tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33708915118767464112024-03-13T14:19:29.369-07:00The Oyster and The PearlA lovely blog showcasing the beauty of women.khadijahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12543326223405080665noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370891511876746411.post-16551326720886582242014-08-22T18:37:00.000-07:002014-08-22T18:37:04.979-07:00Want to share your story?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Assalamualaikum,<br />
<br />
if you want to share your revert story or how you turned back to Allah, please leave send an email to theoysterandthepearl@gmail.com ! We want to try to re-activate this blog again insha'Allah. Hope that this can be a nice way for sisters to connect and also know that the Mercy of Allah is Vast and it is never too late to turn back to Him !<br />
<br />
xo<br />
The Oyster and the Pearl</div>
khadijahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12543326223405080665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370891511876746411.post-73348116845599361962013-10-23T18:34:00.001-07:002014-08-26T10:19:42.676-07:00A nigerian sister, back to Islam. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Assalaam alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Journey back to the Deen.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My name is --- (As nice as it would be to disclose my name, it’s best and safest to stay anonymous). All I can say is I am a twenty-two years old Nigerian (southern part) born-Muslim (but not from practicing family). My journey in Islam has been a long one. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My U-turn back to the Deen was in 2011 (1432 AH). I remember it was the beginning of my final year in the University. Subhan’Allah that year has been the biggest year of my life. Alhamdulillah!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Prior to that time, I was a caged little girl. I had been caging myself really badly over a very long time – locked in the cage of my own inhibitions, afraid to come out. I was caged and struggling to be free, yet no way out. I felt helpless. Sounds like riddles, right? Let me unbridle!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was typically like the average next-door girl around you. A pretty normal childhood! My teenage days held the most knots.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I attended an Islamic/Muslim secondary school (or high school as some call it), and Islamic University too (MashaaAllah). My sec.school was basically where I got most of the knowledge of Islam that survived me through the University. Being a Muslim University, one could expect that my knowledge of the Deen will grow, but amazingly opposite was the case. So you can imagine the little knowledge I had of the Deen even though I was around ‘Muslims’.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In both institutions (secondary and University), I was given the title of “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ameerah</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” meaning “leader of the Muslimahs’ or rather “female religious leader” of all the ladies. It wasn’t because I was </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">outstanding</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in Deen, but because w’Allah I consider it the Qadar of Allah, as I wasn’t in anyway ideal or deserving.. My University was newly established and private-owned too. So my set was the pioneer set of the Uni. The Amanah of being an Ameerah was tough as I had weak emaan because of my weak knowledge. Little did I know of the challenge ahead of me when I accepted for the sake of Allah to be the Ameerah. And also because, although physically on the Deen, my heart was seriously attracted to the dunya. I was around 15-16 years old as at then. I dreamed and yearned for the glitters of dunya. It was tough to combine the sincerity & commitment to the Deen, with the heart’s attachment to the dunya. Both cannot reside in one heart, one would have to expel the other.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I loved Islam. And I knew Islam was the Truth. I wanted to meet Allah with a pure heart. I craved for Him to love me and be pleased with me. I craved to die, being happy to meet my Lord. I just wanted Allah to love and be proud of me.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But my heart had its many loyalties!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Other than Allah….</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Or was it ‘alongside with Allah’?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SubhanAllah!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Basically I desired two things from the dunya: Beauty and Attention. I was drawn to the attractive beautiful ladies. I was envious of the attention they got from the boys and girls. I was basically an average girl socially and I just never fit in among the popular ones. Yet I admired the attention they got. They could get whatever they wanted anytime, and they could speak in </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">any manner</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that they pleased, without anyone unnecessarily questioning them. On the other hand, I was rather the much quiet, shy, passive girl.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I remember anytime I was walking on the road along with my sister or any of my friends. It was surprising yet EXCRUCIATINGLY painful and annoying to find a bunch of guys chasing after the girl beside me, calling her aside to talk to her, while leaving me all alone standing and waiting. It’s crazy, I know! But it’s true! This happened so many times. I wondered what was wrong with me. I felt deficient – unbeautiful! Yet I knew I wasn’t ugly (lool). So what was wrong? It deflated my self-esteem I won’t lie.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Something else complicated my problem! </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">TELEVISION</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">! The movies, music, ads, etc. It enslaved my heart to love….searching for someone great to love me, celebrity adulation (subtle form of worship), slavery to fashion and beauty, singing, looking glamorous, and every other crazy teenage obsession, subhanAllah! </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How on earth could I have discharged my duties as Ameerah successfully with all of these evils in my heart???</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> IMPOSSIBLE you say? I concur! It was absolutely impossible!</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid--e8a4048-e818-9b1f-d813-7b02241a5848" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As much as I craved and loved Allah, I couldn’t say for sure that I loved Islam. How can you love something that you have no true knowledge about? So I couldn’t really say I loved Islam, though I BELIEVED! Everything I personally loved was Haraam. This haraam! That haraam! Gosh why couldn’t we be free? So many restrictions! Why?” That was how I felt anyway. I seriously wondered why most of my desires were forbidden by Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). What was wrong with singing and music? Why couldn’t I attach false hair to my hair (coz I love long hair and Nigerians mostly have short hairs lool), why must we wear the hijaab? Why so many haraams? So many rules! I felt claustrophobic (astaghfirullah!)</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I had so many questions concerning my Deen. I needed to explore. To ask. Yet my position as the Ameerah kept demanding excellence and perfection from me. No one was there to teach me what I truly needed. The people were expecting much from me. And I had nothing but little to offer. I’m sure you’d be wondering why I didn’t quit the post. Well I tried so many times. But Allah didn’t permit it. What was I to do when my heart wasn’t religious? I only knew that I craved Allah that’s all. All my secondary school knowledge of Islam was fast diminishing due to no replacement. I observed the ‘hijab’ as a duty only and not as an act of love and devotion to my Lord.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This went on for a very long time until the semester before my final year. I began to think this is sheer hypocrisy. I never wore hijab at home. And mind you, my ‘hijaab’ was a scarf covering my head, neck and a tiny lil’bit of my chest. I still wore short skirts and tops. Yet at home, I never even put on this ‘hijaab’. ‘cause I didn’t like it. I was a complete regular girl at home. I felt like a hypocrite. Well I guess I was! </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I wondered how the people of the University would react if they saw my lifestyle at home. I was tired of the façade. Discharging my amanah of being Ameerah felt like a huge burden day after day. I suppressed the real me. Like I locked my real self up in a compartment, in order to meet up with the responsibilities of Amirahood. It was tough. I was deficient. Yet they didn’t remove me from the position, despite so many other better sisters around who could perform way more effectively than me. Allah really wanted me to remain the Amirah </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I felt drained and exhausted. I became depressed. It showed in my actions. I was so psychologically depressed for months. People began to see me as a sadist. This had to stop. Who was I living for??? </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I realized I was leading double lives – conflict of interests….switching between love for Allah and love for dunya….playing Amirah at school and acting non-practising ignoramus western girl at home. With my knowledge of Islam sapping away, and desires creeping in, until it overcame my heart. I’d had enough. I was tired of pretending. I was fed up of my hypocrisy. I had no idea who I really was anymore. Who am I? I didn’t know! </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I needed to search. To find my true self! My purpose! My distinct individuality and identity! My Deen! I needed to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">explore</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, to learn, to find, to discover. ANSWERS!!!!!!! KNOWLEDGE!!!! So many rules in Islam, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">WHY?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Does Allah expect us to be perfect? So many questions!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I wasn’t turning back on Allah. In fact, I was taking the other way </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to reach HIM</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">….to find Him, to find myself! To know the secrets of this dunya – secrets or reasons behind some of the prohibitions in Islam. I was tired of dogmatic blind-following. I needed knowledge. The Truth! I knew Islam was the Truth, but “That’s clichéd already! Tell me something else!”. I was tired of the clichéd ready-made answers of people (Muslims) around me. My questions were deep, so I needed deep answers. No one was ready to go deep. Perhaps they didn’t really know!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I wasn’t questioning Allah’s Authority for His Rules. I just wanted to know ‘why’! </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What’s the secret? There has to be reasons why Allah prohibited Muslims from so many western norms. There has to be answers. And I wanted to know. I genuinely wanted to.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I was ready to learn. But this time, not classroom teachings. I wanted Allah to teach me Himself, as nobody could make me know except Him. I wanted to be more devoted to Him. I wanted to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">KNOW!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So I prayed!!!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I prayed for Him to teach me and show me the Truth, reveal to me some of the secrets/wisdom….the evils behind western norms and practices…why does Islam negate 99percent of it? I prayed that He please make me not die until He showed me those realities, guide me to the Straight correct Path, and He becomes </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">really</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> pleased with me. I prayed for a happy Ending (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Death)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I prayed to be happy and bright, rather than the melancholy and gloom I was feeling. I prayed for a truthful constructive final year in the University. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I prayed! I prayed!! I prayed!!!!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And I tell you, my duas were answered – each and everyone of them, and even more! Allah showed me the filthiness and darkness of this dunya. He taught me!!! </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But at what expense?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" />After I decided to break free from hypocrisy, I stopped pretending to be the ‘good Amirah’.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> My dressing changed.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I wore my jeans and uncovered my neck and chest in school. I just wanted to see what was there in the western fashion that obsessed many of us. I wanted to know. I stopped doing most of my Amirah-duties. I committed lots of sins (astaghfirullah </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">). I broke free from hypocrisy into open sinfulness. Of course I was </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">nervous</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of people’s judgments, yet I needed to let them see how weak and sinful I really was. I needed to show them that my heart was no different from theirs. I desperately wanted to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">resign</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from the Ameerah position. I asked people to call me by my name rather than the perfect title “Ameerah”. I always felt terribly guilty everytime I was addressed by that name “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amirah”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I wanted to be relieved of the burdensome expectations of leadership, and switch into a role of simple humble membership. By Allah’s Will, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Allah said NO!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> They didn’t take me off this position, nor relieve me of this title. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">FRUSTRATING!!!!!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All the while as I broke ‘free’ exposing myself to sins upon sins, I was growing, I was learning. I was embracing the ME that I’d imprisoned inside me for years. I was embracing my weakness and imperfection. At the same time, I was learning. I was growing. I felt happy yet sad. I felt so free (letting out myself), yet lonely. I felt close to Allah (for my truthfulness), yet extremely FAR from Him. It was all mixed feeling. But I was proud of it. It was the biggest achievement in my life. Because it was a decision I consciously made. Not to please anyone. But to know myself more, and discover Truths. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was changing! ALLAHU AKBAR!!!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I began to realize…..when I wore short tops, I always took along a long scarf to tie around my neck, to cover my chest and bosom (but not hijaab style lool). Later on, I felt uncomfortable with opening my arms. Then the jeans….it felt suddenly disgusting and ugly to me, seeing every girl in their thin-legged jeans, tight ugly clothings. Did they actually think they looked beautiful that way? That was how I realized the ugliness of my ‘current’ dressing then. I began to get drawn to hijaab. Celebrity pictures that occupied my phone suddenly became hijaab pictures. Over time I felt the urgency to cover. And believe me, the next time I wore the hijaab (after my long break from it), I felt like the most beautiful and honorable girl on earth </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I was changing!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As for music and its likes, Allah showed me the filth and deadly evils that lies in it. I realized music, movies, media all contributed immensely to my hypocrisy, corrupting my heart and instilling doubts in it concerning Allah and the realities</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of Islam. I found them to be so deadly and wicked that I got scared, SubhanAllah.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All that I prayed for, Allah showed me. All my endless questions, Allah gave the answers. I discovered the reality of dunya. He showed me the hidden attributes of dunya and I saw nothing great except abyss of darkness, deception, blindness, ugliness, slavery, loneliness, etc. The dunya is a small piece of hell. Subhanallah!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All along!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That was how I got to realize that Allah had been protecting me all along. Allahu Akbar! By turning ‘useless’ boys away from me! Not because I wasn’t beautiful or good enough, but because He wanted to protect and preserve me. He ‘tied’ me down with the Amirah position to protect me as well. Because without it, only Allah knows how astray I would have gone! Alhamdulillah. He indeed has been my Rabb – nurturing me with great love and care, slowly towards higher stage of emaan with time. Alhamdulillah!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My final year was the best and most productive year of my University days. I radiated smiles, peace, happiness from within. I found what I was searching for (true path of/to Allah). I found myself. I found Allah. I found my Deen. ALHAMDULILLAH!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ramadhan</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After graduating from the university, as soon as I got home came Ramadan 1432 (2011). My connection with Allah was strong, my wounds were fresh. I felt sinful and ugly. I hated myself for all I’d done. I was full of Tawbah. I was always fearful. And I used that Ramadhan to cure many of my heart’s ailments (most of which is classified under hypocrisy). I restrained myself from many desires. And Allah showed me many more truths, which made me feel so blessed and humbled. Restraining desires was tough. But I feared Allah calling me hypocrite and not believer. I felt Allah so close to me. He scolded me, soothed me, gave me hope, threatened me (to abstained from sins and desires). All of these </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">through the Qur’an. He spoke to me through the Qur’an, and several signs around me. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I felt Him so near. He became the closest friend to my heart such that no one else mattered to me anymore. All those I’d loved were all departed from me anyway. I was all alone with my Rabb. It was more than enough! </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I felt Sakinah (Tranquility) that Ramadhan!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That was 1432AH (2011). Up till today, I still struggle on this journey. Emaan goes up and down, Allahu a’alam! But practice of the Deen keeps getting stronger, alhamadulillah! Today I find myself struggling on the Path of Sunnah, may Allah help us all. And for each level of my emaan, Subhanallah wa bihamdihi, Allah keeps blessing me with the much needed resources to keep my emaan going to the next level, such as knowledge equivalent to my emaan, righteous companionship, etc. these blessings are awe-striking. Alhamdulillah! But the journey isn’t over!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My heart has settled upon TRUE ISLAM. Surrendering to Allah is my goal! I am pleased with Allah as my Rabb, Islam as my Deen, and Muhammad (salla’Allahu alayhi wa sallam) as my Prophet. I realized that the reason why many of us born-but-not-practicing-Muslims (here in Nigeria) are like that is simply because of the (weak) foundation we were given (a vast majority of us suffer seriously from lack of knowledge), our corrupt environment and companionship, and our so-called (astaghfirullah) Imams and preachers who call to Islam in a way that overwhelms & avert the heart to Islam. Rather than calling to Allah with adequate correct knowledge of the Deen and focusing on correction of aqeedah, tawheed, describing </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">emphatically</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the beauty of the Sunnah and the Salaf, and all other foundations of emaan (faith), they simply preach mixing Islamic beliefs with the tribal & cultural beliefs&practices, such that the truth is not clearly distinguished from falsehood. Only few preachers actually teach and call to Tawheed. You then wonder why so many people are ignorant of the True islam, running away from it, simply because they just cannot find any inspiration or peaceful beauty in the cultural corrupt ‘Íslam’ that the Muslims are practicing. I’m pretty sure (bi idhnillah), if all of these are corrected, Muslims will find their tranquility in practicing their Deen and serving Allah the right way, except whom Allah wants to misguide.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As to my question back then….</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">WHO AM I? </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I can now confidently (bi idhnillah) tell anyone who I really am. If you ask me who I am, I’ll simply say:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #002060; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I am the struggling and sinful slave of Allah who has</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #002060; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No honour/dignity, except the honour/dignity of Islam</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #002060; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No voice or willpower, except the voice and willpower of Emaan</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #002060; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No confidence at all, except the trust in Allah</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #002060; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I know nothing, except what He teaches me.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #002060; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I own nothing, except His blessings.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #002060; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And I am contemptible, insignificant and not deserving of love, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #002060; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Except the love that Allah (by His infinite Mercies) places in the hearts of His creations towards me.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #002060; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is who I really am!”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #002060; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ALHAMDULILLAH FOR ISLAM! It is a blessing that a million of this dunya cannot weigh against! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LAA ILAHA ILA ALLAH!</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Islam has been a tremendous healing for me,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Subhan’Allah! All that I sought from dunya such as Beauty, Attention have automatically faded away and replaced. Islam said my beauty lies in my Emaan. The disease of craving the people’s attention (such as love, fame, respect, praise) has now been replaced by the light of haya (modesty- which is an embodiment of genuine humility and Ikhlas to Allah). Emaan (faith-Tawheed), knowledge, haya (modesty), akhlaq (manners), and so many other virtues is what have blended together within me, to detach my interests from anything of this dunya. I have learnt about Tawheed (I’m still learning though). Slowly, Allah guided me to the beautiful virtuous Sunnah of His Rasul (SallaAllahu alayhi wa sallam). All of this makes me feel so beautiful to the soul </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">though iknow I have to STRIVE to earn that </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(lool). All that I hated with regards to Islam, has become most beloved to me </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Allahu Akbar! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With Islam, I am not that cowering girl I used to be. But everytime I take Islaam (surrender to Allah) away from my heart, the cowering timid girl returns. Islam is really my dignity. It gives me that firm resolution, that respectable identity, being that strong-willed woman of substance and virtues and purity, who would never settle for anything less than pleasing her Rabb, her Creator, no matter how vile/sweet the creations may be. It’s such an honour! It’s beyond words </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But every single time I seek other than Allah, directly or indirectly, I end up becoming more humiliated than earth </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Aqeedah of Tawheed (singling</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Allah out in all forms of worship, reverence) is deep-rooted, so strong you can never reach its end, Allahu Akbar! It reaches the depth of the tiniest minutest matter of the heart. Allah is Al-Lateef-ul-Khabeer (The Subtle, the All-Aware of the most hidden inconspicuous things). Allahu Akbar! We really cannot hide from His Majesty. May Allah not expose our shame in this life and Hereafter, Ameen!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">MESSAGE TO MY UKHTEES!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To all my sisters out there (born-Muslims especially), who are struggling really hard to find their place in the Deen, being overwhelmed by the endless lists of haraams, I can only say one thing: if you are sincere, truly sincere in your search for Allah, then you will find Him (bi idhnillah). Just one thing: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Don’t ever condescend the Truth or those who follow it.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> When you genuinely love those who love and obey Allah, it’s only a matter of time before you become like them (bi idhnillah). </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Watch out for those you regard as companions, or those you love (because they can either help you to Jannah or push you to the Pits of Hell). </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Love is enslaving. So the most honorable love is love for the Sake of Allah. That way you’ll love them because you love Allah, and hate them also because you love Allah. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As for sins, don’t ever stop weeping and repenting. Don’t ever stop asking your dear Lord for eternal cure. The dunya false desires? Deception of dunya? </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Be inquisitive for the truth! Have a searching heart!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Always be ready to know what lies in the indepth (hidden beyond the surface). You need knowledge of your Deen, be friends with knowledgeable smart righteous people. No righteous companions? Remain secluded from the evils/corruption of the people, think of Allah, and PONDER over His Signs, REFLECT! Be Truthful! Stay away from anything that takes you away from Allah – anything that makes you forget Him or forget yourself. In’shaa’Allah, you’ll find your way! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">one more thing! If you are really sincere in seeking Allah’s Love, then you must be extremely humble to the earth. You must see yourself as the worst person on earth such that you see everyone as better than you. You must think constantly of your ugly sins and faults, and feel very ashamed and lowly. You have to hate and reproach yourself always, even when you seem to be doing good. Fearing and thinking of Allah all the time in humility. You’ll observe that those who love Allah</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and whom He loves back are like this!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> And much more!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #7030a0; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Learn about Tawheed (worshipping Allah in oneness), correct Aqeedah! It is the foundation of Emaan, without which all other acts of worship and good deeds will crumble and tumble into dust. You cannot escape it if you truly seek Allah (The Exalted).</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #7030a0; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I CONCLUDE!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So ma shaa Allah this is my story! Everyday is a huge struggle. Just one mistake or negligence or deed can push one on his face into the HellFire (na’udhubillah), so the war against myself and struggling isn’t over. </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In fact, it is just the beginning</span><span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Please keep me in your duas and others like me, and the entire Ummah. Jazakumullah khair for reading to the end despite its length #sigh#. I hope you benefited from it even if little. May Allah bless you, and unite us all smiling under His Shade on that Day, and honouring us with His Jannah al-Firdaus. And may He make it easy for us to practice what we say. Ameen! I love you all fii’Allah! Assalaam alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh!</span></div>
khadijahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12543326223405080665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370891511876746411.post-36180480998824677132013-02-07T12:30:00.003-08:002013-02-07T12:30:15.183-08:00A sisters story..<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa baraketuh. </div>
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May this message find you in the best of health and eman. I saw on your blog about sharing our stories on how we came to Islam. So....</div>
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I would like to share with you my revert story. My story is kind of a 2 n1.. as it includes not only on how I became a muslim, but also my marriage to my husband.. as he is a major part of this story.. I hope that this is ok.. <img alt="*:) happy" src="http://mail.yimg.com/ok/u/assets/img/emoticons/emo1.gif" style="font-size: 12pt;" /> inshaAllah <img alt="*:) happy" src="http://mail.yimg.com/ok/u/assets/img/emoticons/emo1.gif" style="font-size: 12pt;" /></div>
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So I kind of have to role this story back to my early childhood and explain to you my back ground as it has a lot to do with my reasons of exploring other religions which eventually lead me to Islam. Please forgive me if it is too long.. <img alt="*:-O surprise" src="http://mail.yimg.com/ok/u/assets/img/emoticons/emo12.gif" style="font-size: 12pt;" /></div>
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I grew up in a Christian home.. but both of my parents were not what you would call practicing Christians.. my step-father who adopted me at the age of 4 was from a Lutheran Christian background.. which is a sect of Christianity that broke away from the Catholic church.. but all in all still behaved very similar to them. My mom grew up as a Southern Baptist.. but preferred the Seventh-Day Adventist beliefs rather than other forms of Christianity... as she doesn't eat pork and doesn't drink wine and smoke... and doesn't celebrate many of the "christian" holidays. My family all in all is very mixed on different beliefs and traditions of the Christian faith.. and some relatives were complete disbelievers altogether, as they did not believe in any religion. So for me.. as a young child I was always curious about the world, and about religion.. I questioned everything around me and tried to understand what I did not understand. Christianity for me, at a young age did not satisfy me.. I did not believe most of what I was being taught.. And in fact I did not agree that God would need to have a son in order to save us from our sins.. I used to always ask these types of questions to my mom and to other relatives.. but many times I would just get answers from their own opinion or conclusions rather than from the Book.. as they like to call it ( Bible).</div>
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As I grew older.. now in my very early teenage years.. I started reading about other religions. Most of the religions that I read about were earth-based religions.. ( paganism.. wikka and druidism.. hinduism. ) When I found that this too just didn't make any sense whatsoever to me. I began looking onto other religions.. in between my searching, I would be invited to various different types of Churches and Christian sects.. and again none of it gave me answers that I was looking for.. Why are we here.. who is God.. does He exist..? and so on. </div>
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<br />I have 3 kids.. two of whom are boys ( 9 and 7.5 yrs ) and one girl ( 2.5 yrs ). I had married my sons father at the age of 16... he was 18. My then husband was born and raised in a Roman Catholic home.. His mother was a very devote Catholic and his father was not.. He would go to the Church for Christmas and Easter but that was about it. I tried to understand the Catholic ways and traditions.. as they have many rituals.. but something inside told me NO.. I did not believe God is 3 in 1 type of thing. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost.. I didn't like that they seemed all too similar to the paganism I had learned about years before. My then husband was more interested in Buddhism.. so since I was soul searching I thought to learn with him.. My ex was more into learning about it then I was.. I tried, but it just really did not interest me.. And again I felt lost. </div>
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So I just kind of forgot about religion for sometime and just lived for the dunya. My then husband and I decide to move to Houston, Texas as my sister had offered me a very good job with a very good salary.. I was tired of living in the little city that we were in and I thought it would be better for me and my husbands marriage to get away from all of our friends and the society that we were in. </div>
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We moved there to texas and my older sister and I became closer then we ever were before. Our kids played together and her and I attended church every Sunday. I hated going to Church as I saw that they were just tricking people into spending money on the church rather then having anything to do with religion or religious teachings.. How could you call it a church when girls were wearing short shorts and short skirts.. kissing boys in the bathrooms.. Women showing off their vanity.. and men watching the young girls like vultures.. It made me sick.. and all this they claimed was "Christian". I went only because my sister felt that she could "save me" .. <br /> My sister, our children, our husbands and myself all took a trip to the beach.. We were driving through the city of Galveston.. when we happened to drive by a big masjid. ( I had no idea what a masjid was.. what religion it belonged to or anything about it ). While driving past it, I was admiring the building and how pretty it was. When my sister said with the most hateful look on her face, " They shouldn't allow places like this in America!". I was stunned and shocked. I became angry and defensive with her. I told her, "How can you say such a thing when the 1st Amendment of our Constitution says, Freedom of Religion. That means everyone regardless of what religion you have, have the right to practice it the way you please." She didn't agree and tried to say some excuse that it was the right for Christians to believe in whatever way they choose. I told her NO, you're wrong!!! As it would have said in the Constitution.. Christians of whatever back ground have the right to practice their religion.. but it didn't say that.. I asked her why she has such a hatred for this place.. and she said, "Well you know they're muzlims.." I, to be honest knew nothing about Islam.. the only thing I knew was the name Usama Bin Laden. :) Anyways the conversation eventually ended with a strange silence.. as I could not convince her that these "muzlims" as she called them have no right to be hated nor their places of worship.. and she could not convince me either of her opinion. A few weeks later her neighbor was having a house party.. where neighbors come over and get to know one another.. Most people were drunk already when I arrived.. My sisters then husband was a former US solider who had been in Iraq twice during Bush's so called "War on Terror".. He was a lucky one to have come back home in one piece. :) He hated Muslims and he hated Islam.. so anytime a conversation would come up about either, he was quick to say something negative.<br />One of my sisters neighbors began bashing the Qur'an and talking about how evil it is and how Muslims treat their women bad. I got irritated with the conversation and asked her if she ever actually read the Qur'an. She told me no.. that her father had and he is a Pastor at a church..I thought to myself.. well go figure.. a Pastor of a Christian church bad mouthing Islam..<br /> At this point I became interested in Islam.. I wanted to know more about it.. and what all this fuss is about.. I hated Bush from the start and was against all that he had been doing.. I already was out spoken against his administration and his illegal wars.. publicly and privately.. surprisingly enough, it never made me think about what Islam was.. All this time during all my independent research.. I never stopped to ask myself.. Who are these people that America has been so oppressive to and what it is really about?... I, during this time was an independent investigative journalist ( did this just as a hobby and not as a career ) and had done many researches and written about Donald Rumsfeld, different corporations who have strong connections with the American Military, private security firms and many various other topics. I studied about the situations in Iraq and Afghanistan.. and began to read a bit about Islam.. but soon my interests would be put on hold as my then marriage began to fall apart.<br />I got a job promotion.. and started working longer and extra hours.. I hated coming home to my then husband.. so I tried working as much and as long as I could. I used my work as an escape from the issues that I had in my marriage. I felt alone and helpless. As I did not want to turn to my parents for help.. and my then husbands parents wouldn't understand. I got stuck in the glamor of the dunya.. as I began to make more and more money.. but the more that I made the more that I began to lose. I got involved in things that I do not wish to mention and wish I could forget.<br /> I filed for divorce from my then husband while I was still in Texas... I stopped talking to him and took my sons.. I took them where he could not find them.. I lived ok for sometime.. but soon found that my new situation became worse then it was when I was with my husband. So scared and defeated I returned back to my then husband and we reconciled and decided not to divorce. We thought it be best to return to the small city life that we had left behind years ago and have the support of our parents to help us through our marriage.<br />I went to counseling and I tried so hard to make the marriage work. My kids all this time and through all this hardship never felt that anything was wrong.. I tried my best to hide any of the pain that I had. My then husband started behaving the way he was before.. And although I tried to love him and I had supported everything he had ever done.. good and bad.. I just couldn't anymore. My sister had moved back to Florida as well by this time..<br /> I was so unhappy with life.. I had everything.. loving and healthy kids, a good family, a husband from a wealthy family, but I still felt empty.. so empty. I felt alone, the most alone I had ever felt in all my life. I started asking God.. Please help me, Please help me, Tell me where I'm supposed to be, Tell me what I'm supposed to do.. Almost everyday I was asking this. Until one day after my then husband had bought a Buddha statue, Looking disgusted at it (the statue) .. for some reason I thought.. ISLAM... It just clicked and I began reading a little more about it.. it was difficult for me at first.. as when I would google Islam I didn't find many Islamic pages or forums that had decent information.. believe it or not. I learned about facebook.. and made an account. I had no friends on facebook other than my then husband.. I didn't even no how to use facebook and until one day I received a friend request from my current husband. I was curious.. I was thinking I know that the name Ahmed.. is a Muslim name. So I sent him a message and asked him, "Why did you send me a friend request ? Just Curious". He answered and told me he didn't know..So I asked him of his religion.. and he told me he was a Muslim.. I didn't tell him at first that I am reading about Islam.. I told him that I was still studying Buddhism.. LOL But everyday I kept asking him about Islam.. and then he would tell me.. I secretly started learning how to pray the salah and I started wearing hijab.. while all this time.. I was living at my then husbands parents home.. they hated what they were seeing.. although my hijab was worn with full makeup and jeans and a long sleeve shirt.. they knew that I had began studying Islam.. They asked me if I had become Muslim.. I told them no, not yet I'm just trying it out.. My then husband and I became as if we were on the opposite sides of the world.. the more that I learned about tawheed the more I became in love with Islam.. and eager to learn more. Finally after all these years of searching I had answers to the questions I had been looking for since my childhood. Alhamdulillah! Allahu Akbar!<br /> My then husband and I had been fighting and arguing everyday... I had enough this time and told him that I was going to stay at my moms. I returned back to my parents and lived there with my sons. I needed a job as I didn't have one.. I filed for divorce again.. and this time I was serious. I tried getting a job with no luck as no one was wanting to hire me wearing hijab. Even old friends who I had been employed with before would not rehire me. Many of my old "friends" who I had grown up with stopped talking to me.. and even my mom criticized me for wearing the hijab. She told me that I would never find work and the small town she lived in was not very accepting to seeing such things. Let me remind you, I was dressing like most American's.. with full makeup.. and people still gave me a look of terror. So since I had no support and the Muslims that I did happen to meet were not practicing themselves.. I thought it was ok to take it off and find work. :(<br />Sure enough after the hijab came off and I was back in my stilettos, I found work :/ I started working for the Florida State Government in the Department of Revenue. The more that I read into Islam the more I would feel guilty about my life.. Now that i was working 5 days a week, my sons were staying with their father during this time to go to school rather then staying with me.. I had them on the weekends. I felt that my sons lives were secure.. and that maybe if I go to Egypt I could become a better Muslim. My eman went up and down up and down.. As the only "Muslim" friends I had come out to be not so good. None of them prayed, some of them drank, and most of them acted like American's.. This is not what I was looking for and this was not the Islam that I had been reading and learning. La howla wa la quwetta illah billah<br /><br /> I had stayed in contact with Ahmed and made arrangements to come to Egypt. My divorce had finalized and I was no more Amy Notman.. I went back to my fathers last name, Wilson. I researched all that I needed to do in order to stay in Egypt and what documents I needed with me. I saved money and bought a ticket. And a few months later I would be ready to leave for Egypt. Ahmeds father felt pity for me as he knew I was going to come to Egypt and live in a hotel until I found another way of living and he knew that I wasn't coming with luggage and I would have to buy clothes and everything once I got to Egypt..So Ahmed's father agreed that I could stay with his family on condition that I marry Ahmed. I agreed. :) Alhamdulillah<br /> I left the US without telling my family, as I new that if I were to tell them, they would have prevented me from leaving. The last weekend with my sons I told them my goodbyes and how much I love them.. and no matter what anyone tells them, I love them. Marcos asked me what was wrong.. but I couldn't tell him. I kissed my sons and hugged them tight and told them my last goodbye. <br />The next day I would be traveling to Egypt. I had never been on a plane before, I had never traveled outside the US. It was all so new and liberating for me. I called Ahmed when I was in Amsterdam to tell him I was about to leave for Cairo. I met him about 2:30am.. his younger brother had come too. While in the taxi I felt somewhat shy.. as I had never seen him other than in a picture. I was shy to look him in the face and he too would hardly look at me for very long.. we sat in the taxi all the way to his fathers in silence. We left the airport and went straight to his fathers flat. I didn't know what to expect. I couldn't believe what I was doing. But it felt right. I entered his fathers flat with his father and his step mom greeting me with large hugs and kisses on the cheek. They made me feel like family. His father's english was broken english but it was good enough for me to understand and he could understand most of my talks. They told me to shower and then come to eat.. I went to the bathroom to find that their wasn't a shower or bath tub.. I had to ask Ahmed how Im going to take a bath.. and he showed me a bucket and the faucet. LOL SubhanAllah. I took my bath :) Got dressed in clothes that Sayeda had provided for me. And ate a full Egyptian dinner :) MashAllah. By the time we finished eating I was exhausted as I had traveled for two days continuous.. I went to go lay down in bed when I heard the athan for fajr. I had never heard it like this before.. not in real, just on videos. Allahu Akbar I began to cry. And when I heard the athan it made me more eager to confirm that I was Muslim. Ahmed took me to Al Azhar to get myself officially documented as a Muslim and then I began wearing hijab, we got married and had a small party at his mothers home.. family came over and greeted me. We did not have music or any of that stuff, I didn't wear a white gown.. It was just a simple party with food and family. Ahmed and I were also officially married by the civil courts as well.. Ahmed spent all his savings on helping me with paying the residential visa and all that I needed to stay legally in Egypt. He spent all his savings on me. Ahmed was not rich nor close to being rich.. his family was more mid- to lower class.. but with good hearts. I didn't care about any of the materials of this dunya.. all I cared for was learning and how to please Allah. SubhanAllah Islam has taught me how to be a better wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, neighbor and most of all how to be a better servant to Allah. Allahu Akbar. These things I will never trade and never give up inshaAllah.<br /><br />I did by the way contact my family to tell them I was in Egypt after I had arrived. My parents were angry with me as you can imagine.. but months later they calmed down and were happy for me and Ahmed. They felt that he was a good man and they saw how happy I was. So now my mom and dad love Ahmed both very much and my mom now asks sometimes about Islam.. she doesn't want to convert.. but at least her curiosity is there and inshaAllah Allah will guide her. I try to talk to my sons via webcam once a month.. but Im still not on good terms with their father or his family.. and that's ok. At least they allow me to talk with my sons and that is good enough for me.<br /><br />My husband has helped me a lot in the Deen.. He helps me to learn how to recite the Qur'an properly he taught me how to pray the salah properly and so many other things..and inshaAllah, he will be rewarded for this. My husband is alhamdulillah educated in the Deen and Im so thankful to Allah that I have him as a husband. I'm not sure if you have ever heard of Sheikh Mostafa Salama and Sheikh Abu Zhar Abdul-Monim? My husband had studied under them both for some time.<br />I know that the way my husband and I met is not in any way Islamic.. but I consider it a blessing.. as Allah allowed me and gave me the courage to come to Egypt with just the clothes on my back and to learn the Deen of Allah and better myself as a Muslim and actually become a real Muslim.. He also helped my husband.. as my husband before him and I met got stuck in the dunya.. and went away for sometime from practicing the deen.. After him and I married he began praying in the masjid again.. reading the Qur'an.. teaching the Qur'an... and above all this, helping me and supporting me. Allahu Akbar. Allah is the best of judges... and inshaAllah this was considered a Mercy for both of us.<br /><br />So this is my story.. I know it was very long.. but here it is.. :) </div>
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khadijahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12543326223405080665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370891511876746411.post-23664568208317135912013-01-06T16:10:00.002-08:002013-01-06T16:10:20.648-08:00WHO WAS Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)? <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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khadijahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12543326223405080665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370891511876746411.post-56369367864341433812012-12-15T15:26:00.001-08:002012-12-15T15:38:58.488-08:00How a Spanish sister converted to Islam <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; color: #e06666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">My name is Maria, my father worked all his life in the Spanish consulate in a Moroccan city. So I grew up there. My life spent divided between two cultures and religions, Spanish and Catholic life with my parents and in the school and my life Moroccan and Muslim, with my friends, and in the day to day.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; color: #e06666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">My parents always made sure that even if I lived in a Muslim country, my faith was anchored to Catholicism, so we were always there where they were practicing something religious and even started to give to a very small age, Bible lessons.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; color: #e06666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">In vacacciones for Christmas, my parents sent me to my grandparents to enjoy the atmosphere, the lights, the carols .... And of course, I loved, it seemed everything beautiful.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; color: #e06666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; color: #e06666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">When I reach adolescence, I started to get away from everything about religion, when it was time for Bible classes, I wanted to go with my friends .... when the time came for religious ceremony in the morning of Sunday, I preferred to fall asleep.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; color: #e06666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">So in the end, my parents decided to send me to Spain to take my university studies.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; color: #e06666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #e06666; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">I felt really bad, I did not know anyone, and people did not act like I was used to. I felt out of place, confused. </span></span></span><span style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">In the university I met two Spanish girls, who seemed very nice, funny, a little crazy and I encourage to meet with them from time to time.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #e06666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #e06666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Through them I met my first husband with whom I married when I was 18 years old. He was of Nigerian origin, always with Bible in hand, prayed when he got up, before he sleeps and put on his best clothes to go to church on Sunday.</span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #e06666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">My family never accepted my husband, and that made me away from them. Then I thought we were happy, we travel, we went to restaurants, nightclubs, ...... even went to meet his family.</span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #e06666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">But that all changed once he obtained a stable residence in Spain, he came out, he was going to clubs and traveling .... while I was studying in the morning and working in the afternoon.</span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #e06666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">My husband became jealous, selfish, and especially violent. He beat me, for anything from whether I was late from the work , even if one day the food had too much salt...But his family always told me the same thing, if he hits you is because he loves you, if a man does not loves you he leaves you. And because I love him , and my estrangement from my family, I accepted and quiet.</span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #e06666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">But of course everything got more and more, he cheated me, he lied me .... and violence came to the point that the neighbors called the police. I wanted to get a divorce, but I did not know what to do next, ....where to go,... someone to turn to.</span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #e06666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">A day he cames home at midnight, drunk, he wake up me and asked me to come down and buy a bottle of alcohol, I had three hours to class. I refused and the battle began, I spent two days in hospital and he was arrested.</span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #e06666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span></span><br />
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; color: #e06666; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">I called my best friend from morocco, I explained her what happened and the next day her family sent me money to take a plane and go back to Morocco, I spent some years with them, seeing how lthe Muslim life was, the way they treated the mother , and how they treat neighbors, how women were respected... and then ................. Allah guided me to Islam.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #e06666; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> I recover contact with my family and after to get my divorce ,got married</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #e06666; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Today I make spanish dawah to Islam, and especially I try to show people what it is indicating in the Quran and Sunnah regarding women.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #e06666; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Alhamdulillah for everything, my past, my present, and my future in shaa Allah.</span></div>
