Celebrating the Birthday of Prophet Muhammad


Last night I included a request in my evening prayer:  "Please let me experience something completely random tomorrow."  Boredom is always my arch enemy.

This afternoon,  I received a text from my friend Mohamed Elhassan. "Tonight 8 p.m. to dawn.  Birthday of our prophet.  You are invited."

It seemed random enough.  Prayer answered.  smile

Just arrived home from the banquet hall.  I was able to mingle with many Muslims from our community whom I have known for years.  The food was good, but I have a headache from two solid hours of  listening to Nasheed offered up by the men.  And if I hear "Muhammad Rasool, Muhammad... Allahu Akbar..." one more time I will need to be medicated.  It was an honor to be the only non-Muslim woman invited to this event; the only woman not wearing a hijab; and undoubtedly, the only Christian within the space.  Even so, I had to smile pleasantly as the woman next to me told me of all of the glories of Islam and why I should become a Muslim.  yawn

Will I ever convert to Islam?  Nope.   Every cell in my body shouts out the word, "Christian".  But I continue to moderate thoughts within this community.  I like to think that I can help some of them better understand what it means to be an American. On small scale, a few victories.

Do I believe Muslims have a right to private celebrations related to their traditions?  Of course.  I merely oppose when structured daily traditions (such as the call to prayer and prayers) spill out into the public square and onto the sidewalks, or make demands on the rest of us. I am firmly opposed to Islamic prayer rooms in schools and ablution stations in airports.  No beliefs should encroach on the beliefs of another in a democracy.  To allow the aforementioned, erodes our freedom.  Bottom line?  Your conviction requires your sacrifice and not mine, if our democracy is to survive.  

But speaking of headaches, I am going to gulp a couple of Tylenol and head to bed.  I will post a couple of images to this post in the morning, of the men performing the Nasheed.  Overall, an enjoyable "random" event for this journalist.




Second from the left in lower image - my dear friend Mohamed Elhassan.

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