Day 29 – San Diego, CA
Peace and blessings to All. This is Hamza Abdullah checking in for the Abdullah Brothers Ramadan Tour. This is the last stop before we head home. It has been a rather interesting and rewarding trip. We spoke about purifying our hearts, wanting for our brother, what we want for ourselves and being united. It was the same message, just delivered a little differently at every stop. We tried to use wisdom and experience to relay the message well. A small strategy our brother Shaybah uses when he speaks to us. Shaybah resides in San Diego, and has done so for the last 5 years. He was adamant about San Diego being a tour stop.I wanted to go straight from Phoenix, AZ to Rancho Cucamonga, CA. That’s where my mom lives, and we have a few Masjids that we could choose from. It was a great plan, but God is the best of planners, and He planned for us to go to San Diego. Our San Diego trip, sealed the deal on a productive and rewarding, nationwide tour. Brother Tariq Ali, gave an outstanding Khutbah (Sermon) at the final Jummah (Friday Prayer) of Ramadan. He talked about Ikhwan (Brothers) and the brotherhood of Muslims. As I sat on the floor “criss cross applesauce” style, all I could do was flashback to every tour stop. I wanted everyone to hear this message I was listening to. This message of brothers. The message that brotherhood goes beyond the Masjid walls. That once you step out into society, you are still held to that same standard of brotherhood. Regardless if you come across another Muslim or not. I thought maybe brother Tariq Ali, was on the tour bus with us. I later found out Brother Tariq was mentored by the “Street Sheikh”. It’s been a while since I’ve mentioned the Street Sheikh, but we’ve had brothers in Detroit, Philly and Dallas enquire about the famous “Street Sheikh”. One of the Street Sheikh’s emphasis, is to promote and promulgate the message of Islam.
I could not think of a better venue, to end our official tour stops at then San Diego. They have a flourishing Muslim community, and they are very diverse. As Muslims, we need to promote such qualities of our religion. I think back to Boise, where approximately 30 different countries, ethnicities and nationalities were represented. We’re only talking about 50 people total. That’s amazing. In San Diego, we felt that same flavor. And to go even further, after Jummah, a brother took Shahadah (Declaration of Faith) and became Muslim. It was an amazing event.
We have been asked a number of questions on this trip, but the easiest one to answer is: “How do you become Muslim?”. It’s easy because, there is no waiting list, there is no classes you have to take and there is no background check. All you have to do, is believe what you say. It can’t be coerced, it has to be natural, and of your own accord. One must state the Shahadah, and He/She is a Muslim. The Shahadah is as follows:
“لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله” (lā ʾilāha ʾillà l-Lāh, Muḥammadun rasūlu l-Lāh) (in Arabic)
There is no god but God, Muhammad is the messenger of God. (in English)
It’s a very simple statement, but it carries with it a big responsibility. Do good unto others, be just, educate yourself and be a contributing member of society. It’s always a warming feeling when someone becomes Muslim. They look like the weight of the world is lifted off their shoulders. While we were in San Diego, we met 2 brothers who took their Shahadah. Alhamdulillah (All praises are due to God).
The community in San Diego is growing rapidly, and I’m glad we got a chance to share our experiences with them. Now it’s time to head home and get some of my mothers home cooking. I can’t wait to see my wife and children. They are the true warriors. They have allowed us to be away from them for an entire month, and they haven’t complained one bit. When I would tell my wife I missed her, she would reply, “I miss you too, but this is for the sake of Allah”. SubhanAllah (Glory to be God), what a response. That’s why I love my wife so much. She is constantly trying to make me a better person. I remember the first thing she said to me when I met her. Mind you, she was not a Muslim. She said “You’re a Muslim? Ok. So you pray 5 times a day?” I Instantly had to check myself, and make sure I was doing what I needed to do. She has been that reminder for me throughout our marriage. I am truly blessed to have her in my corner. For all of my single brothers and sisters out there. You’ll know you’ve found your spouse when, you look at them, and they make you remember God.
God willing we are on our way home, so thank you again for tagging along on the trip. Please continue to follow us, “Like” us, and let us know what you thought about the trip. This is not my last blog post, but I wanted to make sure I thanked you properly for being with us on the trip. Thank you again. Peace and Be Blessed.
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Hamza Abdullah
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