Family friend: “Hanım Hemşince. Kocası İngiliz.”
Stranger: “Gerçekten mi?”
“Tabii. O müslüman.”
“Gerçekten? Evlilik yoluyla?”
This is where my wife always interjects, raising her voice.
“Hayır! Onunla tanıştığımda zaten Müslümandı. Üniversitede oldu.”
“Onunla nasıl tanıştınız?”
“Ortak arkadaşlar vasıtasıyla tanıştık. Üç yıl sonra!”
I nearly know this conversation off by heart by now, it recurs so frequently.
I really ought to become an active participant, but I enjoy listening to my beloved’s defence of our faith.
Sometimes it messes with people’s heads. Sometimes it plants a smile on their face. Everyone has their own way of responding.
Here, the quiet man in their midst, challenging assumptions and deeply held convictions without even opening his mouth.
Last modified: 30 July 2022
