Narrative Summary
Interview with Wafaa Kaf by Tarina Greer
I decided to interview Dr. Kaf because she is an Islamic woman and is very passionate
about allowing people in to learn about her religion. I found this extremely unique because most
people in the world today, especially Muslim women, do not talk about their religion. Dr. Kaf is
a woman who is very influential in her field of study—audiology—as well as within the
community.
I learned a lot about women in Islam, as well as family life in this religious tradition. Dr.
Kaf is very family-oriented and she explained that her parents instilled her with the foundations
of family values that she has today. One thing that we talked about during the interview was her
family’s morning routine. When she was growing up, her mother would wake up early in the
morning, around 4 A.M., make breakfast for Dr. Kaf and her siblings, and prepare their lunches
for the day. This is because while Dr. Kaf was growing up, schools in Egypt did not provide
breakfast and lunch like schools in the United States do. She said she could see her mother’s
devotion to her and her siblings, and this is something Dr. Kaf now tries to do for her own kids.
While interviewing Dr. Kaf, I loved seeing her passion for her work, family, and Allah. It
was great, and it was also something I don’t see every day. Dr. Kaf is very open to discuss topics
of her religion so that others can understand her, her family, and her faith better. She wants to
help educate people of the Ozarks, as well as those in other places. I find this to be so wonderful
and it is one reason I wanted to spend my time talking to her. I enjoyed learning about how she
feels like a better person when she helps educate those around her so that they no long live in
fear or ignorance. Dr. Kaf is a wonderful woman in the community and is willing to help educate
about a religion that has come into question after 9/11, and I find that to be a very important
Missouri State University
Fall 2010
Religious Lives of Ozarks Women
2
issue. She feels that in her positions as teacher, mother, and woman of Islam, she should do the
best she can every day; otherwise, she does not feel like she is doing her job.
I would definitely recommend going to talk to Dr. Kaf if you are more interested in the
topic of Islam or just have questions. She is great and will explain things to the best of her
ability.
Missouri State University
Semester 20##
Religious Lives of Ozarks Women