First day of Fifth Grade at Clara Muhammad
I had my first day as a volunteer at the Clara Muhammad school in Anacostia in DC. I joined the fourth/fifth grade class because its the largest (9) and most rambunctious (الشباب سيكونون شباب). As it was my first day there and the first few days of their school year, there was some confusion as to who I was, what I wanted, and what I should be doing… Anyways, some hilarious remarks from the eight-year-old students include:
“How do you get your hair to do that? Were you born with that hair?”
“I got sixteen bee stings on my arm” “No you didn’t.” “SIXTEEN!”
“the NCAA stands for National… College… America… Best America”
“Are you related to the Jonas brothers?” This one prompted a timeout from the teacher.
“One thing I would never do is pet a wolf.”
So every Monday I’m able to go there and act as a mentor/tutor and teach a little Arabic. I’m really excited about that and also to meet the kids’ families/more of the people behind the Masjid Muhammad/Clara Muhammad connection.
Lessons from Oman: The Concept of Love in Islam
Wrote this up a few weeks ago for Buxton.
I spent the summer studying Arabic in Salalah, Oman, a beautiful niche in the Arab Gulf. In considering the breathtaking features of the country—the mesmerizing roars of the Indian Ocean, the mountains lathered in fog, and the overwhelming smell of frankincense—the most memorable parts of my trip are still my warm and inspiring interactions with Omanis.
One of my favorite aspects of the country was how I could give a smile or innocent wave to any passerby and always receive a bigger one in return. What I discovered during my stay was that Omanis are probably the most affectionate, loving people I’ve ever encountered. Upon meeting a person you might even exchange favorite love stories, whether they are from movies, literature, or personal experiences. My Omani friends would share with me a poem they had just written or relate a personal story reminiscent of a Bollywood romance. In this Magical Sultanate of Oman, you couldn’t help but feel people’s infatuation with love. This caused me to ponder the idea of love within the Islamic tradition, an aspect that I had somewhat ignored, perhaps in place of more intellectually stimulating or socially relevant ideas in the faith. Read more…
Acts of Faith by Eboo Patel
Starting this fall, I’m beginning a fellowship at an interfaith organization in Washington, DC called the Buxton Initiative. We’ll be going after bridge-building and religious pluralism through an attack of events and publications. I’ve acted in a similar role with the Lubar Institute for the Study of Abrahamic Religions in Madison, WI, but I wanted to get into some literature on interfaith movements and religious pluralism in America, so I picked up a book by Eboo Patel, the man behind the Interfaith Youth Core in Chitown. It’s called Acts of Faith: The Story of an American Muslim, the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation, an autobiography and story behind starting up his movement.
What first resonated with me is my ability to connect with his early life. He’s grown up in a suburb close to mine with parents originally from the Subcontinent. I was excited to read literature by an individual of the generation of Muslims growing up in America and I’m pumped to see what else we’ve got in our future. One thing, however, that separates our experiences is his experimentation with different belief systems and reluctance to identify as Muslim until much later in his life. While I have certainly grappled with my Muslim identity and learned about the tradition largely through difference, I have been fortunate to never really identify as someone outside of the (abstract) community. I think that is totally a result of my upbringing with wise parents, an extraordinary social circle, and experiences with tremendous institutions like the Nawawi Foundation and Inner-city Muslim Action Network. I often forget how rare these types of people and organizations are for most Muslims in America. Read more…
Groundbreaking first post
Breaking the mold on a blog of my own.
