Here's a true story I loved and always remember it.

Some years ago in Scotland, some people wanted to attack k a mosque. And while they were about to enter it and make some damage, people in there got out with some cakes and sweets and proposed some to the attackers. So hey left their idea and enjoyed the afternoon with the Muslims in the mosque.

And this is actually what I personally lived in France. Well it was not the same context but the result was the same. When I was in middle school, my father used to go to the head with some Arab sweets and cakes my mother would have done. She used to admire me and be nice to me. But when my father got busy and didn't have time to come to our school (and even students with me noticed it and asked me about him) her behavior with me changed but not all together as I was still a good student Alhamdulillah.

Even the students with me would ask me when eid is so that they can get sweets from the neighbors and friends and people they know. One of them even told me this: "I'm always eager for eid to come so that the mothers of children my mother is working with in kindergarten would bring some sweets and cakes."

And at the end if the year, we used to make a small brunch in some classes. And I always used to make some and bring some. So, I remember it very well, in music class, in 9th class, I brought some Libyan cookies and the teacher just loved it. And whenever I crossed her in the school the next year she'd ask me whether I still make those delicious cookies I brought that day.

And I'll tell you no matter how much they can hate you or envy you, they'll always welcome small gestures from you. Be it some food or an invitation, or just helping your neighbors with their shopping bags or to clean up their garden.

You know the story when the Prophet (SAAWS) helped an old lady with a task and she warned him from following "Muhammad and his so called new religion" and then he told her about his identity and she took shahada straight away. (I'm sorry I don't know the exact story in English and I suck at translating such things). And this is the exact same thing that happens with every non-Muslim. Every small gestures you make to them and you have the intention of da'wah, it'll let a fingerprint in their hearts.

I've been across many kinds of people here but the ones who are still surprising me are the ones who are shocked of what's said in the media and they're like "I have Muslim neighbors and they're giving me couscous or whatever food they give and I live them".

And I've heard that the best way for a man's heart is through his stomach. I'd rather say, the way to A HUMAN BEING heart is through their stomach. And I know something. I mean just try it. Bring a plate of traditional food (sweets or not) to a western person and look at their eyes when the see it. I can tell you they're shining. And then you just present the dish, what spices you used, what's the main ingredient and so on. It's hard to explain everything as there are ingredients that they don't know or you don't know what's called in the language you're communicating with and so on. And when the tell you their feed back after some day and they're like: "I loved.... The one.... You know? The one with almond and coconut..." and you give them questioning looks wondering which one they're talking about and remember the name. You tell the name and they say "maybe it's this I don't know I just loved it."

The reason why I'm telling you this is because I went to my driving school last week after a month of absence. And since it was eid some weeks ago and I still have some sweets so I brought some there. And when she saw it, the secretary couldn't stop smiling and almost had tears in her eyes. And her reaction made me happy as well and I drove better than I've never driven.

Anyways, moral of the day: do not respond to hatred by hatred for fire does not turn off fire. It'll rather increase it. You know why people can't bring themselves to fully hate good people? Coz fire can't burn water.