The Eccentricities of a Muslim Girl

She was my colleague at the place I worked at, and a very humble, modest, and a decent girl indeed. Dressed in a white satin shirt, she would greet us at our workplace quite often, and our faces would light up in her glowing presence. She had the air of a person who is liked and loved by everyone, and cherished for her positive and cheerful influence. Her innocent presence and modest, yet adorable existence will always be remembered and treasured. To us, she will always be the girl who stood for her faith and values in spite of unfavorable circumstances and situations, with an unwavering resolution. Although her culture did seem to be unfamiliar and foreign to us at the outset and drastically different to ours, there was something about that eccentric Muslim girl that won the hearts of many and set her as an example for others to follow.

One day, we were all having a discussion about food and different cuisines, and one of us started to talk about the different varieties of food we usually enjoy. After everyone had had their say, I asked, ‘Hamna, what food do you like the most?’, and the answer that came surprised all of us. ‘Turnips are what I enjoy the most.’ she said silently. A friend of mine, Anna, laughed at her. ‘I must have heard you incorrectly. Is turnip your favorite food?’ Anna was genuinely surprised. ‘You heard me correctly.’ Hamna reaffirmed. ‘That is so weird.’ Anna was adamant. ‘Actually, this is what our Prophet loved.’ ‘And who your prophet was?’ Anna continued. ‘He was the Prophet Muhammad of Arabia. I love the tradition of my Prophet’, Hamna was still very sober. ‘Yes, I have heard of him’, Anna said. ‘To us Muslims, he is our ideal’, Hamna reasserted. ‘Oh!’ we all said in a chorus and dived in what seemed to be a profound meditation.

Another day, while we were sitting at a restaurant, Anna started to talk about pluralism and liberalism, and the way they had influenced many Americans. To Anna, religion was simply old-fashioned. After her rant had ended, we naturally turned towards Hamna for her opinion. She was silently listening. ‘I would neither stand for nor against any religion.’ She suggested. ‘However, it would be really wonderful if each one of us tried to listen to what the other has to say. All religions bring their own distinct values and customs with them. They may seem to be at contrast with each other at the outset, but all are united by a mutual love for humanity and virtue. I won't champion for a single religion, but faith is what has made me a better person.’

Anna, Hamna, and I worked at a small IT startup in Ohio. I had recently graduated from a university in Illinois and was looking for some decent work. After switching a couple of odd jobs, I was introduced by Anna to the manager at the company who immediately hired me. Anna was an old friend of mine; a blonde, short girl who loved to enjoy life the way she wanted. Hamna was a devout Muslim who had recently emigrated from Lebanon. We were all single girls who quickly became close friends and colleagues.

Hamna was the youngest of us, but her way of thinking seemed very pragmatic and unconventional, which was so atypical of her age cohort. However, this made her stand out from the crowd and earned her deep respect in the social circles in which she moved. Anna always thought she was a bit peculiar and odd. However, I maintained a different view. She came from a country where her religion was deeply revered and respected, and after immigration to the US, she could deeply feel the immense contrast between the two cultures. Hamna and Anna would often have heated discussions regarding different, controversial issues surrounding Muslims in the country. In the end, Hamna would always say with a pretty smile, ‘I get what you want to say, Anna. One day, you are going to come round and understand what I have to say. Let’s get it sorted over a cup of coffee’, and the discussion would end in a nearby café where we would enjoy the steamy drink and talk over different, less arguable topics.

Hamna was a veteran in the sense that she would always stand both for her country and faith, never disowning any of the two. She was very well-aware of the issues which surrounded her community and was always ready to dispel any hate propaganda anyone wanted to propagate.

One fine morning, we heard she was ill and thought it would be a minor flu or some ailment. However, her absenteeism from work continued for a couple of days. Anna and I decided to drive to her home, which was quite near where we worked, and console her. As we reached closer, however, we both had a hunch something was not right. An ominous silence prevailed in the neighborhood that betrayed a feeling of uneasiness and discomfort. As I rang the doorbell, we were greeted by Hamna’s mother instead of her. Her mother was an old lady who spoke in a sharp, foreign accent. ‘Hamna is not at home’, she sobbed. ‘What happened, Auntie?’ I enquired of her. ‘She is at the hospital with her father.’ she blurted with tears in her eyes. Something was amiss and we rushed to the local hospital immediately.

The doctor was a senior physician with brown, soft eyes. It was Dr. Philip, who was also my family physician and an acquaintance. He was surprised when he saw me. After explaining to him Hamna’s affiliation with us, he said in a melancholic tone, ‘It is a hopeless case of leukemia. We will try our best, but there isn’t much hope.’ We were devastated as we knew the prognosis was not favorable. Hamna’s health quickly started to deteriorate.

It seemed Providence had little time left for poor Hamna. Once a very active and ambitious woman, she now seemed to be left in shambles. The disease took a poor course as the treatment available was only rudimentary. We were left with no other hope than to pray fervently for her recovery and convalescence. She was finally shifted to the intensive care unit where she was to be cared for by a team of intensivists. The desperate fight for her life continued. However, it appeared as if all went in vain and she could not recover from the deadly illness.

On one Friday morning, as the sun was about to rise, the illustrious Hamna left us desperate, gloomy, and longing for her presence. We knew we could not have averted the illness and the unfortunate outcome, however, the scar in our minds her premature death has left can hardly heal easily.

We still remember fondly Hamna’s little eccentricities and the delicate intricacies of her life which are still reminiscent of the manner in which she inspired and impressed all of us. An emblem of faith, harmony, and tolerance, she still lives in our hearts as a torchbearer of positive values and principles, and her life and ideology have set a prime example of inter-faith harmony and tolerance for others.