Trying to make sense

[bismillah]



it's late right now. the other day we had our welcome back halaqa and alhamdullilah, everything went very well.



but for some reason throughout the event and even afterwards there was something that I felt was missing. But then it hit me this morning when I woke up.



I knew that there were more than 150 people that showed up for the halaqa, but I wonder how many of them will come back to the MSA event. I wonder if it's even possible for us to always hope for such a turnout. If this could be the standard turnout for each halaqa.



But why bassam? Why would you want such a turnout?



good question bassam. I sincerely believe that with more people it's possible to reach more people and in turn change more attitudes. We need to start a movement. We need to work to further define our American Muslim culture. I am tired of all of us sitting around talking about which celebrity they look like or the latest episode of Lost. There is so much that needs to be done, and I wonder if any of the people see the problem at hand.



Everyone just sits back and is numb to the social stigma that Muslims have.



To be honest, I never realized we lived in a white privileged society - until I stepped into Student Government. Nobody there cared about me, who I was, or what any of my practices are. Everyone just smiles, nods, and moves on with their business. The only one that will care about the issues that face Muslims are Muslims. We need to move forward as a community and realize where we are right now.



There is so much we can do, yet we all just sit back and criticize how the MSA sucks or how this one brother is giving a hard time or how this sister doesn't wear hijab...



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None of the above probably makes any sense - I should probably just continue doing what I do and shut up.



but it's important for me to come back and assess myself. to see what I'm doing, where I'm going with these initiatives and how effective we are.



__



okay, I do think too much. I really need to calm down but I guess it's hard to.



salaamtak

bassam

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the pakistan trip

[bismillah]

I was in Pakistan for about two and a half weeks during the Christmas Break.
How was it? I really don't know. There was a lot that happened and a lot of the culture
was totally new to me.

During the arrival at the Jinnah Airport, I remember sitting there wondering that these are "my people". This is what makes me who I am. Cos after all..I'm "pakistani" eh?

But after the whole experience I really wonder where the hell I fit in within this mix. I don't think
there was a single time where I didn't feel like a tourist in Pakistan except... just maybe when I was sleeping.

It sometimes makes you wonder. When I was a kid in New York, I never really knew where I fitted in. I was never white enough for the white kids nor black enough for the blacks. The hispanic's had their language that binded them and I was left alone trying to meddle my way in.

things like these aren't supposed to change. all we can do is find our own community and expand from there...or we can just ponder on how cool it would be if we were white.

anyway without further banter - lets just add some of the best photos from the trip.





















more to come. i haven't taken out the photos from my camera yet. yikes.

salaamtak