Islamiaphobia '16

  While sixteen is a age of maturation and discovery for me this wasn't the case. Ironically, the two main things that best shaped me at this milestone age were identity and religion. My case for the first is a little complicated, so we'll discussed the second. Growing up in an Apostolic Pentecostal church for a good part of my childhood spiritual faith and redemption was not my close companion. Young but at the same time optimistic a quest to find God was still on my to-do list.

  As mentioned before the doctrine in my Apostolic Pentecostal upbringing started to make me sick. Not to mention that the aftermath of the Arab Springs were felt worldwide. Trying to connect the dots and even trying to make sense of all this I finally saw the truth (or for some the light). Islam seemed like the truest, most purest, and even the most honest religion one could convert to.

  In the year 2010 our country was in an on-going war on terrorism. The real deep-rooted question was and still is who and what are we really at war with? A religion that is named after the most gracious act known to man (peace) shouldn't be at war with no one really. Here in the U.S. the Christian church has done more harm to people of color than any institution in our history.

  To convert is a difficult task, especially to a religion as strict as Islam. Afterschool trips to the library were constant. I may had not been able to rock a taqiyah but that was cool for a moment. Resisting swine (also known as pork) was difficult than all out doors. Eventually, my evangelist mother caught on to my portioned conversion.

  Like most of my admirations of my teen hood this one in particular was denied. I suppose my evangelized family wouldn't be able to handle a disciplined "person of faith" praying three times more than they them a week. Neither could my Watchtower reading, Jesus Loving, church going community be able to handle me. The environment of my school, both socially and systematically would force me to hide my identity as a believer in Allah and his massager Muhammad Ibn Abdullah.  

  Now that you've read a story of a voice that was struggling to be heard, one may only hope that they are teenagers out there with the same state of being. We as adults have a responsibility to guide the youth and help them find their way. Remember that if we don't do this the outside world won't give a damn about them. Until next time keep on dreaming and keep on aspiring.