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khadijahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12543326223405080665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370891511876746411.post-57727659419132918192012-12-14T19:41:00.000-08:002012-12-14T19:41:02.276-08:00How I became Muslim . <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 15.454545021057129px;">Salam Alaikum everyone, </span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 15.454545021057129px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 15.454545021057129px;">My journey to Islam was definitely a stressful but peaceful one. I felt peace in my heart but stress in my mind. So here is my story, I would describe myself as the normal American girl, I was new to the college scene and loving every second of it but I always felt something missing. I grew up in a really small town, with close minded people, you know the ones who call all arabs "terrorists", well I used to be one of the ignorant ones. Alhumdulillah, Allah guides whom he wills, and he guided me. . I grew up in a divorced family, and my mom re-married by the time I was 5 years old. I began having a really close relationship with my new step father and in time he became like a real father to me. I wasn't very close with my biological father so I always referred to my step father as being my biological one as well. So my mom is Christian, and my step father is Jewish. We would all go to Church on occasion, but we never really talked about religion nor learned about it. We were those people who always went only on special occasions, like Easter and homecoming. I remember when I would go to Sunday School and I would feel so out of place, and I couldn't understand the meaning to anything we discussed. I remember when I wanted to pray, I just put my hands together and would say "Thank you Jesus, Thank you God, .." Then I would ask for whatever I wanted. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 15.454545021057129px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 15.454545021057129px;">So by the time I was 16 I became very rebellious, I was spending a lot of time with my friends, out having fun, nothing too bad, but still not acceptable in my eyes now. I got in a bit of trouble, and I faced some challenges that some people would never have to face in their lifetime. I ended up leaving my parents house and moving to my grandparents during my senior year. After I graduated high school I began college where I had a class with a girl I went to high school with and we became close. We ended up staying together alot, and I became a bit wild. She began dating a Muslim at the university, and I was introduced to some of his friends. About a month before this I actually watched a documentary on MTV called "True Life: Resist the power of Saudi Arabia" I recorded it on TV and watched it many times, and I felt really bad for the people there. Growing up my parents also taught me that muslim women had no rights, and that we should feel sorry for them. I remember watching the news with my step father and he told me that if our troops left Iraq, who will be there to help the women? So anyways, I went with my friend and we began meeting many muslims at our university, mostly from Saudi Arabia, but one specifically I met first. I remember the questions I asked him first, which were so bad. He laughed and would show me things in the Quran, one of the first things he showed me was a hadith because I asked him about women in Islam. He showed me this : It was narrated by Abu Hurayrah that a man came to the Prophet and asked him: 'Who is most deserving of my close companionship?' He replied: “Your mother; your mother; your mother; then your father; then the next closest to you in kinship; then the one next closest.”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 15.454545021057129px;">After I read that, I felt alot better and began to read about Islam myself. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 15.454545021057129px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 15.454545021057129px;">For the next year and a half I read about Islam off and on, and I became more interested in it the more I read. I would always read about many religions, because I was seeking the right religion to practice, and I always came back to Islam. I knew that there was a God, but I just didn't know how to worship. I was seeking set laws to follow, I was seeking the real way of life. So as time went on I continued studying, partying, hanging out with my friends, and doing so many other things. I had many muslim men friends who were teaching me things about Islam, and finally they just told me "Its time", they said you need to go to the mosque, you have to do it, you're Muslim! So finally, I decided to go on a Friday, I drove there, and I arrived about an hour before Jummah. I watched everyone walk in, finally I walked up to two separate people, and they both ignored me, or said they are busy. So I remember going back to the car upset. I called my friend who encouraged me to go back to speak with the Imam. I sat in my car, because at this point I was scared and upset. After watching everyone walk out and leave the masjid, I saw a few people standing outside so I went and approached the masjid and was greeted by a man. I told him I was interested in Islam, and he told me to come back that evening to meet his wife, another American convert. I went back that night, and I ended up growing really close with this woman.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 15.454545021057129px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 15.454545021057129px;">About two weeks later, I took my Shahada, which was in September of 2011. After that I told my family, they weren't really surprised as they knew that I had muslim friends. My step father of course encouraged me to read the Torah and began giving me a lecture about Judaism and Israel stuff, and I asked him to read the Quran, which he refused. My parents completely rejected me being Muslim, they told me I was an embarrassment to our family, to our name, and all of that. They told me I was no longer invited to family gatherings, and I wasn't allowed to come to my brothers games. They told me I looked stupid wearing a scarf around my head. It was really hard at first, I remember crying and praying. I felt like an out of place when I was with my family. I remember it became so bad I thought about going back to before, I thought to myself, what if I just forget all of this, and go back to how things were before, and make it easier for me, and easier on my family. After I actually thought that to myself I came to a conclusion, I came to realization that the only religion for me is Islam, and the only religion I will ever follow is Islam. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 15.454545021057129px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 15.454545021057129px;">I realized that I have to be patient, and that Allah will make things easier for me. Everyday is a struggle, I admit, but it is completely worth it. I was looking for God, and I found exactly what I was looking for. I found Islam, the true path. I was looking for a way to worship God, and I found that in prayer. I remember hearing the Athan, and watching the prayer, and then understanding the prayer. Masha'Allah I just love it. I can't express the feeling I feel when I pray, I truly feel like I am worshipping Allah, my Creator. If I ever found something I didn't agree with about Islam, after I really thought about it, it is true and it is right, and it has meaning. I was looking for set laws and guidance, and Islam gave me that. Islam filled the place in my heart that was missing. Islam made me whole again.</span></div>
khadijahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12543326223405080665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370891511876746411.post-58310015824547407092012-11-24T20:16:00.003-08:002012-11-24T20:16:59.182-08:00a Korean sister becomes Muslim.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://israwang.blogspot.com/2012/10/shahadah-story.html" itemprop="url" rel="bookmark" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.3s; color: #333333; outline: none; text-decoration: initial;">Shahadah story</a></h1>
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<span lang="EN-US">Bismillahirrahmanirrahim</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Dear Diary.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Assalamu alaikum~</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Hi So-nyeo, yesterday a muslimah asked me about my convert story. And I realized that I haven't told you my convert story yet!! :O</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">So.. today I want to share my convert story.. :)</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Hmm.. firstly, before shahadah,</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I was a normal korean teenage student.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Just like others, Argue with family everyday, Eat all the food but always check the ‘kcal’! (afraid to get fat), Live without knowing the reason, Love the love, Struggle with this life. Study for exams, Use bad words, Want to commit suicide ‘sometimes’.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">And mostly, worry too much about how people will judge me.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I was just living like that.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">and.. once, I had some hardship.. so,, I tried to pray. you know, like a little wish.. after i wish, I suddenly thought, wait... ok I wished or prayed. but to <span style="color: red;"><b>WHOM</b></span>....? .. :p</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">it was a simple but massive shock to me. I didn't even think about that before. it just suddenly came to my head. 'to a star? to the moon? to the sun? or to the galaxy?... but they are all just following their rules. and there are sooo many galaxies in this space. then..who created that all? who created the rules? is that just a natural thing? is that possible to happen just by itself?'</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">well..suddenly.. my mind was so messed up.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Maybe there is a God. ok maybe I should start thinking with the theory which says there is a God? Huaaaa it’s just so complicated!!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Just like that, A massive question mark <b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">?</span></b> started jumping around like a little kid in my head..</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">well, anyway.. I needed to get back to my life.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I was at school just like other days. and.. oneday, one of my friends came to my class, just to chat with me.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">she said she started enjoying a website recently. and she is also learning english from that. It is a random chatting site. I can easily have fun in that site, no need to log-in. just enjoy the chatting with a stranger. can finish the chatting anytime I want.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I was curious and interested in that site.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Honestly, I met many crazy people there..:S but also many good people :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">I wasn't really used to it.. I mean talking with stranger and plus, it is in English.. :O. awkward awkward x1000.. but i was interested, with trying something new. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">after few days....i met 2 foreigners...</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">at the first time, honestly I didn't know about their country. so I was like. eh..? where is it?.. maybe in asia?'</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">to get to know them, I searched about it.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Religion -- Muslim : 88%</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Located in</span><span lang="EN-US"> Southeast Asia </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">so... Muslim. what is Muslim....?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">it led me to search 'Muslim'.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Muslim : a believer or follower of Islam...</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Islam...............?,...?,..?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Islam = Arab. they torture women, kill women and innocent people in cruel way, what about 9`11?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">so, Muslim = Terrorist!!! bad guys!!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">and.. did I just meet 2 terrorists??? what should I do?? oh no..,(I know it sounds so stupid, but I was really shocked. Lack of knowledge.. :p )</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">OK calm down.. let's just ask them first if they are muslims or not.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I asked.. and they said yes.....</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">but... I couldn't think they are terrorists..! no way.. (yea I was so immature. haha I was just about 13..i guess)</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I searched more about islam that day, they wanted to chat with me, but I couldn't.. just couldn't.. my heart was beating fast.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">all I could find was,,, bad news/articles.. I was.. so much scared.. but.. they are not like this..!! I don't think they reached me with some reasons..</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I was sooo confused. which one is right? media? or people that I met on the internet?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I said i'm confused to them.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">they.. didn't say anything, just sent me a youtube link.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">it was about islam.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I watched with a very curious/scary heart.. hehe</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">but I was still confused... -,- it's in english, and very serious video.. boring and difficult...</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">and looks not friendly. :p</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">so I just searched islam in korean for the one last time again..</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I found a site.. website. supported by Saudi Arabia.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Korean muslims and muslimahs answer at Koreans with the islamic questions.</span><br /><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;"><u>'oh yeah, it's an ISLAM thing, so maybe I need to ask a "muslim". not non-muslim.</u></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;"><u>like when we want to ask something, we ask people who ever experienced it before. :)'</u></span></span><br /><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;"><u><br /></u></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">so I started chatting with a korean muslimah about the islam./ involved with korea too.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">slowly.. my misunderstandings were gone,</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">the truth was remained alone..</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Honestly, I didn’t know much about islam that time, I just asked about the method and basics of islam and my misunderstandings. And I just felt like 'this is the right way. I need to go for it. I could find all the answers at my questions in islam. wow. it shows from how we should live to so many detail things. This is the true guidance for the mankind.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Now the pieces of my puzzle in my head started going to be in the place.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">felt like..</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I was lost in dark but finally see the sun rises , found a map and compass, know what is my goal and reason to travel this life..</span></div>
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khadijahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12543326223405080665noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370891511876746411.post-35185518051815743492012-11-14T11:02:00.000-08:002012-11-14T11:02:23.582-08:00A beautiful story . - Anonymous<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.7639676136896014" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My story begins when the day I was born. I was born on 26th of Ramadan, 2003 and I am now 33yrs old. My birth was the day I wore the hijab. Like so many, I was living life the wrong way. Life to me was more about materialism; what I wore and where I hung out identified whom I was. The soul purpose of living was merrily to graduate, work, get married and have fun in between. All my life I went to American schools and was brought up to morals and traditions but never to religion. The word “3eeb” or unethical was used more than the word “haram”. </span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The story began when I visited my brother in the States. He entered Islam in the right meaning approximately a year before I visited and since then educated himself so much in Islam. He was newly married to a wonderful girl whom wore the hijab. They tried more than once opening the subject of hijab and i more than once changed the subject or just disagreed with all they were saying. On our way to the airport my brother asked me why I don’t think of wearing the hijab. I told him im not ready and that its not what I think about doing any time soon, i even gave the excuse that i wont wear it soon cause i have shopped so much! I told him how I loved the way I dressed, the way I looked and the way I lived and that im not willing to change my life. He wanted me to listen to Amr Khalids tape about hijab. At that time Amr Khalid was a new Islamic figure whom talked about Islam directing his lectures especially to young people; many girls I know wore the hijab after hearing his lectures. So I told my brother that I didn’t want to listen to Amr Khalid, and that if I do listen to him and end up wearing the hijab it would be because of fear of what I heard and an act not coming out from my own will; and if I didn’t wear the hijab after listening to the tape it would mean that I have a tough harsh heart which I didn’t want to find out about myself. So I took the tape from him and threw it. </span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was the last few days for the month of Ramadan when I returned to Amman. My friends and I would meet up every day after Iftar to have a good time. Strangely, we spent a whole week talking about hijab. To didnt know why our conversations took that shape . I usually never discussed religion and it was never a topic that me and my friends brought up. That week was to what I could now explain to myself a preparation for me to what was yet to come.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the 25th of Ramadan, my friend opened the subject of hijab yet again and at that point I had enough. I couldn’t hear more about hijab so I asked her to stop talking and to change the subject. She asked me why i was being so aggressive, i answered that i was sick of this subject and that i will never wear it!! On the 26th of Ramadan, I was invited to one of my friends place for Iftar and the girls decided to go pray the taraweeh and qiyam. I have never prayed taraweeh or qiyam before. I did pray but never more than the five prayers a day. </span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I remember standing, bending, kneeling, standing, bending kneeling etc. just as a figure, no heart no soul. I looked around and saw most people crying and touched by the prayer, I felt envious. I wanted to feel what they felt and to cry like they cried. At that moment I asked Allah to soften my heart and open my soul. Towards the end of the prayers, I remember feeling like I was standing alone. Just me. I saw no one and heard just the voice of the Anse (the female Imam) and my crying. I cried and cried and cried. All I could think of was the hijab. I wanted to wear it, I wanted to cover myself, I wanted Allah to be proud of me. I was crying so much that i could not speak, i turned to my sister who was praying next to me and signaled with my hands that i wanted to wear the hijab. My sister, knowing me well, thought i was crazy and that I was just extremely affected by the prayer. She tried stopping me. At that moment I felt ready and took the chance that I knew might never come again. I headed, not wanting anyone to stop me, towards the Anse, whom I've never met before, to tell her that I wanted to wear the hijab. I remember very bleary my sister running after me trying to stop me yet again, trying to convince the Anse that I was just moved by the atmosphere. The Anse at that point was looking at both of us confused as to whom to listen to. I was so persistent at that point and so honest, that my sister and the Anse gave in. I went back home wearing the hijab. I went home that night with a veil covering my head, feeling like a new born girl.</span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I arrived home, I told the news to my parents. My dad merrily told me that I won't be the first girl whom wore the hijab and took it off later!! </span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I wont deny that I woke up the next day like waking up from a nightmare. I was so scared and so fragile. Although Ive never met the Anse or most of the girls that were at the prayer, and although I could have easily pretended as if my hijab incident never happened or was merely an innocent mistake, I insisted to wear it. I knew that I was strong and like most women, when we put our mind to something we will make it, and if we wanted or needed something we will fight to get it. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That morning, my dad lectured me about being too young, and that I had my whole life in front of me, that i should not limit myself now with covering myself! He told me I still had to travel, to work, to go out, to marry, to live! I defended my decision with the point that I can do all these while still wearing the hijab. I can walk freely and act freely with a clothe covering my head. I explained neither was i disabled nor paralyzed. I was merely a new me. A new me with a new meaning. This is my Jihad!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I had a rough 8 months, I battled with the idea of taking it off, I battled with people that thought I should take it off. Random people told me that the hijab was not a part of Islam nor was it written in the Quran. Which was absolutely ridiculous. A lot of people, i found, were against me and my hijab just so they can keep bottling their conscious. They didn't want anyone reminding them about Islam and what comes with being a good Muslim. They were trying to convince themselves more than to convince me about not wearing it. I battled with my sisters at home. I sometimes felt left out. I sometimes felt they didn't understand the new me.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There was even a guy i liked and was hoping that one day he might propose. We were becoming good friends. When i wore the hijab, he was shocked and after 2 weeks told me he would never think of marrying a Hijabi. To save my pride, i told him i knew that already and knew that his lifestyle would never work with a covered girl.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amazingly, i wasnt heartbroken at all. It was as if Allah has poured reassurance in me that i need not a guy like him. Our friendship gradually ended. I had many suitors proposing, after i put on the Hijab, surprisingly even more than before. I got married after 4 yrs to a wonderful man who shares the same religious outlook as me.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I went to my weekly Islamic lectures, which helped me stand strong thru my battles. I became a better Muslim. I read and studied more about Islam. I cut off many things that I did wrong. I gained new friends and left many old ones. In time, my relationship with my sisters became stronger. They often turn to me for advice. We go pray Tarawneh together every year. I felt stronger and became stronger. I learned not to be afraid to voice out the truth, and to voice out right from wrong. I gained extra confidence. My faith grew and my worries lessened. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I went thru times of weakness and times of strength, but it was all challenges to shape me into a better Muslimah!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ive told my story to so many people, but for some reason I still cry tears of joy every time I say it…</span></b></div>
khadijahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12543326223405080665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370891511876746411.post-47029469810864565222012-11-13T17:14:00.001-08:002012-11-13T17:14:04.971-08:00A lovely Sister.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: red; font-family: georgia, serif;">Khadijah: Assalamualaikum wa rahmatulahi wa barakatu dear sister! </span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: georgia, serif;">Please tell me about yourself (where are you from, what is your cultural background, what are you doing now, dislikes and likes? It doesnt have to be about Islam)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">Wa Alaikum salaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuhu :) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">Ameen to your dua and may Allah subhanahu wa ta'aala put barakah in this little da'wah project of yours! :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my little story, though I doubt whether it's all that interesting! :P </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">I'm from the Maldives, a tiny island nation in the Indian Ocean (the little dots at the tip of India if you look at the world map) and our islands are world-famous tourist destinations. One of the unique things about Maldives is that though it's quite isolated from the Middle East, it's an Islamic country and the state does not allow any other religion to be practiced within the country. Yep, to be a Maldivian citizen, you have to be a Sunni Muslim (nice huh? :))</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">So this means that for me, Islam has always been a fact of life as it is what I grew up with and I was rarely exposed to other faiths (aside from the TV you know?). The Maldivian culture is a blend of Islam and our ancient traditions, and to be honest, I really didn't know the difference between the two growing up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">I'm currently living in Sri Lanka, which is a little country neighboring to the Maldives. I moved here about five years ago to do some studies and at the moment, have no plans to go back, but Allah knows best :) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">Hmmm, likes and dislikes? That's a broad one, how do I answer that? As for likes - I love the ocean, babies laughter, reading, and oh yes, chocolate cake! I think chocolate cakes are little slices of warm and gooey happiness! As for dislikes - I don't find slapstick funny, hate icky creepy crawlies and have never liked the taste of the meat of four legged creatures.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Khadijah: What does Islam mean to you? Were you always religious?</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;"> No, I wouldn't say that I was always religious. Mainly because I never really knew what it was, what it signified for most of my life. Islam was something in the background. Like the sky. We know it's there, a constant in our lives, but we're barely aware of it and rarely takes the time to actually look up and see it. Really see it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">Growing up, religion or Islam meant happily parroting back the words of the Qur'an teacher, mumbling incomprehensible Arabic while standing with my mother in Salah and the magnificent feasts of Ramadan. Beyond that, I knew little and had even little interest in my religion.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: georgia, serif;">Khadijah : How did you enter into Islam? Was it a hard transition for you?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">It was through a sister actually. It was a girl I knew since first grade, but we weren't technically friends. Being in the same grade, we saw each other around school, but didn't interact more than that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">In our tenth year, our whole school saw her go through some drastic changes, she quit the school music band, started wearing hijab, etc... At the time I was as shell-shocked as the others because hijab was considered to be something "old" people wore, "religious stuff" were things old people did and it was a very alien concept for us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">During our eleventh year, one night after school, I accompanied a mutual friend of ours to her house because my friend wanted to get some books. While there, the sister asked me if I too would like a book and I thought they were talking about Mills n Boons or some kind of romance novels (because that's what everybody read as far as I knew and which I was majorly obsessed with).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">I said yes and she handed me Kitab At-Tawheed, by Sheikh Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab (rahimahullah).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">I remember standing on her doorstep and just staring at the book, thinking "Ohmigod, she did NOT just hand me a religious text! What kind of person read books about Islam?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">I felt totally weird and since it would be rude to say I didn't want to read it, I took the book home and stuck it in a drawer. After several days, I began to get curious about this "religious" book and wanted to see what was in it. At the time, I'd never even heard of Tawheed!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">Subhan Allah! That book was my salvation! I was one of those who cringed whenever religion came up in conversations, I would turn away whenever Qur'an came on the TV or Radio because it irritated me and rejected all my mother's efforts to get me to wear hijab. To this day, it amazes me the complete and utter turnabout which took place inside of me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">When Allah subhaanahu wa ta'aala chooses to guide someone, He does it in the most unexpected and amazing of ways, doesn't He? Mine is very simple compared to some others, but profound nonetheless. I'm eternally grateful that when He showed me the path, He started from the very beginning i.e. Tawheed! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">After the book, I tagged behind that sister like a shadow and she was the one who encouraged me, loaned me more books and helped me in the renewal of my Deen. I thought I was a Muslim, but that was when I truly discovered Islam, al-hamdulillahi!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">And yes, it wasn't an easy transition. My family was appalled and they feared I was becoming too radicalized. My mom once even threw me out of the house for daring to interact with niqabi sisters, who were deemed extremist and almost heretical at that time in the Maldives. Orthodox Islam was alien to the westernized and "moderate" Islamic society I grew up in.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">And though my convictions had altered fundamentally, changing my habits, my words, my actions, etc… and keeping myself from slipping back into the conformity of society was a struggle. A frustrating struggle. And it still is, but al-hamdulillahi I have come a long way from the beginning :)</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: georgia, serif;">Khadijah: Why do you think women are the most valued people in Islam?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">Well, I'm sure other people can give a more eloquent answer to this one, but for me, it's somewhat like the famous quote says "You educate a man, you educate one person. You educate a woman, you educate a nation." (I don't know who said this, do you? :S)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">Women are the cornerstone of the Ummah. Yes, it is the men who features center-stage in Islam, but behind the screen, it is the mothers, wives, daughters and sisters who shapes the men who go on to bring glory to Islam bi'ithnillahi.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: georgia, serif;">Khadijah: What is the Qur'an? What is special about it?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">How to describe the Qur'an in a few sentences? The Qur'an is the Final Revelation, the last message sent to mankind from the Creator, and the culmination of all the previous messages.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;"><span lang="en-US">The Qur'an is the Speech of Allah and hence, an Attribute of Him </span><span lang="ar-SA" style="direction: rtl;">سبحانه و تعالى</span><span lang="en-US">. It was revealed in the year 610 CE to the Prophet Muhammed (sallalaahu alayhi wasallam) and completed over a period of 23 years. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">These 23 years of revelation resulted in a book which comprised of 114 chapters and 6,666 verses. All of this was to become the primary source of law for the whole of mankind to live and die by. The impact of this book is such that Allah says that had it been revealed upon a mountain, it would crumble out of fear of Allah (Surah Al-Hashr 59:21).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">Before the Qur'an, none of the previous revelations sent were given the divine assurance of preservation, to remain unchanged till the end of time (Surah Al-Hijr 15:9). The language, the history, the science, the knowledge... all of which contained in the Divine Speech is truly amazing for those who reflect upon it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">You have to read, listen and ponder over it to find the miracle insha Allah :)</span></div>
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<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" value="1"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">Just like how you wouldn't take the measure of a perfectly crafted musical instrument by the one who plays it, or the measure of a perfectly horned sword by the one who wields it, do not take the measure of Islam by those who adhere to it. They are flawed, while Islam is not. Look at the authentic sources of Islam to know Islam.</span></li>
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<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" value="2"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">Islam is not a new religion founded by Prophet Muhammad (sallalaahu alayhi wasallam), rather Islam is the same truth that God Almighty revealed through all His Prophets to mankind in every time and place, from Adam to Noah, to Moses to Jesus and finally to Muhammad (sallalaahu alayhi wasallam), that is to worship Allah alone without any partners.</span></li>
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<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" value="3"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">Islam is not just a 'religion', in the sense that it is not merely about worshiping God as most other religions are about. Islam is a complete way of life, meaning it governs every aspect of life; moral, spiritual, social, economical, political, intellectual etc…</span></li>
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<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" value="4"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">The women in Islam are not oppressed just because you see them covering themselves. The Qur’an commands women to wear clothes that are different from those worn by men, because of the differences in the ways each sex is tempted by the other. It is a source of empowerment and precaution to the women. When dealing with the Islamic perspective of any topic, there should be a clear distinction between the normative teachings of Islam and the diverse cultural practices among Muslims, which may or may not be consistent with them. Besides, if nuns are not considered to be oppressed, why aren't Muslim women accorded the same justification?</span></li>
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<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" value="5"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">Jihad is a term that is often misunderstood and associated with violent radical militants. However, the word jihad means to "strive, struggle and exert effort." It is a central and broad Islamic concept that includes struggle against evil inclinations within oneself, struggle to improve the quality of life in society, struggle by military forces in the battlefield for self-defense or fighting against tyranny or oppression.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">There are many and picking a favorite is kind of hard. But a verse that always uplifts me and makes me feel better is:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">Say: "O 'Ibadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: verily, Allah forgives all sins. Truly He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">[Surah az-Zumar - 39:53]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">The deen with Allah is Islam, and He does not accept any other religion from His slaves. Islam is the original message that has been repeatedly delivered to mankind throughout the history of humanity. All the Prophets and Messengers that Allah sent came to revive this message and bring humanity back on track.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">Of course over time, this message has been corrupted and distorted by various factions, such as the Jews and the Christians. This is why you see similarities along with glaring differences between the two and Islam. Then there are those who simply refused to accept this message and insisted on venerating their idols and mosquitoes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">In Islam, some exceptions are made for Christianity and Judaism in some areas (both being People of the Book i.e. the original Torah and Gospel being divinely inspired before they ruined it), but all other polytheistic and pagan religions are staunchly rejected.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">This does not mean Islam is intolerant. While Islam does not give any importance to other religions and severely warns against them, Allah subhanahu wa ta'aala does admonish us not insult or mock what other people worship. Because then they in their ignorance will revile Allah subhanahu wa ta'aal in return. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;">One of the fundamental rules of Islam is that there is no compulsion in religion. We can only give advice and information, but it is Allah who guides whom He wills. This is why if you look into Islamic history, you will see that minority faiths were actually treated with dignity and respect under the Islamic state.</span></div>
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khadijahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12543326223405080665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370891511876746411.post-60784111777254435102012-10-17T18:14:00.005-07:002012-10-17T18:19:10.394-07:00I'm Joia and this is my story.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Khadijah: Assalamualaikum wa rahmatulahi wa barakatu, thank you sis for choosing share your story, please tell us more about youself.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #6000bf; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Wa alaikum Assalaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6000bf; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">It is a pleasure to do so. Well, I’m a 20 something American recent revert from Christianity. I like to travel when I can, sky watch, write poems, spend time with family, learn about Islam, cook, online shop, buy scarves and natural products, and I like cheesecake. I don’t in particular care for close minded people, crickets, gossip, and negativity. I am about an hour and half from of <u></u><u></u><u></u>Philadelphia<u></u><u></u>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Khadijah: Describe to my what your life(style) was like prior to Islam.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #6000bf;">Prior to Islam I guess you could say I was a good girl with bad habits. J</span><span style="color: #6000bf;"> I went out occasionally, but was still conservative. When I first was the legal age to drink, I went out often and would dance and indulge, but a couple years later that scene just got old. I stopped partying and drinking less and less. Plus I’m from a small town so you see the same people and I started maturing Allhamdulillah. I was always spiritual, but not upon the right guidance.</span><u></u><u></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Khadijah: How did you learn about Islam, how did you know it was the right religion for you?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #6000bf; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I learned about Islam through a classmate in a class I was supposed to take two semesters ago and happened to be in the same project group, Subhan’Allah. Allah is the best of planners. I had started going to church and wanting to get closer to God. I was thinking maybe I could get my classmate to go to Bible study and learn about Christianity and think he would change his mind about Islam. Plus I was just curious to why he practiced Islam and not Christianity at the time. I didn’t know much about either religion except for that with Christianity, Jesus (pbuh) “died for our sins” and if you believed in that you were “saved.” All I knew about Islam was that the men had beards, the women covered, and I thought Allah was some distant God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #6000bf; font-family: inherit;">I knew it was the right religion for me after doing research about Christianity and Islam. I was just shocked about the history of Christianity and its fabrications that I never knew occurred. As my classmate told me more about Islam and the more I researched it was the changing of my heart that I knew it was for me. I always had an open mind and pondered about things. I used to cry (still do) and just be enthralled about the truthfulness of Islam. I was a little nervous at first and didn’t know what to do, knowing you have something in your heart that you believe and knowing family and friends would oppose it. I knew it was something I had to do for my soul. It was a struggle for months with different things going on in the dunya with my life, but Allhamdulillah. Allah showed his mercy and chose me! On July 7, 2012 I took shahada and was relieved.<u></u><u></u></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Khadijah: What is Ramadan and what did you do for it?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #6000bf; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Ramadan is a month of mercy and blessings! It is a time to really focus on your worship with Allah as well as come together with the Ummah. Participate in deeds in hopes of getting great reward like feeding the poor, helping the needy and sick. Most importantly you’re staying away from negativity, media, and fasting for the sake of Allah (s.w.t). Insha’Allah we all continue the same behavior even though Ramadan passed.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6000bf; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">During that month I went to the masjid a lot and prayed, met up with a Muslimah friend of mine and was learning different things since I had took shahada just a couple weeks before, and just focused on my worship with Allah, and was truly grateful. It was a blessing to be apart of that beautiful month.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Khadijah: What are some differences and similarities you found about Christianity and Islam </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #6000bf; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #6000bf; font-family: inherit;">Well both Christianity and Islam are two out of three of the Abrahamic faiths. Both believe in a deity, Jesus/Isa (as), heaven, hell, prophets, angels, revelations, etc. Islam is based on Tawheed, the Oneness of God. No other deities or objects are worthy of worship except Allah and Allah’s many attributes and names. Every person has a fitra and is born knowing there is One God to be adored, worship, obeyed. It is our families and society which alter that and we grow up believing a different religion if our families are not already Muslim. Isa (as) is one of the 5 greatest prophets. He was born of a miraculous, virgin birth to Maryam who was one of the greatest women to walk the earth, who was righteous and modest to the highest degree. Jesus/Isa (as) spoke in the cradle while still an infant and was a servant to Allah. He raised the dead and healed the sick through the permission of Allah. He was not God, the Son of God, or part of a Trinity which is the Christian belief. In Islam we pray 5 times a day in the remembrance of the most Merciful. When I was Christian I didn’t pray any certain time and didn’t prostrate to my creator.<u></u><u></u></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Khadijah: What would you tell your Christian family if you could invite them to Islam?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #6000bf; font-family: inherit;">If I could invite my Christian family to Islam I would tell them I would like to see you all in <u></u>Paradise<u></u> so you could see things you never imagined and to enjoy eternity with no hunger, or tiredness. I would tell them Islam is the religion of mercy and not what you see or hear in the media. I would tell them the Prophet (saws) was the greatest man to walk the earth and not the slander and blasphemy you hear about in the media.<u></u><u></u></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Khadijah: What are some typical misconceptions about Islam that you think people need to know?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #6000bf; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">People need to know that women in Islam are not oppressed and to not confuse culture with religion. Women have many rights that they didn’t have before Islam. Women have a lot of freedom and we choose to wear hijab and niqab. Women are protected in Islam.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #6000bf; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">There is no such thing as Islamic Terrorist. Once again don’t judge a whole religion on a group of people. There are people in other religions who did some type of cruel act, it doesn’t make it okay for people to say, “All those (religion inserted here) are murderers.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #6000bf; font-family: inherit;">Please do your own research!<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #6000bf; font-family: inherit;">Jazak’Allah khair sissy for allowing me to share and isha’Allah I’ll be starting my own blog. Allahu Allem when!J. If any sisters want to contact me please do! Leave a comment or contact Khadijah! Assalaamau alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu.</span></span></div>
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khadijahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12543326223405080665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370891511876746411.post-64840876720696386082012-10-17T18:14:00.004-07:002012-10-18T18:29:07.991-07:00My name is Sarah<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Khadijah: assalamualaikum wa rahmatulahi wa barakatu dear sis! thank you for taking the time sharing your story.</div>
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Sarah: Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem.</div>
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Assalamu alaikum. </div>
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I am an English, white revert. Brought up in a white working class neighbourhood on the outskirts of Manchester with hardly any cultural diversity to speak of. </div>
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I have been a Muslim for 4 years now alhamdulillah and I live in The Gambia (West Africa) with my husband and 2 year old son :)</div>
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I'm a bit of a news junky, politics too esp when it concerns the Ummah. </div>
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I love learning new things about our beautiful religion all the time mashallah. </div>
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Khadijah: Before you became Muslim, what was your life(style) like?</div>
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Sarah: It was a typical "living for the weekend" type life. I wasn't a party animal by any means, but I often felt all "what's the point? There's gotta be more to life.." As I didn't know the answers, having fun with friends seemed like a good place to start. </div>
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I knew nothing about religion, I guess I was atheist in my youth and agnostic in early adulthood :)</div>
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Khadijah: How did you find out about Islam? How did you become Muslim?</div>
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Sarah: I was introduced by a man I met. At that time I'd actually started to believe in "something"and doing a little research & soul searching. </div>
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After attending a sisters circle at my local mosque for about 2 years,I finally took my shahaddah in August 2008 alhamdulillah.</div>
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Khadijah: How can you tell someone who doesn't believe in a Creator , that there is in fact ONE?</div>
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Sarah: It's a tricky one :) I an remember how it feels when you don't believe in God, I'm not sure what any person could have said to me to change my mind. </div>
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I think the beauty of creation is a good place to start, esp with those who appreciate it. </div>
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Sarah: I'd probably encourage them to be open minded and learn about the world. It's too easy to get caught up in the meaningless & material when you are young. </div>
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The less ignorance there is, the easier people can appreciate each others cultures, faith etc. </div>
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Sarah: Of today? Hmm. I really appreciate the Dawah efforts of people like sister Myriam Francois Cerrah & brother Mohammed Ansar in the UK. </div>
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I see many good examples of patience and strength in victims of oppression, such as the Palestinians for example. People under pressure that we can never fully appreciate in the west but still manage to carry on with dignity mashallah. </div>
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The only one worthy of the title "role model" however is our prophet,peace be upon him. </div>
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Khadijah: What do you think about the recent events of the slandering of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), what kind of advice would you give to non-Muslims, and Muslims? </div>
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Sarah: Like the rest of the Ummah I am appalled by them. </div>
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I genuinely don't understand how people can be so deliberately offensive to anyone, let alone to over a billion people who they don't even know, nor care to know. </div>
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Under the protection of "freedom of speech" people are able to offend & provoke anyone they like. </div>
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I think the fact that they chose to do so says a lot about them & the morals of society as a whole. </div>
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It's easy for us to say, away from the wider context of the violent protests, that we should rise above it, but we should try to follow the examples of patience shown by Mohammed (saw)</div>
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That's what he would want from us. </div>
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As for non Muslims, I would hope the majority will be open minded enough to use the recent controversies to learn the truth about Islam. </div>
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We can only help encourage this by being the best example of Muslims that we can inshallah. </div>
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May Allah reward your efforts inshallah!</div>
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Assalaamu alaikum!</div>
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Sarah x</div>
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khadijahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12543326223405080665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370891511876746411.post-125839593186433902012-10-17T18:14:00.001-07:002012-10-17T18:14:11.674-07:00I am Anonymous<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>"Assalamualaikum, probably a bit of a boring story - but I will share.</i></div>
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<i>I had just moved into an apartment with my sister and our boiler broke so the landlord had to get a new one - he asked one of the other tenants (neighbour) to help him carry it into our apartment, this tenant was my future husband!</i></div>
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<i>After speaking a few times with my new found friend (the other tenant) I found out that he was Muslim, which intrigued me. I then started reading as much as I could about Islam from the local University library, as the main library didn't have much!</i></div>
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<i>I had been a practising Christian all my life, even though my parents were not. When I was 18 I stopped going to Church as there were too many hypocrites attending the Church. I believed in God but found I was not finding the right way to follow his path from the Church. <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> I was so upset at the lack of support from Christian friends and the hypocrisy of the church members that they actually pushed me away from the faith because I didn't believe they were truly following the religion of God.</span></i></div>
