Rabia Chaudry – Why I Am A Muslim

This is a guest post from Rabia Chaudry, who is a columnist for Altmuslim on the Patheos Muslim Channel. Patheos is asking its writers and bloggers to finish the sentence: Why I Am A … This is Rabia’s response.

I am a Muslim least of all because I was born into a Muslim family, and most of all because it elevates my existence.

My body is disciplined through fasting and ritual prayer. My soul is disciplined through worship, contemplation and sacrifice.

My quest for the material has meaning, and my quest for the Divine has an end in sight.

 My fears find their way to hope, and my spirit eventually finds peace in knowing there is good in everything for the believer.

My slumber is broken five times daily through exhilarating ablution, and then heightened senses are tempered as forehead meets the floor.  The greatest gifts of Islam to my flesh are these: wudu and sujood.  Wings and a cocoon.

The stories of the Prophets and the pious connect all of humanity together affirm His endless Love and Mercy, confirm we will return together to Him.

My master Muhammad, peace be upon him, emerges as an unwavering light when Muslims do and say ugly things.  His gentility, his fastidiousness, his simplicity, his piety, his kindness, his concern – they destroy what Muslims have made of the faith today.

I have all the answers; sufficient is this faith for me.

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