Being A Good Muslim By # 2.2

I Love to be a Moslem Child!

      My name is # 2.2. I am ten years old. In Indonesia I used to be enrolled in the Islamic school namely SDIT Thariq Bin Ziyad. My teachers always said “Be a good Moslem!” My school had very strict rules. It asked all students to practice the Islamic way of life since they step into the schoolyard. Practicing sholat, saying salam, wearing hijab for girls and memorizing surah from Al Qur’an are sort of everyday assignments.

      Now I live in the Uncle Sam land accompanying my father who studying in the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. We live in a small apartment. In our apartment, we always do shalat together and read Al Qur’an after Maghrib. Previously, I thought it will be hard to be a Moslem in United States. I was wrong. I found a lot of Moslem live peacefully here. There was a moment that very impressed me. It happened in Ramadhan. It was hard to fast here. Most people do not care about that. I always asked by my classmates why I could not eat. I just answered it is a rule I have to obey as a Moslem. I was lucky they did not ask why not all the Moslem fast because I cannot answer that question.

      There is a big mosque near to my apartment. I remembered when it was Eid Mubarack. All the Moslems went to mosque to celebrate it. After praying, we play, eat, and collect money from all parents. Last year, my friend got $30.95 and I got $20.98. My mother used the money to buy my clothes. I kept the rest of it. This year maybe the last Eid Mubarack I can celebrate in America.

      My school is totally different now. My parent enrolled me and my brother in Martin Luther King JR. Elementary School. Well, sure, it is a Christian school. The name was chosen to honor Mr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who devoted his life for black American. Though it is a Christian school, I enjoy my study there. My parents always say to me “Do not worry to say I am a Moslem”. They asked me to always remind the teachers that I am a Moslem who was prohibited to eat pork, gelatin and any kind of non Islamic food. Luckily, there are a lot of Moslem students there. So that, the school always provide foods and drinks the Moslem students can eat.

      I see some of our Moslem women neighbors do not wear hijab at all. I ever asked my father why they do not wear hijab. My father answered with a very long explanation. The only thing I remember is hijab is a must for Moslem women. Once I told my mother that I want to wear hijab like I was in Indonesia. My mother said that kind of clothe is unfamiliar in my school and I am not yet in the age to wear hijab. Though my mother wears hijab, she looks worry when it comes to me. I do not know why. Perhaps, I am too young to understand. Well, it is fine by now. But I promise I will wear hijab when I return to Indonesia.

      My family lives in the family housing operated by the University of Illinois. We neighbor with some Moslem families from Pakistan, Turkey and Middle-East. Beside that, we have fourteen Moslem families from Indonesia. In this summer the Indonesian Moslem community arranges a Summer Program for Kids. The program was arranged by the mothers. The program is definitely different from that in school. We learn how to memorize surah from Al Qur’an, read Al Qur’an correctly, learn story about our prophets and other useful activities such as gardening, cooking, knitting and practicing sports. One that I liked very much is when we played a soccer game. My father led us as a referee. All kids looked happy playing soccer. At the end of the program there will be a closing ceremony. It will be so fun. All kids will perform their ability. I was appointed to be Master of Ceremony together with my close friend Zahra. I will also perform as the reader of surah Al-‘Alaq. I think it will be very great event. I cannot wait until it.

      I see that the good thing here is the non Moslem still being good to the Moslem or other religion. Now, I will not be afraid to pronounce “I am a Moslem!” I have been spending almost a year living in America. I have some beautiful memories living as a Moslem here. However, I really missed my Moslem friends in Indonesia. Though, there are a lot of funs here, for me, it is better in Indonesia. I believe Allah will hear my wish.