I get up again to stand under the
shower, as it is the most effective relief from the heat. The water
is life pouring over my body. As the drops wash over my lips my
instincts scream at me to open my mouth and drink. Instead, I spit
out the water, denying myself the pleasure. The thirst remains. I
am fasting, participating in Ramadan, the Islamic holy month. It is
an opportunity to connect with people and get to know humanity a
little better. Ramadan is also an opening to continue the
never-ending discussion of my religious beliefs, and why I should
embrace Islam. Moroccans are passionate about religion, and do not
hesitate to discuss it openly.
Americans avoid religious
conversations. Spirituality is not very consistent, and we consider
it taboo to casually compare sets of beliefs. It can brew negative
feelings. In Morocco, where practically the entire population is in
agreement, religious conversation is completely acceptable. If I am
around, religious conversation is encouraged, as Moroccans are
excited to share their passion for Islam. After asking for my name,
the next question from a new acquaintance is generally “are you
Muslim?” This is probably because I give them my adopted Moroccan
name (Kareem), but still, if you met an Arab in America who said
their name was John, your next question would not be “are you
Christian?”
I've had strangers be quite direct
about their passion for Islam, with words approaching religious
harassment. One day I was trying to buy a plunger from a lady. When
she found out I wasn't Muslim, she forgot all about the plunger.
“You must embrace Islam,” she cried, “it is the best religion
in the world. You need it if you don't want to go to hell. I knew a
woman from France, who became Muslim because she learned how
beautiful it is. You must try to pray, OK?”
“OK, how much does the plunger cost?”
Another common occurrence are strangers
trying to make me declare the Shahada. They will tell me to repeat
after them: 'There is no god but God, Muhammad is the messenger of God.' It is the first pillar of Islam and a simple step
towards conversion. The first time it happened I wasn't sure what
was going on and so I said it. I guess I must be a Muslim now. They
got me good.
Sorry, I don't mean to make fun of
these strangers. They really are doing what they think is right.
They are trying to save me. It is just something I am not use to.
Besides the occasional door to door proselytizer, or Mormon acquaintance, I was never told to follow a particular religion in America. In Morocco, such encounters are
frequent, and sometimes it just trips me out.
With friends, religious discussion is
also frequent, but much more enjoyable. My friends may also want me
to be Muslim (of course they don't want me to burn in Hell), but
their strategy for saving me is much more humane. They believe that
I have the choice to follow Islam, and if I learn enough about it, I
will want to convert. They do not tell me I must embrace their
religion, they are simply happy to explain to me why it is a
beautiful set of beliefs. When I admit that I am interesting in
knowing about (but not converting to) Islam, they are satisfied. By
fasting for Ramadan, they give me smiles that say “see, slowly but
surely you are becoming a Muslim.”
Religious conversation with friends can
be interesting, as I pick up on the importance of religion as well as
the details that set Islam apart from other religions (namely
Christianity since my community thinks I'm Christian). Most of what
is said about being a Muslim can be said in regards to Christianity.
On several occasions I have had Heaven and Hell described to me the
same a way a Christian might. There was one particularly
enlightening discussion where my neighbor described how the human
temptation to sin can lead us away from our greater purpose in life.
This conversation was complete with the story of Adam and Eve and an
explanation of Satan.
After hearing such descriptions I say,
“oh, hey, that's the same as Christianity.” Then the
conversation takes a turn. Based on the talks with friends and
neighbors, there are a handful of crucial differences that make Islam
'better' than Christianity. There is of course Jesus, who, according
to Muslims, is not the son of God. Muslims find it strange that God
would have a son, and figure the true religion would not believe such
a thing. The difference between the Bible and the Koran is another
point of contention. Muslims are very proud that their book has
remained unchanged since its creation while the Bible have been
watered down by time and translations. A final interesting point is
that Islam is the youngest of the major religions, allowing it to
perfect all the religious developments from the past.
I don't know how accurate such
information is. These are the things I often hear in my community.
Some arguments make sense and I can feel genuine passion, but some
presentations are irrelevant and do little to demonstrate religious
pride. Islam is the best, because so many Christians choose to
convert to Islam and Muslims do not choose to convert to
Christianity. How true is that? I hear that fact surprisingly
often... freaking Cat Stevens and Muhammad Ali.
Like I said, I find such talks
interesting, yet, at the same time, there is a certain amount of
frustration. The problem is that I have yet to be able to represent
my beliefs honestly. I usually say that I am a Christian as it more
understandable than Agnosticism or Atheism. This sets up a debate,
where I guess I am suppose to defend Christianity. The discussion
compares Christianity and Islam to determine which one is better.
Since I know as little about being Christian as I do about being
Muslim, my arguments fall short. When I am not able to properly
explain believes and behaviors of Christians, and admit that religion
confuses me, they give me that smile that says “see, slowly but
surely you are becoming Muslim.”
It would be less frustrating if I could
take the debates to another level, where I can be more honest about
my spiritual beliefs. Lately I've stopped calling myself Christian
and explain that I try to learn and follow all religions. It is less
of a lie than claiming to be Christian. Hopefully such a set up can
lead to conversations that deal less with details and more with the
big picture of religion. It would be nice to perhaps discuss the
existence or general nature of God, where I can be real, instead of
being put in a position where I must support Christianity over Islam.
Despite not being completely honest
about my faith, my input forces others to think through new ideas.
To defend myself from conversion I ask: “Would you follow a
religion different than your parents'?” or “If you lived in
Europe and everyone wanted you to become Christian would you consider
it?” The other day I had some fun hypotheticals for my good
friend:
“If you were in love with a Christian
girl, would you marry her?”
“Yes.”
“Would your parents be upset that you
married a non-Muslim?”
“No. They just want me to be happy.”
“Would your kids be Christian or
Muslim?”
“Hmm... I don't know?”
“And when you die, she would go to
Hell and you would go to Heaven?”
“Yea. She would have to go to Hell.
But I would still text her!”
For the most part, religious talks with Moroccans carry a friendly energy. There is always an agreement that we are all brothers and sisters on our Earth, and it is important to love one another. And at the end of the conversations peace is generally seen as our most important goal. When I get up to end these conversations someone always has to give me a quick reminder “keep studying Islam, and one day you will want to convert. You will see.”
