Tag: muslim woman

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New Muslims Reflections

First Summer as a Muslim Woman

By Anisa Kissoon

Summer is a time to feel a bit free and to have a chance to do all the things you didn’t have time to do during the year. For many people it is a time for sea, sun, and surf, or for bushwhacking, mountain climbing, canoeing, or hiking. But as a new Muslim woman what can you do in the summer?

New Muslims are going through many changes. They are making the transition from old habits to new, from old friends to new ones, and to old ways of enjoying their times to new ways.

Enjoy Yourself!

Depending on where you live, there may be places you can go to enjoy swimming. For Muslim women, as long as they are dressed modestly they can swim with other women. In many countries Muslim women can organize the local swimming pool to make a women-only day. In other countries there are beaches you can visit with your family where you can enjoy your privacy.

Hiking and bushwhacking, camping and canoeing are fine as long as the Muslim woman dresses in long, loose clothes. There are many styles of Islamic clothing and you can find one to suit the activity you want to do. The other factor you have to keep in mind in such activities is safety. It is better to go in an organized group and take your husband, brother, uncle, or father along with you just in case. There was even a group of Iranian Muslim women who climbed Mount Everest! The sky is the limit!

But life for a Muslim is not just having fun and playing games. There is a time for everything, and a Muslim’s life should be balanced. The Muslim should always have a goal in mind for any activity in life. So if we keep the fundamental goal of life itself — to worship Allah the Almighty — then everything we do, with the intention to please Allah, is a form of worship and is rewarded.

Learn, Learn, Learn … and Then Teach!

Spend some time gaining knowledge. The first thing for a new Muslim to do is to memorize some Qur’an and the Prayers in Arabic. Find a place that teaches Arabic for beginners, or get a cassette or book to learn Arabic. Where there is a will there is a way, so be wise and use some of your time to learn. I met a sister from a European country who had been very poor as a child and had never gone to school. She couldn’t read or write even in her own native language. However, she was able to memorize one juz’ (section) of the Qur’an simply by listening to a cassette over and over again.

There are many books available that provide information on the life of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), the meaning of Prayer, Islamic dress, the family structure in Islam, how people should deal with each other, among other things. Get a hold of such books and enjoy the bounty of learning. There are also a lot of magazines and journals. In addition, the Internet has become a tool for learning as well as a way of meeting people and sharing experiences.

Make up your mind to learn something new or develop a skill you already have. Afterwards, give back to your community by teaching others. Try to find a way to help the people around you and learn to empathize with others. Allah has given all human beings skills and abilities, so find what yours are and share them with others. There is so much satisfaction in helping others when we do this for the sake of Allah and not to be thanked or acknowledged by people.

Gardening and Exercise

If you like gardening, there is a blessing in this too. If you plant a tree or something that benefits an animal or human being, you will continue to receive the blessing for that as long as the benefit remains.

The strong Muslim is better than the weak Muslim, so find ways to exercise and keep a healthy diet so your body will be strong and healthy. To keep a healthy mind you must have a positive attitude toward life. Such an attitude comes about after you learn to surrender to Allah and trust in Him, being ever-hopeful and ever optimistic. Whenever a calamity strikes turns to Allah, ask for guidance and relief and trust in Him.

Reach Out and Help Others

Try to be charitable and hospitable. During the summer invite other new Muslims to your home and have a meal together. This does not have to be an elaborate meal, but just something simple. This is the way of the Prophet who shared all he had. Try to inculcate the spirit of sisterhood, love, and kindness between the people you bring to your home. Be the one who makes the first move to introduce people to each other. Discuss problems in the community in a way to find solutions. Encourage the others to be active in the community and to help each other and thereby foster feelings of love and friendship. Bring along someone who is knowledgeable so you can have a short and meaningful lesson. In every gathering we should remember Allah so we do not waste our time.

Therefore, there are basically two ways of looking at your free time in the summer. You can either have fun and enjoy yourself and make this your supreme goal, or you can use all the things you do as ways and means of obtaining blessings from Allah. Even going mountain climbing can be a way of receiving Allah’s blessings if we thank and praise Him for all we see and enjoy.

Whatever you do this summer, let it be a source of reward, a way of drawing close to Allah, a way of learning, sharing, and getting to know other Muslims.

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Source: Onislam.net

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Conversion Stories New Muslims

Why Did These Women Fall in Love with Islam?

But what would make someone want to change their lifestyle so dramatically?

But what would make someone want to change their lifestyle so dramatically?

‘I wasn’t looking for a religion … I just fell in love with Islam’, this is how one single British woman from the 5,000 Brits who become Muslims each year described her life choice of Islam.

More than half of those who make the switch are white – and 75 per cent are women, revealed a late report.

But what would make someone want to change their lifestyle so dramatically?

Police Community Support Officer Jayne Kemp left her Catholic roots behind after ‘falling in love’ with Islam while helping victims of so-called honour violence.

PCSO Jayne, 28

Jayne Kemp patrols her beat wearing a traditional hijab (headscarf) and even works extra time after shifts so she can attend Friday prayers at her mosque.

Devout Jayne converted to Islam last April and even plans to change her name to Aminah.

