There is a war being fought for the hearts and minds of our children— a war that is not fought with weapons or armies but with stories, screens, and entertainment; and without realizing it, we are losing. We are losing our children to flashing screens, fantasy worlds and illusions. The stories of our Prophets, our warriors, our righteous leaders— the stories that once shaped the souls of our ancestors— are fading. In their place, we are raising a generation that knows Batman but not Musa (AS), that admires Iron Man but not Khalid ibn al-Walid (RA), that weeps for the death of Spider-Man but feels nothing when they hear of the hardships of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). This is not just a change in entertainment. This is the slow erasure of our faith from the hearts of our youth.
Hollywood has replaced our stories with fantasies. It has crafted false idols— characters that glorify power, violence and arrogance. They teach our children that strength comes from muscle, from machines, from superhuman abilities. However, Islam teaches us that true strength comes from faith, patience, and trusting Allah even when the whole world is against you.
Tell them before it’s too late because the heroes we give our children today determine the future of our nation. If we give them Prophet Ibrahim (AS), they will learn sacrifice. If we give them Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), they will learn mercy. If we give them Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA), they will learn justice. On the contrary, if we give them Batman, they will learn vengeance. If we give them Iron Man, they will learn arrogance. If we give them Superman, they will believe that only supernatural powers and not faith can change the world
Think about it. Ask a Muslim child today about the Battle of Badr, and many will have no idea. But they can tell you every single member of the Avengers. They can describe in detail how Spider-Man got his powers, but they cannot tell you how Prophet Yusuf (AS) was thrown into a well and sold into slavery, only to rise as a ruler through the power of faith. Our children can recite every detail of Iron Man’s suit, but they don’t know the armor of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). They know every villain in Batman’s world, but they don’t know the tyrants our Prophets stood against. This is all because our stories have been erased, our history is no longer being told, and we let the world tell our children who their heroes should be.
Hollywood glorifies revenge; Batman seeks justice through anger, but Islam teaches patience; Prophet Yusuf (AS) forgave his brothers who threw him into a well. Hollywood glorifies arrogance; Tony Stark flaunts his wealth and intelligence, but Islam teaches humility; Prophet Sulaiman (AS), despite ruling over the world, bowed down in gratitude to Allah. Hollywood glorifies self-reliance; Doctor Strange claims he controls time and fate, but Islam teaches us to rely on Allah; Prophet Musa (AS) stood helpless before the sea, and Allah split it in half for him. There is a clear difference: one path leads to truth, the other to deception.
Imagine a Muslim child growing up in a world where he knows more about Iron Man than the Prophet who sacrificed everything for him. Imagine a Muslim girl admiring Wonder Woman while knowing nothing about the bravery of Khadija (RA), Aisha (RA), or Fatima (RA). This is not just ignorance; this is loss, and with every generation that grows up detached from our past, we drift further from our faith, purpose and truth. The Ummah does not fall in one day. It falls over time when its children forget who they are. That is exactly what is happening to the Muslim world today.
This is a war for our identity, and if we don’t fight back, we will lose. The next generation will not just forget their heroes, but their values and faith. When that happens, it will not matter how many mosques we build because a mosque without believers is just an empty building. It is time to take back our heroes, and the onus is on every Muslim parent, every teacher and every leader. Tell the stories of the Prophets as they are the greatest stories ever told. Replace superhero movies with Islamic history. Make the Battle of Badr as thrilling as an Avengers film. These struggles were real, and these stories are still here waiting to be told.
The Message (1976) and Omar Series (2012) were powerful productions about early Islamic history. We must create more high-quality content like this. Also, we need to encourage Muslim developers to create video games and apps based on Islamic heroes. For parents: Replace one Western movie of your children with an Islamic historical documentary this week; buy an Islamic history book for them; encourage them to be like Salahuddin Ayyubi, not Superman.
Tell them before it’s too late because the heroes we give our children today determine the future of our nation. If we give them Prophet Ibrahim (AS), they will learn sacrifice. If we give them Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), they will learn mercy. If we give them Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA), they will learn justice. On the contrary, if we give them Batman, they will learn vengeance. If we give them Iron Man, they will learn arrogance. If we give them Superman, they will believe that only supernatural powers and not faith can change the world.
This is how civilizations are shaped.
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