Iman Kouvalis on Muslimas Oasis

I was interviewed by Muslimas Oasis so I thought I would share.

 

Source: Muslimas Oasis

I’ve had the privilege of working with Iman for the past couple of years doing web design work for her company Optimize It Designs. Iman is a successful and ambitious sister and an inspiration to many. I am excited to bring you this interview where she talks briefly about the flourishing Global Greek Muslim Community she has developed through Greeks Rethink and what it means to be a Greek Muslim.

Tell us a bit about Greeks Rethink, how it started and the work you do for the Greek Muslim Community.

It all started with a question. Where are all the Greek Muslims? The majority of us are scattered around the world but we have a passion to connect with each other. I started two years ago and now our website is a meeting place for people who want to learn about Greeks who have rethought life.

Do you primarily work with Muslims in Greece or Greek muslims abroad?

Our work is for Greek Muslims globally but we are aligned with the Muslim Association of Greece (www.equalsociety.com) who is the association that takes care of the national Islamic issues in Greece.

You’re a Greek Muslim revert/convert mashaAllah! Tell us a bit about your experience as a Muslim in relation to your Greek culture and heritage?

We are between East and West. If you’ve ever watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding, that’s pretty accurate to who we are. Greece brought a rich civilization to the world as did Islam so I enjoy being part of both.

We see a lot of abuses of Religious Freedom around the world, increasingly in Europe, what is the situation for Greek Muslims in this regard?

Greece is the only EU country without a mosque in its capital city. With 700 000 Muslims in Athens, this is a tragedy. The Muslim Association of Greece is working tirelessly for years to promote a positive image of Islam and Muslims in Greece.

What other sorts of issues do Muslims face in Greece?

Apart from the mosque issue, Muslims do not have a cemetery and have to ship their dead to external countries or at least eight hours away. The hard reality is that Greece has many misconceptions towards Islam but the average Muslim neighbor enjoys friendship with the average Greek neighbor.

What sort of feedback have you gotten about your work? From the Greek state? Muslims? Non muslims?

Through the Muslim Association of Greece, we have had positive attention from major media networks globally, global Muslim networks and Greek authorities. Even many non-Greeks have told me that they visit our website regularly.

In your experience how does the Greek culture compliment Islamic culture, what are the similarities?

Our traditional heritage and etiquettes are similar to Islamic etiquettes, not to mention great food and a rich history of thinking, reflecting and civilization.

Islam spread to much of Europe in the past, what part does Islam play in Greek history?

Islam was part of Greece for about 500 years during the Ottoman Empire period. Today, you can still see remnants of Islam in Greece through its museums, foods and words.

What sort of goals do you have for the future of your work?

Our annual goal includes the building of five websites:

• www.greeksrethink.com (Connecting Greek Muslims)
• www.equalsociety.com (Muslim Association of Greece)
• www.ora-islam.gr (About Islam in the Greek language for Non-Muslims)
• www.islamfriends.gr (Islamic culture and civilization in the Greek language)
• Fifth website is still a secret to the public!

How can other organizations like yours that cater to specific ethnic groups of Muslims learn from Greeks Rethink?

If you want to run a project like Greeks Rethink, the best thing to do is to contact someone who has already done something like this and ask them a lot of questions. Before I started, I spent six months with high-powered people just learning from them. But to give you a few hints, try this: think big, plan big, start small, make a team, get some business skills and make lots of dua.

Tell any Greek Muslim readers out there how they can get involved, InshaAllah?

Visit www.greeksrethink.com and introduce yourself at our forum. Greek or not, I’m sure you’ll be intrigued by what you find at our website.

Fury of Muslims in Greece, Leading Where?

