When Somali Muslim students in Saint Cloud, Minnesota speak out about the mockery they endure in school hallways, and when a Somali Muslim leader calmly dismantles the media’s attempt to link Islam with terrorism, two urgent conversations become one: that Muslims in the West are not a threat to be managed, but a community to be understood. This episode of The Deen Show brings both realities into sharp focus — giving voice to young Muslimaat navigating daily Islamophobia while Shaykh Muhammad Hassan of AskAMuslim.com offers grounded, knowledge-rooted responses to some of the most damaging misconceptions about Islam and faith that continue to circulate in public discourse today.
Somali Muslim Students in Saint Cloud Describe a Climate of Mockery and Isolation
The testimonies shared by Somali Muslim women students in Saint Cloud are both painful and illuminating. These young women describe being asked intrusive, disrespectful questions about their hijab — “why are you covered up?” — not out of genuine curiosity but with an air of ridicule. Students who had previously thrived in the diverse, welcoming environment of Minneapolis found themselves socially cornered in Saint Cloud, where their Somali identity became a source of hostility rather than a bridge to friendship. The contrast is stark: in Minneapolis, their social circles crossed every racial line; in Saint Cloud, the same students found themselves surrounded only by fellow Somalis — not by preference, but because prejudice had closed every other door. This is not simply a matter of cultural adjustment; it is a form of Islamophobia that strikes at a young person’s sense of belonging, dignity, and purpose.
“White students who are racist never actually talk to a Somali student — if they did, I feel like they will get to know us much better and appreciate who we really are.”
- Somali Muslim women in Saint Cloud reported being mocked about their hijab and modest dress in ways that were deliberately disrespectful, not curious
- Students drew a sharp contrast between Minneapolis — diverse and accepting — and Saint Cloud, where Somali identity was treated as something foreign and threatening
- Social isolation was not chosen but imposed: many students lost non-Somali friendships entirely after relocating to Saint Cloud
- Students made clear they speak English, they understand what is being said around them, and they are exhausted — “we are fed up with it”
- The call from these students is simple: approach us as human beings, ask questions with respect, and you will find people worth knowing
Islam Is Mercy — A Somali Imam Responds to the Terror Narrative
Shaykh Muhammad Hassan, who has worked with AskAMuslim.com for nearly two years facilitating da’wah and answering questions about Islam, does not flinch when asked about the media’s persistent habit of placing Islam next to terrorism. His response is measured and anchored in Islamic guidance: if a driver causes an accident, we hold the driver responsible — not the car. When individuals who claim Islam commit acts that contradict everything the deen teaches, those actions belong to those individuals, not to the religion. Islam, he explains, is the mercy Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala sent to all of mankind through the final Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and its message — peace, submission to the Creator alone, and ethical conduct — has never changed. He goes further, reminding Muslims, particularly those living in Western countries, that they carry a profound responsibility: to be ambassadors of their faith through sound knowledge, proper Islamic etiquette, and genuine engagement with neighbours, colleagues, and classmates. He points to how Islam reached Indonesia and the Far East — not by conquest, but through the exemplary character of Muslim traders and scholars whose conduct spoke louder than any argument.
“Islam is the mercy that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala sent to mankind… you will receive, by practising Islam and believing in it, a peace and prosperity.” — Shaykh Muhammad Hassan
- Islam categorically does not sanction terrorism; the fault lies with individuals who deviate from the deen, not with Islam itself
- The car-and-driver analogy: a vehicle is not responsible for an accident caused by a reckless driver — Islam is not responsible for the actions of those who distort it
- Da’wah is an obligation on every Muslim according to their capability — even conveying a single verse carries immense weight
- Muslim leaders engaging with the media should answer clearly what they know, and say “I don’t know” with confidence when they do not — honesty is itself an act of worship
- Islam spread peacefully to the Far East through the good manners and character of Muslims — that same approach remains the most powerful form of outreach today
- Every Muslim in the West is, by their very presence and conduct, a representative of Islam — knowledge, adab, and sincerity are the tools of that representation
What this episode ultimately affirms is that the challenges Muslims face — whether a young Somali woman being mocked for her hijab in a Saint Cloud corridor, or a shaykh fielding loaded media questions about terrorism — are best met not with retreat, but with clarity, patience, and an unshakeable connection to faith. Prejudice dissolves when it encounters genuine human beings willing to engage, and Islam has never asked its followers to hide: it has asked them to embody it. The guidance of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to convey the message even if it is one verse is not a burden — it is an invitation to live with purpose. For those seeking truth about Islam, the path begins not with headlines, but with an honest conversation; and for Muslims carrying that truth forward, it begins with the quality of their own character, their own spirituality, and their own commitment to the guidance that Allah has blessed them with.
