I'm Joia and this is my story.

Khadijah: Assalamualaikum wa rahmatulahi wa barakatu, thank you sis for choosing share your story, please tell us more about youself.

Wa alaikum Assalaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu.

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 Philadelphia.

Khadijah: Describe to my what your life(style) was like prior to Islam.

Prior to Islam I guess you could say I was a good girl with bad habits. J 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.

Khadijah: How did you learn about Islam, how did you know it was the right religion for you?

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.

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.

Khadijah: What is Ramadan and what did you do for it?

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.

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.

Khadijah: What are some differences and similarities you found about Christianity and Islam 

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.

Khadijah: What would you tell your Christian family if you could invite them to Islam?

If I could invite my Christian family to Islam I would tell them I would like to see you all in Paradise 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.

Khadijah: What are some typical misconceptions about Islam that you think people need to know?

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.

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.”

Please do your own research!

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.

My name is Sarah

Khadijah: assalamualaikum wa rahmatulahi wa barakatu dear sis! thank you for taking the time sharing your story.

Sarah: Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem.

Assalamu alaikum. 

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. 

 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 :)

I'm a bit of a news junky, politics too esp when it concerns the Ummah. 

I love learning new things about our beautiful religion all the time mashallah. 

Khadijah: Before you became Muslim, what was your life(style) like?

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. 

I knew nothing about religion, I guess I was atheist in my youth and agnostic in early adulthood :)

Khadijah: How did you find out about Islam? How did you become Muslim?

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. 

After attending a sisters circle at my local mosque for about 2 years,I finally took my shahaddah in August 2008 alhamdulillah.

Khadijah: How can you tell someone who doesn't believe in a Creator , that there is in fact ONE?

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. 

I think the beauty of creation is a good place to start, esp with those who appreciate it. 

Khadijah: What advice could you give to the youth of today?

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. 

The less ignorance there is, the easier people can appreciate each others cultures, faith etc. 

Khadijah: Who is/are your role models of today and why?

Sarah:  Of today? Hmm. I really appreciate the Dawah efforts of people like sister Myriam Francois Cerrah & brother Mohammed Ansar in the UK. 

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. 

The only one worthy of the title "role model" however is our prophet,peace be upon him. 

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? 

Sarah: Like the rest of the Ummah I am appalled by them.  

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. 

Under the protection of "freedom of speech" people are able to offend & provoke anyone they like. 

I think the fact that they chose to do so says a lot about them & the morals of society as a whole. 

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)

That's what  he would want from us. 

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. 

We can only help encourage this by being the best example of Muslims that we can inshallah. 

May Allah reward your efforts inshallah!

Assalaamu alaikum!

Sarah x

I am Anonymous

"Assalamualaikum, probably a bit of a boring story - but I will share.

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!

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 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.  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.

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. 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. Three months after reverting I married my friend, this was about 21 months after our first meeting.

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. 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.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.

Anonymous xo"

Anonymous

" 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!

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!

I would like to give thesethree headlines that will summarize the facts which leaded me to this result, as follow:

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? 

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.

2 - In new Christianity the doctrine of the trinity never made me feel respectful! 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 discussed many issues with my Christine friends which I am proud of their friendship 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 Jesus Christ birthday and the story of the Christmas!

3 - In Quran I found no double meanings stories, One God one messenger, and respect to all souls ( animals, plants & humans ) as well as respect to all religions & freedom to chose but with that freedom comes the responsibility at the judgment day to answer Allah's questions.

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 writing! ) 

Those were my short & on hand findings 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 downward?

The answer is totally simple,First Muslims current situation was not a permanent and will never stay a permanent 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 heritage, Second, some Muslims nowadays are offending themselves & their religion too. Take an example: Dose Christianity encourage adultery? Of course not, but you find it everywhere with it negative consequences on the Christian society, & the same for Muslims who are living a faraway life style of Islamic rules and never count for the judgment day!

I pray to God the Ultimate power to guide us all to his right path.

Walsalm Alykom Wa Rahmato Alla Wa Barakato.

Your Sister,

Anon."

I am Dounia and I'm from Canada.

DOUNIA is a Revert to Islam as of august 2nd 2011, French Canadian Jamaica, 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.

         

Khadijah: How was your life(style) before Islam? Were you religious at all?

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.

 Khadijah: How did you discover Islam and what made you decide you wanted to become Muslim?

 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.

