Have you ever been to the Pyramids in Egypt? Whether your answer is in the affirmative or not, you would paint a picture of ancient Egyptian creeds and certainly not Islam. What if I am about to tell you that I did find Islam as well at the Pyramids! Here is how.
Finding Islam at the Pyramids
While enjoying a gentle breeze bathed in the evening light of Cairo, I took my Egyptian-American kids to see the Pyramids. It was their first time, so they were excited to attend the sound and light show. Cameras were clicking and tourists from around the globe were eagerly awaiting the show to start.
Two of the Spanish tourist ladies were looking towards me and mentioning the word “musulman”. Their Egyptian guide approached me and said they are wondering if they can take a photo with you. They want to take a photo with an Egyptian Muslim lady. Wow, dawah at the Pyramids.
It didn’t end here. Right after the show, we went to buy souvenirs and to my pleasant surprise, I see a bookstall just by the souvenir shop with the sign “Free books” on Islam with tongues of the major world languages such as English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Russian, Chinese, etc. Even material in remote languages such as Norwegian was available.
I come closer and find books such as “The Scientific Miracles in the Quran” and “Women in Islam”, etc. I am so moved by this humble experience and so happy that this young Muslim student is there to present Islam to the tourists and clear any misconceptions they may have or just answer any regular questions.
A Small World Indeed
Then, I get invited by one of my consultants, to a dawah event. There, I meet up with one of the organizers and we chit chat. As she tells me of their activities, I get this eureka moment what if they were behind that bookstall at the pyramids? And yes, it turns out they are, and they also have bookstalls at other touristic sites.
Presenting Islam to tourists by giving out free books and giving a brief introduction to Islam and answering any misconceptions they may have or just answering any regular questions; and Alhamdulillah even some have converted. I was introduced to one of those converts at that event, a Russian sister who was so eager to tell me the story about her conversion to Islam.
How she had gone to the mosque as a tourist; and upon getting some books by some representatives of that organization, she started her journey of discovering Islam. She loved the concept of Monotheism in Islam and how women enjoyed so many rights in Islam, as contrary to popular belief.
Non-Muslims Experiencing Iftar with Muslims in Turkey
Another successful example of Dawah for non-Muslims hails from Turkey. In one of their famous mosques, volunteers set an iftar (breaking of fast in the holy month of Ramadan) picnic blanket for non-Muslim tourists to experience how Muslims break their fast while asking them questions about their belief and finally watch them pray at the mosque.
Upon being asked on their thoughts, both parties expressed how humbled and blessed they were to be a part of this excellent dawah project.