The single mum, who patrols Eccles, Gtr Manchester, as a Police Community Support Officer, says: ‘I thought Islam was all about women being forced to slave away in the kitchen — but I found out it was about being generous with your time, and patient and respectful of others.

‘As I looked into it, I saw similarities with Catholicism and noticed values such as looking after your neighbours and cherishing the elderly, which is something older people say younger people don’t do any more.

‘I wasn’t looking for any religion at the time but for every question I had answered about Islam, I had five more. I think I fell in love with it.’

Devoted Jayne even missed out on celebrating Christmas with her son, nine, and daughter, seven. She sent them off to their dad’s and cooked her own meal so it would be halal (the meat slaughtered in the manner prescribed by Islamic Shari`ah law).

And despite the drastic change, Jayne says colleagues at Greater Manchester Police and her family have been supportive. She is now helping to design a regulation police hijab and tunic — as one has never been needed before.

Jayne says: ‘I was worried about what my colleagues would think but they have been so understanding.

‘People in Eccles have been great too — most don’t even mention it. If my children had struggled with me covering my hair I wouldn’t have done it.

‘They have both asked a lot about it but I would never push Islam on them and they will be brought up Catholic.

‘I just hope by speaking out I can show it is OK for a Muslim woman to work in the police force and change negative Islam stereotypes.

‘My family members, in general, are supportive. If I’m happy, they’re happy. My sister said I’m the happiest she’s ever seen me.’

Jayne was inspired to convert to Islam after chatting to other Muslims on Twitter.

Muhammad Manzoor, who runs Muslim Twitter account Local Masjid from his home in Whalley Range, Manchester, helped her make the transition.

He said: ‘I was humbled Jayne was asking me these questions.

‘She has found this religion for herself and hopefully it shows Muslims can mix in society without compromising their faith.’

Student Alana, 21

Alana Blockley, a media student who lives in Glasgow, converted to Islam after meeting her husband Abdul on holiday in June 2010. She says:

‘My family are all travellers and we live on a caravan site. I was baptized as a Christian but church and religion were never a big part of my life.

‘I was 18 when I decided I wanted to go out to the Canaries. I wanted to work as a club rep and have the experiences people say you should when you’re young.

‘I arrived in Fuerteventura and after a couple of days, a hotel maintenance man offered to take me out for a coffee. He was Abdul, a Muslim from Morocco.

‘When I got home he asked me to come back and visit him – and after three visits we knew we wanted to be together.

‘I started to research Islam because I wanted to know more about his life.

‘I decided I wanted to convert. I was worried about telling my parents and burst into tears. Mum thought I was pregnant and my dad thought I’d crashed my car.

‘I started to wear the hijab last summer. We got married in a Muslim ceremony earlier this month in Fuerteventura.

‘I don’t eat ham or drink alcohol now.

‘I celebrate `Eid (the Islamic public celebration) now, but I compromised with my parents and we all had a halal (permitted by Allah) Christmas dinner.

‘I hope I’m going to heaven now and I like the rules of Islam.’

Jobseeker Claire, 24

Claire Evans, from Bridgend, South Wales, converted to Islam last July after researching it following a break-up.

‘After my heart was broken by a Muslim man, I wanted nothing more to do with the religion – I thought it was cruel and unkind.

‘But my mum started looking up more about Islam and pointed out the way this man had behaved was contrary to the faith’s teachings.

‘I read up on it and discovered that Islam actually promotes tranquility and peace.

‘I wasn’t religious before I converted. I didn’t really believe in God. I now cover my hair and wear a hijab, which was a big decision. My dad doesn’t like it, though, and I don’t wear the hijab when I’m with him.

‘At first I got some stares and nasty comments but in the past six months I’ve grown in confidence. Now I go to the mosque once a week and I pray every day.

‘I also took a Muslim name, Safir, but I still use my old name of Claire too. I have a new partner too, who is a Muslim, but we’re not settling down just yet.

‘Islam has made me calmer and, for the first time in my life, I feel accepted.

‘There’s not much I miss about my old life- I can’t eat pork now.’

Model Ayesha, 24

Ayesha Olumide, from Edinburgh, is a model who works under her original name of Eunice. She converted to Islam in 2009 while at university. She says:

‘Before converting to Islam I was a Christian – but where my family is from in West Africa, Islam and Christianity are both practiced. But it wasn’t until I started studying philosophy at university that I began to learn more about Islam.

‘At first I was worried it would be too extreme but when I studied the Qur’an it blew my mind. The theories about nature and science appealed and I felt enlightened. You can’t always explain everything in a scientific way and Islam helps me with that.

‘I was first scouted as a model while a 15-year-old tomboy. I was into football and athletics – but a career in fashion is all about looks. Converting to Islam made me realize how much we value people if society thinks they’re beautiful.

‘At the mosque, women cover their head and dress modestly, so no one is judging you on what you look like. At first I found it hard to square being a Muslim with being a model. But I spoke to a Muslim sister and she said Islam is not an extreme religion, so if it felt too extreme to me it probably wasn’t right.

‘Now I cover my hair for 99 per cent of the time. And I don’t do any bikini or underwear shoots.

‘I don’t have set days at the mosque but I do go often and I pray every day. I would like to start a family in the future but don’t think I’d marry a non-Muslim.’

