Revelation in Sin City

AA

As you know, I recently crashed in lovely Las Vegas, Nevada enjoying The Strip, the nice hotel resort, the weather (well, at least in the evenings when it wasn't about 100 degrees), and of course my meetings.

The Strip is totally amazing. Totally unreal. Totally haram. Totally extravagant. Totally fun.

And totally religious. Oh yes, religious...

I was dropped off by an Ethiopian cab driver named Z after the second night. Accordingy to Z there there are 10,000 Ethiopians living in Sin City. Z kindly shared this bit of demography with me after I told him that my previous cab driver was also Ethiopian. As you know, Ehtiopia is mostly a Christian dominated country, but there is a Muslim minority there, too, so I thought I would try my luck and ask Z if he was Muslim, too. I think he almost took it personally, based on how quickly he replied back saying no. Like most Ethiopians, Z is also Christian.

In return, Z asked me where I was from. I thought to myself that saying "Chicago" was probably not what he had in mind. If Z was a fob from the subcontinent, however, I would've definitely told him Chicago just to annoy him, but instead I told him that I'm Pakistani in origin. This apparently intrigued my friendly little cab driver and thus ensued numerous questions about Pakistan and Islam. Accordingly my role as a clinical project manager from Chicago here in Vegas for business suddenly turned to Ambassador of Muslim and Pakistani Relations to Ethiopia and Z (AMPREZ for short, please). Carries a hint of authority, doesn't it?

Z started telling me about how people from Pakistan come over to Ethiopia to spread the message of Islam. He then asked me if Pakistan is 100% Muslim. I told him that for the most part it is, but there are other religious minorities such as Hindus and Christians. So he asked if they lived freely to which I said yes (so far as I know, anyway!). The conversation then shifted towards Islam's perspective on Jesus (as) and partly on the Prophet (sw). I told him how we venerate Isa/Jesus (as) as a prophet and how we also believe that he will inshaAllah come back. Z was receptive to everything I told him and was totally unoffensive. Before dropping me off, he gave me a bit of advice. He requested that I pray. And that in my prayer, I ask Jesus (as) to reveal himself to me and to then ask him once this happens to ask Isa (as) who he is. Z was convinced that the outcome of this dream would lead me to some sort of revelation to perhaps embrace Christianity.

In turn, I requested that he prays to God and asks him about Prophet Muhammad (sw). To my surprise, Z and his mother apparently already did this. Z told me how his entire family and his mother were all Muslim, but because of a dream his mom had, she converted to Christianity. How interesting, huh? Usually, you would hear it the other way around. That via a dream, someone is led to the most beautiful way of life (Islam). But I guess this little encounter is proof positive that Allah guides whomsoever He pleases. So on that, I ask for His refuge, guidance, and protection for myself and Muslims all over. Allah huma salay Allah Muhammad. Ameen.


Well, the rest of Vegas, as I've been telling people about it, was pretty much like a fantasy world. Looking back, it felt as though I was in another universe. I mean, on that level, it's extremely impressive. Of course, it's hard -- if not, impossible -- to avoid the evil side of Vegas. Huge advertisements of strip clubs run rampant. While walking anywhere down The Strip, you are bound to run into Lations who unflaggingly throw cards of naked women at you. A friend of mine jokingly asked, Did you lower your gaze? I told him that even if I did, looking at the ground was no help. All those cards and magazines of nude women were everywhere. Running into a prostitute is not that uncommon either. Nor is seeing the bulging, drunk eyes of men looking at the prostitute. I only (I use that word here loosely) saw this happen once. (Thank God my mom wasn't with me...)

I guess Vegas can really be what you make of it. Totally haram or totally fun. I don't gamble, drink, go to clubs, or strip clubs, so you would think I'd totally be S-O-L. But, Vegas still has its amazing hotels -- The Venetian, Bellagio, Wynn, etc. -- and the elaborate shows and displays they set for pure, unbridled entertainment.

So the first night I was semi-forced to tag along with a doctor's son. We both took the shuttle together from the hotel to The Strip and he asked me if I was going to meet up with anyone. I don't know why I just didn't lie, but I told him "No" so we both ventured the streets together. It actually wasn't as bad as I'm playing it out to be. He was cool. His dad was one of the PI's (primary investigator -- i.e., doctor) participating in the clinical trial, so he brought his son with him. They were from Canada and he was in his final year of college. Ironically, neither of us ever asked each other our names. Odd, huh? So with my new buddy, we walked down towards Stratosphere then walked back to the main attractions like Treasure Island, The Mirage, and The Venetian. I was lucky though that the guy's main desire was not to go out drinking or to the strip clubs. In fact, he never mentioned it, which surprised me. Well, I shouldn't say it surprised me...it was probably more so a result of my mom's fervent duas to Allah pleading, Please keep my son away from girls out there and keep him safe!!...

On the second night, I was really close to going with someone else again -- this time a client. I really wasn't in the mood to entertain, so I told him to check out one of the shows Treasure Island does outside of the hotel (the one with the boats where you see beautiful, half-naked women dancing). Fortunately, he wasn't opposed to it and I was able to go on my merry way. It actually wouldn't have been that bad to have chilled out with the guy, because earlier that day during lunch we both talked how we don't drink or gamble out or personal preference and religious upbringing. Regardless, I couldn't make my Google Videos with this guy as easily, so I was bent on venturing by myself.

And now some pics...





So would I do it again? Absolutely! But hopefully next time I'd have some friends with me.

Cheers