What Being Muslim Means to Me

It is hard for many to understand what being Muslim means or what Islam even is especially in the wake of the rise of blatant racism against Muslims. Now disclaimer, I am neither a scholar nor do I consider myself well versed in the Sharia (Islamic laws) or the Sunnah (the life/actions of the Prophet Mohamed peace be upon him).  I’m an American Muslim who is fed up by the media’s bias coverage of Muslims and the misconceptions that are, as a result, perpetuated in society.  

To start, I would like to say that I do not apologize on behalf of others and never will I degrade myself by doing so. I will not apologize for what terrorists have done just because they share the same religion as I do. I will not apologize for being a Muslim, something I am only proud and ever thankful to be. I will not be afraid to voice my unfiltered opinion no matter how unpopular it is in mainstream culture. I will not say “not all Muslims” because it should only be obvious that we are not all one person sharing the same ideology, same as white people are not expected to apologize and condemn the countless acts of violence they have caused around the world and across the ages (America has been at war with Middle Eastern countries for ten plus years, Israel has been occupying and terrorizing Palestinians in their own land while denying them their basic human rights, the slave trade and colonialism has ruined Africa and cheated it of its natural resources, European political groups march in thousands to protest against the existence of Muslims, and let’s not forget racist groups like the KKK and Nazis etc.). Expecting Muslims to apologize and to be on the front lines condemning the actions of terrorists is, quite frankly put, ignorant and racist. The media does not interview random “white scholars” and “white preachers” to condemn the stupidity of individuals within their race and there is no reason why Muslims have to apologize and condemn others within our religion either.

As to what being Muslim means to me….

It means that I do not have to be another victim of society’s pressure, racism and expectations. Islam teaches me to stand up for myself and for those who are being oppressed. It teaches me self-respect and respect of others. Being born a Muslim means I was born a feminist and will forever remain one regardless of the misogyny that exists across cultures. My religion has protected women’s rights hundreds of years before “feminism” was even a coined term. Islam has taught me that in order to succeed I have to not only rely on prayer, but to rely on my own efforts. Being a Muslim means being practical while also making room for faith and prayer in my life. Being a Muslim has taught me to question, question, question before I blindly follow (including in matters of my religion). Being a Muslim means that I view people equally regardless of gender, race, religion, sexuality, nationality etc., because God is the only judge and He sees us from the inside out and not the other way around. Being a Muslim means that I answer to God and not to society. Being Muslim means that it is my responsibility to at least speak out against what is wrong if I cannot change it. Islam teaches me that God is merciful, but he is just, meaning those who wrong others (regardless of their religion) will one day be punished for their actions, whether it is in this lifetime or the next.

Being Muslim is a journey, an identity, an attitude, a path in life that I choose to take because it is what makes the most sense to me. There is no such thing as a perfect Muslim, and we all make mistakes, but the beauty of Islam is that it gives me chance after chance to learn from those mistakes and become a stronger and better individual. It has taken me years to appreciate my religion as I do now and it will take more years for me to improve, but as of now, the above is what being Muslim means to me, Nahla Mohamed Aboutabl. What being Muslim will, without a doubt, mean different things depending on the individual you speak to, but this is my interpretation. The media, racism, terrorists and society in general will not come between me and how I identify myself. I hope that it doesn’t come between you and the understanding of around 2 billion Muslims that share this earth with you either. Always keep in mind that we are individuals before we are a collective group. I mean isn’t that what America is all about anyway? Individuality as opposed to collectivism? Don’t be a communist ;)

And as always, peace and much love to y’all 

Ten Lessons from 2014

I don't have resolutions for 2015 as much as I have lessons I'd like to carry on. Things I've learned over the past year that will not only make 2015 a better year for me, but will stay with me for the rest of my life. 

Lesson One: Never tolerate disrespect. No matter who it's from. A loved one or otherwise. Don't even allow yourself to show yourself disrespect. Meaning take yourself out of bad situations and act in ways where you're least likely to be disrespected. We cannot control others, but we can control our own actions. If you feel disrespected, speak out. Let it be known you will not stand for such treatment but don't wait on people to respect you. Walk away from situations where you feel you're not being treated in the way you deserve. 

