Yesterday night I went to a graduation at a local madrasa in Indiana. Indiana for the most part is a quiet community, however, about a few years ago a friend of mine named Doctor Bilal started up a small school which was a branch of a larger Madrasa from Pakistan in Indiana. So over the years I began to see these young bearded kids, wearing their thoubs all over Indiana. At first I was like what's wrong with these guys lookin like straight fools. They seemed outdated and whenever they would see you they would remind you about Islam. They would come knock on your doors and remind you to come to the masjid and pray. For me, I didn't really vibe with them because I found their ways of spreading Islam very annoying and not practical. But year after year they would come to me and eventually my heart grew so attached to them. They were experts in the Arabic language, masters of the Quran, they studied tafseer deeply and they had manners that mimicked that of our beloved Prophet Muhammad pbuh. They completely changed who I am as a person and they have become men who were loved at all the Masjid's in Indianapolis. I started to see other youth gravitate towards them and a lot of my guys friends who weren't that Islamic slowly became closer to God through these men. Today they graduate and leave to Medina and Pakistan to continue their studies. But I had the privilege to see these men transform an entire community through Islam. They made people fall in love with praying and going to the masjid. They did it through love, compassion, and mercy which are the core aspects of Islam. Today the Indiana community will lose seven jewels but Allah has promised to bring people into your life that will remind you of God. So when that person enters don't shut the door on them, open it up wide and graciously embrace them! A special shoutout to Dawood, Rafeek (the two on the far right) and Siam (the far left) who have became three of my best friends. A friendship that is built on Islam will last even in Heaven!
PS I haven't included the picture here :)
