Frustrations that where I live isn't "Muslim enough"

[seekerofpeace]

Hello everyone. I am still here, still working though the world of what it means to be Muslim. I live in central Texas, not exactly a huge population of Muslims. Does anyone else feel kind of separated from our brother and sisters?


Thanks so much in advance.

Please excuse the double post...

 

[BintMuhammad]

Hi! Welcome to the site. May you find it useful in your search for peace Insha Allaah (in God's will). Please do visit our New Muslim Articles section and the Introductory Articles About Islam section. May you find the ultimate peace you're looking for in Islam.

As for your question, I do feel a lot of times that I am alone despite the fact that I live in an area where there are a lot of Muslims. When I started off at my current job, I was the only one wearing the headscarf and I wasn't really sure if there were Muslims at all. Maybe there were but they just didn't look like one. This didn't make me feel weak at all, infact I took it as a challenge for myself. Alhamdulillaah after a year and a half I've noticed 2 or 3 Muslim ladies wearing the full hijaab.

 

[Southrn_Muslimah]

.

:salam2:

I am sorry you feel disconnected. It says you are in Austin. Maybe you could head to the university because they have a MSA there. I definitely know how you feel though because my parents are in way south Texas two hours close to Mexico and finding a Muslim there is very rare because it is predominently Catholic. I definitely do not fit in there lol. Thank goodness for the Internet and this site where I can meet other Muslims/Muslimahs.

 

[BintMuhammad]

Please excuse the double post...

It's ok. The second one has now been deleted.

 

[arabiantxn]

salam aliqum brother this is what i find for you.

http://www.islamicfinder.org/prayer...Austin&state=TX&id=31853&home=2007-8-28&lang=

 

[Rosheen]

I totally understand how you feel. I live in a predominantly white area (i am white myself but will wear hijab). i absolutely long to live in a muslim area, i think it would increase my iman. However i do content myself with the internet and feel it makes life better, and i find we talk about all manners of stuff on this site that we wouldn't with fellow muslims in public, so again we benefit!

 

[Abdul-Raheem]

:salam2:

I live somewhere in West London and I'm surrounded by Muslims yet I still feel isolated and alone at times.
I'm still happy though because I'd rather be alone than in bad company.........

wasalam

 

[TheHumbleWun]

Salaam,

Glad you are still with us. Try to find a masjid in your area so you could get acquainted with other Muslims. Look at the bright side, we're always here to support you, whether you feel down or lonely - this is your big family

Try this to find a masjid in your area:

www.islamicfinder.org

 

[dawahforever]

Asalaamu Alaikum

I live in a town with only one other muslim family and they are not interested in being friends But I see this as an opportunity to do dawah. These people REAlly need to be exposed to Islam...there is a big drug problem here. Try to get to your nearest mosque even if its only once a month. You will feel better. Also subscribe to Islamic magazine and buy islamic books to keep yourself educated in Islam. Or borrow books from the mosque that is closest to you. I drive one hour away for that. Invite people to your house..they might be passing through or interested to see a place they have never been to. Also pray and ask Allah to help you.

Wa Salaamu Alaikum
D4E

 

[IslamIsLight]

assalamu aleikum
when I converted to Islam Ilived in a small city with no muslims at all.....no Mosque
For one year after I converted I been learning everything from books and interntet...
Alhamdulillah now I live in a big muslim comunity....


waaleikum salam

 

[arabiantxn]

Salaam,

Glad you are still with us. Try to find a masjid in your area so you could get acquainted with other Muslims. Look at the bright side, we're always here to support you, whether you feel down or lonely - this is your big family

Try this to find a masjid in your area:

www.islamicfinder.org

SOO TRUE ! we are youR FAmily

 

[Muhammad_A]

I totally understand how you feel. I live in a predominantly white area (i am white myself but will wear hijab). i absolutely long to live in a muslim area, i think it would increase my iman. However i do content myself with the internet and feel it makes life better, and i find we talk about all manners of stuff on this site that we wouldn't with fellow muslims in public, so again we benefit!

London is full of Muslim areas. Why not just move to one of those?

I live in a very Muslim area, alhamdul'Illah If I didn't I doubt I'd ever have reverted.

