Growing up in a Christian society is challenging for all young Muslims. Not only are we not exposed to an Islamic society first hand, but we are also surrounded constantly by Christianity which may tempt some individuals to stray from Islam. However, our faith and dedication to our religion show both the strength of Islam and our own faith.
Throughout my childhood, I have encountered many curious people who were eager to hear about Islam. In both the seventh and the tenth grades, I spoke about the basic principles of Islam, as well as demonstrating prayers. I showed people that Islam is not a male-domineering, terrorist religion as many people had previously believed. During the fasting of Ramadan, people often wondered why a religion would call for such a serious deprivation. However, when I explained to them the reasons behind the fasting in Ramadan, many understood the beauty and purpose behind fasting and admired my dedication. I encountered many of the same questions when I went on trips and prayed. People often asked why do you have to pray so many times, or face a certain direction. Nobody ever belittled my practices, the majority just wanted to learn more about Islam and clear up misconceptions.
Although living in a Christian society has been challenging, it has also strengthened my faith. Fasting, abstaining from pork, and praying on time have been just a few of the challenging concepts. However, abiding to Islam in this society shows that we believe in the principles of Islam and are not following our religion because of society. In this aspect, we are being tested to see if we truly believe in our faith, or are just following society.
It takes more effort on our behalf to educate ourselves about Islam. Islam is not taught in the schools as it is in many Islamic countries. Therefore, it is primarily the responsibility of parents and the Muslim community to provide opportunities to educate the people, especially the children born and raised here. From personal experience, I know that if I had not been exposed to Islam and observed the religious examples of my parents, my faith would not be nearly as strong. However, parents can only impact our faith to a certain degree. When we are young, they need to tell us stories of the history of Islam. When we start praying, they remind us to pray until we form our own habits. Yet once we mature, it is the responsibility of each individual to abide by Islam. We need to follow our religion because we believe in it, not because our parents tell us to.
Living in this society, we are surrounded by people who are ignorant of our religion. As Muslims, it our responsibility to clear up stereotypes and present a positive image of Islam. We are all role models in this society. Every day I am learning more and more about our religion. There are still many aspects of Islam that are unclear to me, but through my own research and the help of the community my faith in Islam will continue to strengthen.
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