“A life experience that inspires an internal revolution is actually Guidance from God to look within, reflect, and prepare for the journey ahead.”
It’s true. These are trying times.
As part of an initiative to show the world that we are truly peaceful people and that we are not what the media portrays us as; a group of Muslims from the Toronto Jaffari Community Centre went down to Yonge-Dundas Square on Saturday 19th December, 2015 to distribute Chocolates to those passing by.
We customized the chocolate wrappers; inviting others to share our joy as we celebrate the Birth of our Holy Prophet Muhammad. The message was simple; get to know Muhammad.
At first, I was more pumped up about participating in such an event and didn’t give much thought to the potential responses we could get from the general public, but we did receive all sorts, and it gave me more to reflect upon.
I am a Hijabi, and proud of it. My veil represents my faith, my values, and my belief in modesty. It serves and symbolizes just as any other entity in any other faith. The difference? Well, my hijab has been quite a popular target lately, of the mass media and world politics.
Little did I expect, however, that this faith of mine, would sometimes make me feel foreign to the country I was proud to say I lived in.
Downtown – at ‘The Square’ – several refused to take chocolates from me; even though I clearly stated it was a Lindt chocolate and the bar had it’s original wrapper on it. Yet the same individuals did not hesitate when my husband (who obviously wasn’t wearing a Hijab) or some other male members of the group distributed the chocolates. That was a harsh blow. At first I felt slightly frustrated and angry; but then I just felt sorry for them – sorry that they would never really know…or hoped that one day they would.
And then there was the elderly gentlemen riding his bike downtown, looking a little grumpy. I offered him a bar of chocolate only for him to say “I’m sorry, he was no Prophet.”
“Excuse me?!” I replied, a little taken aback at his overly confident statement.
“There is no God, there is no Prophet, you ma’am are delusional and foolish for believing all this.”
I was raging internally, and a little too overwhelmed to respond. There was so much I wanted to say, and then out of nowhere, a lady offered the gentleman a flyer to help ‘Save the Animals’ and he said”Ma’am, you shouldn’t be handing out these flyers, you need to go and help people like her who are delusional, trust me.”
By then, the irrational side of me was ready to puncture the wheel of his bike; but the rational in me reminded me that I was a follower of Muhammad. These were words; Muhammad had stones thrown at him for the message he strove to teach the people. I was merely nothing compared to him; but his mission was a reminder for the life I was choosing to lead.
I wanted so much to tell people about the true Islam. It made me emotional that the minutes between giving those passing by, a chocolate, and them rushing to cross the street, was not enough time for me to tell them how peaceful and loving and rational Islam is; if only they would choose to want to know, to put whatever their worldly hurry was, aside, just to listen for a moment.
Why would people judge me by my Hijab or assume my religion was extreme without even asking?
Why would any non-Muslim think they know Islam better than the one who actually follows it?
Why so much corruption and misinterpretation?
So many questions, not enough answers, but I learnt.
That day I learnt, that I must do everything in my willpower to be the most accurate representation of Islam at all times. I learnt that this really is a difficult time; and my role, as an individual, is crucial. Not for others, not for the wider community, but simply for myself.
Islam needs to be my way of life.