One of the most asked questioned from the young Muslimahs was how can I be a Muslim with the rise of Islamophobia and people judging us as strange. In sha Allah let’s touch upon this and be open minded ourselves.
As the world moves forward we know as Muslims that our deen will become more strange as time passes. Prophet Muhammad PBUH said : “Islam began as something strange and will revert to being strange as it began, so give glad tidings to the strangers”. [Sahih Muslim 145]. Therefore, comments such as “boring..old fashioned … too strict” may more commonly heard in non Muslim societies and you might be seen as the ‘black sheep’. The deen should not be changed at all so we have got to accept that it will be considered “strange” to those who do not understand or believe it.
So now I want to give you some advice on how to overcome these trials and become stronger in your Islamic character. What are we taught with all tests we do in life? Preparation! You have to know your stuff. This means you must gain Taqwa (God consciousness) through understanding the Quran and why we do certain acts of worship. The more prepared you are, the better you will pass this test. In your life ahead it will become more easier and effective to answer those curious questions. If you are not prepared well and have not educated yourself about the deen then you may struggle. This is not what we want. Our duty should be to provide any dawah possible in the most soft, kind and respectful manner.
As Allah swt says in Surah Baqarah [2:256]: “there is no compulsion in religion” .This means no one should be forceful but we have a duty as the Quran is a message intended for the whole mankind. Allah swt says : “And We have sent you (Muhammad SAW) not but as a mercy for the Alameen ( mankind, jinns and all that exists)” [ Surah Al Anbiya 21:107 ]. So it is a miracle for the whole world to benefit from Allah’s message and read. Therefore, we should not be arrogant nor selfish but display good character when speaking of the glorious Quran.
No doubt, challenges can be met anywhere from school to work. Since I have been working in the city, it has not been all glam and glitz. It is fast and fancy. Maybe a bit much for a suburban like myself. The infamous ‘work hard play hard’ motto. Unsurprisingly the first part Muslim girls can excel; perform well and grateful for the opportunities. Mash’Allah.
The second part is a bit of grey area depending on the workplace environment. You may stand out for wearing the hijab and abaya. You do not go out for those Friday night drinks. You politely decline physical contact with the opposite gender. You pray wherever possible. You are noticed but not sure whether it’s good opinions or bad.. do not worry at any occasion of differences. Certainly do not run away into the caves of the female toilets or stay mute all day. That will make you go insane.
I’ve been fortunate to meet all sorts of curious characters and cheeky sods too. Someone came up to me once at the printer asking me what’s underneath your hijab. LOL highlight of the month! Then another person asked if I support the Saudi Arabia driving ban. I said I don’t know about Saudi Arabia but I love cruising to work in the company car. Do not be alarmed. They gave me some amusing moments and I really enjoyed my colleagues probing me to open up more because how will they ever know how loving and wonderful we are as Muslims if we do not share details about ourselves and the regular lives that we live – just like them !
When you feel like you might be seen as the odd one out, take some time to analyse your classmates or colleagues. Rely on Allah swt by making sincere dua; seeking guidance and protection in your day to day lives. Then go find any common ground between you and the others so that the similarities will help you in building a common vibe. People will see you are just human like them and they might have been obsessing over misinformation from the media or false claims. Take your time, speak politely and be light hearted. We should be the best examples of our faith so do not let the faith down.
SisterSister 