I once thought that releasing ‘Strength from Within’ marked the conclusion of my reflective journey towards drawing strength from the stories of the Prophets (peace be upon them). The process of seeking strength from the Prophets’ stories, however, never truly left. I instead found myself facing a new challenge: how to carry forward what I had learned through writing ‘Strength from Within,’ not only in my personal life, but also in my new-emerging path of community care disability advocacy work.
‘Strength from Within,’ was on how to cope, grow, and flourish during life’s trials by deriving strength from the stories of the Prophets (peace be upon them) based on my insights as someone born with a physical disability. I did share on my attempts of trying to derive strength from the stories of the Prophets (peace be upon them) when navigating community work but it was more on my experiences as someone starting out. As someone that was still discovering, learning, and growing under the guise of going through the test of health.
It was, however, obvious that the Prophets (peace be upon them) led very active lives, despite the adversities that they faced. They stood up to serve the vulnerable while spreading the message of worshipping Allah (SWT). If I were to truly put what I’ve learned in practice, I would have to try to live an active life, despite my disability. I would have to use my platform as an author to advocate for community growth and change.
There would have to be the transition from writing towards lived impact.
I was not sure how purposeful impact would look like or if it would be possible. As someone with a muscular related disability, I often feel weak. No amount of deriving strength could ever minimize the weakness that I feel. My disability was always there to still navigate. What was clear is that I was still able to express myself. Use my voice whether it is through community care meetings within the masajid, or DE&I space, and partaking in panels or workshops. I had minimal energy so contributing towards ripple effect impact had to be kept in mind.
The concept of ‘ripple effect,’ first emerged when ‘Strength from Within,’ was already written but not yet released. It was during Hong Kong’s RESOLVE disability social justice fellowship that I was part of. This was when I was given the ripple-effect certificate award after trying to work on community care in Islam initiatives in the Hong Kong Muslim community. This was given as an encouragement to continue. Explore how to narrow down my focus further to maximize minimal energy levels considering impact in mind.
An effective way to serve the community at large for maximum impact is to focus on common grounds.
I started to merge some of the needs Muslims faced in the workplace with the needs people with disabilities at large face. The different types of accommodations whether it is the space to pray, or accessible spaces to move. I was beginning to not talk on disability, faith, or gender matters separately but address realities faced through an intersectional lens. Not solely put my disability identity at the forefront within the DE&I spaces, but acknowledge that I am also a Muslim, and how the stories of the Prophets (peace be upon them) shaped the trajectory of my life.
This meant vocalizing the backstory behind Strength from Within.
I did not expect that using your voice–especially as someone born with a disability– can sometimes lead to being heard.
People with disabilities, after all, are associated as among the voiceless–a reality that I did once address during my TEDx talk that came after writing ‘Strength from Within,’ but before its release.
I did not know that the beginnings of community care work can result in your work potentially being recognized.
As Muslims, we try to show up, and do things solely for His sake. We try to follow the way of the Prophets (peace be upon them) as they were sent as a guide. We ask Allah (SWT) to safeguard our intentions so that He will admit us into paradise.
The path towards paradise, however, requires us to try our best in this world. The act of trying our best can include showing up within the community. Public work inadvertently gets recognized. This is the result of ripple effect impact.
The ripple effect impact extended in ways beyond imagined. I was selected as a diversity list candidate, nominated as a perseverance finalist for South China Morning Post’s Hong Kong spirit’s awards, and ultimately selected as the Hong Kong Spirit Award’s People's Choice Lion Rock winner where all finalists were addressed by the Chief Executive of Hong Kong. This was where there was a winner video-feature at Hong Kong’s Stanley Mosque to represent not just my work as an author, and disability advocate, but how my intersectional identity of being a Muslim disabled woman of Pakistani origin shaped my contributions in Hong Kong.
What was most precious for me was how they included both of my parents in the video at my childhood neighborhood mosque. The place where I was beginning to understand who Allah (SWT) is and the stories of the Prophets (peace be upon them). A sanctuary where I learnt how to read the Qu’ran. The place where I was planted to grow.
Strength from Within, although written for all Muslims to help them grow from life’s calamities, was dedicated to parents of children with disabilities. This dedication was made with the hope that all parents see how children born with a disability have the potential to grow. They have the potential to achieve, and give back, especially with the support of our parents that try their best to provide the environment for us to bloom.
This was one of the main messages that I hoped to be conveyed within ‘Strength from Within,’ that to have that honored and featured the way it did was a ripple-effect impact I could never have imagined.
‘Strength from Within’ was developed with the hope that it would cause growth. It definitely led to ripples within my life that I can only trust that it would lead to impactful ripples within yours.'
Strength from Within
Written by Sa’diyya Nesar
