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Rediscovering Islam

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Thirty-two-year-old Mariam of Los Angeles, Calif., grew up like most Arab-Americans growing up in the United States -- trying to find a compromise between two vastly different cultures. However, Mariam’s situation was a little more complex. Mariam is the daughter of a Palestinian Muslim father and an English-Scottish-American Morman mother. For Mariam, growing up with a mixed background was by no means easy. "We were and are a close family, but it was hard to identify with anyone else," Mariam says.

From childhood, Mariam’s parents taught their children about both Islam and Mormonism, explaining their similarities and dissimilarities. Both parents gave each of their children a copy of the Qur’an as well as the Bible and the Book of Mormon and other religious pamphlets explaining basic beliefs from each religion. But they ultimately left it up to their children as to which religion they would chose to follow. "I was very confused as a child and considered myself half Muslim and half Mormon. I didn’t know any better," Mariam says.

For Mariam, growing up was hard, particularly when it came to explaining to others why she couldn’t do certain things, some of which she didn't completely understand herself. "There were hardships growing up because of explaining how we couldn’t eat pork, drink, etcetera. Not many people could understand." Mariam says her family was not really exposed to many Muslim families until her father’s relatives moved nearby when she was 18. "I was always proud to be Palestinian, but we didn’t know anyone else Muslim until our relatives came."

Around the age of 22, while still living at home, Mariam noticed both of her parents starting to become religious again. Mariam’s own interest in religion would also begin shortly thereafter. A year and a half later, Mariam moved out on her own and volunteered at a local Arab center and also began reading more about Islam and Christianity. Her interest in Islam blossomed as she continued to learn more and ask questions to her father about Islam. "Islam just clicked. It was like seeing a clear light in my head. Everything I read made perfect sense. I realized what I was searching for and Islam turned out to be the guide. I guess I did take in a lot of the beliefs growing up that I didn’t even realize."

During Mariam’s path toward Islam, her mother was her biggest supporter. "She thought it was great. She said whatever I choose will make her happy." When Mariam began to seriously practice Islam, she recited the shahada, the declaration of faith, in front of her father. At about the age of 26, Mariam’s father taught her how to pray and the two would usually pray together. She remembers the month she began to pray because it was close to the time her father left to perform Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca. "I started praying in October ’94, and he left for Hajj at the end of April ’95." It would be in Mecca, while performing the pilgrimage, that Mariam’s father would pass away.

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