Many people need to see Islam through a different lens to understand and appreciate the religion.

This applies not only to non-Muslims, but also to Muslims.

When Naveen traveled to Saudi Arabia, she saw Islam for how it was, not as the story the media presented.

What was thought to be oppressive, was quite liberating.

The journey challenged her perception of the religion and the fundamental values it stands on.

Naveen has been employed in Canada within higher education for five years.

She has been involved in developing the community since the early days of Elementary School.

She is thirsty for knowledge and is continually looking for opportunities to learn and explore new ideas.

Through various programs she develops students and sits on an Advisory Committee with the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

In 2015, Naveen traveled on a pilgrimage to Makkah.

The experience profoundly changed her perception of Islam and direction in life.

She found her journey to be enlightening and was a paradigm shift to what she thought she knew Islam was.

In this TED Talk on Islam, she describes how wearing an abayah in Makkah and Madinah changed her perceptions.

This was while performing Hajj and she found it to be a very liberating experience.

Before she left for Hajj, she prayed five times a day and wore hijab, but there was something missing for her to relate to her religion at a deeper level.

She needed to be more spiritually engaged.

This liberation she found when she no longer was worried how others would look at her.

She changed after Hajj to become her true self everyday.

She became confident in who she was.

This made her happy.

To watch this fourteen minutes TED Talk and see Islam through a different lens, click here.

And to watch a previous excellent TED Talk on What Islam Really Says About Women, click here.