Locked In

Declaration-2015

"Dawood turn up the volume," I said to my husband.

It was just after Dhur prayer. We, Dawood, my husband and I, Parasa; with our three sons, Daboor, Rahmat, and Ijaz; and our daughter, Sabura were gathered in the living room. Daboor was eleven, Rahmat was eight, Ijaz was five, and Sabura was two. We were sitting on the couch in the living room around the television. Dawood turned up the television and we watched the USA president's speech.

On behalf of the United States of America, I firmly believe it is time to eradicate Islam from American soil. I have sent FBI and CIA people to go to all the countries where American Muslims are living to bring them back to the United States. I will give them the choice of renouncing Islam and keeping their American citizenship or staying Muslim and being relocated to safe houses in the USA for their protection.

Even though Muslims lived all around the world some Muslims wore different types of clothing depending on their geographic location. It was common in the Middle East for women to wear the Abaya; a long robe that covered women from head to toe. All women and girls who had attained puberty wore the Hijab; a scarf that covered their hair, neck and ears. Men in the Middle East wore the Thobe; a long white robe; which was common among Saudi men in particular. Some women wore the Niqab; a veil that covered the face. Jilbabs were like the Abaya, except the Jilbab was a long coat.

"Mommy are we going to be taken to America?" Ijaz asked me.

"No Ijaz. Insha Allah we'll be protected and stay here in Bahrain with your father."

"Don't worry Ijaz. I'll protect you all." Dawood said.

We went back to eating our lunch. We were eating a Greek salad, chicken with rice, dates, and water. I was secretly worried that we would be taken from Bahrain. I knew what had happened to the Japanese Americans on the West Coast during World War II and was afraid that it would happen again to the Muslims. Ever since September 11th, 2001, the world had been on a secret quest to eliminate Islam from the face of the Earth. Even though I was a Lebanese American, as my parents had moved to America shortly before my birth, I had faced lots of prejudice growing up in America. People just didn't understand, or maybe they refused to understand that Muslims were human beings as well. Not all of us were terrorists.

"Parasa what's wrong?" Dawood asked me.

"I'm afraid Dawood. What if the American CIA come to Bahrain and takes us back to America? I'm not stupid. I know what they will do to us if they take all the American Muslims back to America. I don't want the children to grow up in relocation camps."

"Insha Allah nothing will happen. Have faith in Allah."

"I know Dawood. I do have faith in Allah. I am just so scared."

"God willing everything will be okay. Maybe you should go lay down. I'll watch the kids while you sleep."

I went to our room and lay on the bed but I couldn't get to sleep. My mind was a jumble. I knew of the persecution I had faced growing up in America. I knew what my family had gone through after September 11th. Our shop had been broken into. A swastika had been sprayed on our mosque. My mother had been pulled over and assaulted by a police officer. When she had gone to the police department to report it, they had thrown the case out. They chose instead to believe the police officer over my mother. My parents had fled Lebanon and come to America thinking they would have freedom in America. However, that freedom had been nothing like what they had thought.

During school I had been harassed by my classmates. I had been called a Sand Nigger and been told I was a terrorist. Even my teachers overlooked the bullying I had to endure. I have come to realize that the freedoms Americans preach so highly about only apply to non-Muslim Americans. Muslims do not matter to anyone in the world. It does not matter if we are killed, so long as Islam does not spread.