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Source: thesun.uk

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Conversion Stories New Muslims

Happiness Like I Never Felt before: Former French Rapper Diam’s

French rapper Diam’s talks about her conversion to Islam

“I discovered a religion of wisdom, of nonviolence, of peace, of sharing, of kindness; the religion of Jesus, Moses, Abraham, Salomon and of all the prophets.”

Four years after she converted to Islam, French Rapper Diam’s explains why she decided to take this amazing step that changed her life. In an interview with the French channel TF1, she explains that Islam has brought a lot of meaning to her life.

“I became a normal woman. When I wake up every morning, I know that I have to improve myself,” she said.

“When you carry God’s love in your heart, you are fulfilled.”

She went on to say that she was not built for stardom, clarifying that the life of stars made her miserable. “I tried very hard to have fun in the parties, but, I was not built for that. I believed in the dream of becoming a star, but it was just an illusion,” she said.

Connection with God

The turning point of her life was when she was with her Muslim friend Sousou. When Soussou went to do her prayer, Diam’s asked her if she could pray with her.

“When I prayed with her and I prostrated, I felt being connected with God,” she explains.

When she went on a trip to Mauritius, she took the Qur’an with her in order to read it: “It was a revelation, I was intimately convinced that God exists,” she explained.

“The more I was reading, the more convinced I became.”

Concerning her decision to wear the veil, she explained how it all came step by step. She was not ready to wear I at the beginning, but when she learnt more about Islam, she grew convinced that she needed to wear the hijab.

Hostile Reaction

When the press and her entourage discovered that she converted to Islam, she explained, as she was filmed coming out from a mosque, the press lashed out at her.

Some went as far as accusing her of becoming a danger for all her young fans. She deplored the confusion that the media created about the story of her conversion to Islam.

“I lost my team, because nobody trusted me. When a young girl converts, people say that either she is indoctrinated or her husband forced her to do it, as if I did not have my intellectual independence as if people knew that I was a woman with a weak personality or no character,” she added.

Her veil stirred controversy, especially that she had never explained what led her to change her path. She highlighted the intolerance of the French society and how it is far from being benevolent towards her when she decided to convert to Islam and how she went through tough moments after her decision.

Answering the question if it was complicated to live in France while being a veiled woman, she explained that although France remains a country that promotes freedom, people are not that kind towards her: “France remains the country of freedom since I can still wear my veil, but people’s prejudice and nastiness, make one tired,” she said.

She deplored the fact the French press and the public opinion accused her of becoming a ‘danger for the youth’.

“Is this danger, to advocate peace and be a nice person, and have a family life?”, she wondered.

“I wonder if I people would have said the same to me had I ended up like Amy Winehouse,” she added.

Religion of Peace

She criticized the people who defame Islam without having any knowledge about it and the amalgam between Islam and extremism:

“There are some people who are ignorant and they should refrain from talking. When we talk about something, we have to know what we are talking about,” she said.

Regarding the accusation of extremism leveled at Islam in Western countries, she emphasized that Islam is a religion of peace.

“That is not what I discovered. I discovered a religion of wisdom, of nonviolence, of peace, of sharing, of kindness. It is the religion of Jesus, Moses, Abraham, Salomon and of all the prophets. Why do people make it look like that? Under no circumstances can we find it normal that innocent people are killed in terrorist attacks.”

“I am very happy to the point that I have happiness in my heart that nobody can take away, neither through taking pictures nor attacking me, I have faith,” she concluded.

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Source: Morocco World News

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Conversion Stories New Muslims

From a Christian Preacher to a Muslim Community Leader: Khalil Meek

Raised in a typical American Christian family, going to traditional Bible school, Khalil Meek aspired to be a Baptist preacher. During this time he got involved in religious conversations with whoever he met and on college campuses, and, unsurprisingly, very much enjoined it.

That’s was how he communicated Christianity with others, through asking people what they believe and why. And for him it was amazingly beneficial and entertaining as well.

That’s where he found utmost passion and pleasure.

So what did he find and learn from such conversations? How did he react to it? What findings did he come across?

What did make someone of such a conservative upbringing, who always believed in Christianity and never challenging or questioning its teachings and beliefs, convert to Islam?

From such conservative upbringing, how did Khalil Meek make his way into Islam, being now one of the founders of Muslim Legal Fund of America?

From where did his journey begin? How did he learn about Islam?

The interview below of ‘Path to Guidance’ with Khalil Meek brings a very important theological discussion about his captivating story on the path of guidance…

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Conversion Stories New Muslims

Path to Guidance: Christianity Led Me to the Light of Islam

God guides whom He wills to His path, the path of guidance. Though, we have to seek His guidance to get on that path. That’s how brother Philippe found his way to Islam.

Born and grown up in Brazil his life was not different from what is usual for a child there. It was when he moved to New Jersey, United States that he began to question the truth behind all this.

Exposed to different religions, backgrounds and lifestyles, he wanted to seek and find the truth himself. He went to various religious schools and joined different churches that reading the Bible was a part of every day. He joined the Marines Corps which was before 9/11.

During his traineeship upon graduation from the Marines he embarked on his soul searching journey; reached a stage where he introspected and questioned life on a much deeper level, beginning with his very Christian background.