Translated By  Ms. Anna Stamou >

The torn copy of the Holy Qur’ http://www.islamonline.net For two subsequent days hundreds of Muslim immigrant demonstrators filled the streets in Athens protesting against an incident that a police officer had torn up a copy of the Holy Qur’an. The incidents caused different kinds of reactions and resurfaced the problematic status of the marginalized Greek Muslims.According to Mr. Naim El-Ghandour, President of the Muslims Association in Greece (MAG), there was an abrupt police raid on a Syrian café in Athens, across Nicolas Church Street. The clients were checked by Greek policemen who asked the immigrants to show their ID credentials. They also ordered the immigrants to take off their shoes, socks. They were thoroughly searched. However, nothing illegal was found and the immigrants proved to be legally residents of the country. Up to that point, nobody was to blame… During the raid, one of the Greek officers, whose identity is still anonymous, approached Mohammad, 24 years, speaks poor Greek, and asked him to empty his pockets. Worth mentioning that the Syrian café is a meeting and a recreational place for many Muslims in Athens. Among the belongings of the young man, the officer found a booklet with Arabic characters and asked what it was. “It is the Holy Qur’an, which I recite every morning and evening” Mohammad replied. “As you recite the Gospel, we have the Qur’an” he tried to explain. The police officer’s reaction to those words was that he tore the Holy Qur’an up, threw it on the floor, and stepped on it. One of his fellow officers asked him to stop because this was the Holy book of the Muslims, but in vain… Immediate Reactions With a torn up version of the Holy Qur’an, the President of the Muslim Association of Greece headed for the closest police station and the Public Order and Safety (Ministry of Internal Affairs in Greece) and reported the sacrilege. Statements of the Greek Authorities As a rejection to any kind of anti-religious freedom action, Mr. Evangelos Antonaros, the Deputy Government Spokesman, issued the following statement on May 22, 2009 (full statement is on the official website of the Ministry of Interior, Hellenic Government, click here): “The Greek State totally respects the religious freedom of everyone and distinctly convicts any kind of insult for such freedom, especially insulting sacred texts and symbols that are inextricable parts of any faith. Every action that is turned against the religious freedom of the others warrants total disapproval of the Greek society that traditionally accepts with hospitality people belonging to any race or religion, since they respect the laws of our country.” Muslims’ Feelings after the Insult Mr. Naim El-Ghandour with the torn copy of the Holy Qur’an. “The fact that the police officer tore up the Qur’an and stepped on it is a major crime as far as Muslims are concerned,” Mr. Naim El-Ghandour explained.“The Qur’an is our sacred symbol and represents our Faith,” “It is a tremendous insult of the religious beliefs of people who have found themselves targeted by wars and islamophobia evoked against them even in Greece,” El-Ghandour highlighted with sorrow. On the governmental level, Mr. Christos Markogiannakis, the Deputy Minister of Inner Affairs stated that: “The General Police Administration of Athens is investigating this case in which a policeman is accused of insulting a religious symbol. The inquiry goes into depth and whoever is proven responsible for such act will be brought to justice. Escalating the Situation Moreover, Mr. Naim added that some of the small Left parties misused the situation by provoking the immigrants to demonstrate against the racist and oppressive acts of the police in St. Panteleimonas area. Demonstrations centred in the heart of Athens where those parties distributed posters with their claims, using the ripped part of the Qur’an as a trigger for violent reactions. Consequently, the Hellenic Government replied to those actions saying: “The incident is still under investigation. Yet, it does not justify the actions by some people who are determined to commit damages to civilians’ properties nor to engage in civil clashes causing injuries and disturbing severely the social and economical life of the city,” added Mr. Markogiannakis. MAG Attitude On the other hand, Mr. Naim El-Ghandour stressed “the Muslim Association of Greece as well as the habitués of all mosques in Athens has refused to participate in any demonstration.” “We resort to the legal channels. We are waiting to recognize the name of the involved police officer in order to sue him. Of course we have every confidence in the Greek Judicial System. As the whole country faces depression and crisis, a reckless man commits an irresponsible action and creates a problem. To All Immigrants During his statement, Mr. Markogiannakis addressed the whole immigrant community saying: “We ask the legitimate immigrants who live in Greece to respect peace and order assuring that the State will not allow such extremist behaviors. We expect from all political forces to show responsibility, to satisfy the demands of the civilians within law and order. The problem of illegal immigration is a sensitive national issue.” (Full Statement by the Greek Deputy Minister of Interior for the current events in the center of Athens in Greek, Please click here to view) Causes for the outrageous reaction “Many of the new immigrants are young, kids of 19, 20  years old, who have no jobs, face every day hunger, and have lots of problems..” Mr. El-Ghandour explained. Under such circumstances, the slightest provocation can cause an explosion and especially for a religious symbol. We should have mutual respect for each other’s religions. Everyone should treat the other’s sanctuaries with respect. The politicians need to speed up action and find a solution for the immigrants’ problems and we must learn to live together respecting each other,” he added. Political Declarations On a broader level, all the political parties in Greece have condemned this incident. Characteristically, the PASOK Spokesman Giorgos Papakonstantinou pointed out that the “phenomena of humiliation and disrespect of the religious rights and the insult of symbols of any religion cannot be tolerated for any citizen;  Greek or immigrant.” (For more information, please click here). Causalities on all levels The Pakistanis, Afghanis, and Bangladeshis participated in those demonstrations that lasted for two days and serious damages occurred: many stores, cars, bus stops were smashed. Many thieveries occurred; there were also injured policemen and immigrants. Again, the smell of tear gas and of the cocktail Molotov canisters was spread everywhere in Athens. Late at night, a small group of people set fire to a basement of a residential building where there was a prayer place, an unofficial mosque for the Bangladesh community. Four people were inside the prayer place at that hour and luckily they were not hurt. However, none was blamed for this terrorist act which was regarded as an act of revenge. Mohammed, the immigrant involved with the officer, having the torn version of the Holy Quran accompanied by Mr. Naim El-Ghandour, the president of Muslim Association of Greece, and represented by the distinguished attorney Frangiskos Ragousis filed a lawsuit at the Hellenic Courts on Monday May the 24th. All parties are waiting for the Court’s ruling…

