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Rationale
Written By: Mehreen Omer
 
I started out as nothing more than someone. Just like most of the born-muslims in my country, I understood religion to be some part of my life but not something that wouldpay an important role in my daily routine. I wasn't religious; I didn't pray and when Idid it was only the easy prayers of Zuhr or Asr and sometimes Isha. Magrib went toofast for me. So I didn't actually know what I was bringing myself to, although I knew that It was wrong to leave prayers and I shouldn't do that. But again I used to excusemyself with pretty flimsy reasons for not praying, mostly which included “I don't havetime, I'm too busy", " I'm too tired" or "I got something very important to do". I knew it was wrong, I felt it within me, but still I set up my own criteria. I thought it was okay to leave prayer when you got some excuses. EVEN THEN I KNEW IT WAS WRONG,BUT SOMETHING KEPT ME PUSHING TOWARDS THAT WRONG. Then there werelittle things that I didn't do and they coupled up to give some hard time. Anyways, I got on with my life like this. I went through tough times in my life as a girl.My parents had three girls including me and no son, and it was quite frustrating forthem to manage us...though I am extremely thankful to them for whatever they'vegiven me. So I compromised with the situation and had this sticker on my headlabeled "gloomy". Well time passed and nothing seemed to change.Then I entered this high school. During my O'levels, I went through rather bizarrefeeling and I didn't quite have a purpose in life. My grades were going lower and lowerand I just didn't know why. I just was deeply affected by what I saw in movies and wellkept on trying to get out of real life and live in imagination. During my holidays, my main ambition was to watch a favourite movie or doing something as to improve my skills on something. I didn't basically have any talent, so what I did was planning to dothis and that, until I ended up with nothing. Then I found myself a mission, I wantedto have good grades. Just like any other kid, I wanted to make my parents proud. I worked and studied hard and yeah it felt good. My teachers were amazed and I felt"Man......I'm good!” During my last year of O'levels I felt this congestion right withinme. I knew I was missing something; I was missing something very important. And Iknew what it was......I needed to get back to my religion. But again I didn't have time todo so. My exams were coming up and.....whoa...I really studied hard thanks to Allahthat I was able to. I got good grades and well at that point I thought I had secured my 
 
future. I was easily getting admission in good colleges and life seemed good. But thethought..."Hey...it's over now; let's get back to your religion."Right....I didn't what to do...I had some idea.....Hey I had Islamic Studies, I knew my religion? So I said to myself “Islam is based on five pillars, I got testimony, that's forsure...NO NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THAT!" I need to work on prayers, fasting and yeah learn some Duas and invocations. At time did I ...did I....DID I JUST REALIZETHAT "TESTIMONY" , THE VERY THING THAT I GOT RIGHT IN MY FIST, WILL BETHE GREATEST THING TO EVER TROUBLE ME!It was just the beginning....I at that moment knew nothing about life....I started to bereligious in a sense I started learning invocations, offering prayers and watching religious programmes. I was confronted with rather extreme ideas with the Molvis andMullahs here in Pakistan. Some of them prohibited something Allah has made halalfor us.....like innovated things in religion and I was just starting to learn. My parentsgot the wrong picture, they thought I was getting extreme or so. I talked about Hijab tothem, and they explicitly without any hesitation said "NO". They wanted me to look likeable...they had this picture of women completely covering themselves up as a fromof repression bombarded upon them by the media. It was really hard for me to makethem understand that hijab is obligatory and that's the wrong image being potrayedand I want to protect myself. They said that I should be "modern" and brave as the"Women of the 21st century".....and that no one would like me if I cover myself up. Anyways, I got along with that. I was to confront harder things still......and way way  way...It was just starting to happen!I went to Umrah during that year and it was such an inspirational visit. I thank andglorify Allah for that. After that Ramadan came, and hey...I was going well! Fasts,Dhikr, prayers of course...and well it felt so good. After that.....everything was tochange...I remember exactly it did not took too much of a time after Ramadan....and Iseriously fell weak.One night.....It took just one night...I was on to bed on my way to sleep...when athought came to my mind? And I'm telling you plainly, I didn't like it and it shook so
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