Dilshad Ali – Why I am a Muslim

Dilshad Ali – Why I am a Muslim April 9, 2013

Patheos is asking its writers and bloggers to finish the sentence: Why I Am A … in about 200 words. This is my response.

He sits in the bathtub as the water fills up. I add some bubble bath and when the tub fills, I turn off the tap. He’s at peace, humming, gathering suds in his hands. I go into the bedroom to put the laundry away and hear the buzz of the Jacuzzi jets go on.

The bubbles have taken over, until Lil D is drowning in foam that spills over the tub. His sister brings up cookie trays, and we quickly scoop out the bubbles until we see his nose peek out.

And in that instant when he looks like me, I see the light of Allah.  I know he is One, without son or father. I know when I cannot understand the whys, when Lil D’s autism brings me to my knees, that He knows what I do not.

I heard a phrase once: Fake it until you make it. I falter in my faith a lot, but I am so thankful Islam offers me a way back through five daily salat, the fasts of Ramadan and so much more.

Through the word of the Quran, I know fa innal ma’al ‘usri yusra, fa innal ma’al ‘usri yusra. Verily with difficulty there is ease. Verily with difficulty there is ease.

To read more responses to this “Why I am a … ” series, click here. Bloggers from the Muslim, Catholic, Evangelical, Aethist and other Patheos faith channels are all weighing in.


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