Just Like Me: Embracing Muslim Women During Ramadan

Article by Ruth Ripken

“There is a new family that moved into the neighborhood. They are so different. The women are so scary and wear these black outfits.  Who are they? What should I do?” Evelyn honestly shared her heart with me.

Being like Christ requires us to step outside of what is comfortable. It is so easy to maintain the norm. It’s easy to do on Tuesday what we did on Monday and what we did last Monday. But what if … WHAT IF … today we did something different?

It takes a lot of effort to do something different, to be different. Once we do it, though, it becomes so much fun. Changing course requires making it a priority. But once we do it, it energizes us. We start seeing that maybe we can make a difference!

We have all seen women in airports, at parks, at the mall, wearing all black, Muslim clothes. Those clothes have many different names—hijaab, niqab, abaya, burka.

We really don’t know how to respond or what to do so most of us just walk by and try not to look. It is so much easier to avert our eyes rather than try to engage with a look or words. We are afraid that we will offend or do something inappropriate and become paralyzed.

Living in the Middle East helped me see that behind these clothes is a woman just like me.  She has needs, desires, and dreams very similar to mine.  She goes to school or takes her children to school. She takes care of her family and prepares meals, cleans house, and washes the clothes. Just like me.

The next time you encounter a woman dressed in an all black outfit or with a headscarf, what if you did these things?

• Remember she is a woman just like you.
• Look her in the eyes and smile.
• Say hello and ask where she is from.
• Welcome her to your community.
• Ask her about her family.
• Take time to visit with her and listen to her.

Evelyn called to report about her new neighbors.

“I now have some very special friends. I did what you said. As my neighbors came out of their house, I smiled. The next time I said hello and asked where they were from and welcomed them. I took some cookies over and they invited me in. In their home, they didn’t wear their black outfit, and they were women just like me!”

What if we all did something different today?