It was his Christianity that opened the door to the light of Islam, bringing him closer to the true religion of God.

Nine years into Islam now, brother Philippe is not just a devout Muslim; Islam has guided every aspect of his life and profoundly influenced his family members and almost every one who get to know him.

Watch brother Philippe Martins unfold unbelievable details of his very interesting journey to Islam in his interview with ‘Path to Guidance’…

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Conversion Stories New Muslims

Theresa Corbin: Nothing but Islam Appealed to My Intellect and Feminist Ideals

By Theresa Corbin

muslim woman wearing hijab

I came to realize Islam is a world religion that teaches tolerance, justice and honor and promotes patience, modesty and balance.

My name is Theresa Corbin. I am a Muslim, but I wasn’t always. I converted to Islam in November 2001, two months after 9/11.

I was 21 and living in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It was a bad time to be a Muslim. But after four years of studying, poking and prodding at world religions and their adherents, I decided to take the plunge.

Questions and Answers

I am the product of a Creole Catholic and an Irish atheist. I grew up Catholic, then was agnostic, now I’m Muslim.

My journey to Islam began when I was about 15 years old in Mass and had questions about my faith. The answers from teachers and clergymen – don’t worry your pretty little head about it – didn’t satisfy me.

So I did what any red-blooded American would do: the opposite. I worried about it. For many years. I questioned the nature of religion, man and the universe.

After questioning everything I was taught to be true and digging through rhetoric, history and dogma, I found out about this strange thing called Islam. I learned that Islam is neither a culture nor a cult, nor could it be represented by one part of the world. I came to realize Islam is a world religion that teaches tolerance, justice and honor and promotes patience, modesty and balance.

As I studied the faith, I was surprised many of the tenants resonated with me. I was pleased to find that Islam teaches its adherents to honor all prophets, from Moses to Jesus to Mohammed (peace be upon hem), all of whom taught mankind to worship one God and to conduct ourselves with higher purpose.

I was drawn to Islam’s appeal to intellect and heartened by the Prophet Mohammed’s quote, “The acquisition of knowledge is compulsory for every Muslim, whether male or female”. (Ibn Majah)

I was astounded that science and rationality were embraced by Muslim thinkers such as Al-Khawarizmi, who invented algebra; Ibn Firnas, who developed the mechanics of flight before Leonardo DaVinci; and Abu al-Qasim al-Zahrawi, who is the father of modern surgery.

Here was a religion telling me to seek out answers and use my intellect to question the world around me.

Taking the Plunge

It was 2001, and I had been putting off converting for a while. I feared what people would think but was utterly miserable. When 9/11 happened, the actions of the hijackers horrified me. But in its aftermath, I spent most of my time defending Muslims and their religion to people who were all too eager to paint a group of 1.6 billion people with one brush because of the actions of a few.

I was done being held hostage by the opinions of others. In defending Islam, I got over my fear and decided to join my brothers and sisters in the faith I believed in.

My family did not understand, but it wasn’t a surprise to them since I had been studying religion. Most were very concerned for my safety. Luckily, most of my friends were cool about it, and even curious to learn more.

The Scarf

These days, I am a proud wearer of hijab. You can call it a scarf. My scarf does not tie my hands behind my back, and it is not a tool of oppression. It doesn’t prevent thoughts from entering my head and leaving my mouth. But I didn’t always know this.

Studying Islam didn’t immediately dispel all my cultural misconceptions. I had been raised on imagery of women in the East being treated like chattel by men who forced them to cover their bodies out of shame or a sense of ownership.

But when I asked a Muslim woman “Why do you wear that?”, her answer was obvious and appealing: “To please God; to be recognized as a woman who is to be respected and not harassed. So that I can protect myself from the male gaze.”

She explained how dressing modestly is a symbol to the world that a woman’s body is not meant for mass consumption or critique.

I still wasn’t convinced and replied, “Yeah, but women are like second class citizens in your faith?”

The very patient Muslim lady explained that, during a time when the Western world treated women like property, Islam taught that men and women were equal in the eyes of God. Islam made the woman’s consent to marriage mandatory and gave women the opportunity to inherit, own property, run businesses and participate in government.

She listed right after right that women in Islam held nearly 1,250 years before women’s lib was ever thought of in the West. Surprisingly, Islam turned out to be the religion that appealed to my feminist ideals.

Getting Married

It might shock you to know that I had an arranged marriage. That doesn’t mean I was forced to marry my father’s first choice suitor, like Jasmine from “Aladdin”. Dad didn’t even have a say.

When I converted, it wasn’t a good time to be a Muslim. Feeling isolated, alienated and rejected by my own society pushed me to want to start a family of my own. Even before converting, I had always wanted a serious relationship but found few men looking for the same.

As a new Muslim, I knew there was a better way to look for love and a lifelong partnership. I decided that if I wanted a serious relationship, it was time to get serious about finding one. I wanted an arranged marriage.

I made a list of “30 Rock”-style deal breakers. I searched. I interviewed. I interrogated friends and families of prospects.

I decided I wanted to marry another convert, someone who had been where I was and wanted to go where I wanted to go. Thanks to parents of friends, I found my now-husband, a convert to Islam, in Mobile, Alabama, two hours from my New Orleans home. Twelve years later, we are living happily ever after.

