BY ROSE HAMID Guest column, Charlotte Observer My daughter, Suzanne, got married in Amman, Jordan, last week. She was born and raised in Charlotte and went to Amman, where my Palestinian husband and I have family, to study Arabic for six months. That was almost two years ago. She ended up finding a job in her field and meeting a nice young man, Ahmad, who asked for her hand in marriage. Suzanne and Ahmad's First Dance Many factors come in to play when Muslims from various cultures pl...

BY ROSE HAMID Guest Column, Charlotte Observer “Here I am God, here I am” in Arabic, “Labbaik Allah, huma Labbaik.” This is part of a mantra repeated in unison by all who go to Hajj, an answer to God’s invitation to make Hajj, a pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, required by all physically and financially capable Muslims. My son and I returned home last week after accepting that invitation. Aside from fulfilling our Islamic duty to attend and perform the required rituals, Hajj is a pers...

BY ROSE HAMID Correspondent, Charlotte Observer This month, God willing, my son, Samir, and I will perform Hajj, a pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, which all Muslims are obligated to undertake once in their lifetimes, if they are able. Hajj is not a vacation. It’s a serious religious undertaking which, if done correctly, will wash away all sins. I’m excited because I’ll be fulfilling an obligation to God and getting closer to Him. And I’ll be connecting, not only with the millions o...

BY ROSE HAMID Guest column, Charlotte Observer The idea of fasting during the longest (hottest) days of the year had me worried, but it’s amazing how much will power God gives me when I’m fasting for His pleasure, as opposed to when I’m just dieting. For Muslims, fasting during the holy month of Ramadan means not eating or drinking from dawn to sunset. It’s a time for reflection and spiritual renewal, for increased charity and prayers. It’s a time to empathize with those living in a perpe...

By Rose Hamid, Guest Column, Charlotte Observer “Why are you wearing that thing on your head?” is a question I’ve been asked many times, and I’m happy for the opportunity to explain. As a Muslim woman I am required to cover my head and dress (and behave) modestly. The Quran gives women specific guidance on how to dress: “… and do not display their beauty except what is apparent, and they should place their head coverings over their bosoms … they should cast their outer garments over their ...

Mothers enjoy time with their children at the Muslim American Society of Charlotte on Shamrock Drive. BY ROSE HAMID Guest column, Charlotte Observer I was surprised to hear some Muslims object to Mother’s Day. How could anyone object to Mother’s Day? It was explained that they feel it trivializes motherhood to only recognize mothers once a year. See, Islam holds mothers and parenthood in very high regard. One of my favorite verses about parenthood in the Quran says: Our Lord has...

  The family of Abraham is depicted in a window of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Charlotte. RASHID HANTASH BY ROSE HAMID Guest column, Charlotte Observer I’ve never understood why some people say the problem between Israelis and Palestinians has been going on for thousands of years. I recently gained some insight into why that idea persists. I participated in a MeckMin program that invited Jews, Christians and Muslims to learn about the story o...

By Rose Hamid, Guest Column, Charlotte Observer Seeing someone eating Girl Scout cookies makes me happy. Seeing Girl Scouts selling them makes me even happier. I was a Girl Scout leader for my daughter’s troop from the time she was in first grade until she graduated high school, so I have an affinity for Girl Scout cookies and the Girl Scout organization. Girls learn a lot when selling cookies, including self-confidence, marketing, public speaking skills, money management and a slew of oth...

By Rose Hamid - Special to the Observer The murder of the three Muslim Chapel Hill students struck me to the core. Although I didn’t know them, my children did and that brought things way too close to home. It was hard to act as if everything was normal, when to me the world had shifted off its axis. Is this to become the future for Muslims in America, to be continuously afraid of random acts of violence and hate crimes? The actions of a minority of misguided so-called Muslims has taint...