League Legzdina Fatima converted to Islam ten years ago, and for six years she wears the niqab (woman’s headdress covering the face — approx. Delfi). Latvia only five of these girls, but it was the League of Fatima, have agreed to openly talk about what a simple inhabitant of Latvia so attracted to the culture and religion of Muslims.
Religion, the girl began to be interested in another 12 years, in school history lessons. Despite the fact that the League Fatima was a Lutheran, it is somehow the most attracted to Islam. He seemed like girl pure and true. I wanted to get acquainted with him.
“Coincidentally, it was known to all of the events of 11 September, and around started to talk about Muslims in a negative way. I wanted to understand why this is happening, because all that is said about Islam in the media, went against what I read about it in scientific books and in the Quran,” says Fatima League.
Everything changed on a trip to Egypt
“I started to learn Arabic, and in the summer after the 11th grade went to reinforce knowledge for a month to Egypt, where he first met with real Muslims. Everything was so beautiful! I met many lovely people, believing with all my heart. There I started to wear a headscarf and pray. But only after returning to Latvia, I understood that this is for me seriously that this was my true path,” says the girl.
The League has finished school with the “Golden scholarship” has arrived at once in two universities — rīga stradiņš University and Latvian — and then right here in Riga mosques, converted to Islam. Together with the new belief of the League appeared and the second name is Fatima. It was the name of the daughter of the prophet Muhammad, and the girl really enjoyed it after reading a book by Paulo Coelho “the Alchemist”.
Contrary to stereotypes, the husband is Latvian
League, Fatima is the only one of all his Christian family who decided to move to another religion. But, according to the girl relatives respect her decision. A much more unusual thing is that if most of the European girls, accepting Islam, do it for the sake of marrying a Muslim, League, Fatima married a Latvian guy, and he followed his beloved has moved into her new religion.
“I converted to Islam because of internal needs. This belief drew me the opportunity to get answers to various questions, and, unlike Christianity with its tritheism, Islam says there is only one God,” explains the girl, adding that this religion has the higher moral values.
The niqab is a means of approach to God
“At first I wore only a handkerchief, then started to wear long skirts and mostly dark clothes, and after the wedding I dressed in a niqab. Actually, I’ve been wanting to do it, but it was difficult to gather for such a step, and then… after one big change is easier to decide on another,” says Fatima League.
According to the girl, determined she was also attached and familiarity with the Egyptian women.
“I met a few sisters who covered their faces, and find out what they are cordial, nice and bright, and it seemed to me that the niqab helps them to practice a religion. I also wanted to feel it, and now from my own experience I can say that it helps me in quest to become better,” — says the girl.
League, Fatima is familiar with the two Latvian girls who wear traditional Muslim clothing. Nevertheless, she admits that she had to hear in his unflattering comments from strangers on the street and the situation escalated, when Latvia began to discuss the acceptance of refugees.
People driven by fear
“In fact, different observations began at a time when I wore a scarf,” admits Fatima League. And with the wearing of the niqab reviews became a little less, because people are just afraid. And again everything changed dramatically when I started this talk about refugees: strangers began to tell me “go home” and similar nasty things in a rude manner”.
Last year, the Ministry of justice has prepared a bill restricting the wearing of clothing covering the face in public places. Act the powers are still debating, but Fatima hopes that the ban will not be implemented.
“Motivation, as I understand it, is fear and lack of knowledge, and populism by politicians. But the goals defined in this bill are not true, because it’s not conducive to the harmonious development of society and integration into it of people of other cultures and faiths. Quite absurd,” — said the girl.
She also says that one of the main problems of mass rejection of Muslims is the wrong interpretation of religious dogma. “The Quran in no case does not call people to violence, but doing this wrong interpretation is written there that to achieve their materialistic goals used by some political forces and radical terrorist groups. It is foolish to judge them all Muslims” — sums up the League of Fatima.
