Donya Ishaq is a fellow classmate of mine in our college English class. She is a long standing practitioner of Islam, allowing me to choose her as testimony for Islamic practices and its teachings. In our conducted interview, I asked her a variety of questions related to Islam and how it affects her. Donya is a revered individual in her religious practices. She believes that discovering the true meaning of Islam can shape her life in a way that has meaning. She has never been made to be inferior or oppressed in her time as a practitioner. In fact, Donya argues that Islam actually gives women better rights and power. If she ever felt oppressed by Islam, she would not follow it at all. Islamic teachings such as dressing modestly helped her realize that her body is sacred and is not meant to be paraded around for others to see. She concluded by saying, as a woman, she has been given a sense of empowerment and respect. I believe this interview is crucial to include because it provides an outsider perspective. Donya is a practitioner of Islam in the United States, a country that has more religious tolerance than Iran. Her lifestyle can be used to provide an alternate practice when compared to Iranian Islam, which will allow me to further set the notion of my thesis, and therefore reinforce it.

• 1 – “I have actively sought to discover the true meaning of Islam and how it can shape my life in a meaningful way. One of the ways I have done this is by researching Islamic teachings and principles, which has had a significant impact on my lifestyle choices” (Ishaq)
• 2 – “I have never felt oppressed by my religion. I mean why would I follow a religion that treats me as inferior. Looking through an outsider’s perspective, I can see why they may think women are oppressed. When you only listen to the media and don’t research about the religion itself, Islam can look like a misogynistic religion. When in reality, Islam gave women basic human rights centuries before the West did” (Ishaq).