Muslim Women Activists in North America: Speaking for Ourselves

17: Is the Reward for Good Other than Good?

183 Shahina Siddiqui Let there arise among you a band of people enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong… (Qur’an 3:104) Igrew up in Pakistan, in an extended family system where uncles, aunts, siblings , and grandparents lived as one unit. This enhanced my nurturing and provided various parental figures that contributed to a secure and extremely loving environment. In addition, the schooling I received at a Roman Catholic convent school exposed me to other faiths and a strong, intellectually challenging, and academically satisfying environment. Along with my many teachers, the one person that shaped, influenced, and inspired me the most was my paternal grandmother. Her name, Najmunissa (star among women), literally defines her character. She never received any formal education, but was well read and had been blessed with deep insight. She taught me all I know about dealing with people; her insights into human nature and her philosophy of life were profound. Her close relationship with God animated and transfused every aspect of her life. She may not be considered a scholar by normal standards, but her deep understanding of what it is to be a Muslim influenced me and has guided me throughout my life. I was brought up to believe that to work toward helping others and to devote one’s time, efforts, and energy in relieving people’s distress was not a 17 Is the Reward for Good Other than Good? Shahina Siddiqui 184 Is the Reward for Good Other than Good? matter of choice but a duty and a privilege. My father’s undying service to his family and his selfless service to the community further reinforced my commitment to be an active participant in society. I migrated to Canada in 1976 with my husband and son. This is where I had the opportunity to start learning Islam without the cultural influences that had stunted my intellectual understanding and academic knowledge of Islam. The firm grounding in spirituality instilled in me by my grandmother needed nurturing through pursuit of Islamic knowledge and study of the Qur’an, and this I undertook with passion and determination. Insha’allah (God willing), this pursuit will continue till the day I die. My involvement in the Muslim community did not start till 1984—after the death of my firstborn. During the long illness of my child I had come to recognize the lack of services within the Muslim community and the lack of support, resources, and motivation needed to reach out and help members who were in need. I thus made a silent commitment to Allah, that God willing, I would try and make a difference. Having made this commitment , I turned to the Qur’an for inspiration and guidance, and sincerely prayed to Allah to use me in whatever way He saw fit. The first barrier that I needed to overcome was to understand what my role as a Muslim woman was. Was it the culturally jaded view that prevailed in the community? Or was it the inspiring role that my grandmother personified ? And thus my study of the Qur’an led me to the firm understanding that in addition to my responsibilities to my family, my duty to forbid evil and to promote good compels me to be involved in the affairs of society . Language was not a barrier, and the exposure to Christianity in my schooling provided me with the confidence to charter a course for myself that has led me in many directions but with a singular goal: to worship the Creator through service to His creation. A lesson I learned as a child was that as long as you do things for the sake of Allah, He will make it easy and open doors for you. This belief has empowered me to overcome many obstacles and to withstand many trials. As a muhajjabah (wearing a head-cover) Muslim woman activist, I am always conscious that every time I enter the public forum there are three strikes against me: (1) I am a visible minority; (2) I am Muslim; and (3) I am a woman. One would think these would only apply as barriers in the mainstream community, but the fact is that even within the Muslim community these have been hurdles that women activists encounter to this day, albeit at a lesser frequency. However, by the grace of Allah, instead of weakening my 185 Shahina Siddiqui resolve, these...