Not every Muslim finds a mate in this manner, and I didn’t always see this for my life. But I am glad Islam afforded me this option.

Living in a Post-9/11 World

I never had to give up my personality, American identity or culture to be a Muslim. I have, at times, had to give up on being treated with dignity.

I have been spat on, had eggs thrown at me and been cursed at from passing cars. And I have felt terror when the mosque I attended in Savannah, Georgia, was first shot at, then burned down.

In August 2012, I moved back home to New Orleans, where being different is the norm. I finally felt safe- for a while. But now, with the continuous news coverage of the un-Islamic group known as ISIS, I have been subjected to much of the same treatment I received in other cities. And I now feel less safe than I ever have.

It enrages me to know there are some who call themselves Muslims and who distort and misappropriate Islam for political gains.

It weighs on me knowing that millions of my countrymen see only these images as a representative of my religion. It is unbearable to know that I am passionately hated for my beliefs, when those hating me don’t even know what my beliefs are.

In my journey to Islam, I came to learn that Muslims come in all shapes, sizes, attitudes, ethnicities, cultures and nationalities. I came to know that Islam teaches disagreement and that shouldn’t lead to disrespect, as most Muslims want peace.

Most of all, I have faith that my fellow Americans can rise above fear and hatred and come to learn the same.

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Source: cnn.com

Theresa Corbin is a writer living in New Orleans. She is the founder of Islamwich and a contributor to On Islam and Aquila Style.

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Conversion Stories New Muslims

More US Hispanic Women Convert to Islam

Hispanic Women

nature

These women feel more at ease with the traditional expectations of women in Muslim society.

Latinos are one of the fastest growing groups in the Muslim religion. The Pew Research Center says about six percent of American Muslims are Latino. And women make up a little more than half of the new converts (the people who have changed their religion to Islam).

On a recent Friday, men listened to their imam at Masjid Miami Gardens in Miami, Florida. This clergyman spoke about forgiveness.

On the upper level of the Gardens, the women watch through glass. They hear the imam through a monitoring system.

This is the world that Greisa Torres entered four years ago. That is when she arrived in Miami from Cuba. She says she lost her identify in the move, and found it in the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Ms. Torres converted to Islam while pregnant with her second son.

“It’s very hard for me because we don’t have family here, just my husband and my kids. On this day, my baby, my Mahdi Aparicio, this day he was born. That’s why I convert to Islam, because I’m scared.”

Some estimates say there are 3,000 Hispanic Muslims in the Miami area and more than 40,000 nationwide.

Stephanie Londono received a master’s degree from Florida International University. She published a study about religious conversions by Latinas, women of Hispanic ancestry.

Safe Haven

Ms. Londono says some women turn to Islam because they reject Western values. They believe success in the West is measured by careers, education or wealth.

These women feel more at ease with the traditional expectations of women in Muslim society. They feel that what some consider less freedom in this way of life is something good or a benefit.

Ms. Londono says they like clear definitions between “halal”, meaning acceptable, and “haram”, which means unacceptable.

“So they know exactly where they stand. So the Qur’an happens to become this book that is almost like a guidebook, that tells you exactly how to wear, what to wear, when to wash, what to eat, how to behave, when to pray…”

Representing Islam

Less traditional Muslim women may avoid the hijab. But Latinas are happy to wear this head covering. Ms. Londono says they purposely speak Spanish while their heads are covered to show they represent Islam.

“When the people see you with the hijab, they respect you. It’s emotion you feel because you are different.”

Being seen in public in a hijab breaks traditional images that all Arabs are Muslims and all Hispanics are Catholic.

Ms. Torres also discovered similarities in the cultures as she changed religion. For example, 4,000 Spanish language words have roots in Arabic. This is because Moors (Arabs) occupied Spain in the Middle Ages.

Greisa Torres finds this useful. Some of what she is learning about Islam is taught in Arabic.

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Source: voanews.com

 

This report was based on a story from VOA’s Carolyn Presutti. Jeri Watson wrote the story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

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Conversion Stories New Muslims

Before Islam I Was Drowning in Loss: A UK Sister’s Journey to Islam

My name is Anne, I am 24 years old and I accepted Islam at the end of March 2015.

lost_in_desert

I wanted to know what I should do about my life, and somewhere in my heart was Islam.

My journey goes back to my upbringing as a Catholic Christian in the UK. My brother and I were given this upbringing since my mother’s side of the family were Catholic and her father was extremely devout.

Before Islam

The schools I attended growing up were Catholic, and I owe a great deal of my education and faith to them. However, as a child I began to have questions that made me feel betrayed and guilty at the same time.

During Year 2 (I was aged 6) we were making preparations for our first Holy Communion (the second sacrament of the three sacraments of initiation for Catholics: Baptism, Communion and Confirmation). After the first Holy Communion, a Catholic may take part in mass at Church and eat the bread and wine that the Priest transforms by his blessing into the body and blood of Christ. The preparations for my First Communion involved going to classes to learn about Jesus, the Bible, the church and the Catholic way of life. It also involved going to Confession for the first time in my life.

