What Is A Refugee?

By Sarah Karim, Executive Director, Ethaar

Close your eyes for a moment and picture what comes to mind when you hear the word refugee. Like many of us, do you think of a traumatized and helpless person in the clothing of whatever war-torn country was in the last news cycle? 

What you are unlikely to picture is Douha. A pharmacy tech with a degree in Biology from Georgia State University and currently a Dental College of Georgia student (which accepts less than 96 out of 1000 applicants each year). Douha’s journey from being displaced from Syria to learning English and being the local pharm tech that translates for Arabic-speaking customers is what we want you to think of when we think of the word refugee.

The Path From Self-reliance to Leadership

Ethaar is a community-based not-for-profit organization that helps our new neighbors until they achieve self-reliance. For Mohammed Kholany, it was supporting him and his family of nine, who arrived from Syria in 2016. Because Mohammed focused on his children’s education, his three daughters are now studying to become pharmacists. His family continues to represent how access to education can lead to making the American dream a reality. It is why he has a personal passion for civic engagement today.

Ethaar has found that by focusing on joy, love, and encouragement for our new neighbors, signature programs like the Welcome Home ensures families arriving have a well-stocked home and a beautiful and inviting space. 

Even the essentials re-defined as a way to get more from their American lives is more effective. Driver’s education so they move freely, to financial literacy –understanding money in America-, and enrolling in practical English classes help families confidently meet the community. This shift in the spirit of our programs is not just nice to do but shortens the time it takes from arrival to belonging, growth, and leadership. 

The Prophetic Model of Brotherhood

Ironically the stigma is rooted in the limitation of the word charity. In English, the assumption is that we are the givers of support. But a quick reflection on the history of how Islam views displaced people and our role in their resettlement dismantles our modern stereotypes. When the Prophet asked the Ansar of Madinah to do business with, marry with, and share their homes with the Muhajjirs of Mecca, he put in place the perfect model for seeing ourselves in our new neighbor’s shoes as quickly as possible. 

The bond between the Ansar and Muhajiroon was so strong that they had assumed they were eligible for inheritance. Allah had to specifically focus on the love they should share in the verse:

“And those who later believed, migrated, and struggled alongside you are also with you. But only blood relatives are now entitled to inherit from one another, as ordained by Allah. Surely, Allah has ˹full˺ knowledge of everything.” [Surah Al-Anfal 8;75]

It is why our tagline -“Love for others what you love for yourself”- resonates with all those looking for ways to contribute and give back in meaningful ways. And why we celebrate journeys like Nazer Ghazals, who arrived in 2016 from Syria with his family. Seven years later, the proud father of two supervisors -a Georgia State University grad, and a future NASA employee insha’Allah– has achieved the markers of success we would expect of any middle-class American. But what makes his journey one we love is that he did it by putting his love and passion for art, style, and food into practice. Rudy’s Food Art & Catering is an example of what happens when we see our new neighbors, not as people in need but as people with a tremendous amount to give. 

How Can You Help?

At Ethaar, we make it a point to remind our supporters, donors, and partners that we are privileged – not because we have more to give our new neighbors – but rather because we get to be part of these journeys of our new neighbors. 

This Ramadan, we hope you will join us in transforming our assumptions of who refugees are.

We can begin by looking up those organizations working to help them resettle in our communities and donating or volunteering our time. A shift in our perspective starts when we stop viewing them as an impoverished group and instead, as a means to grow in our faith and share in their joys and dreams as much as their pain. Ultimately we should be honored that we get to join our new neighbors on their journey to becoming the community leaders we know they will be.

Support us in welcoming new neighbors by contributing to Ethaar here. If you are in the Metro Atlanta area, you can volunteer with Ethaar by clicking on the link here.

Related:

– Reaching for the Stars: A Former Refugee Honored At A Major Baseball Game – MuslimMatters.org

– How Muslims Responded to America’s Refugee Crisis – MuslimMatters.org

– Podcast: Refugee Representation In Muslim Literature – MuslimMatters.org