Sarah Sumayah Noor, a health administration major at the University of Memphis, explained the reality of her faith and what she has experienced while living in the heart of the Bible Belt.
Born in Bangladesh to a devout Muslim family, it was not uncommon for Noor to see women covering their heads in traditional hijabs or for her family to “help” her older sister find a husband or for people to make sacrifices in the name of Allah.
However, in America, not everyone Noor has interacted with is as comfortable as she is with these things, especially in Memphis, Tenn. She believes the biggest reason for the proverbial elephant in the room is due to ignorance.
“People do not take time and educate themselves about my religion,” Noor said. “When they see me and understand that I am just like them, that’s when they start to understand me more.”
She says that the misconception that all Muslims are terrorists or suicide bombers is the reason her parents did not want her to wear anything pertaining to her religion after 9/11.