Lesson Two: Love is not one sided. Stop yourself from loving someone who won't love you in the same way that you love them. It will cause you lots of pain and in the end they will never see you for what you're worth and you'll never be good enough for them. It's not because you're a bad person. It's because they just won't be blessed enough to see you for who you really are. 

Lesson Three: If someone isn't there for you, and I mean REALLY there for you in your time of need, when you're struggling to find yourself, when you need the most encouragement, they sure as hell don't belong in your life when you've figured it all out. You deserve better than to have seasonal friends, family, lovers. You deserve someone who sees your potential at every moment of your struggles and sticks by you till you've accomplished your goals. Given that you're not a shitty seasonal friend either of course. 

Lesson Four: Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. NEVER forget. You forgive because it helps YOU live a happier life . You don't forget so that YOU never make the same mistakes again and so that YOU never allow whoever wronged you to wrong YOU again. It's all about you honey... Selfish as it is. But you end up in a coffin alone, so you better make right with yourself before you think of others. Forgiving takes away the burden of pain. Not forgetting makes you smarter next time you find yourself in a similar situation. You can even be friendly with those who've wronged you, but keep in mind what they've done. Life is a cycle. You never know when they'll pull the same shit on you, so be prepared and learn from the past. 

Lesson Five. God is a comfort we forget to indulge in. Don't forget to speak to your Creator. No matter your religion. No matter what your idea of God is. Speak to Him/Her/IT. You'll feel comforted knowing that there IS a greater power out there and that this world isn't just a chaotic sandbox. It is selfish to think that we're the greatest beings out there. Not all that is in existence can be seen with the naked eye. Sometimes seeing with your heart gives you the clearest vision. Use your heart's ability to see and give your eyes a rest from time to time. Let your soul find comfort in its Creator. 

Lesson Six: Don't argue with people who are obviously not willing to listen. State facts. Then walk away like a boss. Do this whenever you feel like you're digging yourself into a deep hole that will just keep getting deeper with every stupid remark your opponent makes. I've learned this by arguing for the sake of one of my most valued beliefs; feminism. Believe it or not there are many males and females out there who have yet to actually understand the concept of "equality between the sexes". They think it means giving all women gender reassignment surgeries. Lol, right? So yea. Don't argue with people who don't know what they're talking about. Like I said, state facts, and let them bark up a tree. You won't be there to hear it. 

Lesson Seven: Politicians are all the same, for the most part. They want your vote and they want your money but have very little to offer in return. Be careful when voting. Be careful when donating. Be careful when volunteering for their campaigns, if you choose to. Keep an eye out for their contradictory behavior. They say a lot and do very little. Sometimes it's not their fault but the fault of the whole governing system. If YOU want change then YOU do something about it. Don't wait for politicians to do jack shit. Because they won't. 

Lesson Eight: Racism is still a thing and will most probably forever stay a thing. And this isn't just white and black. It's every single race, religion, skin color, sexual orientation, nationality, etc etc etc... Humans have a tendency to be closed minded. It has gotten better, but it is naive to think racism will ever be completely eliminated. De jure? Yes for sure. De facto, nope. Won't happen. 

Lesson Nine: Religion and faith are not, and will never be the same. You can have one and not the other. You can have religion but lack faith. You can have faith and choose not to have religion. Religion is an establishment set by people to control faith. Faith is meant to be between you and your Lord. The moment you feel like there's a third party is when it becomes religion.  If you choose to be part of a religion, make sure that YOU have reasons for being part of that establishment. But again, if you feel like there are people influencing your decisions and that others' opinions have become more important to you than your actual faith then back track and ask YOURSELF why you believe in what you do. Don't let anything discourage you from having faith. Especially not people around you. 

Lesson Ten: Love is the most beautiful feeling you can ever have. If you have it, keep it. But never let yourself be hurt by it. It's beautiful when it's easy. When the person you love is willing to work with you and not against you. When they want your happiness and you want theirs. Love is beautiful when it's pure. Don't waste your time on bootlegged love. You're the best. The person you love is the best. Make sure that the love you give, and receive, is the best too. 

Those are all the lessons I can think of off the top of my head. Hope everyone has a blessed new year. And as always, peace and much love to y'all ❤️