Our Muslim neighbors
A few people from our local mosque came to visit us today evening, right before dinner. They were not like your Saturday morning guests, the missionaries from the Roman Catholic Church of Latter Day Saints [sic] - no, they were here to tell us about some meeting of local Muslim brothers that happens every Thursday evening, where Papa and I can go to meet fellow Muslims at the mosque. Oh my Allah above, I'm so excited! LOL.. not like we're ever gonna go.
Apparently, they also have some program that happens in a mosque in Sharjah where they lecture in various languages.
Anyways, the part I wanted to talk about was when they were talking to me directly: they asked me if I was free in July and August because there is a summer program for Muslim kids in which they'll spend one month learning about Islam and the other month shall be spent doing secular activities. But hallelujah, may the Almighty be praised, I have plans for the summer. I told them I'm going to India. After a momentary silence, I told them I was going to work there.
Papa popped into the conversation by saying that I was gonna do some social work.. in a hospital.
Their faces lit up when my dad told them that. "This is proof of your good upbringing" they told him... surprisingly, they didn't attribute my desire to do social work to Islamic teachings or anything like that.
So anyways, one of them asked me if I was planning to become a doctor. I answered in the affirmative. "That's great! Don't just become a doctor, become a Muslim doctor!"
I said through my teeth, "Sure."
He exclaimed, "You'll have your deen [religion] in one hand and the degree in the other!"
I suppressed a very strong urge to stick my tongue out at him and tell him, "I'm not a Muslim! I'll be an agnostic doctor and I'll have just the degree, thank you very much!"
Overall, I think I behaved pretty well in front of them.. I smiled enough, nodded just the right number of times and even spoke to them in Urdu.
Apparently, they also have some program that happens in a mosque in Sharjah where they lecture in various languages.
Anyways, the part I wanted to talk about was when they were talking to me directly: they asked me if I was free in July and August because there is a summer program for Muslim kids in which they'll spend one month learning about Islam and the other month shall be spent doing secular activities. But hallelujah, may the Almighty be praised, I have plans for the summer. I told them I'm going to India. After a momentary silence, I told them I was going to work there.
Papa popped into the conversation by saying that I was gonna do some social work.. in a hospital.
Their faces lit up when my dad told them that. "This is proof of your good upbringing" they told him... surprisingly, they didn't attribute my desire to do social work to Islamic teachings or anything like that.
So anyways, one of them asked me if I was planning to become a doctor. I answered in the affirmative. "That's great! Don't just become a doctor, become a Muslim doctor!"
I said through my teeth, "Sure."
He exclaimed, "You'll have your deen [religion] in one hand and the degree in the other!"
I suppressed a very strong urge to stick my tongue out at him and tell him, "I'm not a Muslim! I'll be an agnostic doctor and I'll have just the degree, thank you very much!"
Overall, I think I behaved pretty well in front of them.. I smiled enough, nodded just the right number of times and even spoke to them in Urdu.