Straighten me with your sword.
27 Feb 2005

I spoke with a good friend of mine regarding our strikingly similar personalities. I've known her for about four years now, alhamdulillah, and it's occuring more often to me that we think alike, we may act alike, and we are challenged with the same struggle. Only difference is that I'm 2 years behind (mashaAllah, she's a college freshman).

We could easily relate about one particular struggle that I continue to challenge and inshallah will surmount with the grace of ya Rabb. I'm fervent about activism in all aspects, and the islamic aspect exceptionally.

As a muslim sister, it's not difficult for me to spawn skepticism among the muslim crowd, and I very much have in the past and it was intentional. I'm not trying to be cynical, but rather I'm testing my boundaries and I have found my niche in the community, for the time being at least.

I am here to contribute whatever I know about the truth, and continue to learn and grow as a young Muslimah. If I see friends lead astray, I help guide them. If I am found guilty of wrongdoing, then I depend on my friends to advise and guide me.


This related to a story about Umar Ibn Khattab:

When he became khalifa he was addressing the people.
He said to the people "what would you do if i became crooked?"
One man among the people stood up and said "If you become crooked we will straighten you with our swords!"
And Umar al-Farooq responded, "Praise be to Allah for blessing me with such believers in this ummah."

When I first heard this, I could only think of a negative connotation. Technically speaking, one can be easily misguided and forget to read between the lines to realize, that if a friend is being led astray, we must guide them back, not help crush them.

Allahu Alim.