During a job interview, one of the common questions the
interviewer can ask is ‘Tell Us about Yourself’ interview question. They expect
your answer to touch something about your education, career, strengths,
achievements, goals and objectives, hobbies, e.t.c A stranger is that person
who does not belong, someone unique, someone with strange ideas and practices. A
nonconformist. You should rejoice that you are different and if someone poses
the question “Tell us about yourself” or “Describe Yourself”, without a hint of
apology or defensiveness, in all seriousness, and in blunt and uncompromising
language, and through brutal honesty, this is what a true stranger is supposed
to say:
The right answer for a Muslim Man
I am a fundamentalist Muslim, I struggle to observe the
fundamentals of Islam; I get entertained by praying five times a day; I keep
beards; my clothes don’t go beyond my ankles; I am not engrossed in luxuries
and comfort; I don’t listen to music, don’t watch movies; Yes, I can’t watch
soap operas because its haraam; happy to be without a girlfriend, I don’t even
shake hands with [non-mahrem] women; I don’t have a facebook account; I am
dutiful and obedient to my parents; when I see a munkar, I stop it with my
arms, if that’s hard I stop it with my tongue; I don’t smoke; I don’t celebrate
May Day, Christmas Day, Mothers' or Fathers' Day, Independence Day, Birthdays
e.t.c ; rather I celebrate Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr; I don’t desire to go
stay in non-Muslim countries ; I identify myself first
as Muslim and only secondarily as Kenyan; I don’t watch football matches
because it’s a waste of time and because the “Football matches that are played
for money and similar prizes are haraam, because that is gambling” ;
I spent my time reading the Qur’an, listening to Islamic lectures; I am always
eager to learn more about my religion; my ultimate goal is to win a position in
Jannatul-Firdaus; I am honest and always speak the truth because God said “O
you who believe! Fear Allah and be with those who are true (in words and
deeds).”[Q 9:119]. . . .
The right answer for a Muslim Woman
…I wear a full jilbab including niqab; dressing modestly is
our principle; I don’t shake hands with non-mahrams; I am proud that I don’t
have a boyfriend; I submit to all laws of Allah because they are just and
beneficial to my life; I don’t mind being married to a polygynous husband [i.e.
I don’t mind being married as a second, third or fourth wife]; I thank God that
inside our homes is the ideal place for our dwelling, I am/will be happy to be
a ‘stay-at-home mother’; I never engage in backbiting circles; to my parents, I
am respectful, obedient; honoring parents and upholding the ties of kinship is
my habit; We speak what is kheir, otherwise we shush; I don’t apply perfume when
I go out of the house; my role models are Fatima, Aasiya, Maryam and Khadija; .
. . .
We exactly know what our Way of Life (Islam) wants us to be
and hence we are never slaves to man-made fashions. Quentin Crisp already said
that “Fashion is what you adopt when you don't know who you are.” You
should become a Real stranger till people look at you and say, “Wow, that
person is so different from everyone else and is a complete rebel, I am totally
scared.”
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