Having Roots
The first time I actually thought about the meaning of having roots was long back when I read a book titled Roots. The author Alex Haley who wrote about his search for his origin since his ancestor, Kunta Kinte, had come as a slave to USA. The author managed to find his origin in Gambia. It was a touching reading and the book became a bestseller all over the world and was later made into a movie as well.
Later on in life I visited the Ahmadiya mission in Gambia several times and found that one Ahmadi, Kausu Kinte, the chairman of Humanity First in Gambia, actually has his family roots in the same village as the American author who wrote the book Roots. It was a great pleasure for me to talk to him and I was several times invited to his home to meet his family as well.
After that I have been thinking a great deal about the meaning of having roots. Where did I have my roots?
Everyone who went for a long journey knows the feeling of coming home, and how precious that home is.
This is one kind of roots, and in this respect I have my roots in the Swedish village where I live now. I remember my grandmother, “nani”, who taught me my first prayer, to take care of others and help the poor, to love flowers, to sew my clothes and so many other things. And I remember my grandfather, “nana”, who talked to me about God and told me about the universe and taught me the names of many star constellations in the sky and also about bees making honey. The fact that my ancestors are buried and have their graves in the same village ads to my sentiments.
A comparison with a plant made it clear to me how very important roots are. I mean, if you have a plant it will not survive how much you ever water it unless it already has – or gets – roots. But with roots, even a big tree can stand firmly.
There are other types of roots as well. As an Ahmadi I have emotional and religious roots, e.g. a deep attachment, to Qadian and Rabwah for reasons which are obvious for every Ahmadi.
Being a Swedish Ahmadi I have also roots in the Swedish Ahmadiya community and living in Sweden gives it a special depth and great affection and a feeling of this being my country and my community where I belong.
Many young persons appear to be lost. Whenever someone talks to me about it, among other things I use to tell them:
“Search for your roots. Find out where you belong historically but also emotionally.”
I have seen many examples of how knowing one’s roots and learning more about these roots can help a person find stability in life, find one’s way when everything seems confusing and get comfort from knowing where one actually belong.
Thus, I have my historical roots in the village where I live now, but I have my religious roots in Ahmadiyyat, the True Islam, all over the world, but in particular in Sweden.
Dr. Qanita