From the Blog

An afternoon with Lauren Booth

Fontana CA - During her recent visit to Southern California IFN met up with Lauren Booth, a British Broadcaster and Journalist and Human Rights Activist, extremely passionate about the Palestinian cause. She is also the Sister In-Law of the former British Prime-Minister Mr. Tony Blair. We met with a woman of the utmost level of adhab (moral character) that can only come from a deeply sincere appreciation for the beauty that Islam has put in her heart. In her own words, “Being a Muslim has made me a better mother, woman, friend and person”. She shares the story of her journey to Palestine orchestrated by Allah and she is very clear to give credit to the people of Palestine for leading her back to Allah.

Lauren Booth, a single mother of two young girls embraced Islam in 2010 while visiting the Shia Fatima Al-Masumeh shrine in Iran. She made her belief public in an event with thousands of people at the Islam Channel’s Global Peace and Unity event in October 2010 in London. At the time, she had visited Gaza many times. Two years before that time, in August 2008, she joined 46 other activists who sailed to the Gaza strip from Cyprus.

Hearing the story of her journey to Islam brought tears to the eyes and hearts of community members, Muslims and Non-Muslims alike who had come to hear her speak at the Al-Rahman Masjid in Fontana, California on that Sunday afternoon. It was a fundraiser organized by the Muslim Legal Fund of America.

Accompanied by her young and bright daughter Holly, Lauren starts with the story of Faris Odeh, the famous boy who pelted stones at the Israeli Defense forces in defense of his homeland. In death, he would become an icon of Palestinian Resilience, a hero, and for Lauren a wake up call to what has become a lifelong mission to advocatefor a free Palestine. “Everyone, she says, “must know Faris Odeh the way they know Anne Frank, a young German who also died at age 15 and whose diary chronicles brought light to the injustices llaof the holocaust.” If she got a chance to meet Faris, she will thank him. 

IFN: I hear you talk a lot about Faris Odeh, the young Palestinian boy, and I wonder if you ever got a chance to meet him, what would you say to him?

Lauren: ‘Bismillahi Rahmani Raheem- In the name of God, the absolutely merciful, the especially merciful’ I never got to meet Faris Odeh because as you know, he was shot in the neck by an Israeli sniper when he was age 15. I have visited his home town of Rafah in the Gaza strip. Maybe I should make an effort to visit his family. If I met him, I would say to him, you are an inspiration, your bravery and courage, determination and trust in Allah have inspired me. 

IFN: I always wonder, you seem to never mention Israel, you instead always say Palestine. I know that many advocate for a two state solution, what are your views on that?

Lauren: Israel has no borders. It is the only country in the world that has not said where its borders begin or end. Therefore, I do not accept the state of Israel because it has not seen fit to define itself. Worse than that, the land was stolen from the Palestinian and given to the Zionist invaders in 1948. They have succeeded in making Palestine the greatest concentration camp in the world. The little land left for the Palestinians has hundreds of thousands of Israelis. So what two state solution? I don’t want to hear about a two state. The Palestinian people have bullets flying at them from all angles, they have their water and resources stolen, they don’t see a two state. There is only one state and that is Palestine and if the Isrealis are kind and behave, they can stay. She quotes the Arch-Bishop of Cape town, Desmond Tutu who after his visit to Gaza said that the Palestinian problem is worse than Apartheid. It is emotional to think and talk about Apartheid so Lauren’s daughter, Holly who is sitting at the table prompts the ideal distraction. Lauren is helping Holly with her coloring book and we continue our chat. 

IFN: What has changed about your role as a mother, a sister, a friend since you became Muslim?  

Lauren: I am really grateful that I had motherhood given back to me. I had allowed it to be eroded by a wish to have ‘me’ time. We are sold this idea that family is a burden on the woman. I want to go and have a massage, I don’t want to be with my kids, let’s do quick fix meals, cooking for your family is such a burden ‘yawn’ kids homework ‘yawn’. I wanted the children to go to bed so that I could have my cigarette and my glass of wine. I cut down on their reading time, I cut down on their nap time so that I can have ‘me’ time. I am not different than any other mom. With Islam, I got myself back and my kids got their mother back. I was exactly as busy as I was before I became Muslim but Alhamdulillah (praise be to God) when I am with my children, I don’t want to rush anywhere. And then Holly cuts in with her very cute 8 year old voice.

Holly: When mom first said she was becoming a Muslim, we had three questions for her. I probed Holly to tell us what those questions and Lauren urged her to go ahead and tell what was going on in the mind of her and her sister during that time.

Holly: The first one was, will you still be our mom? The second one was will you still drink? and the third one was, will you still show your chest?

We all shared a quiet laugh and then I proceed. 

IFN: And how have the kids grown with you, I see Holly with a hijab on?

Lauren: We are at a Masjid (Mosque) today so Holly chooses to cover her hair out of respect but she is not old enough to have to wear it. It will be her journey and it will be completely up to her to wear it. I did not bring Islam to them, when I told them about the one God, they said, we knew this all the time and they tell me things about Islam that I still don’t know and that is incredible to watch.

IFN: What do you think is the responsibility of other women like you who have a voice?

Lauren: At the moment, the reversions in the west, in America and Britain are 70-80% women and only 20-30% men. I think Allah is bringing women to Islam. Among that 70-80%, many of them are educated White women. So what is the adjustment that Allah is making to the Ummah? This is what we need to look at. I feel that it may have to do with justice towards women and a recognition of the true Shariah, equality of women and not this cultural phenomenon where women are abused in different parts of the world under the auspices of men who call themselves Muslims, perverting Islam in order to control women, that has got to change. It is Allah’s will, he is sending many more educated women to Islam so we need to pay attention to what Allah is doing. IFN: So what is the added role of those women? Do they need to be activists? Do they need to seek more education?Do they need to do more? Lauren: The first duty is ‘Do you understand Islam? Do you have a good relationship with Allah? Are you acting on the principles of Islam daily? I don’t recommend that anybody leap forward to do anything until they have understood that. You have to perfect your Deen (Faith). Let us perfect our Deen and please Allah and then the direction will be clear . Ah will direct us.

IFN: So in closing, what are your future aspirations as a Muslim woman?

Lauren: Really, I don’t think of that. Two years ago, I didn’t know that I was going to be Muslim so I don’t thinkthat I can be arrogant enough to tell you that I have [...] plans. I just pray that I learn Arabic and that I can somehow continue to help the people of Gaza and also to work against domestic violence. I want to help revert sisters who are not being treated well when they come to Islam. They should have the best of the men to marry them, this is the way of the Prophet (peace be upon him). This is not the case today, there is racism in our deen (religion) . You speak to Black reverts and some sections of the asian community won’t marry them to their children, Astaghfirullah (We seek refuge from God), we are one Ummah.