Those who have lived the experience of fasting during the day and nights of Ramadan before realize that this period is considered one of the best times of the year, despite the presence of many challenges associated with fasting this holy month on the surface, it gives an opportunity for those fasting to benefit from its days and nights to create and build stronger bonds with their faith and their societies. We can imagine a person who recently converted to Islam and is about to live his first experience of fasting for the next 30 days. This may be an exciting experience for him, but it may be difficult and challenging at the same time.
The growing numbers of those who convert to Islam in America form a unique part of the Muslim system in this part of the world, where the total number of Muslims is estimated at 3.3 million and they are spread in different places. We find them in mosques, religious conferences, and universities in various parts of the country.
It is noticeable that many of those who embrace Islam converts from other religions show a strong and deeply rooted commitment to faith, which may be attributed to the careful and careful study of the intellectual traditions of Islam and its teachings in comparison with the general population of Muslims who grew up in a Muslim environment.
Despite this, many converts to Islam feel marginalized in the Muslim community.
This issue of marginalization is most evident during the month of Ramadan, a time when the spirit of brotherhood and cooperation is expected to prevail in order to create and develop better relations between Muslims.
We find that many Muslims in the United States belong to different and multiple ethnic or cultural sides, which makes them more attached to and deeply affected by the natures and traditions of these groups.
At the same time, some of the American Muslim societies that reside in certain parts of the country appear in a very fragmented and dispersed manner and do not work to contain others, and this environment is not suitable for welcoming new converters of Islam and does not seek to contain them and entice them to Islam and aspire to meeting other Muslims.
At the same time, there are cases of some of those who have recently converted to Islam that they are not comfortable declaring their Islam for fear of being described as not being "Muslim enough". It is something that can create a sense of loneliness and disassociation from the Muslim community, which leads some of them to think about leaving Islam. Therefore, there is a great burden on the shoulders of Muslims who were born and raised in an Islamic environment in that they have a humanitarian obligation towards their brothers and sisters who have recently converted to Islam.
One of the things we can do as Muslims towards our brothers who have recently converted to Islam and who are fasting the month of Ramadan for the first time in their lives, is to work sincerely to create a welcoming environment for them, whether in local mosques or in our homes, and to introduce them to our other Muslim friends in addition to Inviting them to have breakfast or the pre-dawn meal with us, or accompany them to Tarawih prayers during the nights of the blessed month. Although we as Muslims may be able to impart knowledge and information about Islam that we have acquired through years of our own experiences and from a practical point of view of our practice of the teachings of Islam to our new brothers in Islam, we can also learn a lot from their devotion to the faith.
The trials and tribulations that every Muslim goes through may be different from the experiences of others, but the important thing is that we work collectively and united to enable us to overcome these difficulties and reduce the impact of calamities because this enables us to taste the sweetness of sincere faith. We must remember the words of God in verse 103 of Surah Al-Imran: "And hold fast to the rope of Allah all not divided among yourselves, and remember the grace of God be upon you as you were enemies and He joined your hearts Vosubhtm grace brothers and you were on the brink of a pit of fire with gratitude as well as God shows you His signs, that ye may be guided ”
