Something very unpleasant happened to me yesterday. Fifa and I were accompanying Etty shopping. She was looking to buy watches for her mom and dad. While Fifa and Etty were busy choosing, a man approached me.
I noticed that he was giving us that "look" from afar. The "look" that Muslim women with headscarves get all the time.
He started to small talk with me: where I came from, where am I studying, etc... Then, he complimented my winter coat. Gesturing to my coat and Fifa's and Etty's windbreakers, he said: "You know, the infidels created them - infidels, not Muslims"
With that, he asked to shake my hand and left.
Fifa and Etty asked me what happened, and I related our conversation. We just shrugged it off. Apa2 je lah pak cik ...
BUT he had the audacity to come back.
"Remember me?" he said.
Dlm hati: How can I forget?
I was by myself again. Etty and Fifa were still dealing with the salesperson.
He questioned why Muslims hate the "infidels" so much. I tried to explain that that's not how the majority of Muslims feels. But he either didn't understand what I was trying to say or refused to.
He said that he came from a religious family background. There are 4 priests in his family but he himself is not religious.
"I want to be FREE. I don't believe in (making prostrating actions). And I want to sip a glass of wine sometimes. Is that wrong?"
He said a few other things but I couldn't make out what he was trying to say. His English was a bit difficult to understand.
When he left, I felt so overwhelmed. I was angry and sad all at once.
I was angry because he couldn't understand my explanation
I was angry that he attacked my faith and I FAILED to defend it
I was sad that people had such a distorted view of Islam
I cried in the midst of the Myer store for having the misfortune to meet such a hateful man.
To be personally attacked like that was a very unpleasant experience.
Throughout the bus ride home, I kept replaying the scenes in my mind. I kept thinking of the things I should have said and the ways I should have explained.
Moral of the story???
Saya pun tak tahu... :(
8 comments:
Moral of the story:
some people are just ignorant and convinced that only their views are right
Moral of the story:
1. Learn from it...
What were your weaknesses?
Were you rude?
Did you show yourself as weak?
You can be polite, kind & strong at the same time.
2. Prepare for similar encounters
Prepare an answer for the future.
This metacognition will help reinforce your thinking schemas as well.
3. Detatch your emotions from that event
You must be stunned & shocked.
But it was not your fault. You didn't approach him, he did. It was not your fault that you couldn't convince him. He had some issues in his heart that you cannot solve for him. You did your part & that's nice of you.
He is insecure. He needs love. I hope you did show him love.
4. Now move on.
I agree with Ana on that one. You encountered ignorance and ignorance when it's taken to the extremes of self-righteousness can be poisonous, as you had witnessed. Unfortunately, it seems like certain people today force us to defend our belief systems, our values, what we do, and how we do it. It's like we are guilty until proven innocent. Unfortunate reality? Yes. But we still have to wear our badge with pride and you did just that, and did the right thing by trying to let him understand Islam and Muslims.
Respectfully, I have to disagree on something - you mentioned you "failed to defend Islam". I beg to differ. Yes he attacked Islam. You may be hurt, wounded but this is a no-brainer, in this story you are the bigger person, with the bigger heart and stronger backbone. I have the utmost confidence that you carried yourself well, with the strong composure not everyone can muster in such a circumstance. Power to you Syada, I don't think you failed at all. So keep your head up! Not every battle is worth fighting.
Syada, you dun hv to feel guilty.
Igt bagaimana Rasulullah SAW menghadapi kaum musyrikin yg mengajak baginda berdebat?
Rasulullah diam saja.. hingga di akhir perdebatan dia keluarkan sepotong ayat dari Al-Quran yang mampu menempelak balik kata2 org musyrikin.
Deal those ignorant people in a calm manner.. that's Rasulullah's way. I think what u did is right.
insya-Allah, jiwa seorg mukmin adalah ampuh dan kental maka ia tidak sekali-kali akan mudah dihancurkan dengan kata-kata dr mereka yg ignorant. ingatan juga buat diri sendiri yg mudah sgt sensitif ini. well, kita semua sdg usaha ke arah itukn.
*hugs* syg Syada
:)
ganbatte syada. selamat bermujahadah.
*hugs*
it so happened tt Allah chose U n not other people ;)
kita kuat sebenarnye...lebih kuat dari gunung...
"Kalau sekiranya Kami menurunkan Al Quran ini kpd sebuah gunung, pasti kamu akan melihatnya hancur terpecah belah disebabkn takut kpd Allah. Dan perumpamaan2 itu Kami buat utk manusia supaya mrk berfikir." (59:21)
3:186
"You shall certainly be tried and tested in your wealth and properties and in your personal selves, and you shall certainly hear much that will grieve you from those who received the Scripture before you and from those who ascribe partners to Allah; but if you persevere patiently, and become Al-Muttaqun then verily, that will be a determining factor in all affairs"
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