Chats with Cassy

I am a Muslim Revert of four years and the only Muslim in my family. I have three children and eight grandchildren. One of my granddaughters, Cassy, is eleven years old and she lives next door to me. Her mother left when she was just a baby, so I often stand in as "Mom" for her to help my son, who is a single parent. Fahd and Abdul are two Saudi police officers who lived in my home during the year they were in the USA to study English at our university and attend an advanced police training academy.

"Chats With Cassy" begin at a time prior to my reversion and continue after my reversion to Islam.

Before and since my reversion to Islam, my granddaughter and I have had many "chats" about God and so many "Why?" and "How come this and How come that?" questions have surfaced. I thought I might share them with you. The following are just a few of my Chats with Cassy. I hope you enjoy them.

Chat-1 – Muslim Manners

Grandma and Cassy sitting on a swing glider in the back patio. A sunny day with a few wispy clouds in the bright, blue Arizona sky. Abu and Midnight, Cassy's cats, purring sleepily in the space on the glider seat between us.

Cassy -- "Grandma, Grandma, did you hear what I said?"

Grandma thinking -- I'm stalling for time...how do I answer this "new" question?

Cassy -- "Grandma?"

Grandma -- "Ah, what did you say?"

Cassy -- "Why do Fahd and Abdul knock on the front door when they get home from class? Why don't they use the key to the back door that you had made for them?"

Grandma -- "I don't know."

Cassy -- "What! You mean you don't know the answer to my question?"

Grandma -- I watch the slow smile spread across my granddaughter's face and the gleam of mischief sparkle in her grey-blue eyes. From Cassy's early days in Kindergarten, I unwittingly, somehow have given her the impression that "Grandma knows Everything." Over the past few years my granddaughter has spent considerable time trying to find a question that Grandma can't answer. By the look on her face and my hedging.. I can see she is elated!

Slowly the importance of Cassy's question sinks in. Why would my Saudi boys avoid using the back door? Have I offended them in some way... Is it a cultural thing or something to do with their Islamic religion?

Cassy -- "Grandma!"

I hear the impatience creeping into my granddaughter's voice as I sit pondering her question..........

Chat 2 - A Matter of Justice

News Flash -- Saddam Captured!

Cassy -- "Grandma, do you think that man Saddam should die for what they say he did to his people? I think killing is wrong, but I think Saddam was a pretty bad man. What do you think?"

Grandma -- "I think the Iraqi people should put him on trial and they should decided."

Cassy -- "But, do you believe in the death penalty? I'm against killing people."

Grandma -- "In Islam we are taught that Allah requires the death penalty for people who commit murder...unless the victims family forgives the person who committed the murder."

Cassy -- "But Grandma, the news said he was responsible for thousands of people being killed. The news said that he even had kids killed and tortured them, too. Did he really do this?"

Grandma --"Yes, he did."

Cassy -- "Won't God punish him when he dies?"

Grandma -- "I think so...if he does not accept responsibility for his crimes and repent to God he will go to hell. God allows for punishment here on earth also. This is why I think Saddam should die for his many terrible crimes."

Cassy -- "Then the death penalty is okay if it is given for someone who God says it is okay?"

Grandma -- "Yes, Cassy. this is right according to Islam.

Cassy -- I think he killed to many people, probably not all the families will forgive him . That's what I think."

Grandma -- "You are probably right."

Cassy -- "It would be real hard to forgive him if he, say like, killed my Dad or maybe a sister or brother. Would you forgive him if he killed us?"

Grandma -- "I don't know Cassy. I think I would have to do a lot of praying about it and ask God-Allah for help. but if I forgave him, I still think he should be punished and the punishment is death for his crimes."

Cassy --"hmmm"

Chat 3 - Lineage of Jesus

Cassy and Grandpa have just returned home from Church. Cassy is wearing a frown and Grandpa looks perplexed. Grandma is sitting in the family room reading the Qur'an when they walk into the room.

Grandma -- What happened to you, two? You go to church and come home looking??? well, you don't look too happy!"

Grandpa -- "I'll let Cassy explain it to you. Right now I am really peeved!"

Grandma -- "Come sit with me and tell me what has happened."

