, we may be consumed with feelings of disgust, anger, frustration and jealousy. Why?

Allah tells us in the Qur’an:

There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. (6:38)

This verse references other species as being reflective of what you find in human society. Observing those in the animal kingdom is another means by which we can understand our own humanity, our strengths and our failings. For the Muslim, discoveries within the creation of Allah should go beyond expanding merely our knowledge of the natural world, but inspire in us moments of reflection on the wonder of God. Further, as the above verse indicates, one can use the observations within other communities of creation, to better understand our human behavior.

Let us take a moment then and observe the behavior of crabs. If a group of crabs are put into a bucket, they will behave in self-destructive manner. Each crab individually, and with the assistance of other crabs in the bucket, has the potential to escape. However, each crab pulls down each of their “brother” crabs as they try to make it out of the bucket. In the pursuit of their freedom from the bucket, they actively pull down those who are trying to achieve the same goal. The end result is always the same, the crabs are eventually destroyed by each other and collectively they all die—no one escapes from the bucket! This phenomenon is known as the “crab mentality”—“If I can’t have it, neither can you!” The crabs are unable to recognize that they all have the ability to escape from the bucket, as long as they do not hinder others.

Unfortunately, we find in our societies this same phenomenon. In spite of an intellect that far surpasses the crabs, humans often behave in the same manner. Rather than recognize that someone’s elevation toward God and His Prophet does not deprive someone else of that very same blessing, for indeed God’s Mercy is vast, they think as a crab: “If I can’t have it, neither can you!” Instead of encouraging the person who has been granted a realization we currently may not have (with the hope that one day we will be granted that same understanding), we try to discourage them, mock them, or hinder their development. Yet Allah instructs us in the Qur'an to “Help each other to Goodness” (5:2).

We are all in the “bucket” of dunya trying to make our way out. Instead of pulling our brothers and sisters down who appear to be rising out, we should assist them, encourage them and pray for them, all the while realizing (unlike the crab in the bucket) that their success or realization does not in any way hinder our opportunity to be elevated. In fact our assistance and encouragement toward them will help in our own elevation. Otherwise, if we choose to behave as crabs in the bucket, we share a similar fate—a communal and spiritual demise.

Sami Catovic will be speaking on the topic, "You're Not a Real Muslim Are You?: Defining Our Identity" at Al-Madina's 5th Annual Pearls of the Qur'an Conference on April 18-20, 2014.