The more time I spend immersing myself in books...

The more time I spend immersing myself in books and teachings of the great Muslim men and women that came before us, the more I realize that Islam is a religion that truly embraces anyone from any walk of life. Islam is so big and has a center that is so welcoming that I don’t understand how anyone can claim someone will be turned away. When you knock on the door to Islam, unity and love answer. All the teachings speak of community, brotherhood, respect and unity - yet we fall back on our prejudices and traditions to create a rift between us and our brothers and sisters.

Think of Hajj. We don’t know where the person standing beside us is from, we don’t know what sect they have chosen to follow or what they were doing just the day before. We don’t know who they love, what their stance on hijab is or how long they’ve been Muslim, the only thing we know is that they too have found their way to the house of Allah and have bowed down before the same God as us. All we know is that they are are brother/sister and we both are facing the qibla, wrapped in a white cloth - just as we will in death. Once you strip away the small things that you think make a difference as to whether that person is a “good” or “real” Muslim, what is left?

The simple understanding that we are all ultimately trying to get the same place, via the same religion and through submission to Allah (swt).

(Source: rumiandshit)