Sunni Islam

Sunni Islam was the first stop on our list of religions to study by participating in the cultures and customs they offer, I was a little nervous about how my roommate and I would be received in the Islamic community. I need not have worried however, I found the religion to be one of peace and openness. My roommate and I donned our Hijabs and headed out to an experience neither one of us would soon forget. When we were ushered into the basement of the center and were asked to sit down with the leader of the service, an Imam. At first I felt uncomfortable and totally out of my element. He was a wonderful man, about the same age as my father I soon felt totally at ease as he told us about his faith in Islam. When he turned the tables and asked what we believed in I muttered Christianity under my breath. It's not that I am ashamed of my faith but something in my Mid-West mentality told me it would be rude to be insistent and loud about my faith at that moment. He then gave us books on the Islamic faith. We then stood up, thanked him for his time and went to worship in the way of Muslims around the world. In a back room of the Islamic Center in Lincoln Nebraska we faced Mecca and prayed to the God of all nations. Bending, placing my forehead on the soft gray carpet of the center then standing back up. All the while watching for the next movements of the other women in the room. When the service was complete we left and headed back to our college campus in the heart of Lincoln. While driving home a young man pulls up beside me revving his engine, hopeful to see the hotties in the red Mustang my parents had given me as a graduation present. His smile quickly slid from his face and he passed us with a look of wonder mixed with confusion. I wondered at the reaction for a moment as it was different from any others I had ever received. I looked in the rear view mirror and was reminded that I was dressed completely in black as to show my respect for the modesty standards of Islam, with all my hair covered in a traditional head covering and my face devoid of the layers of make-up I normally wear. I wondered for a second who the woman was looking back at me. Of course guys would run away from a woman who so clearly sent out the message of a faith they have been trained to hate, of course they would want to put distance between themselves and the women who looked like they just stepped out of the CNN nightly special on the War on Terror. This spoke to me. That for one afternoon I was a different faith and at the end of three hours I could not wait to take off the modest garments that are such a mark of the religion I had just worshiped with.  I now know how brave and strong the women of Islam are. Everyday stepping outside their homes in the Mid-West to the Middle-East to only get stares and rude comments from those too ignorant to truly know of the religion and too arrogant to put any effort into learning about it.  Islam is a faith of peace. I enjoyed my experience as a Sunni Muslim for an afternoon and thank the people of Lincoln Islamic Foundation for being so welcoming to me.