Monday, August 31, 2009

Thoughts on a lecture

One of my goals during Ramadan is to make good use of my time. Decreasing my time on the Internet and cutting out T.V. has made more time to listen to lectures and read one of the many books I purchased and then shipped home from Kuwait. I watched a lecture the other day where a non-Muslim woman expressed her thoughts on Islam. I thought the scholar did an excellent job responding to the question and found myself amused by how I was able to relate to both the person asking the question and the scholar giving the answer.

The woman wrote in to the Deen Show (a very popular T.V. show in Muslim countries and one I used to watch in Kuwait) saying that she couldn’t understand how people could be Muslim.. That there seemed to be too many restrictions and it was “boring”.

Astaghfirullah (I seek forgiveness from Allah) I can remember feeling the same way when I first started learning about Islam. The scholar explained that there are two main reasons why people fail to enter Islam. Doubts and desires. It wasn’t that I doubted the religion because everything I read and learned made sense. It was my desires that got in the way. For me it was giving up bikinis, my running shorts, and the idea of having to be covered up while on the beach that held me back and made me doubt if I could ever become Muslim. Looking back on that now, I feel incredibly silly. I also feel ashamed to think that I had used clothing as an excuse.

There is a beautiful hadith (saying of the Prophet peace be upon him) in which he said: "Every Deen has an innate character. The character of Islam is modesty." (narrated by Abu Dawood) I now realize that Muslims, both men and women, cover their bodies as a way to express humility. Once we have acknowledged that there is a higher power and our time spent here on Earth is a test and a time to submit to Him, how could one not be humble? One of the most profound things I noticed after deciding to wear hijab was how it impacted other parts of my life. It was as if placing the piece of cloth over my head helped me focus on my speech, interactions with men, how I deal with my family, spend my time and whether or not my actions will count for or against me on the Day of Judgment.

The scholar went on to say that the overall problem with the woman’s question is that she was looking at Islam from the point of view of, “what can I get out of it?” or “how will it serve me?” He goes on to explain that the fundamental question in Islam is, “how do I serve Allah?” He went on to say that once you come to that realization, that our purpose here on Earth isn’t to obey our desires but rather to submit and work to please our Creator, you are showered with benefits and favors that you could not have imagined.

Alhamdulillah (All Praise is due to Allah), this is what I am experiencing now and have been since taking my shahada (statement of faith in One God and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is His Messenger). The scholar went on to explain that one of the best benefits Islam provides is a sense of peace in your heart. If you know my mother, then you’ve most likely heard her reference the meaning of my name… Rebecca means peacemaker. I’ve always avoided confrontation and looked to be a people pleaser and I’ll admit that those qualities still hold true. However, it is the peace I experience when in sujood (a position in the prayer when one is closest to the ground), hearing the athan (call to prayer), feeling an instant bond with a stranger who also wears hijab, hearing someone say “Asalaam alaikum” (the greeting exchanged between Muslims meaning peace be onto you and) as they pass by on the street and taking that first sip of water and bite of a date after fasting that makes me grateful that I was given the opportunity to exchange my worldly desires for a more peaceful purpose.

Click here if you’re interested in watching the lecture for yourself

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Ramadan Mubarak!


“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may (learn) self-restraint...Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting...”
(Al-Qur’an 2:183,185).

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. It is the month in which Allah revealed the Qur'an to Muhammad (peace be upon him). Muslims abstain from eating, drinking and intimate relations with their spouse during the daylight hours of the blessed month. It is a time for Muslims to contemplate on their belief and increase their faith by actively increasing in worship, prayer and reciting the Qur'an. It is an opportunity for spiritual as well as physical purification.


This year marks my third Ramadan. Looking back on the previous years, each month was uniquely different from the other.

The first time I decided to observe Ramadan was during my senior year at UConn, when I had first begun learning about Islam. I didn’t understand how someone could deny themselves food or water for an entire day, and repeat this process throughout an entire month. I remember having to explain to my fellow CAs why I wouldn’t be joining them for meals in the dining hall and why I wasn’t taking part in snack time during my education classes. I remember dreading the sound of my alarm early in the morning and wondering if I really wanted to eat a bowl of cereal when it was still dark outside. I can also remember the excitement as I counted down the minutes until I could break my fast. What I remember most clearly about my first Ramadan was that while I had been able to fast for the entire month, I felt that I was missing another important piece.

I spent my second Ramadan in Kuwait. Being that Kuwait is a Muslim country, I was surrounded by people who were fasting and celebrating this blessed month. I was invited to share iftar, the meal eaten while breaking fast, with coworkers and friends and was able to experience the sense of community that this month elicits. I remember being incredibly motivated; rushing home from school and jumping into bed to read my English translation of the Quran, keeping a journal of how many prayers I prayed, listening to Islamic lectures and sending emails to my parents and sister in an attempt to explain my faith and experience. At night I walked to the mosque next to my apartment for isha (one of the five obligatory prayers) and taraveeh. Taraveeh are extra prayers that are held only during the month of Ramadan. Each night, 1/30th of the Quran is recited so that one can hear the Quran in its entirety by the end of the special month. I remember the mosques being filled with people, so much so that by the end of the month, the Great Mosque in Kuwait City had to close the surrounding streets to make space for people to pray. Ramadan in Kuwait was incredible. It was a great introduction to living in a Muslim country and helped me feel more connected to Islam.

Today marks the second week of my third Ramadan. I am again back to being a minority, watching as people eat and drink in their cars or at the table next to me during my Farmington teacher orientation. I am again met with questions as to how someone is able to not eat or drink for a month and not die from it. Alhamdulillah (All praise is due to Allah) being back in a non-Muslim country gives me the opportunity to do dawah, to teach about Islam and my Muslims observe this special month. Most of my efforts with teaching have been focused on my parents who have decided to experience this month with me.

We set our alarms for 4:15 AM and meet downstairs in our pajamas to eat suhoor, the meal one eats before sunrise. My mom’s plate is always unique; sometimes its black bean soup and scrambled tofu while other days she has salad and leftover salmon from the night before. My dad has stayed consistent with his piece of bread and peanut butter and has now added a bowl of oatmeal. My meal falls somewhere between.

Eating suhoor in the morning and then breaking our fast together at night has been such a beautiful experience. We no longer sit in front of the television, since it hasn’t been turned on in the last week. We sit in front of our food and make dua, or personal supplications and prayers, and then eat while enjoying each other’s company.



One of the benefits of Ramadan is being able to thank Allah more sincerely for things that we quite often take for granted; food, water, family. That being said, thank you Allah for making me one who has access to food and water whenever I need or want it. Thank you for continuing to shower me with Your blessings and giving me opportunities where I can become more firm in this deen. And thank you for blessing me with a beautiful family, who has embraced my reversion to Islam with a tremendous amount of support.


For more beautiful pictures of Ramadan