Despite the fact that I grew up in a predominantly Muslim country, I seemed to have a lot of Christian friends growing up. While they no doubt cared about me, they always seemed really curious (read: wary) about Islam and sometimes went as far as trying to prove their religion was superior and making a case for why I should join their religion.

Being a kid, I couldn’t answer some of their questions due to limited knowledge and I sometimes wondered if I would be better off a Christian—I guess their questioning got to me sometimes. While it was possible for me to make new Muslim friends, I didn’t want to because I already felt somewhat attached to my Christian friends, so I stuck with them.

Over the years, I grew significantly better at answering their questions, even getting some of them to reconsider the basis of their religious beliefs or doubts about Islam. None of them converted to Islam but it felt amazing to stand up for my religion. The questions I was most frequently asked include:

1. Do you worship Muhammed?

No. We absolutely do not worship Muhammed. We worship Allah alone, Creator of the Universe. We do, however, revere Muhammed (peace and blessings be upon him) and try to follow in his footsteps.

2. If I insult Muhammed, will you kill me?

What!? Why would I do that? No. No, I won’t kill you. Yes, I would prefer you didn’t insult Muhammed (peace be upon him), but no, I will probably just give you a mildly disapproving (not kill you).

3. Can I touch/read the Quran?

Yes, you can. As long as you have the best intentions. Also, keep in mind that the actual Qur’an is in unchanged Arabic, and any translation will be slightly different.

4. Will suicide bombers really get seventy-two virgins?

No. If you die a martyr, you get seventy-two maidens but blowing up a school or church is absolutely not going to get you anything because you’d be a mass murderer, not a martyr. In Islam, taking even one life unjustly is equal to killing all of mankind.

5. Would you mind your husband taking another wife?

This one requires a personal answer and it is usually females asking me this. Personally, I wouldn’t mind my husband taking another wife – it is within his rights – but other Muslim females might feel otherwise. Most Muslim marriages are monogamous.

6. Do you have to pray five times daily?

Yes, we do. We do not consider it a chore, it is a refuge from the constant onslaught that is the life of this world. It allows connect with our creator and purify ourselves. Quite frankly, we enjoy it, like a lot.

7. Do you hate Islam? Given a choice, would you leave?

No, I don’t hate Islam. It is not oppressing me. I love being a Muslim and everything related to it. Given a choice, I would not leave. And I do have a choice and every day, I choose Islam.

8. Do you hate Jesus/Mary?

Noooo! Far from it. We love Jesus (peace be upon him). He was an amazing servant of Allah. We love Mary too. I especially do because her unbreakable faith in Allah inspires me every day. She knew her people would judge her for having a child outside of wedlock but she trusted in Allah and His plan. That’s the kind of trust I hope to have in Allah.

9. Jesus is coming soon! Won’t you repent before he does?

I don’t need to repent because Muslims are also awaiting the second coming of Jesus.

Can I see your hair? Why can’t I see your hair?

This is perhaps the most common and my favorite. No, you can’t see my hair. You can’t see it because my Lord commanded me to cover up in front of non-relatives and since you happen not to be one, you are not allowed to. Thank you.

P.S: This article was not meant to ridicule any religion. It is based solely on my experiences which I choose to share on this platform.

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