Q. Why would a Greek chose a religion that is so antithetical to his own culture?

Q. I’m simply curious as to why a Greek would choose a religion that is so antithetical to his or her own culture. Beyond that, there are more general questions about Islam and its treatment of non-believers that I, as a non-believer, would like answered. Perhaps you can help.

A. Thank you for asking about our religion and coming forth with your question. I will answer the question based on my own experience as a Greek convert. I know this is a really long post, but please bear with me.

(Special note to the questioner: Before we start, I have a special request, actually two. First, I need you to forget about your culture for just a few minutes and think openmindely and objectively. Second, I would like you to make a prayer. I know you wouldn’t normally agree to this since you are an agnostic, but please, just try it. It’s not going to hurt. Turn to the one who created the heavens and the earth (whoever you think that is and even if it’s ‘unknown’) and say, ‘The one who created the heavens and the earth, if you have the power, strength and knowledge to create these, then you surely have the power to show me the truth. If you are out there, guide me to the truth, whatever that may be’ I know this might sound insane to you, but please trust me on this one. )

I’m serious, just try it.

For me, it all started when I was very young (about 7 years old, actually!) when I first started to contemplate on what the purpose of life is. I’ve never really understood it but growing up, it would sometimes become a burning question that I did not have an answer to. Without an answer, I would then often drift into “go with the flow” mode, where the purpose of life is the ol’ get a good education, get a good paying job, get married, by a house and a nice car…. and then, well, die.

I first met Muslims in my university classes. Before that, they were always around me but I just never noticed. I honestly naively thought that the entire world was full of Christians only! Can you believe it? I thought it was a really strange thing that anyone would believe in some wierd god, oppress their women and speak some wierd language but I was still respectful to them because I felt sorry for them.

Later our discussions transformed into full-fledge debates at the student cafeteria. I was their staunch opponent. I started becoming more and more practising as a Greek Orthodox and going back to the church, perhaps because I felt that I had to defend my religion – everything that I was raised with.

Without that much knowledge about Islam, it was harder to convince them that they were dead wrong, so when no one was looking, I would sneak into the library and try to find some books about Islam. What I found were some books that looked like they were published 1000 years ago – they were so ancient, it seemed! So, then I started to search online as well. I needed some substantial evidence to prove that they were wrong.

