Growing up as a Muslim American

The  Sinai affiliate of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) killed 24 soldiers, six police officers and 14 civilians during coordinated bombing attacks in January 2015 in Egypt, according to International Business Times (IBT). Last December, 14 people were killed and 22 were seriously injured in a terrorist attack in San Bernardino, said to be inspired by ISIS as well.

Sophomore Shania Jafri, a dedicated Muslim Pakistani-American, who has grown up in Saratoga, said that she has been greatly affected by these  and other world events.

“Ever since the Paris attacks and San Bernardino shooting, hatred for Muslims has definitely increased,” Jafri said.

According to the HuffingtonPost, hate crimes against Muslim Americans have tripled since the attacks in Paris on Nov. 13, and the terror attack in San Bernardino has exacerbated the problem.

Like the rest of America, Jafri’s family was appalled and saddened by the attack on Sept. 11. But unlike many around her, Jafri and her family felt a sense of betrayal, that the religion they had faith in was used to justify murder.

According to Jafri, recent terrorists attacks by ISIS have intensified anti-Muslim feelings affecting in her everyday life. A friend of her dad’s claimed he was punched in the face, and Jafri has recently received “nasty glares” while wearing her hijab at stores and even in the Saratoga library.

“ISIS members are not Muslim, because nowhere in the Quran [does it say] to kill innocent individuals for pleasure or [simply] because they aren't Muslims,” Jafri said. “Nowhere in Islam does it say to rape women because they follow a different religion. It's disgusting. ”

Jafri said that Islam’s image is being further distorted by presidential candidates like Donald Trump.

“Trump just wants to feel superior, which is ironic because he has gone so low to make appalling statements about not only Muslims, but also Mexicans, and other races and religions just to get a vote,” Jafri said.

In December, Trump called for surveillance against mosques and said Muslims should not be allowed to enter the country — at least temporarily.

In recent years, an average of 12.6 suspected hate crimes against Muslims have occurred in America per month, according to FBI data analyzed for The New York Times.

Political candidates like Trump have brought negative “wild generalizations” about Islam into the public eye, further distorting the average American’s knowledge of Muslim values, Jafri said. As a result, many Muslim Americans, like Jafri and freshman Leena Elzeiny, find themselves silently discriminated.

Elzeiny said that people often feel uncomfortable talking to her and other Muslim students.

When peers see Elzeiny wearing a hijab, they often are hesitant to approach her. And when the topic of conversation drifts to her religion, Elzeiny says her peers try to divert from the sensitive issue. They are worried about accidentally offending them, afraid that any insult to their religion may lead to danger.

“We are against these [stereotypes] saying that we are violent and out to kill innocent people,” Elzeiny said.

Both Jafri and Elzeiny say they cannot only defined by Muslim stereotypes, because they lead relatively “American” lifestyles. Jafri has played on multiple school basketball teams and Elzeiny is a Girl Scout. Elzeiny said that despite what people may assume, their lives are very much an equal combination of American culture and the Muslim religion.

Both Jafri and Elzeiny are grateful to be in an overall welcoming and diverse community, where they can express their religion freely. Elzeiny said her family specifically chose to move to Saratoga, because they knew it was a safe place for people of any religion, race or sexual orientation.

“Everybody here is [generally] really nice and accepting, and they don’t judge you for what you’re wearing, but what you and your personality is like,” Elzeiny said. “And that’s the reason why we settled here.”

Both Elzeiny and Jafri are proud of their religion because it sets them apart from others in terms of their lifestyles and morals.

“My hijab makes me feel different among the crowd and it represents who I am,” Jafri said. “It makes me happy when people approach me and ask about my religion and my hijab because they actually want to know the reason behind it,  instead of assuming.”

The hijab is worn to represent modesty, one of the many important concepts of Islam, Jafri said. In addition to wearing a scarf, both Jafri and Elzeiny follow the practice of always wearing long pants and long-sleeve shirts.

Besides their outwards appearance, their Islamic faith influences how they perceive the outside world.

“I see the things I have versus what everybody else is like. I have a bed, 10 toes and 10 fingers,” Elzeiny said. “[Some] take it for granted, but as for me, I think of it more as a blessing.”

In addition, to these everyday practices, both Jafri and Elzeiny attend the mosque regularly. Jafri attends a local mosque called SABA, or the Shia Association of Bay Area, where well-known scholars and sheikhs often speak. Through these speeches, Jafri has been able to gain knowledge regarding her religion and her personal life.

“There are countless things Islam has taught me [about becoming] a better person, [including] patience, awareness of others and trust,” Jafri said.

Many of Jafri’s friends recognize these traits that grow from her devotion to her religion.

“Shania always tries to give back,” sophomore Sahana Sarin said. “She’s held fundraisers to help out people from her home country and is willing to help me out whenever I need her. She’s always been a humble and incredibly nice friend to me.”

Sarin said that Jafri is constantly asking her how she’s doing, putting others before herself.

One time, Sarin said she had to walk home in the evening, but it was getting dark and it would’ve taken her a long time to walk, so Jafri and her sister gave her a ride. Even when Sarin said she was OK walking home by herself, Jafri insisted to take her home safely.

“Being a Muslim has created my identity and changed me in a good way,” Jafri said. “I honestly could not imagine what it would be like not being a Muslim. I would be so different from who I am today.”