We were all waiting in line outside of the church, each being called in one by one to talk to the priest about our sins. I made my way to the Altar and sat on the steps by the Priest, anxious about what I might say I had done in the previous weeks. He talked for a while about forgiveness, and then asked me what sins I had committed.

I remember feeling embarrassed and confused, I had fought with my brother a little, but had made friends with him again. Was I a bad person? Had I committed sins and not even known about them? Was I lying to the Priest when I said I hadn’t really committed a sin? I told the Priest that I had hit my brother that week, but I had said sorry to him for it. The Priest continued to question me, digging for more sins, determined to show me that I was a sinner. I walked away with a feeling of betrayal that would stay with me for a long time.

Throughout my childhood I had more and more questions. Why were there pictures of saints? Why is there a statue of the Virgin Mary? How do we know what Jesus looks like? Is the bread really Jesus’ body? Was I born with sin? Is Jesus God? What is the Holy Spirit, and what is the Trinity? Is it some kind of gas type substance? Why all the gold? Why can’t Catholics use contraception? Why can’t Catholics divorce?

I was very confused until my teenage years when I made my decision to leave my religion. Whilst all of my friends at school had their Confirmation into the Church, I refused. I could not lie to God about what I believe.

Subsequently, I ignored religion. If religion is this confusing, I thought, then I want no part in it. I couldn’t put up with the mental gymnastics. However, I could never bring myself to say that God did not exist, so I became agnostic.

During my teenage years, my parents got divorced after years of abuse from my father at home. My dad had an affair and had finally left by the time I was 14. I also had a very hard time fitting in at school because my dad taught there. I was different from the other kids and showing signs that I was very unhappy, I became an easy target for bullying.

My mum was going through a difficult time emotionally and wasn’t as able to look after me and my brother with the amazing care she had shown when we were small. Dinner time became a distant memory, and some days the only food was toast or cereal.

My family had broken down entirely, my parents became unrecognizable to me, and because of the shame for my dad and my family, I wasn’t able to confide in my friends at school to tell them what was happening at home. I turned to the Internet to escape my problems, to express the hurt in my life, and to invent a different Anne from the person my peers at school saw.

Beginning of Shift

It was through one particular friend on the Internet that I first learned something about Islam. We used to talk sometimes about religion, but it would be difficult to say that we talked much in particular about Islam since he kept his faith quite private.

Eventually we used to talk about Islam and I started to become quite taken with the faith. There was no Trinity, no Priest, no confession, and the story of Jesus was a much more intellectually satisfying one. It felt like someone had turned the lights on after a long time.

There was suddenly a huge number of people in the world who actually agreed with me, yet I hadn’t known that they existed! And all along I had felt like I was a terrible person for having questions.

Unfortunately, I didn’t take active steps towards Islam for myself. My conversation with that person was strained. After a while, his overall attitude towards me felt somehow  judgmental. As such, I would never have accepted Islam at that time; I didn’t want to change my religion in a way that would make him feel like he was right about me, and I didn’t know if I liked Islam simply because I liked him. It was his thing, not mine.

I felt very lonely, and one night in October last year I went to bed asking questions to God. I wanted to know what I should do about my life, and somewhere in my heart was Islam, the real question that hadn’t yet been answered.

That night I had a very powerful dream that I am drowning. I knew this dream was important and I had a feeling it was something to do with God or Islam. I searched for some words from my dream as ‘Islam’, ‘hands’, ‘five’, ‘pearl’ on my phone and came up with some answers. I was sitting in bed in the dark, the light on my phone turned off.

Searching for Truth

I was still sitting and thinking, in the dark, when a light like lightning flickered in the corner of my bedroom. Picking up my phone to turn the light on, I aimed it to where the light came from to see what it was. Nothing was there. Nobody was awake in the house. The light on my phone turned off again and I watched. The light came back and flickered once more!

The next day I woke up and told my mum about the dream and that I was going to read the Qur’an. I tried to reach out to my friend, the only Muslim I knew, to see what he thought about that. He couldn’t help me with it, and I started reading.

I moved to a different town where I met lots of Muslim sisters who have helped me with my religion. They have also helped me decipher the dream, since the interpretation I had was not very satisfying. Firstly, one sister told me that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) gave the following pearl of wisdom:

drowning

Essentially, we are all drowning in loss since we are running out of time by Allah’s promise.

“Take advantage of five matters before five other matters: your youth, before you become old; your health, before you fall sick; your wealth, before you become poor; your free time before you become busy; and your life, before your death.” (Al-Bukhari)

At Last…Finding the Way

And all that time I was wasting on having a damaging relationship and on feeling too proud to admit that Islam was right. I was denying reality big time.

Another sister has also told me about Surat Al-`Asr, for which one suggested I watch the Tafseer by Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan. In the video I found he talked at length about mankind ‘drowning in loss’, and not having time when you are drowning.

Essentially, we are all drowning in loss since we are running out of time by Allah’s promise. I heard that this Surah of the Qur’an is often described as definitive of Islam.

So, that was it for me. It was only a matter of time until I took my Shahadah, with the help of the sisters who have helped me so much Alhamdulillah.

I hope my journey is an inspiration to anybody going through difficult times not to lose their faith. Life is a winding road, you never know what turn it will take!

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Source: hadithoftheday.com.

