‘I chose my Sikh partner over my parents and my dad left the world’ claims American Muslim

A life a partner and family are the two most important individuals you cannot differentiate with. Sometimes life decisions make people choose between the two.

An American Muslim from New York had gone against her parents to marry her Sikh boyfriend from London in 2005. The parents were unwilling to accept the marriage, as they kept no contact for 10 years. In 2012 she was contacted as her father had been diagnosed with cancer.

The couple had lived in England since their marriage; they had little contact with their family in America.

"I would ring home everyday, but my parents never wanted to speak to me. Even after years of marriage they were stubborn on their religious beliefs and heart broken that I went against them.

"My strict Muslim parents made me choose between them or my partner. I chose my Sikh partner over my parents and my dad left the world", she said.

She had lost 10 years of memories with her parents, "I got a call one day from my mother telling me to come back home. After 10 years I thought they had finally accepted my relationship with my Sikh husband".

The Muslim-Sikh couple had sold their house in England to move to America with his in-laws and her parents.

"They were both so accepting, little did I know that my father had been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.

"When I found out, I couldn’t be more broken than I was, I had lost all those years and come back to my ill father who was not curable due to late diagnosis".

She did not have much time left with her father, having expressed that although she had lost years with her parents she did not regret her decision. Instead, wished upon the approval of her parents.

"If they had returned my calls from the very beginning, I would have been able to cherish the last few years with my father. My father had only realised how perfect my husband is for me.

"I am grateful for the time I got back with my father; he was able to see my little family and his grandson. He left the world knowing my husband and grandson are my life who have kept me going since I lost them 10 years ago".

Unfortunately her father had passed away in March 2015, unable to fight the battle of cancer.

"I regained those 10 years back, in the few years I saw him trying to fight the cancer off".

"My interfaith marriage has only grown stronger since my fathers bypass. It puts me at rest that my 3-year-old son has created memories with his grandfather. He now knows my Muslim family and his father’s Sikh family, and is well connected with both faiths"

The couple now live in America permanently with their mother and extended family in New York, and make occasional trips to London to visit their Sikh family.