Then everything changed. I made a prayer that God show me the truth. I wanted to know and I was so sincere in that prayer.

I was absolutely sure that the truth would be Christianity and that the Muslims will soon find out but God had another plan for me.

When no one was looking, I started to step back from my preconceived notions and started to think objectively for the first time in my life. Why are Muslims so strict about not associating Jesus (peace be upon him) as God? Don’t they know that we need Jesus to be a salvation for our sins?

I went to visit our local priest and asked him a lot of questions, especially about the trinity. I finally had the guts to nonchalantly bring up the word ‘Islam’ (for all those Greeks out there, you know how hard that would be!) but as soon as I uttered that word, his eyes immediately bulged out of his head and he strongly suggested that I stay away from those bad people. However, the problem was that he didn’t answer my questions with proper answers. It was all a big run-around.

That just left me on my own to find out. Slowly, with more and more research and evidence, my heart was realizing the truth of one God without partners but my mind was opposing it with all its might. I just couldn’t even dream of leaving everything known to me – my religion, my culture, my family, my rituals and celebrations- behind.

Then it happened in my bedroom. I was finishing up some more reading on the subject and contemplating heavily if Jesus is really God or not. All of a sudden, within a few seconds, I felt something go through me very quickly, as if it was some fresh air or spirit washing out my heart and then BOOM (!), automatically, I felt this massive, I mean massive, sense of tranquility and almost said outoud, ‘Jesus is not God!’.

Then immediately after that, I thought, ‘How in the world am I going to tell my parents that I am Muslim?’

I know what I am writing is going to be extremely difficult for some to believe. No, I was not possessed by some devil or spirit. Actually, I found when speaking to other converts that some of them related the same thing to me (before I even mentioned my story to them). Now, after knowing more about Islam, I do believe that it was God answering my initial prayer and it was, perhaps, an angel, under the instruction of God, who cleansed my soul of the prior disbelief.

So, this is a super long post – sorry for that- so to conclude, I would like to answer your question, why would a Greek choose a religion so antithetical to his or her own culture? Well, for a few reasons.

First, it wasn’t my intention to do so. In fact, it was the complete opposite but in my search for the truth, I found that it was that God is one without any partners. I later found the answer to my question of what the purpose of life is explicitly mentioned beautifully in the Qur’an.

Second, after seeing all this truth, my priorties in life changed drastically. I no longer was going with the flow for worldly success only. I now had (and have) a primary goal of reaching paradise so whatever I can do to take me there, I will do. If that is to leave some of my cultural aspects that contradict worshipping one God without associating partners, then I will do so.

Third, becoming a Muslim does not mean I forfeit my culture. In fact, Islam embraces diversity of all cultures. For example, I have lots of friends who are Pakistani, Somalian, Arab, Greek, Bosnian, Canadian, British, Chinese, Indian, Italian, Spanish, etc who are Muslim. Islam embraces culture and actually Islamic law is very dynamic in the sense that it changes with the people, culture, customs, generations, technology etc.

This is why we say we are Greek Muslim. I hope that I have answered your question fully and that it has given you greater understanding of us. I pray that the creator of the heavens and the earth show you the truth.

I hope that we can create a discussion based on sincerity, honesty and respect. I look forward to receiving your top 3-5 questions about the other aspects of Islam you have.

Problems with Arab shaykhs in Greek-speaking areas

This post is in response to Mariam’s comment.  I’m moving it here so it’s easier to respond.

Q.  …None of the sheikhs speak greek….and barely english….so in other words our khutbas are in arabic, and all the greeks either sit there like lemons, or we sit next to an arab speaker and they explain wat is goin on…..

thereforeeee…rather than having these problems, could we work together to find ourselves a local greek or cypriot sheikh coz it is kind of crucial.

fi aman allah
mariam

 

My answer: 

Mariam, wow, subhan Allah, sounds like major drama.  I have to say I don’t have a solution to this problem so I’m just going to post some ideas that might help and if anyone else has ideas or feedback, please comment below.

