Brothers and Sisters
May women we interviewed emphasized that a large portion of their faith was treating others, both Muslim and not, as if they were as close as brothers and sisters. This was seen as a solution to stopping Islamophobia, bringing together the Muslim and American identities and was also described as one way to practice their faith.
Zohra:
Zohra:
- "I think my parents instilled that in me, too. They said “take these, these are our teachings, these are our beliefs but it’s your decision to take with it what you want, what you think.” I always took with it to be a good person first and to always consider everyone a brother and a sister and we emphasize that. I think the stupidity comes from...I think all religions preaches the same thing so it’s funny that other religions are being isolated...they preach the exact same thing just in different ways and so they always said befriend your brother and your sister, everyone’s a brother and a sister, not just Muslims. I just take that with me and whatever my religion taught me growing up I’m going to take that with me everyday but it’s still my choice to what I think to emphasize and what I think is important."
- "I’ve definitely interpreted it in a way that I can apply it to my everyday life so I think I’ve taken the main things and main teachings which I think are to treat others like a brother or sister and, you know, don’t like cheat and the things that I know are strictly immoral for me but I take those teachings with me everyday."
- "To me, that is my “veil of modesty.” I see wearing a hijab as a choice, and I know for some of my Hijabi Muslim sisters, it is a choice that brings them closer to their faith and to other Muslims."
- "Everyone has the right to practice as they wish as long as it’s not harming other people and putting another person’s life at risk and so in that regard I don’t even blink an eye. You’re just talking to another person. Everyone in the faith and even outside of the faith is just like my brother and sister so for me to treat them badly for a decision they’re not making it makes me hypocritical and so I’m not here to judge anyone or be a hypocrite I try to practice my faith as much as I can and I try to learn more about it and that’s my personal journey and I have no right to judge anyone else’s. "