adamant that I’m responsible for my own actions. I carry that with me a lot. If I did something wrong, I’m held accountable and I’m fine with that. It doesn’t matter how it’s perceived, as long as I know what I’m doing. However, I realize this is not true technically. There is a hadith about it being better to explain yourself and avoid being misconstrued than to have people assume things about you. This is true especially in the public sphere. This role made me have more akhlaq (character) and adab (manners). In many state- and national-level events, conferences and meetings, I’m the first Muslim many people get to meet. If I am your first Muslim interaction, I will be a learning lesson for you. You will not shake my hand or hug me as a person of the opposite gender, because I’m conscious about having boundaries respected. When we have a meeting from 6:10 p.m., I’m adamant about taking a recess for prayer. Your actions have implications for people who look like you. Be mindful. I never really grasped this until entering politics. You are taught certain mannerisms, and your behaviors are a part of your faith. I want to be more responsible. I don’t want to be the one who prevents another Muslimah from reaching her potential and/or ambition because of my behavior. This role also made me have stronger convictions on the pursuit of justice, especially at expulsion hearings. The Board of Ed decides if a student gets expelled. Once you’re expelled, you’re not welcome in any other public school for a full academic calendar year. A student’s future is in the board’s hand. Expulsions are systemic ways to hinder students of color. I can’t be a part of a system that hurts students, especially Black or Brown kids. So I have to be mindful of the choices I make. I’d rather go down alone knowing that I didn’t agree with a policy or decision held by my board. The Quran reminds us, “O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for God, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, God is more worthy of both. So follow not [personal] inclination, lest you not be just. And if you distort [your testimony] or refuse [to give it], then indeed God is ever, with what you do, acquainted” (4:135).
SEEKING TO REPRESENT I strongly encourage people to enter politics, but only after they look into the role that they want. If it’s a partisan position, build your name up in the party you are filing under. Gain some insight on the job by working or volunteering on candidate campaigns. I learned about campaigning from working on campaigns. There’s nothing like hands-on experience, getting your feet wet. Don’t underestimate the position you’re looking into. Many positions are not contested, so the same candidate ends up winning again and again. In fact, people are often unaware of the large number of positions that are available. We’re not taught about these things in school. Don’t assume that tokenizing yourself will work, for you need to have a real platform and know your issues to succeed. Take the hard preparatory work seriously and try to win. ih Jihan Aiyash, MPH (Wayne State University), who serves on the Hamtramck Board of Education, is the first Yemeni American woman elected to public office in Michigan. In addition, she is the student section chair president on the Michigan Public Health Association board and has volunteered as a math instructor with the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services. [Editor’s Note: Adapted from the author’s article published at https://www. sciencejummah.com/articles/2020/08/14/voiceforthepeople]
North Texas Muslims Establish a Cemetery The five-year struggle for the Farmersville Muslim cemetery, a joint project of seven Islamic associations, has finally ended BY ABOOBAKER EBRAHIM
Dr. Yasir Qadhi, resident scholar, East Plano Islamic Center [EPIC] (third left), conducted the groundbreaking ceremony with Ustadh Mohamd Baajour, director of Tarbiyyah and community development, EPIC (second left) and others
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n June 7, Muslims living in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex finally broke ground for their Farmersville Muslim Cemetery, a project that they have pursued since 2015. The anticipated construction cost of this project, which will contain 11,000 burial sites, is approximately $2.67 million. A contractor to develop the land has been selected, and the contract is being finalized. The participating Islamic associations continue their fundraising drive and are well on their way to achieving their targeted dollar amount and goals. In 2015, Muslims from and around Dallas and Collin County purchased a 35-acre lot on Lake Lavon in Farmersville for a new cemetery when the existing Muslim cemeteries in Denton and at Restland in Richardson began reaching near capacity and became very costly. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 ISLAMIC HORIZONS 39
