Another Marriage Proposal

Just came back from the mosque in a second vain attempt to figure out when the class for foreigners to study the Qur'an is happening. Regardless, I had a very interesting conversation with a woman there that I really want to transcribe for further analysis/amusement. (Words in Italics were said in Arabic)

Nadia: Peace be unto you.

Me: And also with you.

Nadia: Do you speak Arabic?

Me: Yes.

Nadia: What's up?

Me: I am looking for the class for foreigners to read the Qur'an.

Nadia: Are you married?

Me: No.

Nadia: Where are you from? 

Me: America.

Nadia: Is your whole family Muslim or just you?

Me: I am not Muslim. This (my hijab and long skirt-thanks Dr. Jan!) is for respect. I am Christian.

Nadia: God willing you will become Muslim.

Me: God willing. 

Nadia: Come let's talk to the secretary. 

We go into another room, and the secretary there tells me that there is a class at three tomorrow. Nadia explains to all the other women who I am, that I am not Muslim, but she thinks I will become one because God led me here to study Islam. They start excitedly talking about how I must have good morals because of how I am dressed.

Woman: I can see you have good morals. You have very high good (points to her chest trying to figure out the right word.)

Me: Thank you.

The woman all talk excitedly again and laugh. Nadia steers me out of the room and switches to English.

Nadia: We all have sons, we are fighting over you. I have only one son. I am from Iraq. He is handsome and very tall. He has a master's degree in computer, you know IT. He work for news, name of channel. He want marry. He is not very much into Islam. He only want wife that respects him. There is only one problem, problem in Arabic but not for you. He is...he had wife but he divorced her. She is gone. He has one son but she took him anyway and he never saw him. He is very clean. He never touch a woman but his wife. He is very clean. I teach at the University, his father teach at the University, we live a good life. We are from Iraq but we left because of troubles. We are sunna and we do not want Iran and Shi'a. My son has very good morals. He was born in 1984. His son is two.

Me: (nodding and smiling nicely) Oh, cute! But I am only twenty. 

Nadia: So he is older. He is handsome, very tall, he plays....he has a good body. You will think about it. I give you three weeks. Do you want my phone number?

Me: No, thank you. Maybe I will see you here, God willing.

Nadia: You must think about it. I like you. I want you. What do you do here?

Me: I study Arabic, MSA and colloquial here. I study Islam--religion--in America. 

Nadia: You must be married when you about Islam back in America. Being married holds a woman back from bad things. You talk to men like brothers when you are married. My son talked to other woman like a brother when he was married and his wife didn't like that and left. He is very clean. 

Me: I understand. 

Nadia: All this diseases and bad behavior, but my son is very clean.You must guard yourself from men. Keep yourself. It is no problem for a Muslim man to marry non-Muslim. But a woman must be Muslim for her sons to believe.

Me: I understand.

Nadia: I like you. You tell me your answer.

Me: Thank you, goodbye. 

I learned today that my young female professor has 9 brothers and sisters. Her mother married at 15 and had her first son at 17...by the time she was my age she already had three children...gives new meaning to the phrase "Early and often"...