I know that I am not the first person to mention it, but the Islamic community in this country really needs to work on developing a cohesive support network for new Muslims.

If you go to most Christian churches in this country, there are tremendous support programs for new Christians.  Become a Christian and you will find classes for converts, new ministry classes, opportunities for meeting other people, church members will drown you with gifts, new bibles, books, pamphlets, and tracts.  People will come to your home to talk with you, make sure that you have a ride to church on Sundays and to bible study on Wednesdays.  It can actually be a bit overwhelming, in a good way.

But, revert to Islam and you are pretty much on your own.  When was the last time anyone saw a new Muslim class.  When was the last time a new Muslim was introduced to the community, invited to peoples homes, encouraged and watched over by more mature Muslims.

Part of the problem, I think, is that the mainstream Muslim community in this country is still primarily composed of new, and first generation, immigrants from predominantly Muslim countries.  Most of the imams and leaders in our mosques are from Muslim countries, such as Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, etc. , which is not a bad thing.  We need experienced leadership, not a bunch of half-baked, wannabe shaikhs, who learned everything about being a Muslim off of the internet.  But, the downside of coming from a Muslim country, of being raised in a Muslim family, is not understanding the difficulties faced by westerners converting to Islam.

Particularly at this time of year, Muslims need to unite, to band together, to help the converts.  Christmas is three days away, and in the west, is pretty much the most important holiday of the year.  Families take vacations, businesses shut down, the government ceases to work.  Huge parties and family gatherings mark the day.  Gift giving, decorations, house lights, christmas trees.  How do you deal with it?

Imagine being a new Muslim, trying not to partake of a holiday that is no longer yours, but being surrounded by family that live for the day.  Imagine the difficulty, the pressure, of not succumbing to old habits on this particular day.  Westerners are raised believing that Christmas, and the season surrounding it, is the most important, and joyous, time of the year.  As children we receive numerous gifts, and are indoctrinated into the rituals that surround the celebrations of the holiday.  To make matters even worse, Christmas has lost most of its religious meaning, and has become a cultural icon marked by materialism, by spending as much as we can, by having to always buy the newest and coolest gadgets.  And then spending the next four months paying it all off.  So we are surrounded by people celebrating Christmas, not just for religious reasons, but for secular ones as well.  How does a new Muslim cope?

What decisions do we make?  How do we deal with our friends and family on this day?  Do we accept gifts, or give them?  Should we go to the Christmas party, or just hide out and disappoint people?  And, even after Christmas is over, what next?  My concern is not just for Christmas but for the entire year.

Brothers and sisters, most new Muslims are being thrown into their new life with no direction.  Heck, throw a quick few booklets about how to do wudu and salat, than consider our duties done.  There has to be something more.  So let me offer a few suggestions.

  1. Classes on the basics for New Muslims.
  2. Networking opportunities for new Muslims.
  3. Chances for new Muslims to associate with Muslim families, to see how family life and marriage work in Islam.
  4. Counseling and social support for new Muslims facing discrimination and rejection from family.

I am sure there is much more, but every journey begins with a single step.