| By sz,
on 20-02-2003 01:28
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Sarah Abdulla
The speech took place with Sister Salma, 18th February, Islam in the Real World, The Studio. In The Studio, a crowd. Several scarf-clad girls, many girls in tight tops, small jeans, straightened hair. Several Iftaan-clad boys, many boys walking in with arms around girls, chatting and sniggering, ‘checking’ out the girl in front. At the front, a young, sixteen year old, English, very pretty girl sat with her Arab friend. A copy of the Qur’an in front of them and a folder of sheets being constantly fingered and flicked through by the now nervous girl.
So she starts telling her story of a jagged journey to Islam. Brought up in a Christian home who drink, dance, and party at weekends but lead a ‘moral and religious life’ (apparently) due to their once weekly appearance in the local Church. Moved to a Muslim home due to personal difficulties, she began her journey on the discovery of Islam and her personal and much-sought-after truth, which Christianity and every other explored religion had left unfulfilled. Along with the help of her Muslim sisters, intent on supplying the knowledge this young mind was seeking, she finally spoke the Shahaada and converted four months and two weeks ago. Laa ilaaha illAllah. The speech wasn’t spectacular. It was common in its subject and mostly personal opinion. But through the stutters, nervous giggles and suspicious grammar shone the passion to communicate, and I am positive her eagerness invoked a feeling of love for Islam in the least religious heart. This young girl, two years younger than myself, had been driven to sit practically alone, facing an audience of thirty or so fellow students, and tell her life story. She had felt compelled to dispel the public mystery about Islam and the misguided beliefs of Muslims about their duties. She had felt obligated to express her understanding of the many Hadiths and Ayahs she had read and researched. And for this I admire her. Through some of the repetitions and rambling, several simple, yet poignant points were brought to focus. In the eyes of the public, we are Islam. They look towards us to get a picture of the purposes and teachings of Islam and we would all do well to remember this point. We often forget this when being constantly told that we act only for Allah and it is perhaps an exaggerated version of this viewpoint that leads us to be perceived as arrogant and secular. The way we act every day should be a reflection of the true Islam. The peaceful beauty that erases all our anger towards enemies. The view of equality that causes us to help any human without judging whether they are Muslim or whether they are the same gender and fit to be helped. The childlike wonder and the immense gratitude and appreciation of the way we were designed to work, along with the acceptance of hardships in the name of Islam, provide us with an attitude to life that makes every morning worth waking up for and every person we meet entranced by our optimism by the knowledge of the truth. But Islam also requires balance. Along with this social view, a more personal one should balance it. The view that what we do is for ourselves and our religion. If we don't pray, no one is affected but us. If we don't wear the Hijab, no one is affected but us. No one will be with you on the Day of Judgement, just you and your deeds, and on those, your destiny is decided. She reminded me of our duty, as Muslims, to spread the word of Islam to those who do not know. No matter inarticulate you are or feel, no matter how little you feel you have to say, no matter what your experience or route to Islam, every word you write or say will invoke curiosity on the receiver insha Allah. And that curiosity will lead them to research, and find the answer to their personal questions in Islam insha Allah. So remember, when you feel alone in your fight in Islam, or you feel angry that people don’t understand the real Islam, don’t fight with your emotions in the confined space of your mind, take a leaf from Salma’s book. Give them free reign in a speech or piece of writing. And at the same time, give other people an incentive to embrace the perfection that is Islam.
Last update : 20-02-2003 01:28
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