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<i>I decided to stop drinking alcohol and eating pork for a while to see how that was and found that it wasn't difficult at all. I then decided that if I can stop these things then it shouldn't be too hard to practice the religion fully. I chose not to tell any of my family about my choices at first. I then made the decision to become Muslim and have never regretted it. <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">I have always been a people person so I don't think my personality changed that much - I did start to see things a bit more clearly because I made more of an effort in helping others for example because this is important is Islam.</span> Three months after reverting I married my friend, this was about 21 months after our first meeting.</i></div>
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<i>We have been married nearly 15 years now and have 3 children. My family have accepted that we are Muslim. They are not practicing Christians but like to call themselves Christian and don't want to know anything about Islam, but generally it doesn't cause too many problems between us. <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">The Muslimahs I have met have all been so welcoming and so helpful which was quite a shock to me. Even the Muslimahs I interact with online are always so thoughtful and caring it really is like a large family of friends.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">My favourite things about Islam would be the way that we pray. In Christianity I prayed probably only once a week at church, however in Islam we pray 5 times a day so we have more chance to remember Allah and the good things that Islam has to offer. I love Ramadan even though my Christian family think this is the worst! Fasting and remembering others who are starving is a reminder to us all of our need to help others in this world.</span></i></div>
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<i>Anonymous xo"</i></div>
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khadijahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12543326223405080665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370891511876746411.post-37237962334770642212012-10-17T18:13:00.006-07:002012-10-17T18:13:46.449-07:00Anonymous<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">" I am not the kind of emotional person much more like realistic, thus reading much more and more was my tool as human and praying to get a satisfying answer was my need as a believer, so I thought let's try this thing I will search again about the most true religion, Judaism, Christianity or Islam and accept the most realistic one as my faith that I will meet God with it on the judgment day and take the responsibly of my choice then!</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">And as a researcher, I found that the most religion that respects human minds with facts, philosophy, science & real examples from life is Islam and at that moment I declared that I am a Muslim by choice not by inheritance, & maybe this is why those how convert to Islam do have much more ajar than those who have been born as a Muslim, It's the searching of the truth reward!</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">I would like to give thesethree headlines that will summarize the facts which leaded me to this result, as follow:</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">1 - In the new Judaism of our days, God has many human characters & this is not fair, How come a justifying God ask a Jew to be good with Jews only? But it is fine to kill, steal a human or even rape a woman from other religion? </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">In Quran we are all called " nafs " a soul and we are all treated with the same rights & duties but the only difference is the person's attitude to obey or reject God's rules & by that only comes the differentiation in results among humans.</span></i></div>
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<i>2 - In new Christianity the <span style="line-height: 16px;">doctrine of the t</span><span style="line-height: 16px;">rinity never made me feel </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">respectful</span></span><span style="line-height: 16px;">! I mean how come one person become three, one of those three is a God!! This is not a fictional story, this is a religion which feeds the soul, and yes I read the Bible and </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">discussed</span></span><span style="line-height: 16px;"> many issues with my </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Christine</span></span><span style="line-height: 16px;"> friends which I am proud of their </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">friendship</span></span><span style="line-height: 16px;"> but this faith, Christianity, had been under much & much distortion from many heathen religions, you can read the history & find out all about starting from the real time of </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Jesus</span></span><span style="line-height: 16px;"> Christ birthday and the story of the </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Christmas</span></span><span style="line-height: 16px;">!</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="line-height: 16px;">3 - In Quran I found no double meanings stories, One God one </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">messenger</span></span><span style="line-height: 16px;">, and respect to all souls ( animals, plants & humans ) as well as respect to all religions & </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">freedom</span></span><span style="line-height: 16px;"> to chose but with that freedom comes the </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">responsibility</span></span><span style="line-height: 16px;"> at the judgment day to answer Allah's questions.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="line-height: 16px;">In Islam you have to read the period before Islam in the Arab world, and even in the European world too to understand how blessing was its arrival, and compare women rights with what it mentioned in Quran and what it mentioned in the other religious book like the Bible, you'll find out what Islam made of a woman. ( Note: this is a research not a debate, I read the Bible & Quran & based upon my readings I'm </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">writing</span></span><span style="line-height: 16px;">! ) </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="line-height: 16px;">Those were my short & on hand </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">findings</span></span><span style="line-height: 16px;"> through searching for two years about the ultimate truth, and Alhamdulliah Islam for me is the ultimate truth comparing to what I found in the other Holy Books. But it is highly worth to mention that many ( Muslim or non Muslim ) would ask if Islam is the ultimate truth why Muslims situation in life on Earth are that much </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">downward?</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="line-height: 16px;">The answer is totally simple,First </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Muslims</span></span><span style="line-height: 16px;"> current </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">s<wbr></wbr>ituation</span></span><span style="line-height: 16px;"> was not a </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">permanent</span></span><span style="line-height: 16px;"> and will never stay a </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">permanent</span></span><span style="line-height: 16px;"> too, It's life with it's ups & downs read history and you will be proud to know about the Islamic contribution in building the human being </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">heritage</span></span><span style="line-height: 16px;">, Second, some Muslims nowadays are offending themselves & their religion too. Take an example: Dose </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Christianity </span></span><span style="line-height: 16px;">encourage </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">ad<wbr></wbr>ultery</span></span><span style="line-height: 16px;">? Of course not, but you find it everywhere with it negative </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">consequences</span></span><span style="line-height: 16px;"> on the </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Christian</span></span><span style="line-height: 16px;"> society, & the same for Muslims who are living a faraway life style of Islamic rules and never count for the judgment day!</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><i>I pray to God the Ultimate power to guide us all to his right path.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><i>Walsalm Alykom Wa Rahmato Alla Wa Barakato.</i></span></span></div>
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<i>Your Sister,</i></div>
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<i>Anon."</i></div>
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khadijahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12543326223405080665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370891511876746411.post-87468301761272945662012-10-17T18:11:00.000-07:002012-10-17T18:11:45.727-07:00I am Dounia and I'm from Canada.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">DOUNIA is a Revert to Islam as of august 2nd 2011, French Canadian Jamaica, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">former Roman Catholic and attended Catholic school her entire life from Ontario, Canada, Currently in Alberta. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Sciences.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: inherit;">Dounia: I was kinda everywhere, more spiritual even though I knew alot/more then I should now about my faith... after my grandmother passed away religion went too. But I could never accept that a man could be a god. It's like believing in Greek mythology. And I knew all too well about that stuff too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: inherit; line-height: 15px;">Dounia: I was searching for God... My mother accused me of being muslim long before I ever even considered it all because I refused the idea of Jesus (pbuh) to be a god. So, I became more religious in my Catholic beliefs, started to attend bible studies and reciting the rosary. Trying my best to get in tune with my faith. I was surrounded by alot of anger towards myself and those around me. I was very unhappy with my life and wanted something better for myself. What intrigued me the most is the confusion and mystery of Islam... Not every muslim was portraying a muslim-like character whether it be a good or bad behaviours nothing was clear to me and that pushed me to find the truth once and for all! I perticularily wanted to know the position of women in Islam and the reason for wearing a head scarf or the face veil. My research lead me to have a sens of empowerment if I were to adopt this new way of life. I would no long be a slave to society... just a slave of Allah SWT.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: inherit; line-height: 15px;">Dounia: The things that I love about salat (there are many) is that you have that one-on-one time with Allah (God). You don't have to wait to see priest, its directly to Him. You have to concentrate and do it properly or else it doesn't count. I'm always striving to perfect my salat. Prayer is BIG because it gives you the opportunity to give thanks to your Creator. People may think that 5 times a day is alot but in reality it's not at all. Imagine you seeing your best friend 5 times in one day you would be happy and take the time to talk to her right? Well it's the same thing with Allah.. A simple check to say HI and Thank. Lastly, prayer will increase you overall faith, mood and outlook on your life. If you think for one second that God doesn't listen to you... you are wrong!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: inherit;">Dounia:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: inherit;">One of the many reasons why I chose Islam as my belief and new way of life is because of the highly regarded role women have in the muslim society contradictory to what the media portrays and to the stardards of some "Islamic" countries. Islam teaches that women have a voice and a say on all counts. I'm a feminist myself and I truely believe that if the "Feminist" of Western Society would adopt the Islamic teaching the majority of their problem would eleviated. Now as for women being oppressed in Islam, honestly, NO they are not oppressed it's the environment in which they are living in that can be oppressing.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: inherit; line-height: 15px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: inherit; line-height: 15px;"><i>Khadijah: What personal experience do you remember the most when you became Muslim</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: inherit;">Dounia: I felt at peace FINALLY! Like a big weight was lifted off my shoulders. All mysteries solved!!! Alhamdulillah!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: inherit; line-height: 15px;"><i>Khadijah: If you could give advice to the youth of today (Muslims and non-Muslims) what would it be?</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: inherit;">Dounia: To the "muslims" who aren't taking Islam seriously : Don't follow your culture and what your traditions to a "T"... most of the time it was something invented that has nothing to do with Islamic... Do research on what Islam is really about:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: inherit;"> </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: inherit;"><u>Sunnah and Qur'an</u></strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: inherit;">. I don't care what anyone says about the last statement!!! Stop being so shy and ashamed of the gift of being a muslim given to you. Stop living for this Dunya obsessing over it and start living and obsessing over the Akhira! Just think of the role models you have in your life... what have they done in the name of Allah SWT? If the answer is zero/nothing/nada then it's time to find a new one. Just because your a muslim doesn't you have a first class ticket into Junnah. Honestly, as a revert, my heart bleeds for the Ummah and what it has become.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: inherit;">To the non-muslims: 99% of the time you fear what your entourage will say if you even mention that you're interested in Islam and yes you risk losing them. BUT, they will need time just as you did to accept it. Also, the thing about being muslim is that we (the ummah) are a bigger family... You will never be alone, people will throw themselves at you to help you on your new path. And If it is in your heart just accept it and take your time with things... If you make the good intention God will see it and help you in your life's struggles. If you have any questions about life Islam has the answer. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: inherit;">Khair In sha'a Allah</span></div>
khadijahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12543326223405080665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370891511876746411.post-78365281457094831952012-10-17T18:09:00.002-07:002012-10-17T18:09:50.016-07:00I'm from Australia and Anonymous<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">Khadijah: Assalamualaikum wa rahmatulahi wa barakatu sissy! Thank you for taking the time to participate in PROJECT INVITATION! May Allah grant this project a success Ameen! Please tell me a bit about yourself (where you are from, your cultural background, likes and dislikes -doesnt have to be Islam related) </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">W’alaykum salam wa rahmatulahi wa barakatu. Thank you for giving me a chance to tell my story and inshaAllah give some insight into why so many young women of various unlikely backgrounds are accepting Islam.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">I am a 22 year old Australian woman residing within a small town south of Sydney. I am currently studying Communications part time at university whilst working full time. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">First and foremost I love Islam, as well as reading, writing, travelling, languages, cooking and a million other things. I write a blog named the Camel and the Kangaroo (</span><a href="http://www.thecamelandthekangaroo.wordpress.com/" rel="nofollow nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">www.thecamelandthekangaroo.wordpress.com</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">) about the complexities of being married to a Saudi man, specifically dealing with the ‘marriage permission’ process necessitated by the Saudi government. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">Khadijah: What did you know about religion prior to Islam?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">My mum is a lapsed Catholic and my dad is a staunch atheist so I was not raised in any religion. The only exposure I ever had to religion growing up was through the Christian scripture lessons we had to take in primary school but they had very little impact on me. Generally, I was raised in an environment ambivalent to religion at best and hostile to it at worst. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">However, once in my teens I took a casual interest in Buddhism and later Judaism, Eastern Orthodox strains of Christianity and of course Islam.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">Khadijah: How did you find out about Islam and what were your first impressions on the religion? How did you take your shahadah?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">I think my first real introduction to Islam was through events such as 9/11. Before that, I had never even heard of Islam. I remember not long after 9/11, crying the night before flying out for a family holiday because I was convinced Muslims would blow our plane up. Later, as an arts student at university, Islam was at the centre of the discussions taking place in fields such as history and politics and I became interested in what sort of people could commit such atrocities. I found it very difficult to believe that a major world religion could really be as barbaric and hateful as popular opinion seemed to suggest. So, being an avid reader, I decided to do my own research. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">I was an agnostic and a passionate and somewhat radical feminist at the time, very much influenced by my environment so at first some Islamic beliefs were difficult for me to accept. I resisted the existence of God for quite a while as I had always been told that people who believe in God did so out of ignorance or weakness. However, once I examined the beliefs I held, I found that they weren’t truly my own but rather what I had been told to believe by others or what, out of lack of options, I had previously thought was the best solution available for issues such as those pertaining to women’s rights. I didn’t have much knowledge of Islam at that time as I didn’t know any Muslims and I had yet to discover the wealth of literature by Muslim authors, but I knew instinctively that accepting Islam was the right thing to do. In March 2009, I said shahada by myself in my bedroom. I didn’t even know that I had to perform ghusl (full body ritual cleansing). </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">Khadijah: Tell me something interesting about yourself that you noticed after you became Muslim.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">I struggled with clinical depression throughout my teenage years. I was put on anti-depressant medication and made to see a counsellor but nothing worked. I knew a lot of other people like me. Most of them were also atheists or agnostics who could not find a cure for their depression. So many of them were highly intelligent individuals with a lot of potential but their illness crippled them. Many ended up on suicide watch and/or self-medicating with drugs. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">I now see that none of the doctor’s prescriptions were effective because they didn’t address the root cause of the depression which was the fact that I didn’t believe there was any point to my existence. If you do not believe there is any meaning to life, you have no reason to persevere through life’s many trials. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">Since accepting Islam I have undergone some decidedly unpleasant trials but the difference is that I now have strength of purpose, which I feel, with the help of God, will allow me to bear almost anything that befalls me. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">Popular Western opinion has gotten it tragically wrong – Islam is not the problem, it is in fact the long sought after solution to the problems we face on both the global and individual levels. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">Khadijah: If you could tell a Non-Muslim about Islam what key things would you want them to know?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">A lot of people are confused about what exactly we worship and who Allah is. Allah is simply the Arabic word for God – we believe in God. We do not believe Jesus (peace be upon him) or anybody or anything else is God or contains God in any way. We do not worship the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him). We also do not worship Makkah or the ka’aba. We worship God alone and in fact this is part of the shahada which we say in our prayers as well as in the proclamation required to become Muslim.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">We honour and respect many of the figures present in the other Abrahamic religions such as Jesus, Moses, Abraham etc (peace be upon them all). The difference is that we believe they are prophets. We believe the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the final messenger and prophet.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">Muslim women are not oppressed by Islamic teachings, if they are oppressed by anything it is cultural and political practices which are mistakenly associated with, but are actually foreign to Islam. Muslim women have their own minds, bodies, and souls and are capable of making their own decisions in life – including the choice to practice their religion by wearing abaya, hijab and/or niqab. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">Islam is not a religion which advocates violence, except in circumstances where it is absolutely necessary. The actions of Muslims are unfortunately not always reflective of Islam and its teachings. Islam is perfect – Muslims, as human beings, are not.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">Khadijah: Why do you think it's necessary for women to wear the hijab (head covering)?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">It is necessary because Allah stated that it is obligatory for all Muslim women to wear it in the Qur’an. It is also heavily supported in the sunnah of our Prophet (peace be upon him). The definition of a Muslim is one who submits to the will of God so that is what we must do when He makes something obligatory upon us. Having said that, it is not always easy – although I cover the rest of my body correctly with abaya, I do not yet wear hijab ‘full time’ due to issues with my family. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">In general though, I find that wearing hijab and covering your body in front of unrelated men is liberating. This was one part of Islam which I immediately understood as a feminist. I found, and continue to find it humiliating, when men openly look at women’s bodies. Some women like this attention but in reality they are enjoying their own sexual objectification. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">The fact of the matter is that men are visual beings and they are more sexually oriented than females. There is no shame in this - it is simply reality. If you are wearing something which emphasises the shape of your body, men are going to have a lot of trouble appreciating any part of you other than that. However, if you are wearing hijab and covering your body in such a way that it does not show your shape, it sends a strong message that you are a woman to be respected and your sexuality is not public property.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">Khadijah: Quote your favourite verse from the Qur'an </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">This is my favourite at the moment:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">“And whosoever is conscious of Allah, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him. (65:2-3)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.199999809265137px; line-height: 14px;">I find it to be an inspiring reminder of how God grants us an escape from our problems even when we believe there is no way out. </span><br />
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khadijahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12543326223405080665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370891511876746411.post-40673612085772380642012-10-17T18:00:00.000-07:002012-10-17T18:00:02.787-07:00My name is Ruhina, I'm 13.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Khadijah: Assalamualaikum wa rahmatulahi wa barakatu sis! Thank you so much for taking the time to participate in my small project! May Allah grant it success and may it blossom into something great Ameen! Please tell me a bit about yourself (your age, your cultural background, likes and dislikes - doesnt have to be Islamic)</div>
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Ruhina: Wa Aleikum as salaam, may Allah SWT bless you for making this project! My name is Ruhina, I am 13 years old, and i am Russian/Romanian/Irish. I guess thats just a bunch of types of white, but my dad is Jewish and my mom is Catholic so there is a lot of cultural and religious diversity in my family. I love to read, write, learn about Islam, and pray. I dislike the phrase YOLO--You Only Live Once. Instead, I use YOLT--You Only Live Twice. </div>
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Khadijah: How did you find out about Islam? When did you become Muslim?</div>
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Ruhina: I found out about Islam in a very short time period. I guess it started when I was 9 years old, when my best friend moved to the neighborhood. She wore hijab, and I never asked about it until I was 11, in the summer between when I started 5th grade and was going into middle school. We became very close and both read a book called "The Faith Club." After that, we started talking about religion a lot, and suddenly she emailed me asking me if I wanted to convert to Islam (later, she told me that she could tell I was interested in Islam because I asked so many questions). I declined, but thought that if I say no, I should at least learn about the religion so I knew why. After that, I went on a website called <a href="http://islamreligion.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">islamreligion.com</a> and literally read hundreds of articles about Islam. At that point I knew I wanted to became Muslim. At first I said that I was going to convert when I was 18, but the number slowly moved down as I learned more and more. Once I read about family in Islam, about how everybody has a role, I decided I wanted to convert as soon as possible. Also, I met many online converts--some from Israel, Norway, England, and Turkey, and realized how large this Ummah is. This just made me more determined. Then, after around 4 months about learning about Islam, from December 2011 to April 2012, I said my Shahada via phone with a brother from Saudi Arabia, on April 3, 2012. It was a day I will never forget. </div>
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Khadijah: What do you think makes Islam such a beautiful religion?</div>
