My husband came home from the mosque tonight with news that he had been invited to yet another Ramadan event. Really I'm happy for him, it must be nice to go to these types of things. Of course, me never being invited to anything that has to do with Islam, asked what it was all about. The Saudi Club invited him, they apparently have frequent gatherings where they talk about....hmmm......I really have no idea. They told him to bring the wife, my eyes lit up when I heard this, but I was slowly disappointed. My husband goes on about how they don't speak english and that I may not feel comfortable there. Well of course I won't!! My arabic entails surah al fatiha, salaam and few other words that aren't even enough to form simple sentences. I don't know why I was even told I was allowed to come, I mean what's the point? To stare at a wall? I can do that at home. I don't know any of the women that are part of the Saudi Club and I don't know how they'd feel about me. I'm not saying they will be rude or ignore me, but I wonder should I even go to a cultural club's gathering? It appears to me that it's part of the reason why there is so much division in Islam. Seems to me people need to create Islamic clubs where everyone is allowed and we can learn first hand about other cultures. Why segregate yourself into a cultural group? Islam doesn't teach that.
2 comments:
I've often had the same feelings and it was one of my reasons many times for not going to a masjid - because where I was, the women's side was nothing more than a cultural/linguistic club.
But I've also learned that that thinking shoots yourself in the foot, too - it is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you never reach out to these sisters, then you remain isolated. And if you're in a foreign country, it isn't a bad idea to try to learn the language, and that only happens by being around people who speak it and can't speak your language.
Your right and I actually had this thought in the back of my mind while I was writting this. I was thinking about the worse case sinerio. I've heard a lot of sad stories from other people and I've let it affect me, but only because I have my own set of letdowns.
When I'm in Syria inshAllah I will learn the language, I'm a firm believer in learning the language of the country, but at least for now thank Allah some Syrians speak french
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