Losing Faith

Losing Faith

            According to UNESCO, Harar, Ethiopia is considered “the fourth holy city of Islam" with more than one hundred and ten mosques. This means most people in Harar are religious individuals, this used to include me. I used to have faith and strength in my belief. I would pray five times a day and attend Islamic lectures at the mosque. However, I lost all that strength since I moved to Chicago because it is hard to go to mosque, Ramadan doesn’t feel like the Ramadan childhood, and Eid (Islamic holiday) is boring in Chicago. My life has changed, and I am not a religious person like I used to. For these reasons, I am having a tough time practicing Islam (religion) in Chicago.

            When I lived in Harar, Ethiopia, I used to go to a mosque five times a day for every prayer. There were five different mosques less than one block away from my home. I could choose which mosque I wanted to go each time. In Chicago, however, the closest mosque to my home is two miles away. I go there once a week for Juamah prayers, which is a prayer that you pray on Fridays. In Harar, they make Azan, which is the Islamic call to prayer. They used very loud speakers to notify the neighborhood of each of the five daily prayers to come to the mosque and pray. The person who makes the Azan in each mosque has different sounds and styles. It sounds beautiful and amazing. Most people that I know stop what they are doing listen to the Azan. Imagine all one hundred and ten mosques making the Azan at the same time. It’s the ultimate notification for praying. On the other hand, in the United States, mosques can’t use speakers to make Azan. You must use your phone to know if it is the prayer time. Moreover, most people are at work or school at the times of prayers, so it’s tough to go to mosque in the United States.

            In addition, Ramadan in Harar is the best part of being a Muslim. It is the holiest month of the Islamic year where all Muslims around the world fast for one month. In Harar, I can feel the air is different in this month. Almost everyone in the city fasts and you can hardly see anyone eating. In Chicago, however, it doesn’t feel like it is Ramadan. Chicago is hot when Ramadan arrives, and it’s tough fasting at that time. In Harar, I didn’t have school during Ramadan, so I used to go out in the morning with my friend and come back at night when I am breaking my fast. In Chicago, people have school and work to go to, so they won’t experience this month as others. After people in Harar break their fast, young men meet with their friends, and neighbors and family drink coffee and smoke hookah. In Harar, night time is when most people go out and hang out in Ramadan. Nevertheless, in Chicago, the streets don’t look as lively as Harar does. It looks like the same night as any other day. Therefore, Ramadan is so boring and lifeless in Chicago.

            After Ramadan, Eid is one of the most awaited Islamic holiday for Muslims. Eid is similar to Christmas in its importance to Muslims. When it’s Eid in Ethiopia, students don’t have school for five days. Nonetheless, in Chicago, students must go to school and families must go to work the day after Eid. In Harar, we pray in the morning and we slaughter a goat to make it ready for lunch. Next, families gather and have lunch together, but not in Chicago. There are families that have to go to work after the prayer. In Ethiopia, after we eat lunch, my families give us money instead of gifts. We spend the entire day hanging around with my family. Still, In Chicago, my family call their family to tell them blessed Eid and I hated that because we used to gather in one place and have a valuable time. I will always miss Ethiopia and my family when Eid comes because Eid in The United States is unpleasing.

            Since I left Harar, Ethiopia and moved to Chicago, I have lost my strength and confidence in my religion. I am not a religious person anymore, even though, I try my best to get my strength back. I am not able to go to mosque in Chicago like I used to. Ramadan doesn’t feel Ramadan like it used to and Eid is displeasing in Chicago. After experiencing all of this I realized that I must go back to my country not just for these reasons, but to look for everything that has gone missing since I moved to Chicago.