“Bismi Allahi alrrahmani alrraheemi.” The Suras always soothe, center, and connect me to Allah, allowing me to sleep peacefully. On the morning of September 11th, I woke and watched the World Trade Center fall to rubble. That morning I felt like the rest of the world, helpless and terrified.
Overnight, my identity drastically changed. Friends I had known all my life suddenly looked at me as a traitor. I was no longer “Joe, the jock.” I became “Joe the terrorist.” That day we were taught that Muslims were violent terrorists who hate America. That afternoon, my father returned from his job for the last time after being told, “We just can't have anyone named Mohamed working here.” As the sun set and the towers smoldered I read my Suras and prayed we would survive in this new America.
The early morning drive to our mosque was silent; my mother's joyful voice was absent. The mosque was full of young Muslims who felt safe for the first time all week. Together, we drew upon the Koran and readied ourselves for a new world where we are feared and hated.
In the pages of my Koran, I have found the strength to persevere and never lose pride in my faith. Prophet Muhammad’s struggle to bring Islam from Allah to his people encourages me to positively shape my community's perception of Islam by drawing my classmates into modern views of Islam like Geneive Abdo’s, “'No God but God,' Egypt and the Triumph of Islam.” Muhammad’s ability to stand strong in the face of the thousands of non-believers enables me to endure long grueling searches at the airport, hurtful racial jokes, and the weight of being the only Muslim in my school. Muhammad's example pushes me to speak out in class discussions and to excel in multiple honors and AP courses. Prophet Muhammad even gives me the strength during Ramadan to refuse food and water during football games in 95-degree heat.
Today, in a post 9/11 America, I stand as a son of the great Kings of Egypt. I am filled with the same determination that built the Great Pyramids. At night, I hold my Koran in my hands, and envision myself in my dorm room reciting my Suras. I imagine rich class discussions and Muslim student club meetings where we redefine modern Islam. With the strength of my faith, I dare myself to take challenging courses and fully experience all that college has to offer. Tonight, when I hold my Koran in my hands and recite my Suras “Bismi Allahi alrrahmani alrraheemi” (In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace) I will be connected to both the glory of my past and the potential of my future.
