Julia McMinnie is one of three women who will speak about her reversion to Islam at the eleventh edition of the Muslimah Today conference, which will take place on Sunday, 18 August, at the NMJ Islamic Centre. Dr Naledi Pandor, Maulana Zakariyya Harnekar, Amina Kathree Jamal and Ustaadhah Kareema Jassiem will also speak at the conference, hosted by ILM for Women, a branch of ILM-SA, while Nimerah Mohamed and Saleemah Mbwandla will also speak about their reversion to Islam.
Tickets, at R322 each including meals and a goodie bag, are available at www.ilmsa.co.za/MT2024. Sponsored tickets are available for deserving women – WhatsApp 083-271-4500 for more information.
Julia McMinnie owns Relentless Boxing Gym with her husband. She is a mum to two toddlers, aged one and two, and lives and breathes health and fitness. She thrives on making women feel stronger and better about themselves. Julia reverted to Islam over eight years ago. Her family are Roman Catholic and Julia’s reversion journey has and continues to be challenging in terms of them accepting her choice of faith.
Springfield Weekly Gazette (SWG): What was it about Islam that attracted you and led to you reverting?
Julia McMinnie (JM): There were a lot of factors, but the main aspect was the belief system of one God that has always been in my heart. As I grew older, trying to understand the Holy Trinity in Christianity became so much harder. I found myself praying directly to God. So when I started educating myself about Islam, it just made sense to me.
SWG: What is the main challenge you currently face or have faced as a revert Muslimah?
JM: Family backlash and their inability to accept my choice. I always knew it wasn’t going to be easy but it’s actually worse than I anticipated. But I continue every day and God willing, one day they will understand.
SWG: You’ll be telling the story of your reversion to Islam at Muslimah Today, plus talking about some of the challenges you have faced on this journey. That’s pretty brave. What gives you the courage to share this story on a public platform?
JM: Fatima Asmal, the director of ILM-SA which organises the conference, asked and I said yes without hesitation because I have kept my journey inside for many years. I tell people about my journey but haven’t done it on a public platform until this year, first it was on Radio Al-Ansaar in Ramadaan and now this will be my second opportunity to do so, God willing.
SWG: What motivated you to pursue a career in the fitness industry?
JM: My personal health and fitness became my priority in life and I managed to help myself achieve goals that other people didn’t think I could. So during that process, I felt I needed to help others feel better about themselves.
SWG: Why boxing – what is it about boxing that you love so much?
JM: Well, in the beginning, it was always exercise and boxing was an extra part that I did with another trainer, and I grew to love it. It was only when I met my husband that it grew even more. He was obsessed with boxing, his first love in life, and I loved it. So we decided to make it our life together as we saw that people loved it just as much as us.
SWG: Who taught you how to box and how long did it take you to learn?
JM: I was about 14 or 15 years old when I first started learning at a private gym. I did boxing on and off since then. When I was around 25 years old, I got back into it properly and continuously. You never stop learning in boxing, no matter how many years in the game you are. It’s a continuous journey.
SWG: You have a one-year-old boy and a two-year-old boy, how in the world do you manage being a mother to two toddlers?
JM: Sho, it has been life-changing – I won’t lie. I think as mothers, we just DO. There is no option, it’s in our blood. With the first child, there is always the struggle of adjustment and learning how to navigate through life with this new soul. When the second arrived, I felt like I knew myself better and adapted much faster.
SWG: How do you balance being a woman who co-owns a gym and works there, with being a wife and a mother?
JM: Honestly? I ask myself that often, I don’t know. I like being busy, I enjoy being active, I have a business mind that can’t switch off and I have a family that doesn’t switch off, so it all works together and we keep going. My husband is such a blessing, Praise be to the Almighty. He is such a hands-on dad and loves being in the gym, so we bounce off each other’s energy and pick up for each other when one needs it. Marriage can’t be 50/50, because some days I’m only a 20 and he picks up the 80, Praise be to the Almighty.
SWG: What’s it like being business partners with your husband?
JM: Brutally honest answer? The start was great, Praise be to the Almighty, we worked well together. When the kids came into the picture, the pressure became a lot and we clashed quite a bit for a very short time. Then we had some real communication and conversations, and started to learn to navigate this new way of life and Praise be to the Almighty after that, better than ever. We both always knew our roles in the business. When you know what your role is, it makes it that much easier.
SWG: If you were speaking to a woman who is overweight, unfit and unhealthy but too scared to start exercising due to feeling self-conscious and incapable, what advice would you give to her?
JM: I get ladies like this all the time. I always tell them to try a group session first and if they feel it’s too much then I advise them to start with one-on-one training to get them into a better space. With regards to their diet, I don’t like to start with that. I just start by making small daily changes that they can manage. Sometimes doing too much in the beginning can be overwhelming. So I like to do things in stages.
