Sisters

Sisterhood in Islam is something that is absolutely necessary for the prosperity of Muslim women, especially here in the West where large extended families may not be near.

Essentially, all love is for the sake of Allah and can only truly be grasped when one experiences it, and this is found with the enduring bond of sisterhood in Islam. When a Muslim woman loves her sister in Islam, it is for the sake of Allah which creates a special bond between them.

Here in our small Midland community, it does not matter what your skin color is, the language you speak, the status of your family, the life you lived before Islam, whether you are rich or poor, or the country your family came from. In Islam, we are all united like a single family. Our belief in Allah is what unites us.

When one of us is hurting or suffering, we all feel it together. We feel it as sisters, and we are here for you.

The following incident took place when Muhammad Ali’s daughters arrived at his home wearing clothes that were not modest. Here is the story as told by one of his daughters:

When we finally arrived, the chauffeur escorted my younger sister, Laila, and me up to my father’s suite. As usual, he was hiding behind the door waiting to scare us. We exchanged as many hugs and kisses as we could possibly give in one day.

My father took a good look at us. Then he sat me down on his lap and said something that I will never forget. He looked me straight in the eyes and said, “Hana, everything that God made valuable in the world is covered and hard to get to. Where do you find diamonds? Deep down in the ground, covered and protected. Where do you find pearls? Deep down at the bottom of the ocean, covered up and protected in a beautiful shell.

Where do you find gold? Way down in the mine, covered over with layers and layers of rock. You’ve got to work hard to get to them.”

Source: Taken from the book: More Than A Hero: Muhammad Ali’s Life Lessons Through His Daughter’s Eyes.