Hope and Fear

As a non-Muslim, I am unfamiliar with the Quran. So, I decided to go to Lakemba Mosque, in Sydney, where I was made to feel exceptionally welcome. I asked a young Muslim woman to share with me a verse that she finds particularly inspiring. The result is this interview.   Chapter 39 Verse 53 "Say Oh my servants who have transgressed against themselves by sinning, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the forgiving, the merciful."   For this young woman, this verse is about hope. It is an inspiration to be a better person.   She believes it is important to have a balance of hope and fear in life. She believes it is important to have a connection to something in life and, for her, that is religion.   My hope, for this interview, is that in listening, there is the opportunity to learn about what another person holds in common with me, as well as to simply notice, without judgement, what it is that separates us.