On Sunday, I wrote about the guest who stays a month. I also mentioned a new experiment for the month of Ramadan.
Each day for the next 29 days, I’ll share 1 thing I’ve learned. The writing will be short and sweet.
I call this Sadia’s Learning Series, patent pending.
I can’t predict exactly what the series will entail. I admit this is not the first time I’ve written publicly every day. A few years ago, I wrote a 30-day gratitude series that felt like diary entries. Instead, I want to reflect more on topics that might interest my audience, topics like American culture, society, parenting, modernity, paradoxes of group life; love and relationships. All of these topics are sprinkled with my unique point of view as a Muslim mother. I gravitate towards stories of parents.
Like I’ve said before, Ramadan is when the impossible becomes possible.
So as a sleep-deprived, hungry and physically limited worshiper, this seems like a great time to try this experiment. My friends know, I become strangely talkative when I’m very sleepy.
Like right now.
A Confession:
Most weeks, I struggle to generate anything worthwhile to share with you. There’s no muse who sends me ideas or screenshots from books and says, “Sadia, write about this.” The pattern has been, that I sit down on Sunday, generate some viable idea, draft a piece, edit it in an hour, and hit publish —all in one very long sitting. My back hurts and I am slightly wobbly from my writing sprint. Of course, I know the longer I let a piece of writing marinate, like chicken, the better it becomes. But I like my substack voice as uncensored as it is.
I hope a 50% open rate means you do too.
To break this pattern of not having much to say, I plan to write micro-pieces each day. The intention for this Learning series is a way to convey snippets of joyful faith in an otherwise difficult or stressful time. Plus, I consume a lot of wonderful content from spiritual teachers, and writing helps to make those reflections more permanent. There’s no shortage of youtube videos you can watch, but the real work is in internalizing the content.
Lesson 1: All great things begin small, like an intention.
The shahada or the declaration of faith is one line: “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God.”
That’s it.
Yet this testimony of faith is the start of more than a belief system. There’s no ritual associated with conversion but, remarkably, it’s so simple. You say it, there are witnesses and you’re done. I say this all the time, even though I am Muslim. It’s like a refrain, a remembrance and a reminder all at the same time.
Some of the greatest spiritual teachers I have are American converts. Some of the strongest believers I know are also converts. I don’t think that’s accidental. Some of the most influential teachers I’ve had come from places I’ve never been, like Kansas City.
Shaykh Yayha (John) Rhodus grew up in KC Missouri. I was at a talk in Florida where he told the audience he used to t-p his neighbor’s house as a kid. His neighbor was a foreigner. At the time, he didn’t know much about this neighbor. He was doing what kids do: messing around. But sixteen years later, Rhodus came back to that neighbor and spoke to him in his native Arabic. Rhodus had reverted at 19, spent time abroad learning to speak Arabic fluently, and he had changed.
Rhodus didn’t know his neighbor was Muslim. He didn’t know much about his neighbor at all. But something changed in him and he wanted to apologize to that neighbor for what he had done. I don’t know all the details of his story but what struck me is his character. We all have a past, and things we regret, but doing something about that regret takes a special level of character.
Shaykh Rhodus started Al-Maqasid, a seminary that teaches people and families traditional learning. His accomplishments are longer than this entire post. I invite you to learn more about him.
One anecdote- I met Shaykh Yayha’s parents once at a retreat and asked for their permission to take a photo. They are the kind of couple that holds hands in public and seem very much in love. They support their son and came to witness his work at the Al-Maqasid Summer Retreat, which is like summer camp for families instead of just kids. Neither of his parents at the time were Muslim. I told them I’m a writer and I’d like to post about them. His mom said okay. His dad, May God have mercy on him and grant him paradise, seemed less enthusiastic and wanted to know where I would post this photo. At the time I didn’t have a place for my writing but now I have Substack. It took me a few years to keep my promise to post the photo, but here it is:
So today’s reminder is you never know what small intention can change your trajectory. Maybe it changes your whole family, like it did for Shaykh Rhodus. The intention is just a few words but it matters more than the outcome, at least for the faithful.
A Question for You
Is there something you say often to ground you in your purpose?
Is anyone experimenting this month with learning or behavior? Please feel free to share.
What do you think about this little experiment?
May Allah bless him and his family. And yours :) I think this is a great experiment. I look forward to catching up on your posts