First, as we know, the ideal shaykh would be of course someone who is qualified with knowledge of the deen.  After that, knowing the language of the people plus the cultural norms of the land is of utmost importance.

Let me give you an example.  I was once watching a video of people attending a mosque in Greece.  At the end of the khutbah, while people were leaving, you wouldn’t believe it but they were all lined up (in the masjid!) to greet these two guys who are singing nasheed, then they touch something, make dua, wipe their faces and then leave the mosque.  I was like…. whaaaaat?!! I thought it was a bad rerun of a Greek church service…no joke!

Did the prophet (saws) or the sahaba ever do that? NO! Not that I know of anyway. I showed it to an Arab and we both started laughing out of the ridiculousness of it all but the thing is my Arab friend didn’t really get why they would do such a thing.  Me, being Greek, I understand that they, in essence, just copied what the Greek church does at the end of their service and “Islamified” it with nasheed and dua to replace the the “chanting” of the Bible verses in Greek plus the lining of the people to kiss the priest’s hand and recieve the bread that was “blessed”.

So back to an Arab shaykh who doesn’t speak Greek and wouldn’t really relate to the example above, how do make this situation better?  Here are just a few ideas that I had.  I’m not sure if they are practical to your situation, but it’s worth a mention:

1.  If there is a knowledgeable Greek Muslim that can be assigned as an assistant to the shaykh, that would help because he be an advisor on the cultural norms and the Greek language.  He can also either translate the shaykh’s khutbah’s for him so the shaykh can either do Arabic/Greek or Arabic/English or if this is totally not possible, perhaps the assistant can do the Greek version after the khutbah.  You just have to investigate that becuase there are certain things you can and cannot do during the khutbah.  This can also work for halaqahs or classes.

2. If you can’t find anyone locally, perhaps, someone could contact the University of Madinah or AlAzhar University and see if anyone there is qualified who knows the Greek language, or even English at least who might be willing to relocate to Cyprus.  This might be far-fetched but at least you can try.

3. For long-term planning, your masjid can sponsor a brother to travel to one of these universities to study and return with the agreement to become the shaykh of the masjid a few years later.

Just some ideas… what do you guys think?

Etho Ta Leme: Why couldn’t you just find a good Greek boy?

Introducing our new section, Etho Ta Leme! This will be our open discussion arena.  Literally, this translates from Greek to “here we will say them” , coming from the expression,”Ta Leme”, which generally means “see you [soon]“.  In other words, it’s your time to shine!  Let others know what you think about the chosen topic.  Let’s make the first discussion memorable!!!

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Why couldn’t you just find a good Greek boy?

I’m sure at one point in time, you’ve heard your mom say this to your or your sibling.  It’s the dream of any mother that you find that perfect Greek spouse.

As exciting as marriage can be, it’s also complicated.  To add to that, many are entering into intercultural marriages (which are permissible), especially in the case of Greek Muslims who are widely spread out around the world. 

Would you rather marry

 inside or outside of your culture?

 

 

 

 

Looking forward to hearing lots of responses insha Allah.  Let’s get a discussion going and connect on a whole new level!

 

Greek author converts to Islam

Sr. Jamilah Kolocotronis, a fabulous author and dear friend, converted to Islam.  She has a fascinating Greek ancestral history that proves to be a struggle to her journey.  Here’s her story in a nutshell:

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In 1913 my grandfather left his home in the small village of Zatouna and traveled to Patras to earn some money. He was seventeen. He worked in a shop and at night, he told me, he slept behind the counter. Two years later, when he had earned enough, he boarded a boat for New York City, traveling steerage. When he left, his mother gave him two pieces of underwear and instructed him to wear the first on the voyage. When he reached America he could throw that in the ocean and put on the clean pair.

 

After his arrival Grandpa was processed at Ellis Island and placed on board a train bound for St. Louis. He couldn’t speak a word of English but there was a color-coded system to let the conductor know when each passenger should get off. In St. Louis he joined three older brothers. They slept in a large room with other Greek immigrants and worked wherever they could. A few years later he sent for my grandmother, whom he had never before met.

