Unfortunately, Muslims are used to being on the opposite end of racism and inequality. What’s even more disappointing than that, is when at times that intolerance may also be coming from our own Ummah.
In Ep. 14 of Season 2, we sit down with Ayesha Jihad to talk about her experiences as a black Muslim woman and the struggles she has faced.
Growing up in Saudi Arabia, Ayesha explains her first bouts with racism and the effect it has had on her relationship with her identity. At a young age, she began distancing herself away from the parts of her that didn’t please her classmates.
Ayesha says it’s important to note that everyone experiences racism in different ways and after a long conversation with her own father, she realized how unique her encounter with it truly is.
When Ayesha and her family moved back to America, the racism didn’t stop - the mode just shifted. She walks us through key moments that stuck with her years later, like snarky remarks made at the Mosque, overhearing assumptions about her family’s social status, and audible gasps when others found out her brother was the one leading prayer.
Ayesha digs into how that racism has affected her in her most formative years, and the way it shaped her into becoming the successful twenty-something that she is today.
You might be listening to this and thinking to yourself what can I do to help… Ayesha says the answer to that is the one you would least expect.
And that’s listening more than talking. Oftentimes, we try to relate our struggles to others by sharing our “similar” stories. Instead, we should be intensively listening.
This episode is a crucial one and we are so blessed to have Ayesha share her story with us. It’s time to re-unify this Ummah, because at the end of the day the color of your skin, or the country you call home does not make you a more qualified Muslim.
Enjoy and remember to follow us on Instagram: @unsweetenedandunfiltered
Follow Ayesha on Instagram: @ayeshajihad