I have just started a new job and I come into contact with many people, patients as well as fellow professionals and colleagues. Over the last couple of months I have made a lot of friendships with my workmates, as I feel I as well as they, have fairly relaxed, easy-to-get-on-with personalities. During the course of the workday we delve into a variety of topics and chat extensively about topics, ranging from student protests to football, from TV shows to philosophy. However, Islam or Muslims as a topic has never come up, and I happen to be the only Muslim within the company. Now, I hold up my hands first and I feel it is due to my shortcomings that we can chat about everything else in the world but not about Islam. Further, whether this was due to my little knowledge, being the ‘newbie’ or just lack of confidence, I do not know, but it was perhaps a combination of all three.
Last week however, one of my close friend came to use the company services. He is a practicing white Muslim convert but there is nothing outward to suggest this apart from a trace of a beard.
After he left, my colleagues who dealt with him asked me where and how I knew him etc and I told them. Then, one of my colleagues suddenly remarked that she felt how serene and how peaceful he looked (her exact word was ‘spiritual’). Another colleague said the same, they were impressed with his akhlaaq (manners) and the way he conducted himself. I took this as a trigger and carefully instigated a ‘chat’ about spirituality in/and Islam. This seemed to spread like wildfire and we are, alhamdulillah, still discussing, sharing and informing each other. A few colleagues have also requested more info and literature on Islam and Tassawuf (Sufism) and I feel a difference, a change in attitude, a ‘feeling’ among my colleagues that I did not sense before. And it was all down to the 5 minutes or so that they spent dealing with my friend. I feel ashamed (at myself) and amazed (at this little thing) that it took something so insignificant to create such a vibrant wave of openness, calm, humbleness and opportunity.
myconversation 