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Ruhina: I think the reason it is so beautiful because it is pure. There is only One God, Allah SWT and nothing really that is hard to understand about it. It pretty much takes into account all of humanity--because there were Prophets sent to each tribe. I also think the concept of family in Islam is very beautiful! </div>
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Khadijah: How do your parents feel about Islam? Do you have any struggles you face with them? How do you deal with the struggles?</div>
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Ruhina: My parents do not accept my reversion to Islam. We don't really talk about it too much, and they try to ignore it. They are pretty much against it because I am so young, and try to make me feel bad for being interested in Islam. I try not to get into any big arguments, because I have to live with them for 6 more years before I go to college inshaAllah. </div>
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Khadijah: If you could tell your parents about Islam , what would you say to them?</div>
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Ruhina: I would tell them that it is a very beautiful religion, and there is One God. That is the most important thing, there is only one God, and everything else comes after that. Also, I would like to tell them all of the miracles of the Quran. I think that after that, they would understand Islam so much more instead of just thinking about the thing that "ruined" their perfect daughter. </div>
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Khadijah: What is your favourite verse from the Qur'an?<br />
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Ruhina: "My prayer, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the Worlds" Al-Anam 162 </div>
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Khadijah: What do you think about the recent events of our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) and what advice would you give to the Muslims and non-Muslims? </div>
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Ruhina: I think it is horrible that the video was made, and I am extremely offended by it as I love the Prophet SAWS more than anyone except Allah SWT. Although, this could also turn into a blessing because people inshaAllah will want to know about the real islam. Non-Muslims, I would say that this is not the true Islam, and the Prophet SAWS is amazing, you just have to gain knowledge about him. And to Muslims, I would say, that violent protesting is not what the Prophet SAWS would do, and if you are protesting against a harsh video about Muslims, then you should not be harsh yourself and instead prove them wrong by being peaceful. </div>
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JazakAllah for giving me the chance to be interviewed on the blog and I hope this artical is beneficial inshaAllah! </div>
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khadijahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12543326223405080665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370891511876746411.post-4680730534144891062012-10-17T17:59:00.001-07:002012-10-17T17:59:32.394-07:00Noor from Norway.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span lang="EN-US">Background</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><br />I’m a 20 year old girl born and raised in Norway, by Christian parents. In my hometown there are 7 churches and no mosques, and hardly any Muslims. My family has never been very religious but I was thought to believe in Jesus Christ as my Savior. And I didn’t really question Christianity while growing up. All my family members and others around me were Christians. It was just natural – ‘the way it was’. Still, I accepted Islam one week before I turned 19. Alhamdulillah (all praise & thanks be to God).<br /></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US">What happened?</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><br />Last year of high school my best friend in class, who happened to be a Muslim (from Kosovo), got very enthusiastic about discussing religion. She was very happy for and proud of her own, and wanted to know where I was regarding mine. She asked me questions like “You believe in the Trinity? How does it work? What does the Bible say about such-and-such?” This made me realize that there was a lot I didn’t know about my own religion.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br />I started reading the Bible and going to church – to ‘come closer to God’. But as time went on I felt something was missing. The priest was always saying ‘just believe, just accept Jesus Christ’ but how could that be enough? God was giving me everything – eyes to see, ears to hear, a mind to think and reflect, a caring family, some wonderful friends, amazing health etc – why didn’t He want me to show my deep gratitude towards Him (I was a very grateful Christian) and prove my belief in Him?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br />In December 2010 I was going through an emotional rollercoaster. It was Christmas time and everyone was happier and more friendly than usual. But I found myself dragged between two ‘evils’. I went back and forth, thinking what if the true God is in Christianity – or what if Islam is His religion? I was feeling enormous guilt no matter what I thought, as I was surely wronging the true God by doubting His religion – whichever it was.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br />My frustration and confusion – concerning God & religion – reached its peak a day in the middle of Christmas Eve and New Years Eve. I went for a walk that evening, totally alone, surrounded by snow and darkness. All I wanted was to understand who my Creator was and what He wanted from me. I felt totally lost and just wanted to choose what was right. Therefore I begged the Only One who could hear me – not really knowing who He was – with the utmost sincerity “Oh God, forgive me! Please, forgive me for not understanding Your Greatness & Your Power! Please, help me understand!”</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US"><br />My Turning Point </span></b><span lang="EN-US"><br />A few days into the new year, 11.1.11, I watched a video on youtube called “Do Muslims Follow Jesus Christ More Than Christians Do?” – The Deen Show. My Muslim friend had suggested it and I had no idea what to expect. But before hitting the play-button I decided to have an open mind to it. It was one hour and it changed my life. It was really shocking, even though they were talking in the gentlest manner. As the new information entered my ears, a new goal developed in my mind “to find the Truth, and then follow it”. Their advice was so humble and sincere “don’t believe us, just look for yourself, read the Quran, then decide for yourself”.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br />The next days, weeks and months I did some heavy research into both religions, especially Islam. After finishing the Quran (Norwegian translation of the meaning), I had no more reason to wait. I said my shahada (testimony of faith) June 17<sup>th</sup> 2011, and I couldn’t be happier. Islam gives me peace of heart and makes me see the world much more clearly. </span></div>
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khadijahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12543326223405080665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370891511876746411.post-39410236538067743722012-10-17T17:58:00.000-07:002012-10-17T17:58:07.420-07:00Who am I ?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My name is Maidah,<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">Lifestyle before Islam: I was a drinker, a smoker, and I partied a lot during my university years. I considered myself to be agnostic because I still believed in God at the time, but I had no set religion. I did a lot of flirting around, but I never dated.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">When and how did I discover Islam and was I religious before: I started discovering Islam in my junior year of high school. I kind of "forgot" about it when I was a senior, but I picked it back up my sophomore year in college when I met my first Muslim. That's when things picked up again and I reverted August 2010, alhamdulilah. I was never super religious. I grew up in a Christian home, but I stopped believing or stopped being a Christian when I was around 11 or 12. I tried to be religious again my freshman year, because at the time, I was a religion major (or had a religion major before I switched). Unfortunately, taking all of these Judaism and Ancient Christianity courses really screwed with my head, so I stopped trying to be religious once and for all.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">Guidance: Guidance to me means someone who has helped you along the way, regardless if it means bringing you to the truth or to the correct answer.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">Modesty: Modesty in today's world, unfortunately, comes in all forms. You have the correct modesty Islamically (or Christian/Catholic, Jewish based) where women are wearing loose clothing (ie abaya, skirts, loose shirts, habits for Catholic Nuns), hijab or niqab, long sleeves. But then you have modesty where it's correct, but not correct: girls wearing long sleeves, but the clothes are skin tight, jeans are tight, girls wearing sandals, some women who wear hijab are rolling up their sleeves, etc. I think the term "modesty", especially Islamically, has been thrown around a lot, especially for the "modern day Muslimah" and we need to get back on track with the correct form of modesty.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">3 Things About Islam: Women are not oppressed, the Prophet sallalahu alayhi wa salam was not a pedophile, and Islamic Radicalism is not Islam.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">Sunnah and ahadith: Sunnah comes from the Qur'an and what we call Sunnah (or from ahadith which are the words and actions that have been recorded from known sources that the Prophet sallalahu alayhi wa salam has done). When we say "Sunnah", we are regarding to something that the Prophet sallalahu alayhi wa salam has deemed as appropriate or good or something that he has done which is the most correct way to do to something. Sunnah also comes from the Qur'an with what Allah subhana wa ta'ala has told us to do and it is good in the most correct way.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">Advice: There's only so much we could say to those who are ignorant about Islam. The most obvious answer would be to research about it or ask another Muslim who has been practising for a long time.</span></div>
khadijahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12543326223405080665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370891511876746411.post-77202460127709496362012-10-17T17:51:00.002-07:002012-10-17T17:51:58.677-07:00Another Anonymous.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.9394356727134436" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Assalamu Alaikum wa rahmatulahi wa barakatu!!!! Alhumdulilah we have been guided to Islam! May Allah continue to preserve us and keep us on the straight path, and Insha’Allah brings our families to the truth! Ameen</span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With that being said…..Here’s my story!!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b><br />
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.9394356727134436" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I accepted Islam a month before my 21</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">st</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> birthday. A little back history. I was your typical Christian at the time. My parents raised me to be respectful, to worship the Trinity, to do well and not question religion. I went to church, but it was more of a fashion show for me or to see my friends. I rarely paid attention to the sermon. I attended private, religious schools so I had to take religion class. I went to a Lutheran school up until 8</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">th</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> grade and an all-girl Catholic High School. I had boyfriends throughout high school, went to school dances and did your average high school events. I went to college right after high school. Unfortunately, my focus at that time was on boys and looking good. LOL talk about a waste of money! For the most part, I did well, I maintained a 3.3 GPA. I’m still not sure how! LOL Towards the end of freshman year, I got real serious about being a Christian. I went to church almost every Sunday with my family, I stopped going out and went to Christian concerts and gatherings on campus. That didn’t last till the summer.</span></b></div>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.9394356727134436" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My sophomore year, I roomed with a girl I met freshman year, who happened to be a Muslim. She wasn’t fully practicing; hence we used to go out to all of the parties and whatever else was going on around campus. I had never been baptized and we both got baptized at a friends’ church in 04. That didn’t change who I was. I was still going out to clubs, hanging with male friends and drinking. In 2005, we were still roommates. It was getting close to Ramadan and my roommate told me she wanted to fast. I had remembered her fasting during freshman year, so this wasn’t too new to me. But for reason, it sparked an interest in me. I was at a point where Christianity wasn’t doing it for me anymore, to many unanswered questions. I didn’t know a thing about Islam. I started doing some research on my own trying to understand this foreign religion. I ordered the Quran and literature from islamicity.com. I still use them to this day. I even started attending Jumuah prayer with my roommate. I remember the first time I heard the Adhan, it sent shivers throughout my body and had a very calming effect even though I had no idea what was being said at that time. I would cover at the masjid, which was a new concept to me. I felt so welcomed at the masjid, I didn’t feel judged a complete opposite compared to church. During Ramadan, I tried fasting, which is something I had never done in my life before. I went to the masjid for Iftars and truly felt like a part of the family, even though I was still a Christian. My roommate taught me how to pray. I had a book that went over salat step by step which was very helpful. Before I became Muslim, I learned my first Surah, Surah Ikhlas.</span></b></div>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.9394356727134436" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After Ramadan, I continued to study and learn about Islam. In my heart, I knew what was true and what I had to do. I had a lot of fears and reservations. Christianity was all I knew! All of my family is Christian. How would my family react? What would my friends say? I have to cover and stop eating pork?! I can’t do that!! What would I eat when I go places?! So naïve Masha Allah!! I battled with this for a few months. I continued searching Islamicity.com. At the top of the page they have a Quranic verse that changes. At this time the verse being displayed was “This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your religion</span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.” </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(5:3) Alhumdulilah I just knew Allah was talking to me! He was letting me know, I’ve got you. I really knew what I had to do then. There was no denying the truth after this. January 6, 2006 I spontaneously took my shahada on Friday after Jumuah salat. That was by far the happiest day of my life! I had tears pouring down my face and I finally felt as if I was home.</span></b></div>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.9394356727134436" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alhumdulilah I started covering right away. I guess it wasn’t as hard as I thought. Telling my parents on the other hand was. I told my mom and the first thing she said was, “Are you worshipping a lamp?” SubhanAllah! She really said that! To this day, we still don’t discuss religion. She thought I was going through a phase and it would wear off. </span></b></div>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.9394356727134436" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My 21</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">st</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> birthday was a month after I took my shahada. I was conflicted. I had been waiting for this day for sooooooo long!! I wanted to go out and legally drink and hang with my friends. But at the same time, I knew what Islam said about drinking and going out! Unfortunately, my nafs won out. It didn’t help that my roommate was telling me,” It’s ok, go out! We’re young. We have our whole life to practice Islam!” That day I took off my hijab and my modest clothes and headed to the club. That was the beginning of my downward spiral. Praying became really sparse. Islam wasn’t important to me anymore. I was young. I wanted to date! I wanted to get dressed up and look cute again. So, I did. Sporadically I would feel wrong as I was living for this dunya but I still kept doing me. It seems like every 6 months or so, I would start practicing again, randomly. I have this book that thoroughly describes the torments of the grave and would frighten me! When I read this book I would study, cover and resume praying. This didn’t last long either. I wasn’t in good company so they weren’t supportive of my transformation. I would always stray back to the dunya. I went through quite a few rough patches during this time. And I do mean ROUGH! I got tired of where I was in my life. I wasn’t getting anywhere. I knew that I would be questioned and held responsible for all that I’ve done after I had accepted Islam. After living for the dunya for 6 years, I had to make some major changes in my life. It started slowly, around March of 2011. I started getting rid of the bad company in my life, which took a long time.</span></b></div>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.9394356727134436" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I had 2 incidents that really made me wake up and do a complete 360. I was working a lot of hours, including 3</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">rd</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> shift. One day I was heading home and traffic was stopped going across a bridge. I was extremely tired and was barely awake. I tried rolling down the windows; I tried calling people, even music! Nothing worked. I fell asleep at the wheel and was woken up by my car hitting the stopped car in front of me. I jerked awake and started praying and crying. I was hoping that no one was injured and that they wouldn’t want to call the insurance company because I was on my Aunt’s insurance. Alhumdulilah, we pulled off at the next exit and they didn’t want to call the cops! Allahu Akbar!! About 2 months after that I was merging onto the highway from another highway and I could see that traffic was stopped (it was rush hour), I’m going around this really sharp turn and I go to press the breaks, and nothing happens!! All I can see in front of me are stopped cars. I just knew I was going to ram someone in the back. My breaks went out on me completely. Once again I’m praying for Allah to help me! I was able to merge on to the emergency lane, while going about 50 MPH. Alhumdulilah I eventually stopped!! Those incidents definitely woke me up. I saw my life flash before my eyes. A few weeks before Ramadan I got my life together Alhumdulilah. I completely stopped hanging out with anyone who was not good for my Deen, which left me completely alone. But for once in my life, I was ok with that. I was really looking forward to Ramadan. I dug out my Quran and started reading it. I didn’t pray right away¸ it took me about a week into Ramadan before I began praying Alhumdulilah. I started covering a few days after that, SubhanAllah. Alhumdulilah I’ve been on the straight path since then.</span></b></div>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.9394356727134436" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Even though I officially took my shahada in 06, I feel as if I’m a new Muslim who finally took Islam seriously in Ramadan of 2011. I thank Allah repeatedly that He didn’t take my life during those years when I was astray. Now, Islam is my life. I’ve come a long way, but I still have ways to go. I recently got married in March Alhumdulilah and I’ve started a new chapter in my life. If I can leave my sisters with a piece of advice is this, choose your friends wisely because rather you realize it or not, they have an impact on your religion. Tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone. </span></b></div>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.9394356727134436" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Insha’Allah it helps someone, somewhere." </span></b><br />
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khadijahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12543326223405080665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370891511876746411.post-78922394072188873432012-10-17T17:51:00.001-07:002012-10-17T17:51:33.914-07:00Lovely Amira.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Khadijah: Assalamualaikum wa rahatulahi wa brakatu dearest sister, thank you for taking the time to participate and may Allah make this project grow into something great hoping it reaches out to non-Muslims and Muslims alike. Ameen ... Please tell me a bit about yourself (where you are from, your cultural background, your likes and dislikes- doesnt have to be Islamic)<br /><br /><span style="color: #ff007f;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Amira:</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"> Walaykum Salam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatu Loveliest Sister, Jazakillahu Khayran for thinking of me and making me part of such a wonderful initiative Mashaa Allah...I feel very honored indeed....Ameen ya Rabb for the wonderful Dua'a you said at the beginning...I pray our Ummah grows from strength to strength and people see the beauty in Islam that has been hidden like a treasure as far away from the world as possible...Alhamdoulilah we were given the opportunity to find this beautiful treasure of ISLAM....</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">My Roots are purely Indian (very dramatic people we are) but I consider myself more African in nationality as I have spent most of life including my childhood in Accra,Ghana and a few other African countries and currently living in Mombasa,Kenya....</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">I love Allah and our beautiful Deen of Islam as any other Muslim....</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">I like food both cooking and eating it,hiking because being close with nature makes me happy and I find peace in it since I seem to appreciate the intricate details of just a few of Allah(Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) creations....I like reading books,I enjoy doodling,sketching my own little clothing designs,Jewelry making,interior designing etc....I guess in short I like to be creative as my mind works best when I am making something....Just a few of the many blessings I cherish Alhamdoulilah</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">I dislike from the bottom of my heart the flow of misinformation and spreading of Islamophobia as I feel frustrated by it, since I still live in with my Non Muslim Family and anytime they think Islam is good someone comes and misinforms them, I used to love listening to Music once upon a time but now I simply can't stand Hip Hop and all the other genres of Music out there, I dislike politics for many reasons especially the unfairness in Africa makes me sad and the I dislike when the people I cherish the most in my life suddenly have an attitude change towards me,I dislike proud people etc....</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Khadijah: How was your life(style) like prior to Islam? Were you religious at all?<br /><br /><span style="color: #ff007f;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Amira:</span></span> My life style prior to Islam was ok but there was a lot of emptiness in my heart and soul as I kept seeking for answers to the questions running through my head...I was born into a Hindu family but later on my family converted to Christianity and I decided to seek something more that I could never find in Christianity that is the TRUE ONENESS OF GOD...Growing up as a child I can always say Islam fascinated me and no one wanted to tell me about it...I wanted to learn more but I was always taken away from it or Islam was hidden away from me...I would not say i was religious and the most prayerful person but I had morals and believed there was a Superior force up in the skies but I did not find the true identity until when I found the treasure of Islam and I believed deep down in my heart that there is only 1 GOD but the religions around me did not offer this ONENESS of GOD to me...Even if they think they believe in 1 GOD somewhere down the practices,beliefs or scriptures the idea of the ONENESS used to disappear in front of me...I was a party girl from the tender age of 16 and had my shares of experiences but Alhamdoulilah Allah loves me and He alone saved me from many bad situations even when I was not a believer...Allah still had Mercy on my Soul...Allahu Akbar...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Khadijah: How did you learn about Islam, what made you take your shahadah (testimony of faith to become a Muslim)?<br /><br /><span style="color: #ff007f;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Amira:</span></span> Growing up I had Muslim friends but they weren't exactly what we call practicing Muslims, I definitely had a lot of questions to ask them but they were very limited in their answers....I was seeking for knowledge but it wasn't in depth until after I took my Shahadah since sadly no one had made an da'wah attempts on me.But my first real contact was when I went on vacation to Egypt and heard the Juma'ah Adan for the very first time which simply moved my whole soul, I did not understand the word they were saying but those beautiful words were calling me to it....Now I know why it is called Adan (Call to prayer) Alhamdoulilah I am Muslim....My second encounter would be a dream I had where I saw myself wearing a Purple Hijab and crossing the road and this was before I could move to Kenya and before I knew it I wore my Hijab after my shahadah and crossed the road exactly how I saw myself in the dream....Alhamdoulilah...The biggest even that made me take Shahadah was, ever since I was a kid I used to have horrible scary nightmares and I used to listen to Music to make me fall asleep,it got pretty bad that I even suffered from minor insomnia,one night I was scrolling through the radio dial and by mistake I landed on a Islamic radio station where they were reciting the Quran and I had never heard something so beautiful in my life before.Once again I did not know what they were reciting but it just amazed me and I could not stop listening,I went to my bed and popped in the earphones and heard it as tears rolled down my cheeks....My heart just knew it had to be the truth and what I was searching for.....That very night I slept like a baby and my nightmares stopped and Alhamdoulilah I don't get them up to now....The very next day I started seeking for Islamic literature and called up couple to my Muslim friends and forced them to take me to an Emam because I wanted to say my Shahadah....Sadly my friends thought I was joking and found me crazy and they were reluctant to take me but I forced them to take me and as I said those beautiful words tears rolled down my cheeks since the Emam told me the meaning of the words I was reciting and every part of me knew and believed ISLAM IS THE TRUTH....The answers I was seeking for were in Islam...The trinity in Christianity was my biggest reason I could not accept Christianity as the truth not forgetting the contradictions in the Bible,Why do people have to pray through an intermediary like Jesus (pbuh) when you can talk to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) directly??? all these questions were answered clearly in OUR BEAUTIFUL DEEN OF ISLAM...Alhamdoulilah</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Khadijah: What have you noticed about yourself since you became Muslim?