TIRED EYES

These eyes are very, very tired. I have been up late last night and many nights before, reading and learning about my faith. What an awesome experience for me to bow in prostration to the One who made heaven and earth! I've also been email-chatting with friends and family in South Africa. It is good to hear all the stories that make my neck hair stand on end, and that remind me of all the reasons why I left "home" to find a new "home" in the desert.

My colleague and brother Muslim, Abdullah (at whose house I had Iftar last week), is stricken with tragedy. His nephew tragically died in a car crash over the weekend. They were sharing in Iftar at the weekend. With tears in his eyes he told me yesterday that we all have to be ready to meet our Maker. Maybe some of us have 40 years left to live, others maybe have a day. Who knows? This point was driven home clearly today when 2 of my Grade 11 students were absent from class because they had a death in the family - one boy's grandfather died, the other boy's father died.

Earlier today I was called over to the office of the Head of the Arabic Department in our school, and I sat down to a chat with Adil about my recent conversion to Islam. I am overwhelmed by the goodwill and kindness of Muslims and how they accept me into their lives and community without the slightest trace of animosity or reservation. When I made my Shahadah at the Zayed House for Islamic Culture last week, a brother there explained to me that Islam is universal and that the call to true faith and repentance by Allah is for all people, everywhere. I am beginning to see the practical side of this and I am saddened to know that in "the West" we still propagate such unfortunate bias and prejudice against Muslims. When I stand on these soils in this desert, as a Muslim, I begin to understand the perspective that Muslims have. The Islamic Ummah (community, people of faith) are close-knit and we share in fraternal love and respect for each other. I have never felt so much at home in a foreign country among people whose language I adore (because it is beautiful in itself and because the Holy Qur'an was given to us in this language) but whose language I don't yet understand!

Ah, I am so happy for one of my Grade 9 classes who managed to up their class average in an exam by about 30%! Prep F - you guys are stars. Well done!!

Man, am I looking forward to this weekend - I just want to sleep, sleep, sleep...