08/03/2020
Meet Fahad Waqar Chaudhry
•What does Islam mean to you?
Islam is a set of guidelines, a pathway to the meaning of life, and a moral code that is rewarding both in this life and the next. Growing up as a Muslim American in the South, I found myself in a position where I could choose between the societal and moral values of what I had seen at my school and from my friends, or the values my family and the Quran espoused. By reading the Quran and listening to the stories my parents would tell me of past prophets, I found that the golden rule of treating others how I would want to be treated along with putting others first rather than myself spoke to what I valued in others and in my family. Islam therefore serves as a symbol to me of how we can all get along and prosper together as a unified family, and that even if others do not practice the same principles or beliefs, we can all find common ground in our treatment of each other.
•What is your favorite Quranic verse? Why?
“But they plan and Allah plans and Allah is the best of planners” (Quran 8:30). While I find all verses in the Quran to impart their own wisdom with universal and timeless applicability, this particular verse feels most applicable to me as I like to plan every step of my life out years ahead of time and constantly think about incorporating different aspects into these plans as time goes on. What I have found is that this approach to life is fraught with stress and tends to make me focus too much on this life without considering that there is a bigger plan Allah (swt) has for this world. Growing up, I was always told to regard this life as a test, which I accepted whole heartedly back then. I realize that as we grow older, we may stray from this idea as our responsibilities grow and we may then focus all of our time and attention to worrying about material things and this world, thus leaving us less resources to allocate to Islam. It is in recognizing this problem that I have now felt closer to Allah (swt) as I can take a step back from life and leave some plans and realities to Allah (swt) instead of taking everything on myself. As such, I urge everyone to take things a bit slower and easier and realize we are not ever alone and that this life is indeed a test and not the final outcome.
•What are your experiences being Muslim today and how has that determined how you navigate through your daily life?
Being Muslim today in American society has been mostly without conflict. I say “mostly” because of course living in the south, I did receive negative comments every now and again from conservative individuals. For the most part, however, I have found that 99% of people I have met are very accepting of my culture, religion, background, and personality. It is because of this that I believe the 1% of people who treat others terribly or are close minded may have other things going on in their lives which we may have no place in. I therefore believe it is best to stay peaceful and forgive these individuals as the prophets mentioned in the Quran did so in their lives. It is also best to avoid judgement or conflict as this does not resolve anything with those who choose hate over love. Since moving to BU, I have not experienced any kind of discrimination or unequal treatment by anyone and I therefore find that being Muslim today is easier than it may have been in the past, at least in America that is. I can also confirm that culture is changing a bit in Pakistan as western ideas have had an influence; however, I am happy to report that the Muslims of Pakistan seem to be taking the good ideas and practices of independence and freedom from the west while maintaining traditions and moral practices of Islam. In terms of navigating my daily life, I have found that it is all too easy for my Muslim brethren and I to become a bit extreme in one’s religious or cultural ideals, and therefore it is more righteous for us all to take a step back and accept everyone else regardless of their paths in life or their religious practices as being an extremist is not what Allah (swt) would have wanted. I feel that by practicing this sense of outward peace, we can all come a step closer to inner peace.
•What is your story?
I am currently a pre-med student majoring in Human Physiology in Sargent at BU. I was born in a small town in Southwest Virginia while my 2 older brothers were born in Cleveland, Ohio. My parents moved to America from Lahore, Pakistan. We visit our extended family in Lahore every year or 2 in the winter, an experience which I viewed as normal when I was younger but didn’t fully realize how most people tended to have family close by in their hometown, let alone their home country, which they visited every week or so. Regardless, I enjoyed every visit we made as a child and still do to this day as I did not have any muslim brethren in my hometown where I grew up for 18 years, so it was great to bond with not only family in Pakistan, but also any of their friends I would meet while there. It was great to see how, regardless of the distance we were separated by, our cultures, practices, and values were similar if not the same thanks to the Islamic thread that binds us all together. Since coming to BU, I have had the honor of meeting so many new faces in ISBU and am grateful for the diversity that has now been introduced into my life as I feel it has allowed me to grow as a person and see things I never was able to in my hometown. I look forward to continuing to meet new people in ISBU and other BU clubs/organizations as I continue to try new extracurriculars every year inshallah.
•What advice do you have for your fellow brothers and sisters at BU?
I know moving to college in a new city can be difficult and being unsure about one’s path in life, the future, or one’s career can be scary at a time like this when it feels like everyone around us has their lives figured out, but I implore everyone to follow whichever professional path speaks to their heart’s desires as well as their soul’s. In particular, given the global pandemic, I feel it is absolutely necessary to stay close to family and check in with friends periodically to ensure we all stay strong and safe whether that be at home for remote learning or on campus in the Fall. Lastly, I think we can all relate to the idea that stress can be a problem when thinking about work, classes, our career paths, balancing social and professional responsibilities, and trying to put Islam above all else, so I feel it is necessary to remember this life is a test and Allah (swt) is always there to help if we pray and have faith in Islam’s guidance and we maintain our inner peace.
