Tariq Nelson

Anyone that has visited Northern Virginia (NOVA) knows that there is a large number of Muslims here. It is even more prevalent in Ramadan as even more Muslims seem to come out of the woodwork. You see Muslims in just about any place you go here. It is almost like a Muslim country.

Because of the sheer number of Muslims here, someone coined the name “Northern Virginiastan” (NOVAstan) for this area as a way of portraying all North Virginia Muslims (many of whom are highly educated, wealthy, moderate and very generous) as violent irrational medievalists. 

Here in N. Virginia, there are thousands of free meals being given away each day in area mosques, homes and other Muslim organizations in addition to the dozens of area Muslim restaurants currently having Ramadan specials.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars are being given in charity for the poor, clothing is being donated and hundreds of others are volunteering in area mosques and local charity organizations cooking and cleaning and doing anything they can do to help people right here in the area.

Last Saturday night, I attended an iftar program at West Potomac High School that the Muslim Youth Club there was having for parents, teachers, other students and anyone else that wanted to attend.

Masha Allah, this was a nice program put on by these young high school students who want to show their fellow students and their parents and teachers that they are not irrational, violent and generally insane.

These kids are the ones who have to face the stares, suspicion and jokes at school from other students while trying to get an education. These kids find themselves in the odd position of having to explain things they had nothing to do with.

I know this because they mentioned several times in their presentation that one of the main reasons they had formed this club was to form a stark contrast to the negative images (in addition to having Friday prayer services).

One of the most amazing things was that during the program, their non-Muslim teachers (including the vice-principal) one after the other praised these kids as well behaved model students that achieved on a high academic level. Those teachers, who dealt with these Muslim kids everyday, knew that these kids were not violent irrational lunatics.

They have responded in a positive way. Instead of withdrawing, these kids are not only facing down the negative noise from their peers, but doing well in school, mixing with the people and showing a good side.

I could see that the teachers were really in their corner too as one of the teachers thanked me vigorously for coming and supporting these kids. Perhaps all of this will be a character builder for these kids that will make them better adults.

Yesterday, I was having a conversation with a friend and we were talking about our experiences growing up and how those experiences helped to shape who we are today. How being made fun of early in life can help one develop “thick skin”. How being forced to deal with problems can shape characteristics that one can later use in life

I know that some disagree but negative experiences can be turned into positives in the long run. In retrospect, dealing with bullies in Junior High, although I hated it at the time, was a character building experience for me. I wanted to run away and not deal with it, but I did not have that option. I had to face it. I stood up even though I did not want to, and because I did, I even later became friends with those very same bullies.

I’m not advocating bullying, but facing bullies is something that many of us have to deal with throughout our lives. Even into adulthood.

My point is that even negative experiences can be turned into a positive and sheltering children from them can be a negative because they never learn how to solve problems.

I was happy to see these kids dealing with their negative experiences in a positive way…Perhaps when they grow up “NOVAstan” will not have a negative connotation.

Link: Austrolabe: “This is how it should be” - This link is a video of the UMMAH clinic in LA. There is already a Muslim clinic in the DC area on the Maryland side, and an effort has begun to start one in N. Virginia by Dar al-Hijrah who already has a food bank. There is also a thrift store in the area

Slideshow of Ramadan in N. Virginia