My September 11 Memory as an Imam in Belfast

We remember where we were, what we were doing, when we first heard or watched the September 11 tragedy in 2001.    It was also the beginning of my journey being a young imam in Belfast, Northern Ireland.    I was inexperienced, lack of proper training and did not even have sufficient English to communicate.  I did not have the privilege to wait and see but to jump immediately into everything.    When the mosque and members of our community experienced adverse reactions, I had to decide which direction I wanted to take to lead.  We believed it was a test from Allah; it shall pass, do not indulge too much in explaining and being defensive, but remain steadfast and let our attitude speaks about our faith and identity.   "So indeed, with hardship comes ease. indeed, with hardship comes ease." [Q94: 5-6]