From a Tree to the Ka‘bah

A masjid where a tree once stood, Siaya County

In 2017, in my quiet village in Siaya County, western Kenya, a place many know as the homeland of Obama’s family, we lost our beloved grandmother. As relatives and visitors gathered for her funeral, a moment that seemed small at the time quietly began to change my life forever.

Among those who arrived from Nairobi was one of her grandchildren, Oduor, accompanied by a group of Muslims. Until that day, I had never seen Muslims pray in real life. There was no mosque in our area, and Islam felt distant, something that belonged to other places, not ours.

Because there was no mosque, they prayed under a tree. Some stood in the shade, others prayed directly under the burning sun. They bowed and prostrated with calm focus, untouched by discomfort or even the weight of grief around them. Their devotion felt different, real and alive.

Curious, and honestly fascinated, I quietly took a photo and posted it on social media with the caption: “Look at this—how serious they are about their religion… praying without a mosque.” I meant it casually, almost jokingly. But Allah had other plans.

The post spread far beyond anything I imagined. Messages poured in, not criticism, but appreciation. People praised the dedication of those worshippers. From that single photo, a conversation was born, one that crossed borders and hearts.

Then something remarkable happened. A woman named Fatuma, a Turkish citizen living in Germany, saw the post. Deeply moved, she decided to travel all the way to Kenya to meet the people who worshipped Allah beneath a tree, without complaint or comfort.

Her visit became the beginning of the mosque that now stands there. What started as prayer under a tree turned into walls, a roof, and a place of Sujood by the will of Allah. And without realizing it, I had played a small role in that journey.

Yet despite witnessing such sincerity, sacrifice, and unity… I did not accept Islam then.

Years passed, and Islam faded from my thoughts. But in 2025, Allah chose the moment He knew was right for me. Through the Bin Zaid Islamic Cultural Center (Fanar), I embraced Islam and was honored to perform Umrah.

Standing before the Ka‘bah, my heart returned to Siaya County…to the tree… to the prayers, the photo, and the path I never knew I was walking. I wish Fatuma, who tried so hard to guide me, knew where I am today.

Sometimes I wish I could meet the imam of that small mosque again.

And I often think of Fatuma. I do not know whether she is still alive or has returned to Allah, but I know this: She would be happy to see who I have become.

Our beloved New Muslim brother from Siaya County, Kenya

A Message for the Reader

Guidance does not always begin with belief. Sometimes it begins with curiosity.

Sometimes with a single image. Sometimes with people who worship Allah sincerely, even when no one is watching. Never underestimate a small action.

Never mock what you do not yet understand. And never assume guidance is far, because Allah may already be leading you, quietly, step by step.

Allah guides whom He wills, when He wills. And when He opens the heart, everything before it suddenly makes sense.