1

Mayamin Ali

Courtney Sgro

Religion

22 September 2023

All About You

Faith Life:

I am a Muslim, and I firmly believe in the existence of only one God, Allah, and that

Prophet Muhammad is His messenger. My faith is a central part of my life, and I express it by

observing the mandatory five daily prayers. I consider myself a deeply spiritual person,

constantly turning to God for guidance in every aspect of my life because I trust that His divine

plan is the best for me. My faith has a profound impact on my life, influencing my choices in

various ways. It guides my decisions, including matters such as clothing, as well as steering me

away from harmful habits like consuming alcohol and smoking. I believe these religious rules

are grounded in wisdom, as they seem designed to safeguard our well-being, a testament to God's

care for us. Furthermore, what I admire most about my religion is its emphasis on love and

respect for one another, irrespective of our differences. Islam teaches us to embrace diversity and

foster understanding among all people, a lesson that resonates deeply with me.

Beliefs:
I believe that there will come a day of judgment when every soul will stand before Allah,
determining their fate in either heaven or hell. As Muslims, we hold the conviction that the life
awaiting us after death far surpasses the existence we currently lead on Earth, as Allah has
 2

promised eternal bliss for all faithful believers. Our understanding is that this earthly life is
merely a test from God, and the true lessons will be unveiled on the day of judgment. I have
never wavered in my faith because, having explored other religions, I have come to the personal
conclusion that Islam is the true path. In the Quran, Allah references Hinduism, where deities
and idols are worshipped, as well as the beliefs of Jews and Christians. In my understanding, all
these Abrahamic religions share the fundamental belief in one God, yet the people of those times
often rejected the prophets sent to them by Allah. This connection exists because these prophets
were chosen by Allah to deliver the message of Islam, although they faced challenges until
Muhammad, peace be upon him, successfully fulfilled the mission, thus becoming the final
prophet.

Morals and Beliefs:

There is no doubt that in life, there exist both right and wrong choices, but these distinctions vary
from person to person and are deeply influenced by one's personal values. When I find myself
confronted with the task of discerning whether something is right or wrong, I consider two
crucial factors: first, is it permissible in Islam? And second, would my actions be met with
approval from my parents? This is because if an action contradicts my religious beliefs, I am less
inclined to engage in it, understanding both its moral implications and the potential consequences
it may entail. Additionally, I reflect on how my parents perceive certain matters, contemplating
whether they would have made similar choices if they were in my shoes. This is because my
parents hold a strong attachment to our cultural traditions and place immense value on the
reputation of our family name. Consequently, I often find myself deliberating and carefully
weighing my decisions, as I am acutely aware that my actions ultimately reflect not only on
myself but also on the honour of our family name.

Home life:
live with my mom and three siblings: one older sister and two younger brothers. We used to live
with my dad in Saudi Arabia, but we moved to Canada in 2019. The reason for our move was
that my sister needed to attend university, and in my parents' eyes, it was a better opportunity for
our future. Additionally, it allowed us to live closer to my extended family on my dad's side.
 3

Every summer, we visit my dad and my mom's extended family in Saudi Arabia. I spend most of
my free time with my cousins, as I am very close to my family in general, especially my aunts,
who played a significant role in raising me, leading to a strong attachment. Most of the time, I
manage to keep what's happening at home from distracting me in school. However, due to the
ongoing deaths and war that recently erupted in Sudan, my family has been going through a lot. I
believe this has affected my ability to concentrate on my studies, and I've noticed a sudden drop
in my grades.

3 most live-altering events:

The three most influential life events for me were when I moved to Canada. I was born in Sudan,
but I spent most of my life in the Middle East, so I was accustomed to life there. I was used to
having a busy schedule, especially because my school in the Middle East was academically
competitive. I used to spend over 10 hours a day studying from the age of 7. So, when I moved
to Canada in grade 8, I experienced culture shock. I found the curriculum much easier, and I
noticed that people didn't take school as seriously as we did back home. There were no exams,
no grades, and I found that quite shocking. Another event that profoundly changed my mindset
was witnessing my family and everyone I knew losing everything. In April 2023, my home
country, Sudan, descended into a civil war. Everyone was terrified, and they had to flee the
country, leaving everything behind. Most of the houses were looted, burned, or destroyed by the
war. Seeing my entire family face this harsh reality and having to accept that everything they had
worked hard for and built was gone was heartbreaking. It was a painful process to realize that all
the memories I held dear, such as family gatherings, weddings, and more, no longer existed. It
took us a long time to come to terms with the fact that our country was gone, but we had to trust
in a higher plan, because God always has something better in store for all of us. Lastly, another
significant event in my life was reuniting with my family after two years due to COVID-19. My
family was forced to stay in Canada because travel in and out of the country was banned, and my
dad, who was in charge of COVID-19 cases and issues there, couldn't take a leave. While two
years may not sound like a long time, the joy on all our faces when we finally saw each other
again, including my grandparents, aunts, and cousins, made me deeply appreciate and be grateful
for the gift of family. It's something irreplaceable.
4