Cassy -- Face flushed and just a few sparks flying from the corners of her eyes----"Grandma, I got into trouble again at Sunday School!"

Grandma rolls her eyes, but a tiny smile lurks at the corners of her mouth.

Cassy -- "Today we talked about the Christmas story and then the teacher read from the Bible the ancestors of Jesus that prove he is from the line of Abraham. I followed along with my teacher but something was wrong and I told her."

Grandpa makes a snorting sound, compresses his lips and nods for Cassy to continue. Grandpa is not to happy with this Sunday School teacher!

Grandma -- "You told your teacher that something written in the Bible was wrong?"

Cassy -- Yes. The Bible traces the line of Jesus through Joseph, the step-father. Jesus didn't have any of Joseph's blood, I mean, he wasn't really his father. The Bible teaches that Jesus had a miracle birth without a human father, so how can it also say that Joseph's family ancestors belong to Jesus? That's what I asked the teacher. and did she get mad. Her face got all red and she took me by my arm out of the classroom to the minister's office. Then I had to wait there until Pastor Jones came to the office to talk to me. He said I was confused and he would be calling you and grandpa to have a meeting."

Grandma turns to Grandpa and glares. "Did you know about Cassy going to the minister's office?"

Grandpa -- "No, not until we were driving home. Then Cassy told me what happened. I was going to go back to the church and tell the minister a thing ot two, but.. I knew I wouldn't know how to answer him. Except the teacher taking Cassy out of class like she had done something wrong... now that I could talk about!"

Grandma -- "So when is Pastor Jones going to call?"

Grandpa -- "What did he say, Cassy?"

Cassy -- "He didn't say when he would call. Do I have to go back to that Sunday School? I don't like it 'cause the teacher got mad because I asked a question. Didn't you always tell me to ask questions?"

Grandma -- "Yes I did and asking the teacher or making a comment about something you feel is wrong is okay. It is a good thing to ask questions. The teacher over-reacted. Don't worry about this. Grandpa and I will take care of it."

Cassy -- Maybe the teacher over-reacted, like you say, because she didn't know the answer?"

Grandma -- "You could be right, Cassy."

Cassy -- "Was I right about Joseph? I mean.. they don't have the same DNA in their blood, so he can't be the line Jesus comes from?? Wouldn't you have to use his mother, Mary?"

Grandma -- "You are right and I am very proud of you for speaking up."

Cassy -- "I think God helps us to see right and wrong, don't you?"

Grandma -- "Yes, sweetie, I think He does!"

Chat 4 – Who Is Jesus?

Background

I find it interesting that many times when a Christian and Muslim discuss-debate the true nature or the question "Who is Jesus?" the Muslim will use the Christian's Bible to show inconsistencies etc. and the Christian will defend their teachings.

In doing daw'ah....as I do not debate any Christian.... I never use (quote) the Bible as it is a flawed Book. There are still some truths in this book, but men have revised it, rewrote it and changed it so many times that it is an unreliable source of Allah's-God's Word. An example... the Catholic Bible has 6 more books (chapters) in it than has the Protestant Bible! This in and of itself makes this Book questionable. People, who wrote about Jesus, lived many years after his death and for the most part the doctrines of the present Christian Church are taken from the Roman Saul....who changed his name to Paul and he never met Jesus or heard one word Jesus spoke! This is a greater truth than quoting a flawed Christian Bible. Constantine, the Emperor and idol worshiper at the time of the Nicene "convention" caused many of the original text of the early Christians to be destroyed. This idol worshiper determined which text would be included in the Christian "Book" and which text would be destroyed /hidden. This is a greater truth as there are historical records to back this up.

It was only years later that Constantine became a Christian. At that time 325-6AD, the Christians themselves were in great dispute as to the so called Trinity. One group believed in the Oneness of God while the other favored the Pauline doctrines of the Trinity...which are not stated in the defective Bibles in use today. In the defective Bibles of today... no where is it written that Jesus (ra) says he is God! This is a fact.... so one truth at least has survived the changes men have made to the Christian Bible.

Here is truth to those who will hear. A conversation between me and my Christian (at that time 9 almost 10 year old granddaughter, Cassy)

Cassy has just come home after attending a Sunday church class where a "teacher" tells the children about God.

