Letter from a New Muslim about Ramadan

From: http://www.islamicity.com/

By: Angela Collins

A few years ago Angela Collins adopted Islam as a way of life. You can read about how she discovered Islam at .. Why I decided to submit?. Angela is now living in Brazil with her husband who also adopted Islam as a way of life.

Dear Friends,

As Salaam Alaykum

While missing my Muslim community in California, I started to think about the life I live today as a Muslim. My new life is a gift and also a test from Allah swt. This question came to mind: When you don't have a community enforcing your Muslim character how do you play the role of Muslim? You know how sometimes we are in prayer and we find ourselves more conscious of what is happening around us and what people are thinking of us than our communication with Allah? Because of this, I am glad to have a chance to practice as a Muslim using Allah solely as my guide. Usually I pray in private or in the company of my husband when he leads me. It's nice, because all I am thinking of is Allah swt and how thankful I am that he gave me Marcelo to share the practice of my religion with me. It is difficult for us globetrotters to make it to a mosque for every Jummah or for Taraweh. Since I get to travel with my husband I have had a few opportunities this Ramadan to pray in different mosques around the world. Let me tell you about those experiences:
Islamic Cultural Center of New York
Two Jummahs ago I was in New York and had one of my best ever experiences in mid Manhattan on 3rd Avenue and 96th Street. I met two Muslim sisters wearing headscarfs on the subway who escorted me to the mosque. As women, we walked into the main entrance with pride and with a sole intent to worship. The Khutba was one of those where I wish my husband was with me feeling as motivated as I was by every word of the Imam. And then I asked Allah to help me memorize the sermon so that I could share it with those I love. I made a new girlfriend. Her name is Gabrielle and we intend to meet for lunch every time I visit New York. I looked down at the main worship hall and saw a blend of Arab, Pakistini, Caucasian and African. The mix of cultures gave a true feeling of a Muslim house of worship, the way a Mosque should be. Not that it is a Somalian mosque or a Syrian one, but a mosque for all of the believers with open hearts guided by Allah swt. And when I finished my prayer and was ready to descend back into the subway, I was surrounded by homeless people asking for help. For the first time, outside of Humanitarian Day organized for the homeless by Ilm Foundation in Los Angeles, I was happy they were there. I was happy to look at them and just find every last bill to give equally to them. I saw them as a gift and not as an uncomfortable nuisance. Alhamdulellah! This was a gift from Allah. And it looks like we will be spending Eid in Manhattan this year, so we'll have the chance to revisit this mosque.
Central Mosque London
I can't say as much for my experience at the Central Mosque in London near Regeant Park. What a difference. I went to do Salat al Taraweh and sure enough, in one of the largest mosques I've ever prayed in, there was little in the way of accommodation for women. I was bossed around, scorned at, scolded for my widows peak and told that without a Muslim name I am not a Muslim. I had to remind the proud Arab immigrant that my name is a Muslim name now that Angela has converted to Islam. The name Angela may not be in the Quran but it most certainly the name of a Muslim. I also felt the imam's soul was not present in his recital. I felt that I was among a group of people who were angry and not willing to be tolerant of the differences of their brothers and sisters. That might explain why I didn't see one face of an English convert. Wow, we have a lot to do to bridge the Muslims of the world and I hope my experience that night does not reflect the entire Muslim ummah of UK. While I read the Quran I am reminded about those who we choose as our friends. And at the same time I believe that those who do not adjust into their environment and insist on living in secluded cultural enclaves have lost the whole purpose for why they immigrated to a western country in the first place! That is of course if they put Islam first in their lives. It is to share this gift with many people out there who are hungry to know it. In fact, I had the chance to mingle with some of the London elite. The impression they had of Muslims was heartbreaking. Most of them felt that the Muslim immigrants have become a mob who suck up resources and don't give anything back to those who are not like them (reminds me of the sentiment towards the Jews). Their negative views gave me a great opportunity to talk about Islam and how these people, despite their impressions of any of them, are the holders of the world's greatest religion. They were eager to learn about Islam as a religion that recommends following the teachings of all the great prophets starting with Abraham and about the special nature of Jesus and all of the other parts they find familiar. I was glad that I had this opportunity to share with them the Devine teachings of peace and justice in Islam. It seemed as though, some the immigrant Muslims in UK have decided on their own that the locals are not worthy of their religion. Could there be anything further from what Allah expects from us? I say this because I found the English people I talked to, very open to learning about Islam's teachings and non-judgmental of its message. While I found the immigrant Muslims I met, to be non-social and separated from anyone who was different than them: including other Muslims like myself.
1955 - First Mosque built in Brazil, Sao Paulo
Now I am back in Brazil. I am happy to report that our local mosque is a place I feel very much at home. Sure most of the talk is in Portuguese and Arabic and I am not a fluent speaker in either yet, but for the first time I visited a mosque as a new face, I was treated as though I was an equal member among them. Nobody felt the urge to find what I was doing wrong so that they could correct me. We came, We followed the recitation. We remembered Allah. We grew in knowledge. We socialized by looking for the good in one another. In fact the Imam gave the Khutba in Arabic and they passed out audio listeners to hear his Khutba translated into Portugeuse for the locals. That to me is our duty, to help people understand their religion. Although there are ten Mosques in Sao Paulo I wondered why I didn't see Muslims in the streets. Then it occurred to me that Muslims here simply look like every other Brazilian when they step foot outside of the mosque. This is a group integrated into their country and not separated by their differences (long beards and hijabs). Their understanding of the religion does not make appearances or looking different the priority. This is a group wanting to demonstrate kindness and giving to those in need (they were collecting money for Lebanese victims who were crippled by the war last year) and then willing to openly talk about and demonstrate why they are so happy to be Muslim. My experience here in Brazil reinforces a very important ayat in the Quran for what inspires me as a Muslim: Surah al Bukarah 2: 177: "It is not righteousness that you turn your faces to the East and to the West; but righteous is he who believes in Allah (one God) and the Last Day and the angels and the Scriptures (The Torah, The Gospel, The Psalms, The Quran) and the Prophets; and gives his wealth for love of God to your kinsfolk, and to orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and to those who ask. And to set slaves free (establish justice with those who are oppressed); and to observe proper worship and pay the poor their due. And those who keep their treaty when they make one. And the patient in tribulation and adversity and in times of stress. These are the people who are sincere. Such are the people who truly fear Allah."The rest of Ramadan has left me reading the Quran from beginning to end for the seventh time (Alhamdulellah). I am on Surah 37 today: Saad. While I read it this time, I highlight the ayats related to the many miracles and discussions Marcelo and I have had about our religion and we research and discuss the meanings of these great ayats. I love suhar when Marcelo and I get up to share our breakfast, pray for Fajr and read Quran together. This is the best time of the day. But I worry about my husband as he averages four hours of sleep a night.Marcelo's family has been very accepting and accommodating of our beliefs. In fact yesterday, you should have seen Marcelo's mom fight the doctors to get a female doctor for my gynecological visit. It was quite a scene. What really impressed me though, is that she herself has a male gynecologist and thinks there is no problem with male doctors. Even so, she respects Marcelo and my viewpoints and does not try to convince us to follow her culture or belief. I have come to the conclusion that we are the most fortunate people in the whole world. Allah swt brought us to the truth and to the light and gave us endless gifts from our sight to our ability to read. I want to keep my light shining and inspire you all to keep yours as bright as ever during our holy season of fasting.
I pray that you all may have a blessed Ramadan and most joyous Eid.In Peace-Angela Collins de Andrade Telles(Don't you just love my new "latin" last name)