Chicago Special : Muslims are everywhere!

Hmm the entry might sounds like what's happening with the Muslims? Are they being nice here or are they being disrespected by the US citizens? That's not what it is actually and in fact the citizens are treated the Muslims fairly and it is not exactly just like the media portrayed them to be...

Before we ride a bus to Chicago, we waited our bus at Columbus (which is the capital of Ohio state). While we waiting for the bus to arrived, we went to the Subway to buy some food and while we were busying taking picture infront of the building, then one guy offered me to take our picture together and I said yes!

He's definitely not an American by the way he look I can tell that he might be from the Middle East and I was right about him as soon I asked him, "are u a muslim?" because his name is Rasyid ( I noticed his name tag on his shirt). He immediately answered that he is a Muslim and he came from Ethiopia and he explained that his country have about 85% Muslims population.

His working as a hotel car jockey at Marriott hotel in Columbus and He helped us by giving us the information on how to get a cab from there to the airport because we might need a cab when we get back from Chicago. He's being so nice to us and we really appreciated his help!

The picture that Rasyid took for us

Then we went to Chicago and we arrived at 5 pm and we get confused with the map. We didn't know how to get to the United Center (the stadium for the muse concert) so we asked around people and still they were giving us a confuse direction. While we were wandering around the Union Station, I saw a very rare scenery that could happen in the US especially big city like Chicago. They were a bunch of men that performing their prayer at the corner of the station and U know what they are Muslims because they were performed their solat! We were very shocked because people didn't care at all and I thought that people might judging them for becoming so religious ( u know what i mean when u are so islamic in the US, people might misunderstanding u for being the 'T' word)... But I was wronged because people respect other people beliefs and religion.

They are having their solat behind me, u can see them behind!

Since the weather is not being friendly to us (It's raining and it's freezing...), we decided to get into a cab that could fit 6 of us. We manage to get one cab across the street of the Union Station building and I was asked to sit infront since i'm the only guy (hahaha).

So while we were in the cab, he asked me where are we from and I said Malaysia and he immediately asked me with such a tragic question. Why she didn't covered her head? We were shocked because he knows that Malaysia are a country that have a majority of Muslims and women should cover their heads. And Zatil answered that she chose not to wear it... He asked me back then Isn't it compulsory for a Muslim women to wear a scarf? Zatil didn't answered it but instead asked him back, "are u a muslim?", he questioned us back, "am I look like a Muslim?". She said yes and asked her back, "What makes u think I'm a Muslim?". She replied that she saw an Islamic CD at his cab deck. Then he said you guys can decide later whether I'm a Muslim or not after he turned on his radio and played a CD. There u go, Holy Quran reading were playing in the cab and we know that he's a Muslim and I immediately shake hand with him with Assalammualaikum and he returned the Salam back.

We talked about Muslims in US and I didn't remember where he is from but he's not American either because he did not speak english fluently. He did asked me with a personal question, "Did you perform your five daily prayers?" and I was blank to answered it back and so I twisted his question by saying that prayer is a compulsory to every Muslims and everybody have to perform it and so he forgot his question then by telling us other story! pheww... When we arrived at the United Center Stadium, he refused to take our money and it became a free ride for all of us. He said that he was happy helping his own brother and sisters that share the same religion in a such big city! I will not forget his name, Hj. Mustafa! Thanks for being a nice one.

It such a wonderful experience meeting all of these people and watching your own people still obey the religion rules even they were in a big city and controversial country. Even me myself not be able to do it. I respect them for proud becoming a Muslim and I am proud that I am a Muslim...

:)