Finding my religion.(American Islamic convert narrates happenings with him)

About 20 years ago, I was walking along Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. I had just gotten married and moved to New York City from Buffalo. Three African-American women were walking toward me wearing beautiful ong robes and hijab. I could see how at peace they were with their surroundings. No one stared at them. I asked if they were Muslim and told them the impact they had made on me, what a vision they were. They asked my name and said they were going to the mosque and if I was interested I could come with them. I felt like it would be inappropriate, I was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. They said, "no one will judge you, come."

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There were a whole bunch of women sitting in a circle, all different ethnic backgrounds, all dressed differently. It was a very warm atmosphere, and the women introduced themselves and talked about what had brought them to Islam. I kept going every weekend for six months. I started to pray five times a day and wear the hijab. When I told my husband that I was converting, his mouth dropped and he said, "but you're already Muslim."

While I grew up we didn't fast, didn't celebrate the holidays, my mom didn't wear hijab. In my parents' village, the only people who used to pray and fast were the elders. My parents' main objective in Buffalo was to assimilate. My dad used to tell us to act like everybody else, talk like everybody else, don't talk about your religion, don't talk in Arabic outside the house. However, if you asked my parents or relatives, they would not have considered themselves secular.

I do feel I have a responsibility to challenge things people say. My activism started out of frustration with the community's attitudes toward women. I studied and started talking to the wives and daughters at social events about what the Qur'an really teaches, that women have the right to education, jobs and leadership.

A year after 9/11, my husband and I went to make the nightly Ramadan prayer. The last part is when you stand with your hands in front of you to make unified supplications where the imam asks God to strengthen those who are in struggle. He started to talk about those who are struggling in Palestine. Then, out of nowhere he said, "and those Jews, ...