 

Eventually, my grandfather opened a Greek restaurant with his brothers and helped build the first Greek Orthodox congregation in St. Louis. He did what he could to raise his family of six, but practical life didn’t really suit Grandpa. He was a scholar at heart. If he’d been born to a rich family I have no doubt he would have been a priest, but his family was very poor and he did what he could to survive.

 

Years later, I benefited from my grandfather’s wisdom. He talked of history and politics and religion, all in his thick Greek accent, and I hung on every word. One day he gave me a postcard of the statue of Theodoros Kolokotrones, my ancestor, and told me how he had defeated the Turks. Through my grandfather I learned of a heritage that extended far beyond my suburban St. Louis neighborhood.

 

When I went away to college I began learning about Islam. But I also carried with me the distrust of Muslim Turks, the people my ancestor had fought in the name of Greek independence. It took me four years to convert. One reason, I think, is that I couldn’t take that step and face telling my grandfather. He died in 1979. I became a Muslim in 1980.

 

My father, the son of Greek immigrants, basically renounced his Greek heritage. But I learned much of it from my grandfather and my aunts. I grew up Lutheran but we went to the Greek Orthodox Church for weddings, baptisms, and festivals. As a college student I spent two years learning Koine Greek, the language of the New Testament, and I can still read it. I never learned to speak Greek but I can make some awesome kourabiethes.and even baklava. And one day I hope to visit Greece and find the little village of Zatouna.

 

Author
Jamilah Kolocotronis is an author and an American Muslim from Greek ancestry. She has a doctorate in Social Science Education and has taught in Islamic schools for many years. She writes Islamic fiction for young adults/adults about American Muslims striving to live Islamic lives within the challenges of American society.  She especially likes to write about converts who struggle to integrate their non-Islamic pasts with their new lives as Muslims.  She has six sons, ages twenty-two to nine and lives in Lexington, Kentucky.

Published Books
Fiction – Innocent People, about a Muslim family in the year after September 11, 2001.

Fiction – Echoes Series (5 books), about an American Muslim convert’s struggle to pick up the pieces of his life

Nonfiction – Islamic Jihad, about the principles and practices of military jihad.

 

        

 

http://jamilahkolocotronis.writerswebpages.com

 

 

The struggle to keep your Greek heritage

(photo taken from http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtbphoto/124430789)

Often times, I find we particularly have a hard time with family because they look at us like traitors.  In their minds, we’re now Turks!  We’ve gone over to the OTHER side. 

And for Greeks, that’s just about the worst thing you can do!  I’m serious.  You can come home pregnant (outside of marriage) or basically become an atheist and still look better to your mom than if you become the baboolas, the big monster Muslim.

See, for many of us Greek Muslims, we still want to keep our culture along with our Islam.  And there is no problem with that as long as we don’t indulge in forbidden acts.  But how do we find that middle path? 

When I think Greek, I think of a Big, Fat, Greek Wedding.  Seriously.

A big loud, traditional dancing party with food for the entire village.   Drinking, music,  pure wildness and kissing from cheek to cheek. Everyone knows everyone.  And a place where really, anything goes. 

Try finding the middle path now!  As you can see, it’s hard at times.  Eventually, I came to grips with it and learned to take the good and throw out the bad.  Obviously, no more Greek weddings for me!  I now spend a lot more time with family, choosing the environment carefully. 

I’m very careful not to admonish others about their lifestyle choices but make it very clear to them how I choose to live my lifestyle and they cannot sway me otherwise.  In fact, I learned to give dawah through my actions and not my tongue, and now I’m a lot more respected than ever before.  In fact, my mom coined my new nickname, ei kaloygria (the nun).

So, the best advice I can give to new converts is to seek knowledge first.  Find a good mentor and group of friends who are pious and knowledgeable in Islam that you can emulate. 

Islam is compelling because it’s so simple and natural.  With further prodding, Islam can also be very deep and complex because it covers every single aspect of our lives.  So, when learning more about the details of Islam, it’s always best to go to people of knowledge.  As they say, you are who your friends are.

What are your experiences or advice about culture and Islam?