<br /><br /><span style="color: #ff007f;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Amira:</span></span> The biggest change in myself would be the fact that I respect my body a whole lot more in terms of consumption of alcohol,smoking,clothing,<wbr></wbr>eating(diet) etc as all of this revolves around any teenager and party girl....I loved the concept of Hijab and wanted a chance to wear it but I had no reason to wear it...I simply LOVE my Hijab and the amount of respect I have gained from people when I walk down the street....I have also realized the horrible flaws in my character and since I became a Muslimah I think not twice but a million times before I gossip, backbite or even lie as that has no place in my heart or soul anymore....Alhamdoulilah for the MIRACLE OF ISLAM....In short I think me as an individual and my personality has been heavily impacted after I embraced Islam....It has made me from a selfish to a selfless person.....I am not saying I am the kindest and most philanthropic person but rather I think twice about the people around before I think about the luxuries I can obtain in this Dunya....Islam has truth made me a much better person than before.....Alhamdoulilah</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Khadijah: What does Islam really mean ? And what is a Muslim?<br /><br /><span style="color: #ff007f;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Amira:</span></span> Islam for me is not just a religion but a complete way of life....Islam goes beyond salat and the other basic pillars of Islam....Islam gave me an identity and status as a woman in the society....Islam liberated me from the slavery of following the desires of this Dunya.....Islam taught me how to be selfless and care more for humanity as a whole....Islam taught me to be patient and see the good that is behind something that I thought was bad for me....Islam is 1400+ years old but the Holy Quran, Authentic Sunnahs and Hadeeths have the answers to everything and it is so relevant up to now and I believe that is another beautiful Miracle of Islam that you cannot find in any other religion....I can go on forever about the beauty of Islam and what it means to me because I am in LOVE with MY DEEN just like any other Muslim who knows and values the treasure of ISLAM....Alhamdoulilah.....I am sure my answer will be very generic but these are one of the many reasons I love being Muslim...its the fact that a Muslim is a person who gives total submission to the Will of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) in every aspect of their lives and they are able to say Alhamdoulilah in good or bad situations not because they are supposed to but rather because it is truly from the heart and they are not affected by what has happened since this is just a temporary place for us as the Saheeh hadeeth states..."Be in this world as if you were a stranger or traveller"...thus you are not attaching yourself to the things of this Dunya but only attaching yourself to the Love and Mercies of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala).....A Muslim is someone who can control themselves even in the peak of their anger....All that defines a Muslim to me or any other Muslim would be the Seerat and Sunnah of Our beloved Prophet (Salallahu alayhi wa Sallaam)....If any of us Muslims can even have a fraction of the character of Our Beloved Nabi (Salallahu alayhi wa Sallaam) that I think would summarize the TRUE DEFINITION OF A MUSLIM....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Khadijah: What misconceptions would you like to clear up that many non-Muslims have about Islam?<br /><br /><span style="color: #ff007f;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Amira: </span><span style="color: black;">The</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="color: black;">biggest misconception I would like to clear up would be that ISLAM is not some mysterious barbaric religion that was copied from Christianity</span><span style="color: black;"> since many Non-Muslims perceive Islam this way</span><span style="color: black;">...Islam does not teach terrorism or any sort of violence.....The Islamic Shariah is not a huge bunch of restrictions that oppresses women and on the other hand gives men all the liberty to marry more than one wife thus promote womanizing among the Muslim men.....</span><span style="color: black;">But rather it emphasizes on the importance of family bonds,human relations,restrict men and women from fornicating and other forms of immorality in the so called "Liberated Societies" of the West....</span><span style="color: black;">It liberates the women from the modern day slavery of being sexual objectifying by men</span><span style="color: black;">, it gives her honor and respect...</span><span style="color: black;">The benefits of Shariah are endless Mashaa Allah...</span><span style="color: black;">Our Beloved Prophet (Salallahu alayhi wa Sallam) was not a man suffering from a mental illness and neither was he a pedophile</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="color: black;">and the authentic biography of the Prophet (Salallahu alayhi wa Sallaam) clear up all the lies concocted against him and Islam....Islam is not a bunch of mysterious rituals that Muslims follow blindly.....Islam does not promote hate speech as many other religions encourage hate speech against Islam......There are good and bad people in every religion,race,cast or creed that does not make all the Muslims bad,extremist fanatics who love to bomb and kill anyone on the street who is a Non-Muslim......No Islam wa never spread by the sword as the way Christianity was spread under the Roman and other Empires....May Documentaries made by Non Muslims illustrate the Truth on how Islam was actually spread....The Conflict between Israel and Palestine is not a Muslim and Arab lead </span><span style="color: black;">history as many generations have been taught to believe.....Islam does not tell us to hate the Jews and Christians but it is what the Non Muslims simple assume of Islam...</span><span style="color: black;">The misconceptions are many Subhan Allah but these are just a few I would love to begin help clear up Inshaa Allah</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Khadijah: From your personal experience, what can you tell us about dressing modestly in hot weather?<br /><br /><span style="color: #ff007f;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Amira:</span></span> Dressing modestly and hot weather can be a concern of many Muslimahs but knowing that you are doing all of this for the sake of Allah makes your sweating problem very minute....It can seem as a trial and test for us....But just a tiny advice on dressing....Try to wear more of cotton fabrics during the hot days,T-shirt fabrics seem wonderful for hot weather,choose somber or pastel colour hijabs and abayas and try to stay a way from jet black heavy fabrics since black absorbs a lot of heat and if you have a health condition like me then you may end up passing out on the street...This is a basic hijab requirement but during the summers you can opt for even looser garment as they give you more ventilation and room for some air....Inshaa Allah....All of the above have worked for me and even during the hottest weather here in Kenya I don't feel hot....Alhamdoulilah...Cotton is the way.....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Khadijah: What would you like to tell the world if you had 5 minutes ?<br /><br /><span style="color: #ff007f;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Amira:</span></span> Allah and God are the same not an Arabic God as many Non-Muslims think.Islam truly is a peaceful religion.Please stop prejudicing Muslims and learn the TRUTH of Islam from the good practicising Muslims not from your pastor,preacher,priest etc...Respect Our Beloved Nabi (Salallahu alayhi wa Sallaam) he was not as you have been programmed to think by your belief system or media....Our Beloved Nabi (Salallahu alayhi wa Sallaam) was the best of mankind indeed you can find his true character from the Authentic Hadeeths and the authentic Biography written by Muslim and Non-Muslim writers alike...Keep seeking knowledge and eventually just like me and other reverts you will know Islam is the Truth and not what you thought it was Inshaa Allah....<i></i></span></div>
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khadijahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12543326223405080665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370891511876746411.post-31559242786174458882012-10-17T17:50:00.001-07:002012-10-17T17:50:57.973-07:00Mother of Mu'awiyah.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: inherit;">Khadijah: Assalamualaikum wa rahmatulahi wa barakatu sis! Thanks so much for agreeing to be a part of this small project, May Allah grant it success and may it unite and unify non-Muslims and Muslims all across the globe spreading the truth about our beautiful Islam. Ameen!!! Please, tell me about yourself (where are you from, what is your cultural background, likes and dislikes - does not have to be Islamic) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Umm Mu'awiyah: WalAikumssalaamu Wa Rahmatuallahi Wa Barakaatuhu!!! InshaAllah this is beneficial to you and many others. MASHA'ALLAH I love what you're doing here may Allah swt reward you immensely for your efforts in giving dawaah this way :). I was born in raised in the Chicagoland area by a single mother. I am of African American decent. I really enjoy reading, cooking, studying world cultures and writing!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: inherit;">Khadijah: What kind of life(style) were you living prior to Islam? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Umm Mu'awiyah: Prior to Islam I was living the life that any other pre-teen would. Getting into some occasional trouble at school, hanging out with friends and a few sports. I was raised in a Baptist/Evangelical household. We would attend church for Bible studies and services multiple times a week (I actually think my mom would send us just to get rid of us most of the time hhaha). In addition to that I always went to Christian summer camps and classes (not by choice might I add) which is probably one of the many reasons I'm Muslim now Alhamdulillah. When I was about 6 or 7 years old my mother abruptly stopped making us attend church and stopped going herself. I was very confused as to why she did this but when I later on in life asked her she said it was because there were a few particular church members involved in questionable activities (ie; dealing drugs, prostitution) who thought that just because you went to church you could still sin and makeup for it on Sundays. In addition to that I was a umm very rebellious child sometimes and was basically taught by members of the church that you could do whatever you wanted and just get "SAved" and God would forgive you and you'd automatically go to heaven without any consequences for sinning. And a few years later I began to question this ideology.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: inherit;">Khadijah : When and how did you discover about Islam? Were you religious before?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Umm Mu'awiyah: I first discovered Islam immediately after 9/11. Being that I grew up in the Chicago area there were tons of people of Arab descent and tons of Muslims also. And like the rest of ignorant America at the time I blamed the Muslims for what happened. However after having watched all the new broadcasts and articles during the aftermath of 9/11 I told myself if this is what Muslims really about "why is September 11th the first time something like this has happened? Muslims can't really be that bad of a people, can they? Why does everyone keep harassing these people? WHO are these people?" With my curiousity at a mere 12 years old I began to research things on the internet and ask many of the Muslims in my middle school about Islam. The more I learned about Islam the more I wanted to know. My parents weren't all that surprised because I was always one to learn and study about other cultures and religions. And both my father (who at the time was in the military) and stepfather who worked as a correctional officer knew more about Islam than the average American did since they were exposed to Islam through their line of work, were more supportive and less apprehensive than others. So in September of 2003 I summoned up the courage to email my local masjid and tell them that I was interested in Islam. A brother promptly emailed be back and told me that there were having a lecture on a Friday night at the masjid and to come and someone would give me more information upon arriving. I chickened out at first so I emailed the man again and we rescheduled. When I finally went SUBHANALLAH WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE!! My stepfather walked me in and we were both greeted by a man who knew my stepfather from the jail and we explained why we were there. The brother then went to get the other brother and I was introduced to a lovely sister named Asmaa after having been greeted with a nice hug from her and we went to the womens section of the masjid. Immediately upon entering I noticed a bunch of beautiful women with gorgeous garments. And I said to myself wait, theres blacks, whites, latinos, arabs whats wrong with these people? I had never seen such a diverse group of people in harmony in once place at one time in my entire life!!! I was given basic dawah and introduced to a few younger sisters my age and their mothers. I became very close with an Algerian/Scottish Muslim family who lived very close to me and they strted to pick me up for the Friday night lectures and Islamic Sunday school every week. After about 3 months of studying Islam and getting dawah on December 24, 2003 after the Jummah Khutbah I took my shahada ALHAMDULILLAHI RABBIL AL AMIN!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: inherit;">Khadijah: What does guidance mean to you?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Umm Mu'awiyah: Guidance is following the path that Allah swt has laid out for us by submitting to all he has willed with no hesistations or questions asked. <em>Raditu Billahi Rabba Wa Bil Islami deena, Wa Bimuhammadin sal Allahu alayhi Wa salaam (I've accepted Allah as my Lord and Islaam as my way of life and Muhammad peace bu upon him as Allah's Prophet and Messanger.)</em></span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: inherit;">Khadijah: What do you think about modesty in today's world? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Umm Mu'awiyah: Modesty in todays world in my views is almost nonexistant. Its as if nothing is ever left to the eye anymore and no one has any shame about anything. In the days of the Prophet Muhammad saws it was completely inappropriate and normal to see a woman dressed in a top that shows her breasts or transparent clothing. Unfortunately now it is the complete norm. As a Muslimah I dress in a way not to attract the opposite sex but to make them look away because only my husband and family should be allowed to see my beauty. Modesty isn't just how you dress though it is how you act. Acting modest consists of refraining from inappropriate conversations with people of both sexes and discussing or doing certain things in private.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: inherit;">Khadijah: If you could tell your non-Muslim friends 3 things about Islam, what would they be ?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Umm Mu'awiyah:I would tell my friends that Muslim women have more rights than most think. I would also tell them that everything isn't forbidden for Muslims, just the things that are forbidden are forbidden for a very good reason to save oneself from sins and the Shaytaan and refraning from many "normal" societal activities could be the difference in going to Jannatul Furdosi and Jahannam, so its worth it to refrain from many things. The last thing I would tell them is that before judging or assuming anything about Muslims go to a masjid or spend time with a Muslim family and then make your opinions since 98% of what people think or hear about Islaam is the farthest from the true Islaam.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: inherit;">Khadijah: Tell us what the Sunnah and Hadith means . (i know you know this but insha'Allah it will be good for the nonmuslims!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Umm Mu'awiyah: The Sunnah is the way of our last Prophet Muhammad <em>sallahhu alayhi wa salaam</em> and his companions (<em>raddi Allahu anum)</em> and a Hadith is the many words of the Prophet and his companions as recorded in the Quraan and Sunnah.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: inherit;">Khadijah: What kind of advice would you give to those who attack Islam and slander our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) ?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Umm Mu'awyiah: As to anyone who would attack our Prophet Muhammad <em>Sallahu Alayhi Wa Salaam </em>I would first make duaa for them because most of the people who attack our Prophet don't have the slightest clue as to who he really was and what it was the he stood for. They're simply ignorant of him which isn't always their fault since most aren't curious enough to question all it is that they see in the media. I'd strongly suggest that they ask a Muslim or someone with unbaised view about our Messenger and to research with books and articles written by knowledgeable people whether it be a scholar, imaan, unbaised author etc.</span></div>
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khadijahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12543326223405080665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370891511876746411.post-33159809618880039642012-10-17T17:50:00.000-07:002012-10-17T17:54:28.854-07:00Mother of Ahmed, who is she?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: inherit;">Khadijah: assalamualaikum wa rahmatulahi wa barakatu! Thanks sis for taking the time to partake in this project! Please tell us a little bit about yourself ( where your from, cultural background , likes and dislikes )</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: inherit;">Umm Ahmad: Wa alaikum salam my dear sister. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to participate in this lovely project you have begun, Alhamdulilah. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: inherit;">I am an American, born and raised in the bread basket of America- Missouri. My mother and father divorced when my brothers and I were young. Both turning to completely different lifestyles, my mother turned to a more materialistic way of life, while my father to a more spiritual way of life. I lived with my mother until I was 12 basically growing up with out any religious way of thinking (we saw our father every other weekend, which was the only time we were really exposed to any sort of religious activities). My father was the deacon of the church at the time- later becoming the Elder- and was quite the religious type. He was caught up in the conspiracy theories and always told us that 9/11 was a set-up, so I never had a reason to "hate" the Arab's, but rather our government. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">At the age of 12 I went to live with my father, by then he was re-married with a new baby and another on the way. To make a long story short, he raised my most impressible years with the fear of God and a strict way of living. To just let you know how strict he was, we were vegetarians- at times we were vegans- we lived in the country and the only time we went out was for church (or school but I my father thought grade 8 was far enough and I began working). Television was not allowed, we were woke early in the morning for Bible studies and prayers, and kept Saturday as the Holy day very sacred- absolutely no work or play was allowed.</span><br /><span style="color: #e06666;"><br />Khadijah: what was your lifestyle like before Islam?</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">Umm Ahmad: When I was 17 (I graduated high school by GED when I was 16) I went to attend a Medical Missionary College in Georgia. Needless to say, the school was much like my father and very strict- which I didn't mind I preferred it this way. Men and women were not allowed to spend alone time together, if you were seen with a boy without an elder, there would be a possible chance you would be expelled from the school. They had a dress code, if not followed one of the ladies would come to you and reprimand you. Make-up and jewelry were not allowed, nor were any substance of animal products. There was a curfew- 10pm- if you were not in the dorm by then you would get a serious talking to the next day. As you can see, the lifestyle I was in is much different then the average American girl at my age.</span><br /><span style="color: #e06666;"><br />Khadijah: how did you learn about Islam and when did you become Muslim?</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: inherit;">Umm Ahmad: While I was in the Missionary College, I was told the class I would be graduating with, was thinking to go to a Muslim country. I began studying the Arabic language and the religion of Islam. Day by day as I studied, a love for Islam grew. I studied this beautiful religion any chance I got- in between classes and work. I finally decided I had to learn more about Islam than just from the internet, which drove me to order a free Quran online. I waited very impatiently for it (about 1 1/2 months) and almost gave up hope that it would ever come, but Allah guides whom He wills and leads astray whom He wills, and alhamdulilah He chose to guide me. On my 18th birthday, all of my friends and many of my family forgot about it. I was very shy to remind anyone so I went about my day as normal. When I returned to my dorm from work, I found a package in a bag hanging on my door. I opened it and it was the Quran! I sat down and started reading. I was so amazed by the beauty I read and read until I looked up and saw 3 hours had passed! For me, this was the best birthday I had ever had and my time had been well spent.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">I had to keep this beautiful book a secret. So the providers of my first Quran, sent me one in disguise (covered in another books cover). I then could read the Quran without anyone in my school becoming suspicious. Finally, I met a Muslim lady who lived only one stated from me. We arranged for her to come and we would become roommates (but sharing an apartment). After studying Islam extensively for 9 months, November 27th 2010, I took my shahada, alhamdulilah. That is another story in itself. </span><br /><span style="color: #e06666;"><br />Khadijah: what kind of challenges did you face before you were Muslim? Do you have new challenges now? How do you deal with them ? </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: inherit;">Umm Ahmad: I would have to say what I struggled with the most was the thought that all my life, all the efforts I put into this religion I was in at the time, everything I had been taught as a child was all wrong. I knew Islam before I knew any Muslims, so I was afraid I would be alone, no family and no friends. In the end I had no problem accepting everything Islam taught, everything about it made sense to me intellectually and spiritually. Alhamdulilah, Allah provided me the sister who helped me ever so much when I was only a new Muslim.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">The only challenge I have now, is to overlook how much some Muslims hate each other because of different ways of thinking. I am just so thankful to Allah I knew Islam before I knew the Muslims.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #e06666;"><br />Khadijah: what to you is the most beautiful thing about Islam?</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">Umm Ahmad: I would have to say the most beautiful thing in Islam is the simplicity. Everything is stated in a matter of fact way. Everything Islam teaches there is a reason for it, if we do not know it now, in the future it will be proven. We aren't doing anything by "blind faith" but rather everything we do there is an intellectual reasoning behind it.</span><br /><span style="color: #e06666;"><br />Khadijah: what advice could you give to people who disrespect Muslims an make fun of Islam ? </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: inherit;">Umm Ahmad: I face this a lot with my family. My father is the worst out of them all- I think just to spite me- but in my opinion the only way to keep people from disrespecting Islam is to be a good example in our communities. We can not keep anyone from making fun of our beautiful religion, but if we come back with a forceful and aggressive response it will only make things worse. Just today I was reading in the Quran:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: inherit;">"And the servants of ((Allah)) Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say, "Peace!";"<br />Quran 25:63</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: inherit;">Umm Ahmad: I love the whole entire Quran but there are 2 verses that I hold dear in my heart is:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: inherit;">"Oh you who believe, fear Allah as He should be feared and die not except it be in the state of Islam."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: inherit;">Say, "To Allah belongs the East and the West. He guides whom He wills to a straight path."</span></div>
