It seems as if an invisible weight is placed upon my shoulders every few days, and the hijab on my head feels heavier. All this happens in the four minutes or so that it takes me to catch the radio news as I drive my kids to school in the mornings.
Islamist. Terrorist. Islamic State. Jihadist. Radicalized. These are all words now conflated with Muslim in the minds of the general population.
Let’s be clear. People such as those labelled this way do exist and carry their corrupt ideology, beliefs and agendas that, in their warped minds give them the licence to wreak havoc on society — your society and mine. Not only have they perverted my religion, but they’ve also hijacked my identity, stolen my security and left me captive in society’s basket of “bad apples.”
Their every heinous act piles another layer of weight on my shoulders.
I am a Canadian Muslim woman, proud to wear many hats: Mom, wife, friend, neighbour, community builder, school parent council leader, chauffeur to dance, piano, swimming and martial arts classes, and the loudest soccer mom in the stands. But with each of these hats, I also wear others — head scarves, in my case — that invite the invisible burden of labels that get applied so commonly, without people pausing to reflect upon the impact of these words to render innocents powerless and vulnerable.
Fatima Coovadia picks up her children Ihsaan Patel, Nuha Patel and Muhammad Patel from school in Saskatoon on June 21, 2016. (Michelle Berg / Saskatoon StarPhoenix)
I wish that I could change the lens and transform the image of “Muslim” from the Omar Mateens of the world to just me — the me who is just like you. I pay my taxes. I don’t text and drive. I am a regular at the Tim’s drive-thru. I like and react on Facebook. I weed my garden and shovel my sidewalk, and I bleed green.
I also pray five times a day, meet my charity obligation and fast during Ramadan. I also have completed a pilgrimage to Mecca. This does not make me different from you. It simply makes me closer to my Creator. It makes me more mindful of His bounties and prompts me to reflect on how I can be the best person, the best Canadian that I can be.
I am a regular citizen, a champion for equity, and a mom who wants her daughter to be able to enjoy shopping without self-consciously tugging at her hijab.
I remember a time when society was like a box of chocolates — when each individual brought a unique flavour to the community. The differences brought a new dimension of interest and talent that enriched us all. There was a unique place for each piece within the box.
Then 9-11 happened. Many innocent people died on that day, and in response 100,000 equally innocent people died in a flash in a war that we now know was based on false assumptions. When will this madness end?
There is a great need for us to share our values, and to get to know each other better.
Islam is part of the Abrahamic tradition alongside Christianity and Judaism, and it is practised by more than a billion peaceful people around the globe, transcending gender, race, ethnicity, language, culture and geography.
In Canada, Muslims serve as doctors, builders, accountants, restaurateurs (ever willing to spice up one’s taste buds), teachers and so on. We practise our faith and live our lives as ordinary Canadians — these are not mutually exclusive. We aspire to the same values of peace, tolerance, justice and good neighbourliness as our fellow citizens.
After all, it is the actions of the doer that are most important. Good people have good values and lead good lives.
How good will it be to feel like that unique chocolate again, surrounded by equally unique neighbours, each with their own space within the same box.
Fatima Coovadia is a mom and health-care consultant in Saskatoon. Story first appeared in the Saskatoon StarPhoenix on June 25, 2016. Used with permission.