Uniting Muslims Across All Backgrounds And Fields
Muslims from all different backgrounds and fields find themselves united on one very essential matter—their love for the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He was a man concerned for our wellbeing in this life and the next more than we are concerned for ourselves. He dedicated his life to spreading the message of God, no matter what torture and torment came upon him as a result. For that, we are ever indebted to him. Muslims try each and every day to walk in his beloved footsteps.
Inspiring Muslim Women Through Athletics And Faith
Over the next few weeks, WhyIslam will share conversations we had with Muslims around the United States about what they do and what the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) means to them. Below we hear from triathlete Khadijah Diggs, the first Muslim woman to represent Team USA in a multisport event. After converting to Islam during her time at the University of Miami, Diggs took on the health initiative for her sorority. This led her to triathlon, a passion she still pursues to this day, while juggling her day job and ten (3 adopted and 7 biological) children. Through her competitions, she shows people around the world how athletic, strong, and powerful Muslim women can be. She finds her inspiration in the Prophet (peace be upon him), who embraced everyone, the young and old, the Muslim and the non-Muslim—a quality she tries to embody when she encounters those from near and far.
In A Few Sentences, Tell Us A Little Bit About Yourself
I was not born Muslim. For me, it was kind of a gradual transformation. I became Muslim by reading the Bible.
I’m from New York. I was born Christian. I became Muslim in college. I had a friend who was doing a linguistic study. One of his projects was reading one of the oldest versions of the Bible in Aramaic. I was with him when he was reading it. He was translating it back and forth, and I was just totally enthralled by it. The lines in that version of the Bible were, “There will be one after me, and his name will be Ahmed.”
I read other versions of the Bible, and I thought, “Wow it’s not in here.” Then I read the Quran. About a week after I read the Quran, I took shahada, the declaration of faith.
What Motivated You to Do What You Do?
I belong to a sorority, Gamma Gamma Chi. It was the first Islamic based sorority, and I was responsible at the time for the health initiative. It was one of the codes of our organization. I had run track in college, but I wanted to do something a little bit different. I signed up with Iron Girl Triathlon in Georgia. I was going to be a one-and-done—I came in third to last out of I don’t know how many women. But before the end of the week, I signed up for two more tryouts.
How Has The Prophet Muhammad Inspired You?
One of the things that I focus on is the fact that he embraced everyone, and that’s one of the things that I try to emulate. As Muslims, I think we have to make sure we are ambassadors of Islam and look at the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him). He was only aggressive towards things that were aggressive towards him. He embraced Muslims and non-Muslims. Those are some of the tenets I try to live by when I race. I try to be a good example. I think the biggest compliment I got was from a man out in the Midwest. I didn’t even know he was following me, and he sent a message. He said, “You’re the first Muslim athlete that I’ve ever tracked, and you’ve really changed how I see Muslims.” That made me feel great.
How Do You Apply What The Prophet Muhammad Taught You in The Day-to-Day Hustle And Bustle of Life? Is There a Specific Story You Can Share?
To be ambassador, being proud of who I am without arrogance, trying to live as simply as possible. I keep what I need for my family, but anything I have over what I need, I let go of it. Those are the things that I try to take from understanding the Prophet’s life (peace be upon him). We all want better for our children, we all want a decent life, we just worship Allah in a different way.
What Keeps You Connected to The Prophet Muhammad And Your Religion?
I feel like my salaah, prayer, is my air. When you’re having a rough day at work, and those few minutes you take to reconnect yourself—it’s important to me. Even during my races when I go from the bike to the run, it’s usually around the time for the late afternoon or evening prayer. I just take a few moments, and then keep going. It gives a sense of peace I can’t explain.
What Do You Find Most Touching About The Prophet Muhammad’s Life or Character?
The Prophet (peace be upon him) was praying, and his grandchild jumped on his back. He stayed down until the child moved. His patience for other people—it means a lot.
The narration of this incident states: “When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) finished praying, the people said: ‘Oh Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), you prostrated during the prayer for so long that we thought that something had happened or that you were receiving a revelation.’ He said: ‘No such thing happened. But my son was riding on my back and I did not like to disturb him until he had enough.’” (Sunan an-Nasa’i)
What Do You Wish More People Knew About The Prophet Muhammad ?
I think people who don’t know Islam and the Prophet (peace be upon him), the first thing they think of is war. They don’t see him as a family man, a man of patience, a man of giving. Those are the things I wish everyone would understand about the Prophet (peace be upon him).
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