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Categories
New Muslims Reflections

My Journey to Islam: A Worthy Struggle with the Hijab

New American Muslim sister, Lisa, shares her struggle with the hijab and how she converted to Islam.

struggle with the hijab

So, you feel like you’re in a battle; I’m trying to be Muslim, but I’m trying also to please my family.

I come from Michigan. I’m 31 years old, married. But I come from a Christian family, like most of us converts. My father’s side is Catholic, and my mother’s is very conservative Christian Baptist. So me converting was a very big deal for my entire family.

However my mother comes from a very large family as she was the one child out of six that may rebound and then she embraced Christianity. So she raised me quite differently. She raised me to be very open-minded, very liberal, politically and religiously. So, I embraced all her values and morals of thinking, but I never really embraced the way she thought about religion.

From a very young age I actually was very attached to Christianity, and on my own; nobody pushed me because my grandparents were already around pushing me into Christianity. But I just willingly entered into that religion. So I started going to young life and Christian camps; really trying to get involved in the religion as much as I could. I believe I was 15 years old when I went to Christian camps.

At Christian camps, you have amazing time but they have you staying up and have you claim Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and that exactly what I did. I did it but a kind of blindly as I was 15 years old. As such, you aren’t really researching as much as you should be, you are just following what people are telling you to believe. You don’t really question. I went ahead with that, but I had questions about my life.

I always had in my mind just what kind of what my mother would always be putting in my mind …for example, what about all the children who haven’t heard of the Gospel? Aren’t they going to Hell? Is that what they teach you? And so I’d be battling this; arguing within myself like… no I believe in Jesus, but my own mom is telling me something like how can anybody just tell you that a random person that they are going to Hell?!

And so I never really faced that question. Then after going to college and through Freshman year I met somebody who helped me exploring the world. I met some Muslim friends, some of them were from Morocco. A friend of mine was the grandson of the director of the American Language Center of Tangier, Morocco. And it seemed like there was an opportunity for teaching English there, he asked me “Do you want to go? And I said “yes, definitely.”

I went there, and, Alhamdulillah, I was able to live with that Moroccan family. So I did that and I was like, hey! I’d like to dress like you are dressing. Can I try that scarf! So, she gave me the scarf and I wore it. And I asked from where did you buy it? I want to buy one. So, for three months I’d wake up before Fajr. I had no idea what I was doing. I’d put my hijab and I didn’t know why, but I was just excited. It’s a new dress!

By time, I had found Morocco an awesome experience, but I never questioned anything I did. I spoke English, and they spoke Arabic. I started to learn a little Arabic, but we couldn’t communicate. So, it was just an awesome experience.

Back at Home

I came home. Back to my life, I graduated from college.  I worked at a bank. And here the irony comes in. Even though I lived in a Muslim country, I had no idea about Islam. And yes… I worked at a bank, and I was dealing with interest and basis, and something told me to quit.

Something within told me ‘this is not right”, and so I didn’t want to do it. Now I know what this thing was, but at the time I couldn’t explain it. I just knew I was not doing what I supposed to be doing. I was on the wrong path.

So, I’ve always wanted to be a photographer. I needed to be in a creative field. So, I quitted everything. I dropped everything. I moved to Florida. And I went to a photography school.

At the same time, I decided to join a project on town. So, I met tons of Muslim friends- one of them named Nadeen. She is an awesome friend. And at that time they asked me at photography school to do an assignment; a documentary on my choice.

So, I decided to do it on hijab. I lived in Morocco, and I had worn this for three months, and yet I still have no clue why they wear it. So I asked Nadden, “Can I please interview you?’ and she said “Absolutely.”

So we went ahead. I did an interview asking this question- just general questions I asked all the time: ‘why do you wear hijab?’ ‘Do people judge you? Is it hot?

These obviously were just ignorant questions because I had no idea what they were talking about. And so when she started speaking to me, she opened up my eye asking me: ‘you are a Christian, right? I said, ‘yes’.

She continued: ‘You know! It is in the Bible- specifically, in Corinthians chapter: 11, verse: 6, that a woman should wear a hijab. I said: ‘What? ‘Really?’

True Feminism

In that way she opened up my eyes, and it is one of the things I live about Islam; one of the beauties of Islam; such a feminist religion. And I grew up as the biggest feminist, fighting for women’s rights. And what of the things I learned is the rights Islam does give to women.  This is what I really loved about it

And so I started listening to her. Getting that other point of view  that you never thought of, you think that most of these women they don’t really have a career, they are just there for their husbands, and all the stereotypes that are always out there. They really are there. And she opened up my eyes as like: ‘Just look around! Look at the magazine aisles… nothing is sold without a  woman’s body being put next to it”. I remember her saying: “Can you even sell a pack of chips without having a naked woman next to it!” And I thought l “Oh My God! That is not feminism. That is oppression.”

I’ve been living in an oppressed society, and I without even knowing it. I asked myself: “why do we have to feel so self-conscious about our bodies all the time?

And so, I really started thinking about it. I went home. I looked for that verse of the Bible. And Wow! It was really there!

