Pumpkins and Acorns

Something trivial and maybe insignificant, but I was on a trip with an American Muslim friend to a farm about a month ago. She bought a couple of gourds and squashes, and I asked her what she was going to cook with them. She told me, "No, they're for decoration."
For an instant, my heart closed up, and I thought, 'Huh, I thought she was religious." My mind instantly associated the gourd decor with Halloween.
But alhamdulillah, I had a window of understanding opened, and inshaAllah a bit of stereotyping removed.
I went to another farm a couple of weeks later, and on leaving, they had a few pumpkins and gourds up, and told each person to take one with them. But the pumpkins and gourds clearly said, "Not for cooking."
"Huh", I thought. "I guess I'll take them and put them out as decorations." Not Halloween, but a celebration of Allah's creation. Of His magnificent orange, and yellow and green creations. Of these smooth pumpkins, and amazingly textured gourds. Of the curves, the bumps, the melding of yellow into green, the curved into straight, the strength and the amazing beauty.

Just like I have my acorns and pinecones decorating, my flowers and my seashells, my water and my plants, I have my pumpkin and gourds. An experience for my daughters to bring in the colors of autumn, the colors of Allah's creation.


PS: (I guess my point is that some of us immigrant muslims grew up with this thought that pumpkins are bad, turkeys are bad. :) not that black and white, but you know what i mean. It's just another beautiful manifestation of our American culture, which slowly, we'll be able to come and put on as our own clothing, our own culture, and realize that it's about celebrating Allah SWT, celebrating His bounties, His ability to create people with different cultures. I really liked a friend's comment on Halloween&celebrating it, and she reminded us that this time of the year, October/November, is harvest time around many parts of the world. And for a world that was so dependent on the harvest for thousands of years, there is an amount of recognition placed on this harvest and His bounties on us during this time. Our connection to His earth and His creation.
Rabbi zidna 3lma.)