Cassy --: "Grandma, today the teacher said that Jesus was God and she said the Holy Spirit/Ghost is God. She said this is the Trinity. Three in one to make God. I did not understand this. She told me it is God's mystery and just to believe what she said. She said that believing is an act of faith. Do you know about this Trinity? Do Muslims believe in this Trinity?"

Grandma -- Yes I learned about this Trinity when I was a Christian. I never believed in it. This is why I searched a very long time to find the truth which is Islam."

Cassy -- Grandma...it doesn't make any sense to me. God is God. Jesus is Jesus. And the Holy Spirit is the Holy Spirit. Right? I mean God is above everything. He wouldn't be a man. Jesus is a man. He prayed to God. He wouldn't pray to himself. Right?

Grandma -- "You are right Cassy. Jesus said he could do nothing without God Approving. If Jesus was God then why would he need God to approve, like the healings Jesus did? Jesus always said it was God doing the healings. Jesus did not claim to have the healing power. He said it came from God"

Cassy-- God wants us to go to heaven doesn't He?"

Grandma -- "Yes, He does very much."

Cassy -- "Then I don't think God would make a mystery that would make it hard for people to understand and maybe keep them from Heaven."

Grandma -- "You are right, Cassy. God chose men to become Prophets so these men could tell people the truth of what God expected people to do to get to Heaven."

Cassy -- "That's it! Jesus was telling the people about God so he must have been a Prophet!"

Grandma -- "You are right Cassy. Jesus was a great Prophet"

Cassy: "But what about the Holy Spirit/Ghost? What is the Holy Spirit?"

Grandma -- "Remember that God would speak to Prophets through an Angel. That an Angel would often appear to the Prophets? The Angel would carry messages from God."

Cassy -- "So the Holy Spirit is an Angel messenger?"

Grandma -- "Right. The Angel's name is Gabriel and Angel Gabriel is the Holy Spirit."

Cassy -- "Well now it all makes sense. I knew something was wrong when the teacher said that Jesus asked God to forgive him. Now why would Jesus, if he was God, ask himself to forgive himself? You see Grandma. My teacher doesn't make any sense at all."

Grandma -- "No, I am afraid she doesn't. But God makes perfect sense. He never lies or does anything to try and confuse us. He wants us to love and serve Him so He gave us the Qur'an and another Prophet, the last Prophet Muhammed. He did this because He loves us and because men had got God's word twisted and confused. God doesn't want us to be confused."

Cassy -- "Thanks, Grandma. I am not confused anymore. I knew I was right. There is no way Jesus could be God. He was born here on Earth as a human baby and God is too big for the Earth!"

If our children know the simple and easy truth... why is it that grown-ups have such difficulty? Because children are taught a fairy story... a great mystery... that obscures the truth and God's Word. This is indeed sad. Therefore Muslims who know the truth should be patient with their explanations to non-Muslims. Be tolerant if they are confused. And most of all pray that their eyes will be opened to the truth of Islam and Allah will shine a light to the path of Islam. You may be that light if you are kind and patient. Your example is the example that reflects the truth of Islam.

It is true...we are all born Muslim having the Truth of God inside of our minds and hearts... just listen to a child and you will see this is so.

Chat 5 – Unwanted Divisions

Grandma and Cassy have just returned home after spending the morning and part of the afternoon at the local masjid. Today the sisters held a charity bazaar and Cassy and grandma had worked for several months creating hand crafted Du’a booklets, recipe booklets, and painted and decorated wooden hijab pin boxes and toy wooden cars and boats to sell at this bazaar. It had been a wonderful day until the very end and then something quite disturbing happened that has caused Cassy to feel sad and confused.

Cassy -- “Grandma, why did those sisters whisper to each other and then refuse to talk to us? We said Salaams. I know they heard us. They can speak English ‘cause I heard them talking to some customers.”

Grandma -- “Sweetie, I don’t know what they were whispering about. I would rather give them the benefit of doubt that it was not about us or intended to be hurtful to us. Why they did not give Salaams back, I do not know why. Perhaps they did not hear us?”

