The Islam They Don’t Tell You About | Spoiler: It’s Beautiful
There is a different Islam than what the media is trying to make us be. My heart aches with all the negative news surrounding the people of Islam. I’m Muslim, but I don’t pray five times a day nor do I know most of the prayers. What I do know is that Islam is built on a foundation of love and community. I see the light of Allah in so many things and especially in my family.
My younger cousin Sadaf Madina Doost inspires me in so many ways. With an exceptional Berkley education and her political experience working at the White House, she writes:
My Islam taught me to love – to love in a capacity so great it dissolves hate. My Islam taught me to believe – to believe in a humanity so strong it stands up for anyone who is oppressed and stand against anyone who is an oppressor. My Islam taught me that despite anyone’s race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation, we all are valuable, beautiful, and important. My Islam taught me to never, ever, EVER pass judgement – for each individual has a world of buried thoughts, intentions, and struggles unknown to anyone other than themselves and God.
It breaks my heart that such a sick and perverted individual could instill so much fear and loss to the LGBTQ community – a community that has empowered and stood with my Muslim brothers and sisters hundreds of times. It breaks my heart that my faith could be hijacked in such a way that shows violence towards such a strong ally. To my LGBTQ community – you are fighters. Strength and resilience run through your veins, through your hearts, and through your souls. I pray that you do not let the demons of this “man” darken your sunshine, and I pray that you celebrate your pride month with even more color than ever before.
#IStandWithYou
Whoever kills a person [unjustly] … it is as though he has killed all mankind. And whoever saves a life, it is as though he has saved all of mankind.
[Qur’an 5:32]
The way Muslims in general and even Muslims who are American citizens have been represented in the media really hurts my heart. But it shows me that now more than ever, people with my background need to have a voice too. The western media has painted us with a dark brush — the brown girl covered with her veil, who is not valued in her community, and married off at a young age against her will. Or one with limited opportunity — I don’t know that stereotype from my experience nor have I been exposed to that.
What I do know is what I’ve experienced, and that is ‘value’. I thank God every single day for the family I’ve been given, one that is the most loving, the most kind hearted, and the most accepting that I could hope for. That is what I know of the Afghan culture — someone who will give you the shirt off his or her back with a smile, even if it is their last.
My parents were born in Afghanistan and Iran and met at school in Germany, where I grew up, before moving to Los Angeles at 10 and then New York City five years ago.
This diverse background of mine has helped shape me in many ways, in good ways and some tough ways. Growing up, being different wasn’t something to be proud of – different was weird. But different is what I knew and ultimately I wouldn’t have it any other way. I carry a bit of culture from every place I’ve been. My parents taught me the importance of good morals and that no matter where I come from or what I believe, the secret to life is being a good person and treating others the way you want to be treated. We love our culture – the colors, the music, the elaborated ceremonial traditions – it makes us so happy!
See the rest of my interview with Madinah Noorai from Burqas and Beer here!
The images of our land that the media shows are misleading. If I took you to Skid Row and told you “this is Los Angeles” you’d be shocked too — I feel like that’s what’s been happening with Afghanistan and the media surrounding the land. A couple years after 9/11 my uncle and cousin went to Afghanistan, my cousin documented the experience from the moment they stepped off the plane. The footage was breathtaking, so much greenery!
My Islam taught me to love and be kind. It taught me that we are all one — alike — brothers and sisters. I would like to leave you with Sadaf’s words:
It breaks my heart that such a sick and perverted individual could instill so much fear and loss to the LGBTQ community – a community that has empowered and stood with my Muslim brothers and sisters hundreds of times. It breaks my heart that my faith could be hijacked in such a way that shows violence towards such a strong ally. To my LGBTQ community – you are fighters. Strength and resilience run through your veins, through your hearts, and through your souls. I pray that you do not let the demons of this “man” darken your sunshine, and I pray that you celebrate your pride month with even more color than ever before.
#IStandWithYou
My Christian religion has taught me the same values yet so many people twist it and use it to breed hate instead of what it should truly represent. Thank you so much for your thoughtful, intelligently written posts. More of this and our world would be be more peaceful maybe? More open to dialogue? I’ve felt this way since I was a child; I’m now a jaded older person but I still hold on to this hope.