Muslim, African-American,
Interfaith Presenter, Blogger, Seeker of Truth, Promoting Consciousness, Driven
by Intuition, Tar Heel Born and Bred
How I Maintain Faith During Tragedy
From one tragedy after another to the mean tweets to the social media posts encouraging Muslim women to take self-defense classes, it is beginning to feel surreal. Have things really come to this? Where no one or place is safe.You can be in a movie theater or your own place of worship and become a victim of a random act of violence. You can be an innocent person and be blamed for the actions of others. With the continuous updates on what is happening in our neighborhoods, domestically, and around the world, it is easy to become overwhelmed and overcome with fear. But at times like these, I remember to hold onto my faith and am reminded of the words of God:
"Certainly, We shall test
you with fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings
to the patient - those who, when afflicted with calamity say, Truly to God we
belong, and truly to Him shall we return" [Qur'an, 2:155-156].
I have to remember amidst the
horrifying stories of senseless attacks and retaliation that this is a test. My
faith is being tested. We are all being tested. Through adversity is how we
learn who we truly are. So who am I? I'm a Muslim woman who wants to serve a
higher purpose than myself and positively impact those around me. I can't do
that if I'm in a state of worry. I can't do that if I'm afraid to leave my
house. I can't do that if I remove my headscarf. I must stay the course.
I must still wake up in the morning, say my prayers, and go to work. And as
I sit across from my Christian neighbor at work and we receive news alerts that
shooters in San Bernardino, CA have killed several people,
we both look at each other in disappointment. We both shake our heads. We both
lament about what is happening around us. We are both impacted.And when I later learn the suspects are Muslim, I understand the possible implications of that for other Muslims. But, I must go on with a greater awareness and even greater confidence and certainty that is God is with me:
"And God is the Protector of
those Who have faith" [Qur'an, 3:68].
I can't afford to let my mind
wonder on the what-ifs because during that time I may miss an opportunity to do
and be great. But, of course I'm saddened. It is disheartening to see tragedy
unfold and to witness my community fearing to walk out of their homes dressed
like a Muslim.
However, during these moments when
it feels like I am being inundated with bad news, I remind myself that for
every one bad person that creates tragedy, there are thousands of others
creating good. For every one person who blames an entire race or religion for
the actions of a few, there are many others who have an informed perspective.
So with that, I say to myself and
all, don't despair. We are being tested and asked to rise to the occasion, dig
deep, and be our best selves. We are being asked to place our trust in the
Creator. We are being asked to respond from a place of love, patience, and
faith.
Follow Sajdah Nubee on Twitter: www.twitter.com/sajnub
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