Khadijah: Describe three things that you love about Prayer/Praying in Islam that you want others to know .

 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!

 Khadijah: What does Islam teach about women?  Are women oppressed in Islam

Dounia: 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.


Khadijah: What personal experience do you remember the most when you became Muslim

Dounia: I felt at peace FINALLY! Like a big weight was lifted off my shoulders. All mysteries solved!!! Alhamdulillah!

Khadijah:  If you could give advice to the youth of today (Muslims and non-Muslims) what would it be?

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: Sunnah and Qur'an.  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.

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. Khair In sha'a Allah

I'm from Australia and Anonymous

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) 

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.

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. 

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 (www.thecamelandthekangaroo.wordpress.com) about the complexities of being married to a Saudi man, specifically dealing with the ‘marriage permission’ process necessitated by the Saudi government. 

Khadijah: What did you know about religion prior to Islam?

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. 

However, once in my teens I took a casual interest in Buddhism and later Judaism, Eastern Orthodox strains of Christianity and of course Islam.

Khadijah: How did you find out about Islam and what were your first impressions on the religion? How did you take your shahadah?

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. 

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). 


Khadijah: Tell me something interesting about yourself that you noticed after you became Muslim.

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

Khadijah: If you could tell a Non-Muslim about Islam what key things would you want them to know?

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.

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.

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. 

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.

Khadijah: Why do you think it's necessary for women to wear the hijab (head covering)?

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. 

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. 

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.

Khadijah: Quote your favourite verse from the Qur'an 

This is my favourite at the moment:

“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)

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. 

My name is Ruhina, I'm 13.

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)

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. 

Khadijah: How did you find out about Islam? When did you become Muslim?

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 islamreligion.com 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. 

Khadijah: What do you think makes Islam such a beautiful religion?

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! 

Khadijah:  How do your parents feel about Islam? Do you have any struggles you face with them? How do you deal with the struggles?

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. 

Khadijah:  If you could tell your parents about Islam , what would you say to them?

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. 

Khadijah: What is your favourite verse from the Qur'an?

Ruhina: "My prayer, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the Worlds" Al-Anam 162 

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? 

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. 

JazakAllah for giving me the chance to be interviewed on the blog and I hope this artical is beneficial inshaAllah! 

Noor from Norway.

Background
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).

What happened?
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.

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?

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.

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!”

My Turning Point 
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”.

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^th 2011, and I couldn’t be happier. Islam gives me peace of heart and makes me see the world much more clearly. 

Who am I ?

My name is Maidah,

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.

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.

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.

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.

3 Things About Islam:  Women are not oppressed, the Prophet sallalahu alayhi wa salam was not a pedophile, and Islamic Radicalism is not Islam.

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.

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.

Another Anonymous.

"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
With that being said…..Here’s my story!!

I accepted Islam a month before my 21st 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 8th 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.

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.

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.” (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.

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.

My 21st 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.

I had 2 incidents that really made me wake up and do a complete 360. I was working a lot of hours, including 3rd 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.

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.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Insha’Allah it helps someone, somewhere."

Lovely Amira.

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)

Amira: 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....
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....
I love Allah and our beautiful Deen of Islam as any other Muslim....
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
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....

Khadijah: How was your life(style) like prior to Islam? Were you religious at all?

Amira: 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...

Khadijah: How did you learn about Islam, what made you take your shahadah (testimony of faith to become a Muslim)?

Amira: 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

Khadijah: What have you noticed about yourself since you became Muslim?

Amira: 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,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

Khadijah: What does Islam really mean ? And what is a Muslim?

Amira: 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....

Khadijah: What misconceptions would you like to clear up that many non-Muslims have about Islam?

Amira: The biggest misconception I would like to clear up would be that ISLAM is not some mysterious barbaric religion that was copied from Christianity since many Non-Muslims perceive Islam this way...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.....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....It liberates the women from the modern day slavery of being sexual objectifying by men, it gives her honor and respect...The benefits of Shariah are endless Mashaa Allah...Our Beloved Prophet (Salallahu alayhi wa Sallam) was not a man suffering from a mental illness and neither was he a pedophile 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 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...The misconceptions are many Subhan Allah but these are just a few I would love to begin help clear up Inshaa Allah

Khadijah: From your personal experience, what can you tell us about dressing modestly in hot weather?

Amira: 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.....

Khadijah: What would you like to tell the world if you had 5 minutes ?

Amira: 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....