Personal identity is defined as individual characteristics or traits that contribute to who you are. In some cases, identity is described as the unique attributes or characteristics that belong to any given individual or shared by members of a certain social group or category. This implies that personal identity is also a label that can be effectively regarded as relational and contextual. An individual's identity is made of various aspects that are commonly known as identity markers i.e. race, religion, values, and beliefs. Moreover, personal identity includes other elements like a person interests, personal choices, hobbies, and experiences. The existence of various aspects of personal identity is attributed to the fact that the formation of identity takes place through identification with others.
My Personal Identity
I have chose religion as one of my identity markers since it is very important to me. I chose this identity because I am a Muslim that grew up in America and has a different view of things. At home it was a complete different world where I was taught to respect everyone and to love what I have. As part of following my religion at home, I couldn't eat pork and don't drink or smoke till today. While I believe in Allah, the only thing I don't do is pray, though it is important to my religious beliefs and values.
Religion is an important identity marker to me because religions throughout the world provide some answers to an individual's need for a sense of belonging or identity (Seul, 1999, p.558). To me, my religion provides meaning systems that enable me to define probable series of relationships. My religion helps me to define myself as well as to understand my relationship with Supreme Being, with others, and with the universe. I find religion to be the most significant factor in responding to the need to create and maintain a secure identity.
Since religion is at the core of my personal identity, it offers me a strong and secure point for self-reference. The other reason for choosing my Islamic religion as an important identity marker to me is because it enables me to maintain a sense of psychological stability. My religion provides answers to many questions I have regarding life and the universe. It acts as a source of love, affirmation, and self-actualization. In essence, my religion has usually acted as the guiding factor that shapes my perspective towards the world and life in today's century.
Impact of My Chosen Identity Marker
Being a Muslim, the Islamic faith has played a crucial role in who I am and how I view myself and present myself to the society ("Many Factors Affect Identity," n.d.). The impact of Islam on my personal identity is based on the fact that it contains five tenants that govern faith and belief. These tenants have shaped by identity since they are practiced on a daily basis and across various settings including school activities and responsibilities in the society. Moreover, Islam has played a major role in my high school achievements thus far.
I constantly involve myself in school functions and activities because of the high value that my faith places on helping others and involvement in community. My increased involvement in school activities has enabled me to learn a lot about friendship and the role other peoples play in our personal lives with regards to growth and development. The increased emphasis on assisting others and community involvement has changed my perspective of the world. I constantly look for how to distinguish between people who contribute to making me a better individual and those who do not respect my personal values.
My understanding of right and wrong or morality has mainly been shaped by my religion, which helps in differentiating the two. My personal moral framework is based on four cardinal principles that are regarded as essential to the creation of a healthy civic society. These four cardinal principles that inform my morality include equality, justice, consultative governance, and human dignity. Throughout my interactions with other people, I use these four essential principles as the basis for human rights and responsibilities. The Islamic faith is more than a religion since it goes beyond rulings and rituals, but helps in developing rational faith and moral conduct through understanding right and wrong. It offers the framework for an overview of reality and a recommendation for a good life (Sulaiman, 1997).
Information from Other People
In light of the impact of religion on my personal identity, other people have expressed various opinions regarding the impact of my chosen identity marker. First, other people have argued that a person's value system is largely influenced by religion, which shapes a person's beliefs and perspective of the world. In this case, religion provides a significant emphasis of values that are tested over time and are beneficial to others. As a Muslim that grew up in America, I realized that my value system has largely been shaped by the Islamic religion and faith. My values, beliefs, and perspective of the world were not influenced by the culture where I grew up but by the foundational, guiding principles of my religion. These values had beneficial impact on those around me regardless of their race, creed, culture, place, and time. Some of the fundamental principles of the Islamic faith that have shaped my value system include integrity, compassion, knowledge, prosperity, and physical and mental health.
Secondly, religion plays a crucial role in influencing relationships between people based on their personal identities. In my interactions with others, I tend to emphasize peace, knowledge, morality, and democracy. This emphasis is based on the fact that my religion does not advocate for any endeavor that is indifferent or averse to these important components. Actually, the Islamic faith encourages deep endeavor to make the society more ethical, literate, peaceful, and democratic. Therefore, by shaping a person's identity, religion influences an individual's social life or system.
The previous reason supports the assertion that religion is an important element of the formation of individual and social self. According to a study by Peek (2005), religion is always important and crucial as a basis of personal and social identity (p.236). This is mainly because religious identities are actively created by people and groups in the social world. This process involves increased self-awareness and reflection, personal choices, and the recognition of others. As a person becomes stronger in his/her religious identity, improved solidarity, consistency, and group identification is realized.
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