Abroad Again

My senior year in college I finally went to Egypt to continue my studies.

My favorite place to go became “Islamic Cairo,” where the mosques always gave me a sense of comfort and awe.

I felt that by being in them, one could really feel the beauty, power and awe of Allah. And, as always, I enjoyed staring at the elegant calligraphy on the walls.

One day a friend asked me why I didn’t convert to Islam if I liked it so much. “But I am already Muslim.” My answer surprised me. But then, I realized that it was a simple matter of logic and common sense.

Islam made sense. It inspired me. I knew it was right. Why did I then have to convert?

My friend informed me that in order to “be official,” I needed to actually go to the mosque and state my intention in front of two witnesses. So, I did. But, when they gave the certificate to me, I just filed it in my file cabinet with my “other” medical and personal records…because to me, I had always been Muslim.

I didn’t need to hang a piece of paper on my wall to tell me that. I had known it the minute I picked up the Quran. The minute I opened it, I felt like I had found my long lost family.

I hung a picture of the Alhambra Mosque on my wall instead.

(Last published: February 2016)