 

[shaheeda35]

:salam2:
I live in an area where there are a number of muslims, but half the time you dont know that they are muslim. After 9/11(I live in NY), you did not see any muslims anymore, its like they were undercover or something. The hijab came off and the beard got shaved, mashallah!! I used to always see muslims every time I go out, but not any more though. Feels like I'm the only one around, when I Know i'm not. I usually travel to an area where there are a larger population of muslims(about an hour away) to feel "at home" so to speak. Allah knows best. Just stay on beneficial sites like this one, and we will make you feel at home inshallah.

 

[TheHumbleWun]

Hello everyone. I am still here, still working though the world of what it means to be Muslim. I live in central Texas, not exactly a huge population of Muslims. Does anyone else feel kind of separated from our brother and sisters?


Thanks so much in advance.

Please excuse the double post...

Here is also a suggestion bro....

Move to Michigan (USA)!

Mich. Has Largest U.S. Muslim Population

Michigan has the second-largest Arab community outside the Middle East, after Paris. About 300,000 people of Arab descent live in southeast Michigan, including significant numbers of Iraqi, Lebanese, Yemeni, and Palestinian Americans. Almost two-thirds of the population were born in the United States, and 40 percent of those born outside of the country have moved here since 1980, according to data from the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) Web site,<www.accesscommunity.org>, and the Detroit News.

Two-thirds of Arab Americans in the United States speak fluent English, and three-quarters use Arabic language media to keep informed. More than 90 percent of Arab Americans have close friends or family in the Middle East, and almost 65 percent have traveled there.

Demographers estimate that more than 8 million Muslims live in the United States, making them the second-largest religious community in the country. About half of Arab Americans are Muslim, while the other half identify themselves as Christian. In the past few decades, Islam has become the fastest-growing religion in the United States.

Source: http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/40/2/13-b

 

[Abu Hannah]

searching for Ummah

:salam2:

Sometimes you could be surrounded by muslims, but not the right kind of muslims. I too sometimes long for the company of true, practising muslims. I guess that you just have to hold on to the company of every good muslim that you do come across.

:salam2:

 

[kayleigh]

There's lots of Muslim here (well, not LOTS, but enough) since it's a college town, so a lot my age. I know some, but not many. I don't really fit in with them...I don't know. Being Muslim is terribly lonely. I've been rejected from the non-Muslim friends (some), and from the Muslims so there's pretty much no one. No girls, anyway, but that's not that odd since I don't usually get along with girls anyway.

So keep at it, I guess. I'm sure you'll find some company some day.

 

[seekerofpeace]

Salaam to all.

Thanks for the words of encouragement. It helped A LOT to know I'm not the only one that kind of feels like an island in the middle of the ocean. I do come here for encouragement.

I didn't know that Michigan had such a huge populous of Muslim there. Hmm it's worth a thought, I don't have much holding me to Austin.

Thank you again

Matthew

 

[shaz_1999]

I can totally see where your coming from.

But here I live it a good muslim community but when I go to work I feel as though I am the only muslim their which is not the case, but they dont look or act like muslims and the one person barely talks. So I feel really left out and have to contantly explain myself and who I am. I do find it so hard I do long to have some decent muslim company while I am at work.

I do come from a big muslim community so I am lucky, which does make it easier. It is really important to be surrounded by decent muslims coz it is what helps us get through every single day.

I am here to help you of you need me at all brother.

Take care

 

[SmallTownMuslima]

I know exactly what you mean! I live in a town in the middle of nowhere. Everyone is basically white, but the weird things is I live in a college town and you think i would meet some muslims, but i'm glad i only have two more years in this town and then I'm off to college!

 

[jabba]

There's lots of Muslim here (well, not LOTS, but enough) since it's a college town, so a lot my age. I know some, but not many. I don't really fit in with them...I don't know. Being Muslim is terribly lonely. I've been rejected from the non-Muslim friends (some), and from the Muslims so there's pretty much no one. No girls, anyway, but that's not that odd since I don't usually get along with girls anyway.

So keep at it, I guess. I'm sure you'll find some company some day.

:salam2:
lol are we related?! Basically it's the same with me, I've lost almost all my non Muslim friends except those wonderful few and I have no Muslim friends in my city ( even though the population here has a good sized community). online friends are nice, but it's really not the same, as you said it's pretty lonely. But alhamdulillah better to be lonely than have friends that will influence you in a bad way, esp when you are a new Muslim and can be impressionable.