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khadijahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12543326223405080665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370891511876746411.post-86504402841343558762012-10-17T17:48:00.001-07:002012-10-17T17:48:39.078-07:00Call me, Jennifer.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Khadijah:<span style="background-color: white;">What did you know about religion prior to Islam?</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Jennifer: Initially, when I was in my teens I had misunderstood the role of the Prophet (pbuh). Since I had been raised Catholic with Jesus (as) as a figure who was revered and worshipped, I had thought that the Prophet (pbuh) was also looked at in the same way by Muslims.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I had also been under the impression that women were oppressed, especially those wearing the niqab and all dressed in black which I had grown up seeing as "those rich Arab women who shop at Marks & Spencer" - terrible I know! This was all purely down to a lack of education. Even when I briefly studied Islam at GCSE level it seemed so far removed from Christianity with all those pillars, when it actually follows from it, as we know. I knew that God was called Allah, which made me feel as though it were a "different god" to the One I had known growing up.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">It was only once I met a now ex-boyfriend who was Muslim at the age of 20 that I started to research a little online and the misconceptions began to clear up.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="color: #e06666;"><br />Khadijah: How did you find out about Islam and what were your first impressions on the religion? How did you take your shahadah? </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222;">Jennifer: Well, as I mentioned above I was initially introduced to it via an ex-boyfriend but it unfortunately left a very bitter taste. I came to realise that his negative behaviour towards me was nothing to do with Islam but was a combination of his own personal issues and the culture he had grown up in. Unfortunately, it is these very same problems that cause people to have a bad opinion of Islam.</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I only came to be "re-exposed" to Islam very recently a the age of 31 via a friend of mine who is very humble with the way he conducts himself and doesn't shout about the fact that he's been Muslim for ten years. Around June or so of this year I felt inspired by him to start reading books and online articles until one day I "happened" to come across an introductory day course on Islam at London Central Mosque run by the New Muslims organisation advertised online.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">From there I attended talks on different Islamic topics and actually went on to take a course in how to pray which amusingly I was able to do and had started practising without taking the final plunge of the Shahadah! It was purely fear of committing to something that was so much bigger than me. Then on the afternoon of 8th August as I was sat in the mosque having finished making dua and the feeling suddenly hit me that the time was right to take my Shahadah. Amazingly, when I went to see the Imam there was a couple who queued behind me waiting to speak to him about getting married. Guess who my two witnesses were? :)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="background-color: white;">Khadijah: Tell me something interesting about yourself that you noticed after you became Muslim</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jennifer: Actually it happened before I officially became Muslim but I consciously stopped swearing, even in my head it's quite rare now, alhamdulillah, and trust me, I swore like a trooper! I've also found that I don't really want to hang out with the people I used to as I have changed internally, thanks once again to God.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="color: #500050;"> </span><span style="color: #e06666;"><br />Khadijah: If you could tell a Non-Muslim about Islam what key things would you want them to know?</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></span>Jennifer: No.1: Don't judge 2 billion odd people from a variety of backgrounds on a bunch of bad eggs. We're not all terrorists!!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">No.2: Although the hijab is actually obligatory as stated in the Quran it is still a woman's choice to wear it for the sake of Allah rather than some big burly hairy men ordering us about to wear it!!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">No.3: Muslims worship One God and One God Alone, the same God as the Jews and Christians. They do not worship Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) but instead believe he was the final messenger from God and the best example to follow when it comes to good character.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Khadijah: Why do you think it's necessary for women to wear the hijab (head covering)?</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Jennifer: Ah, well I'm going to totally sound like a bit of a hypocrite here as I am not yet wearing it but one day insha Allah I will. It is important solely because it was commanded by God to do so and as Muslims we should submit completely to His Will. Unfortunately due to societal pressures, personal insecurities, etc. many women shy away from it. When I have worn the hijab, specifically during a Muslim retreat quite recently where I wore it all day for four days straight, I often felt more protected and treated with respect by men. It also, almost kind of oddly, subdued me as in I felt that I needed to behave more calmly and quietly because it would be inappropriate to be in hijab and be as loud as I was before Islam. This is going to sound a bit sexist perhaps but I think that the hijab actually makes a woman that bit more feminine.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="color: #500050;"> </span><br /><span style="color: #e06666;">Khadijah: Quote your favourite verse from the Qur'an</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></span>Jennifer: I am not yet familiar with a lot of the Quran but Ayat al Kursi (the Throne Verse) came to mind purely for the imagery (although of course we can't really imagine it). However, I think Ayat an-Nur is truly beautiful:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">"Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The similitude of His light is as a niche wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass. The glass is as it were a shining star. (This lamp is) kindled from a blessed tree, an olive neither of the East nor of the West, whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself) though no fire touched it. Light upon light. Allah guideth unto His light whom He will. And Allah speaketh to mankind in allegories, for Allah is Knower of all things." (24:35)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I also really love this verse, such a beautiful description of marriage as God intended it to be for us:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="color: black;">"...They [your wives] are a garment for you and you are a garment for them..." (2:187)</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span></span></div>
khadijahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12543326223405080665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370891511876746411.post-73470587875988451952012-10-17T17:46:00.000-07:002012-10-17T17:46:00.613-07:00My Name is Anisa,<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Who am I?<br />
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Khadijah: Assalamualaikum wa rahmatulahi wa barakatu sis! Thanks so much for agreeing to be a part of this small project, May Allah grant it success and may it unite and unify non-Muslims and Muslims all across the globe spreading the truth about our beautiful Islam. Ameen!!! Please, tell me about yourself (where are you from, what is your cultural background, likes and dislikes - does not have to be Islamic)<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #8064a2;"><strong>Anisa: Well first of all i want to say a big jazak`allah khair for putting all this effort in help other better themselves and also in helping those that maybe are lost ... My name is Anisa also known as Umm Imran I`m an Irish revert of 15 years .... i`m 37 years young<img alt="Laughing out loud" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=f2c684236f&view=att&th=13a232fbbc39bf0f&attid=0.1&disp=emb&zw&atsh=1" style="border-style: none;" /> I`m married to my Algerian husband and have so now for 16 years i have 4 kids 1 boy and 3 girls ages 15...13...12...3 ...i was born and raise in Ireland and when i married i moved to the uk and after 6 years their i moved to Algeria where i have been now for 9 years and love so much ..... i come from a catholic back ground .. but my family were never religious </strong></span></span><br />
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Khadijah: What kind of life(style) were you living prior to Islam?<br />
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<span style="color: #8064a2; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><strong>Anisa: My life style before islam was ... work ... work ...and more work ... i knew nothing about islam ... i never even heard of it ...at weekends i would go out if i had a day off ...but other than that i worked</strong></span><br />
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Khadijah : When and how did you discover about Islam? Were you religious before?<br />
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<span style="color: #8064a2; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><strong>Anisa: I first knew about islam after meeting my husband and i was married to him 5 weeks after that ... so slowly slowly he would explain the deen to me and then i would see him pray on front of me ... then 6 months after my son was born i met y now best friend and use to go to her house and with in 3 weeks of being their i made my shahada .. i felt clam their and listen to her and one of her friends talking about the deen and even laughing too</strong></span><br />
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Khadijah: What does guidance mean to you?<br />
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<span style="color: #8064a2; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><strong>Anisa: to me it means placing my trust completely in allah and knowing through this that he will guide me ... it also means let go of the control</strong></span><br />
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Khadijah: What do you think about modesty in today's world?<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><strong><span style="color: #8064a2;">Anisa: their is none we are told one of the signs are that women will be dressed but naked and all you have to do is look around ... i teach my children this is not the best way and that a woman is like a queen and should be treated like so and if you showing all then how would you be expected to be treated</span></strong></span><br />
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Khadijah: If you could tell your non-Muslim friends 3 things about Islam, what would they be ?<br />
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<span style="color: #8064a2; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><b>Anisa: Islam is a way of life that will soften the heart ... nothing is made hard for you this deen is made easy ........and that your life isnt over by accepting this deen .. you can still do alot of thing just in moderation</b></span><br />
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Khadijah: Tell us what the Sunnah and Hadith means . (i know you know this but insha'Allah it will be good for the nonmuslims!)<br />
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<span style="color: #8064a2; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><strong>Anisa: the sunnah is the way of our beloved prophet and how he carried himself and we should do the same and the hadith are the words confirming the sunnah and the way of islam</strong></span><br />
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Khadijah: What kind of advice would you give to those who attack Islam and slander our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) ?<br />
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<span style="color: #8064a2; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><strong>Anisa: learn about the man first before you say something and understand his way ... how he dealt fairly even to non muslim and maybe by that you would learn something that will help you in your life</strong></span></div>
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khadijahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12543326223405080665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3370891511876746411.post-45498578037992661692012-10-17T17:29:00.000-07:002012-10-17T17:29:16.861-07:00Her name is Hidayah.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Who is she?<br />
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</span><b id="internal-source-marker_0.6997694247402251" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Khadijah: Assalmualaikum wa rahmatulahi wa barakatu (peace and mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you) dear sis! Hope you are in the best state of health and iman (faith). Thank you for taking the time to partake in this small project (May Allah spread it and make it grow into something great). </span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I want to start off by asking you a few questions about yourself. Where are you from, your background (ethnicity) and your likes and dislikes (to get the readers to know a bit more about your personality)</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hidayah: Wa alaikum salaam wa rahmatulahi wa barakatu my dear sister!</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Okay, so to start with, I am from...humph, well, I guess the answer is a few places. I was born in Japan, moved to the state of North Carolina, then to Sacramento, California, then Columbus, Ohio, and now I have been in Cincinnati, Ohio for the past 2 years. I have never been in one location for very long (even when I was in North Carolina and California I moved to various cities) and so I’ve never had a place I’ve called “home”. </span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nationally, I am both an American and Japanese citizen, but ethnically I am Jamaican. My father moved to the States from Jamaica when he was a young adult and my mother is a black American woman. </span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have all kinds of likes and very few dislikes. My favorite past time is by far reading. I have always been a book worm and, in my opinion, nothing beats a pot of tea, a book, and a quiet corner as “me time”. I also enjoy all things nature (I’ve gone back and forth plenty of times trying to resist the urge of selling everything I own and just living in some remote corner of the wilderness). Surprisingly though, I am not completely introverted and I do like time with people as well. I like chatting with, cooking, learning, and helping others alongside members of the community as well. </span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Khadijah: How was your life prior to Islam? Were you ever religious?</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hidayah: My religious life prior to Islam was…non-existent. At best. I had two families that influenced my religious life before I became Muslim: the family I lived with which consisted of my mother and step-father, and my father and step-mother who I saw perhaps twice a year. </span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My step-father viewed religion as completely unimportant. He believed in the whole “you don’t discuss politics or religion with people” motto. But if you were to ask him what religion he identified with, he would say he is a Christian and so everything is okay as long as we repent to Jesus in the end. My mother was religiously “on the edge” meaning she believed there was a God, but she had never felt connected with Him enough to believe He really existed. She also felt that He had forsaken her due to the series of bad things that happened to her in her life. </span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My father and I rarely saw each other due to my moving around a lot as a child and his reluctance to be with children since they made him “uncomfortable”. My father, however, is an extremely religious Protestant. So, whenever I did see him once or twice a year, we would spend 4 out of the 7 days with his church whether this was through religious services and lectures or some sort of social church gathering. This would have been fine except for the fact that his church made me EXTREMELY uncomfortable. I found the way they worshipped (your options were: walking up and down the aisles speaking in some incomprehensible language, sitting on a pew or the floor wailing loudly, or off-key singing of uninspiring hymns in a dark room) just plain weird and unnecessary. Of course, my lack of enthusiasm about his church led to a stained (severed, is more like it) relationship with my father. To him, if I didn’t accept his religion, he didn’t accept me. </span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These two extreme views on religion confused me as a child. I resigned to believing there was a God but since I didn’t understand my relationship with Him and what He expected of me, I just thought it better not to worry about religion and just live my life according to whatever I desired. Alhamdulillah, I was never inclined towards the interests of the majority of my peers so I didn’t get overly involved with parties, drinking, boys, etc. that are characteristic of American youth. In fact, I was pretty socially awkward until I reached high school because I moved around a lot and I was, to be frank, an overweight nerd; I had an extreme love for carbs (and still do!) and I was unbelievably into science and math so not many of my peers could relate to me. </span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once I got into high school, however, my family had decided to settle in Columbus at least until I graduated so I opened up through taking classes with my fellow nerds and joining the clubs that shared my interests (including track and dance, which helped with the “baby fat”) </span><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">☺</span><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Khadijah: Can you please tell us how you discovered Islam?</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hidayah : In my junior year of high school, I became very close to a girl who had been dating a Muslim guy for years. She was my best friend and so, naturally, I would hang out with her and his friends (who were Muslim too) on the weekends. Of all the friends I had in high school, this group of people became the most important to me. I enjoyed their company because of the way they treated my best friend and I: they were all cousins, so they loved each other dearly for this reason and they adopted my best friend and I as one of their own family members. </span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My best friend and I spent the next two years with them as our best of friends but they never said anything to us about Islam because they were not particularly religious or practicing Muslims so they never tried to give us dawah. So until a few months after I graduated, I had no idea what Islam was, and the only reason it changed at that time was because that was when my best friend and her high school boyfriend got married. Her family did not approve of her marrying a Muslim and so I was the only one who supported her when she started making arrangements for the wedding. As a result of the wedding planning, I got really close to the family of her boyfriend-especially their oldest sister. After the wedding, my best friend became busy with married life and so the older sister and I became even closer; I would drive to her house in Columbus from Cincinnati every other weekend to hang out with her on Saturday and then cook and eat dinner with her family on Sundays. </span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A year past in this manner, and although the sister and parents of the family were practicing Muslims and I had seen them pray, they never told me anything about their religion. One day, I was talking on the phone with the sister and she asked me about the trinity that Christians believed in. I tried explaining it to her but the more I talked the more I realized how backwards and nonsensical the whole concept was. I became frustrated, not because of the questions she was asking, but because I had finally had enough of claiming a religion that I didn’t understand and so we left the subject and talked about other things going on for a while. </span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After I got off the phone with my friend, I felt this overwhelming urge to look into Christianity to really understand it. I was fed up with not knowing what being Christian really was and I decided that if I was going to say I was Christian or believed in any religion, then I was going to know why I believed and really feel convinced by it. Otherwise, I was going to be done with religion for good and continue my life as I pleased. I began reading the bible and going to church but none of it made sense to me and I never connected with it. It all just seemed too forced and dependent on just having “faith”.</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I decided I was giving up on Christianity for good, but I wasn’t sure I was done with religion so I decided to look into what other faiths believed. After reading about a few other faiths and still not finding anything completely convincing and logical, I remembered the event that started this whole quest was because of a conversation with my Muslim friend so I decided it was time to look into Islam and, subhanAllah, not only did everything I read finally make sense in my mind but I also felt like a light bulb had suddenly been flipped on casting light into a whole new world I hadn’t known had existed. I spent days locked in my apartment—not going to school or work—reflecting on the things I was reading and, for the first time ever, seeing God in everything. It was the first time I had felt any sort of genuine spirituality and it was so powerful yet sweet, exciting yet peaceful. I felt that I was still in my Cincinnati apartment, yet millions of miles away at the same time. I remember the first time I walked outside after my “spiritual retreat” and looking at the trees, grass, sun, and sky and having tears streaming down my face because my whole life I had been on Earth but I had never seen it as God’s creation. </span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Though I had felt this overwhelming love of and conviction in Islam, it would take me nearly a year to finally take my shahadah. I was afraid of the reactions of my friends, family, and American society. Then one weekend, I went back to Columbus to attend my first jumu’ah service. I was nervous and committed many masjid fouls (including not wearing a scarf in the prayer area and walking over the heads of people in sujood!) but the imam gave a khutbah on how in Islam we believe that while iman is in the heart and only known by Allah, you have to act on your belief and submit not only your heart but your actions for the sake of God. The next weekend, I went back to Columbus and took my shahadah with my friend and her family alhamdulillah. </span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Khadijah: What can you tell Non-Muslims and New Muslims about the hijab (headcovering)?</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hidayah: “With my hijab, I put my faith on display and not my beauty because my value as a human being is defined by my relationship with God and so I cover the irrelevant” –Yasmin Mogahed</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alhamdulillah, God made putting a scarf on my head easy and I actually started wearing one a few days before I took my shahadah. However, I didn’t quite understand the meaning of HIJAB and while I had a piece of fabric on my head signaling I was Muslim, I still spent an hour or more getting ready. I worried about looking Muslim but still being fashionable and attractive so that people would still think I was beautiful. I eventually learned the true definition of the modesty Islam requires of women and though I still struggle with it some days, I am learning to overcome the mentality of the false “empowerment” of women through displaying our beauty and selling ourselves to the whims of men who lack control, respect, and a sense of responsibility. </span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While I know hijab is what’s best for my own peace of mind, confidence, and personal growth, I have found that I am able to do things more easily for others than for myself so I personally have found strength to be more modest in two perspectives: </span></b></span><br />
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<li style="list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: 24px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.6997694247402251" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">any man who cannot respect what I do in submission to my Creator, will not respect me as and has no right to know me as a member of His creation seeking His pleasure</span></b></li>
<li style="list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: 24px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.6997694247402251" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My beauty is one of the exclusive rights of the man who will, inshaAllah, be my husband one day. He will be a man who will have agreed to fulfill my rights and honor me. How then, is it fair for me to give others access to something he is entitled to? Even if I didn’t care about protecting my beauty for my own good, it’s something I cannot display as someone’s grateful wife</span></b></li>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.6997694247402251" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lastly, covering the head is not an exclusive trait of the Muslim woman (think nuns and conservative Jews) but it is something that extinguishes us from women of other faiths because of its blatantly clear requirement for us and our consistent adherence to it. That being said, I find pride in the fact that I am openly and obviously stating that I am a practicing member of no other religion than the one that advocates submission to God and embracing the natural state of man.</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Khadijah: Did you find it difficult to give up your old habits? </span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hidayah: In the beginning, yes. In fact, I will now tell people that my conversion to Islam and my becoming a Muslim were two separate events months apart. A little while after my shahadah, I remember feeling that I hadn’t done something right since I was still having a hard time giving up old habits. I think new Muslims run back and forth between their “old” and “new” lives or “run out of fuel” altogether because they try to do too many things in a single instant without examining and changing the reasons and mentality behind why they were doing certain things and then making changes in a natural progression. Nearly a year later, I feel that I am just starting to truly understand what submitting your will to God in every aspect of your life means. It’s more than just a shahadah and praying five times a day. It’s adding new practices outwardly AND renovating myself inwardly—striving to change my heart, my attitude, my character, my relationships with others, etc. Now that I have come to realize the things I need to work on and truly desire to be the best I can be, I have turned myself towards emptying my heart of all the negative things it held. This is the only way one can change their outward deeds in any permanent way. I have since found it much easier to let go of the frivolous things I held in such high esteem before alhamdulillah. </span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Khadijah: What do you recommend to someone who is interested in Religion?</span><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hidayah: The number one thing I would say is to focus on gaining knowledge about the religion first and foremost and to ASK QUESTIONS of those with in depth knowledge. Religion and an awareness of God is innate in every human being and so it should just make sense you. God has not made His creation with certain traits and instincts and then asked us to deny them. Among the traits He has given man is the facility of logic and reason and if a religion calls for the denial of basic concepts apparent through logic and reason, then it cannot be the true religion of God. Furthermore, any religion that cannot hold up to the inquiries of mere human creatures cannot be the religion of the One who created all in His infinite Power and Wisdom. </span></b></div>
khadijahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12543326223405080665noreply@blogger.com0