Jazakallah Kairan Sister Yasmin for the article found it really reflective and open my eyes to the emptying of the heart so thank you for that. On Imran’s note, and just to make things clear I’m no scholar or anything just a student trying to gain knowledge inshallah. But on the notion of being strange i would argue that Sister Yasmin spoke volumes when she mentioned that one That being strange will allow own to live in the dunya and not be in it. I interpret her words in a light that the Dunya is “like sunny weather and its good at times but doesn’t last forever” Boonaa Mohammed.

In that light i feel that all Muslims should stand out and not necessiarly just with a beard or kufi or hijab even though these are powerful things that every muslim should do in actuality. But to stand out in character and conduct as well. It means not to blend with the fools and idiots who walk around this earth without a purpose. The fools who don’t see wrong from right , be strange and different from them because we have been given this divine guidance from Allah (swt), Allhumduillah. Another thing one can question is that say if you are a good citizen yet no one knows your muslim just due to that fact that might not wear the hijab or a kufi an grow a beard, just think of all the good perceptions one could give Islam by wearing one of these symbols of Islam at the same time being a correct Muslim like we all should be. A really wise guy told this once that “when someone speaks ill about you, live in a way that others would never believe him”. People speak bad about Muslims because they haven’t seen the goods one representing it correctly.

On the second note I truly believe that even if people do feel intimated by one’s religiosity a simple smile or hello throw it all down the drain. I only say this for example purposes but I myself have encountered this, that many times one would look at me in a way as if i am not a human as if i can not speak the language. But Allhumduillah as soon as I bring my Richmond slang into the air all those bodily expressions of worry are gone and people will realize that he or she is one of us in a sense that they to know how to laugh, how to smile, how to cry, and are educated about the news etc.

Forgive me if disrespected you brother or anyone one else from what i said, Any good is from Allah any bad is from me. And in the end

Allahu Alim ( Allah knows best)

Alhamduullilah for this well phrased and beautifully written article of faith. MashaAllah. I look forward to reading your future posts. Jezakum Allah hu Hairon for sharing this essential knowledge.

As salam wa alaikom wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu.
Muslims are to distinguish themselves from the general populace so as to be known to one another as muslims, recognizable as such… InshaAllah. This has been my understanding.