Cassy – “That’s not the first time sisters have not talked to us Grandma. You told me that Muslims are all one big family; a world-wide community that believes in Islam and the Prophet (pbuh).

Grandma – “Yes, I did tell you this and it is true.”

Cassy – “I don’t think this is so true. I see Muslims being unfriendly to other Muslims all the time. It is like what happens at my school. Where some kids think they are better than other kids. They whisper and point fingers and sometimes make fun of kids they think are nerds or are not part of the popular group. My teacher says we are the 5th grade class, but I see a bunch of 5th grade classes, not one. The kids are divided into groups by who is popular and who isn’t. Then there are groups that hang out together because they are the same color, like the blacks with blacks and another group because they speak the same language, like the Mexican-Americans. Most of the Christians hang out together and the Muslims stick together. I am an odd ball because I hang out with some of the Christians and also the Muslims. Don’t you see Grandma? We are called the 5th grade class but we really are not together except by this name.”

Grandma –“We have talked about the diversity in your school and classroom before Cassy. You and I know diversity can be a good thing. People and especially kids can learn a lot by having friends who are not the same as themselves. Right?”

Cassy – “I know this Grandma, but it’s not only kids who form groups and keep separate I was expecting the Muslims to be different, that’s all.”.

Grandma sighed deeply and inwardly said a small du’a asking Allah to guide her next words.

Grandma – “Remember how we talked about the Christian Church splitting up into Catholics and Protestant groups and then the Protestants splitting up into hundreds of groups? All of these groups still believe in the Trinity and have similar values but how they practice Christianity may be very different.”

Cassy -- “Yes, Grandma.” Cassy nodded her head in agreement.

Grandma -- “Sadly, the Muslims split into two main groups which are the Shi’a and Sunni. These are labels that men chose. Muslims have the same basic beliefs in one God and the Prophet (pbuh) being the last messenger and we learned about the Pillars of Islam from Fahd and Abdul, remember?”

Cassy -- “Yes, I remember.”

Grandma -- “Sometimes Muslims don’t always act as they should. Muslims make mistakes also because they are human beings.”

Cassy nodded her head in understanding and Grandma continued.

Grandma -- “Today was an example of Muslims in a local community separating themselves into groups by race, language or nationality. You and I have seen this in the masjid Grandma goes to and also in other masjids where the members may be almost all one race or nationality. This is not Islam being practiced. This may be Muslims behaving in ways which make them feel more comfortable. It is like kids hanging out with friends who are similar to themselves.”

Cassy -- “But wouldn’t it be better if Muslims didn’t separate into groups. Maybe they should get to know Muslims who speak other languages or have different skin colors and even get to know the Muslims from other countries who have different ways of doing things.?”

Grandma – “I agree with you Cassy. What do you think you and I could have done differently today?”

Cassy – “You mean when the sisters didn’t give Salaams and just stared at us?”

Grandma –“Yes. What could we have done? We just walked away feeling upset and sad, Right?”

Cassy – “We had some hijab pin boxes we didn’t sell and a couple of du’a booklets left too. Maybe we could have given them to these sisters as gifts and smiled at them too and said Salaams again?”

The excitement in Cassy’s voice let Grandma know that Cassy was no longer sad and upset, but was now focused on doing something positive instead of complaining or blaming.

Grandma – “That is a good idea! Let’s remember that some Muslims stay in separate groups for reasons like language barriers or because of feeling more comfortable. There are some Muslims who keep to one group for wrong reasons too. They may feel that they are better Muslims because they are from the Middle East or because they were born into a Muslim family or because of the color of their skin being lighter or darker. There could be many reasons for them acting in a discriminatory way, but none of there reasons are acceptable in Islam.”

Cassy – “So even if they are being rude and they discriminate, we should still say Salaams and be nice to them?”

Grandma – “Yes, I think this is what Allah would want us to do. I think we should say prayers for them also.. Maybe if we are always friendly and nice they will not see our skin color, hear our language, or see our nationality.”

Cassy – “Then they will begin to see us as Muslims!”

Grandma – “Yes, Cassy. Then they might realize that our differences do not need to divide us. Our differences can enrich our lives and make us one community; not a divided community.”

© Copyright 2004 Linda D. Delgado