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Friends: The Key to a Good School Year
by Hiba Al-Zahawi
It’s that time again, time to go back
to school and hit the books. The long lazy summer days are over and now we have
another academic year on our hands. So how can we make this new year a wonderful
and memorable one? What can we do so that in the future when we look back we
can say that this year was a good one? The answer to that lies in our friends.
Friends play a big role in our lives. Part
of our nature is the desire to be around people and to interact with others.
We want to share our thoughts and feelings, we want to experience new things
and create memories, and friends can help us do that.
Friends are there to listen to you and to
share your moments of joy and sadness. But most importantly friends are there
to support you. This network of support is very crucial especially to the Muslim
student living in a largely non-Muslim community.
Throughout high school, there were only
two or three Muslims in the entire school and I was the only one who wore a
scarf. It was difficult at times having to deal with non-Muslim students and
not having many Muslims around you for support.
As I started my first year at the university,
I began to meet new Muslims and slowly realized what a difference having Muslim
friends could have on you.
For the first time in many years, I felt
that I "belonged." All of a sudden, I was surrounded by a group of people who
offered me support and gave me strength to face my difficulties in working with
the non-Muslim student population.
The best part of having those Muslim friends
is the memories that we created. We shared many laughs and struggled together
to strengthen our Muslim identity on campus and help educate people about Islam.
We shared our experiences and depended on
one another for guidance and support. At the end of each day, we would look
back and smile realizing that we had made it through another day as a group.
Thanks to God, I have been very fortunate
in meeting my Muslim friends. By having gone through high school with hardly
any Muslims, I realize now the importance of having Muslim friends and being
part of a community.
I would advise you to get to know as many
Muslims as you can this year and to form a strong circle of friends where you
can support one another.
If you are attending a college or are going
to soon, then ask and see if there is a Muslim Students' Association (MSA) on
campus and try to get involved with their activities and get to know new people.
How good school will be this year will depend
on you and your efforts in meeting new Muslims. If Allah has blessed you with
Muslim friends then try to reach out to other Muslims, include them in the group,
and help them create a good and memorable school year.
Your Comments
fazila banu, singapore -
wrote on 10/28/2005 9:18:33 AM
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Comment: hi there, i am a also a muslim who llives in a multi-racial society, the only problem i face is that most of the people think that i am an indian just because i speak tamil. well..i have many friends who are muslim who speak tamil..i think this site rocks.. love you!
3girls , Halifax,Canada -
wrote on 10/17/2005 2:26:02 PM
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Comment: We really liked this story becuase we go to a muslim school and do not have to face this kind of difficulties . This is a message to us to learn that we have to keep our identity. (Saida, Sumaya,Farima)
Asha , manchester -
wrote on 3/17/2005 7:10:31 AM
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Comment: salaam,
i really liked what u written. i think that it is good to have muslims friends around u.i am happy o hear that your muslim friends are there to support you every move u take. u are lucky to have friends like the ones you have but it is a shame that not all muslim friends are so supportive and understand, coz i have sarted a course about the spirtual insite of humans and the i am trying to stop myself from commiting sins, the support i had from home was fantastic a couldnt have asked for more the problem is in school i will inshallah be going to college in August and i want my school friends to be around me when i am in college but the support i get off them today and they way they think of me i don't want them around any more. i have learnt from your story that not everyone is like that some people do give support and do encourage you.
salaam.
shayma, london -
wrote on 12/31/2004 8:02:09 AM
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Comment: Salam i really loved this articl very much it brought me back to my olden days i never use to wear a scaf about alhamdulah allah and so of my muslim friends helped me so no i have started wearing it its my 2year in highschool im very happy with it because i broke up with my old christin friend because when i was friends with them it was very hard to start wareing a scaf but now alhamdulah i have started and i well never take it of.
nafiza, minnesota -
wrote on 12/17/2004 10:30:25 PM
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Comment: this ways a good article, and i thought who ever wrote it did a great job
sak, london -
wrote on 9/26/2004 10:37:50 AM
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Comment: i think this site is reeely good bcos it shows how much us muslims atually are 2 the world and how much we care.
i was the only one who wore hijab b4 another girl did, because alhamdulillah my mum brought our school 2 justice, i want 2 make people understand more of our faith in an interesting, pure-to-the-soul way.
i no u guys are reely helpful so please help me!!!!!!!!
keep up the good work.
your sister in islam sakina
keep postin ur thorts guys, their reely gud.
cum on islam!!!!!
Teengirl that needs help, Massachusetts -
wrote on 8/22/2004 5:45:05 PM
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Comment: Assalaamalaikum! Mashallah I loved your article and it reminded me of myself--i was the only muslim girl in my school in 7th and 8th grade, and now in high school, there is one girl who is muslim but she is 2 years older than me. She is a good muslim mashallah, but I don't talk with her much, only get to greet each other once in a while on the way to class. For one thing, she isn't in my grade. I will be entering grade 10 now, and she will go to 12 inshallah. Then I will probably be the only muslim in my school angain. I don't have that many friends at school, either, and the ones that I do have are REALL Y nice to me and and respect me but their way of hanging out is like going to the movies and that type of stuff, and mostly they're just interested in gossip. I feel sorry for them b/c they're not muslim. Can you please give me some tips on how to make more friends and do you have any suggestions on what I should do? I only know 2 other muslim families in our town...and nobody from them is my age...So if you please have any suggestions I would appreciate it very much. thank you. Assalaamualaikum, and may Allah bless you.
amena, austin tx -
wrote on 8/18/2004 9:06:04 PM
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Comment: AA Soundvision People in Islam,
Masha'allah this is an excellent website and article for all, Muslims and non-Muslims.
I have two teenage boys and no girls but I can understand how challenging it is for our Muslim girls growing up in adverse conditions. Insha'allah they will be stronger for it, plus Insha'allah there is more reward for them from Allah Ta'ala. I was touched by this article, jazakAllah khair for all your good efforts in serving our Umma.
Your sister in Islam,
Amena
Zahra, CA -
wrote on 7/12/2004 1:56:08 AM
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Comment: This was a great article! I could relate a lot because I was the only girl in my whole entire middle school who wore hijab. True, there were a few other Muslims but they were mostly the kind who didn't even want to admit they were Muslim. Alhamdulillah, the High school I'm going to has 2 other girls whom I'm friends with who do Hijab so I feel a little bit more in place. Inshallah Allah will give us courage to overcome our conscience, Ameen. Wassalam-Zahra
indian, india -
wrote on 7/4/2004 2:16:43 AM
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Comment: I am a non muslim,a hindu .but that doesn,t matter i really love your site. in a world that believes that muslims are terrorists - this site teaches people about the beauty of islam. unlike a few hindu sites which are filled with just radical & communal views thi site is cool . I respest all religions and have many muslim friends. they are great folks andi love the food that they bring to school
thanx
indian
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