From there I got so interested, and I looked into the Qur’an and see what the Qur’an said about the hijab. And, surprisingly, when I read the Bible’s verse of the hijab it was actually very demeaning for women. I don’t know if many of you may read it. It says:

 “If it is a shameful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head.” (Corinthians chapter 11:6)

That seemed to me very demeaning way. But, on the other hand, the Qur’an talks how beautiful the woman is that she should be covered. And that’s why I just started looking at things differently.

So then I just was so interested I couldn’t get my hands of converting to Islam. So then I read many books. I read the Qur’an. I watched YouTube videos. Yusuf Estes is one of my favorites. I watched all his YouTube videos.

I did this for about three months. And at that time I knew I was going to become Muslim. But I felt I was not ready to take the Shahadah, but ready to put my hijab on. So I actually put the hijab on before I took my Shahadah.  And I didn’t put it full time. I traveled to New York and decided to put it on just because I felt comfortable to do so. And remember flying back . I remember going to class and I remember just being so nervous (crying).

And Alhamdulillah, I cut through it. You have to answer everybody’s question: “why are you wearing that?” “You came in and you were not wearing it.”

I know it’s minuscule now, but at that time it was so hard; I had to explain it to everybody, it took so much strength. But Alhamdulillah I’m so proud to wear my hijab now.

And then three months later, I kept researching and researching. And I found “yes! This is the real religion for me. I’m ready to do this”.

And I remember being alone. It was July 29th, 2011. It was the Friday before Ramadan. And I used to go to the mosque for Jum`ah (Friday) Prayer, but I was not yet a Muslim. But I remember sitting this day next to a lady and she said “I think you should convert before Ramadan starts. There’d be  so many blessings. So I thought more about it. I got my car and thought “yes. I guess this is what I want to do. I’m ready”.

So I went to the first woman I could find, and told her “I want to take my Shahadah”. And it was such a sense of peace that came over me when I took my Shahadah.

Since then it has been a journey, definitely a journey. I believe I-before taking the Shahadah- really was on the wrong path.

I wasn’t really praying. No one is there to guide you. You are trying to do things on your own, i.e. you don’t know how to pray, so you watch YouTube a video and try. You just do the best you can.

I’m supporting myself, living in an apartment alone; I even thought the fast began at sunrise not Fajr. So, you do things wrong but you do the best you can.

Me & My Hijab

My family, and particularly my Mom, took it very hard. And there was a kind or irony about it; she’d told me my whole life to be open-minded and to accept everybody, though it was so hard for her to accept this.

But though I has a very easy convert, comparing to other converts. My mom after a while-Alhamdulillah, accepted it. But she’d always say “why do you have to wear the hijab? Can’t you just take it off?”

So, I went through this struggle. Even if this (hijab) what let me to Islam, I’d take it for my Mom. I went home to Michigan, and I took it off. So, you feel like you’re in a battle; I’m trying to be Muslim, but I’m trying also to please my family. It was truly a struggle.

Now I’m on the right path, praying five times a day- Alhamdulillah. And I’m still learning.

And this is my story.

Watch Sister Liza tells of her touching journey to Islam in this video…

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Categories
Conversion Stories New Muslims

Calmness and Other Priceless Things: An American Student’s Journey to Islam

Why did this American student choose Islam? What were the mission ingredients in her life and what did she find in Islam? How did his spiritual journey begin? What changes did Islam bring to her life? How does she live up to it?

journey, nature

Conversion to Islam helped her to be a calmer person.

“Islam is about trying to pray and trying to be a better person”, student says.

When Marilyn Martinez came back to San Antonio, she did not speak English. She was born in the U.S. but raised in Mexico as a Catholic. When her parents divorced, she moved to Texas to be with her mother.

She attended this college and earned an associate degree in dental assisting.

She had been in the U.S. for six months when the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, happened.

As Martinez watched the events unfold on television, she wondered why the media portrayed Arabs as terrorists and made Islam seem like a bad religion, she said.

First Steps of the Journey

Several months later, in February 2002, she met her future husband, a Muslim from Saudi Arabia, through a classmate at a barbecue and began to learn about Islam.

Martinez demonstrates wudu’ (ablution; washing before prayer). Muslims recite “bismillahi Ar-Rahman Ar-Raheem” (In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful), then wash their hands, mouth, nose and face three times. Wash the right arm to the elbow first then left, put water on the head front to back, clean behind the ears with thumb. Finally the feet are washed between the toes starting with the right foot.

A few months later, and seven months into knowing each other, she accidentally walked into his room while he was praying. That was the first time she ever saw a Muslim pray.

After a year she wanted to learn more about the religion so he brought her books about Islam written in Spanish.

In 2005, she began wearing a hijab, a head covering, periodically.

Martinez recited her Shahadah, (Declaration of Faith), in 2013 in the presence of a sheikh and several women from the mosque and has been a Muslim for eight years, she said.

Shahadah is when a Muslim recites that there is only one god, Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

Better Person

Martinez did not have to change her religion to get married. In fact, she converted after she separated from her husband. She did it for herself, not for him, she said.

She and her husband divorced because of their cultural differences, not religion, she said.

Now that Martinez is Muslim, she says the religion is different from how the media portrays it.

She said her journey  to Islam helped her to be a calmer person. It helped her to accept things that happened in her life but did not change who she is.

Martinez says she is Mexican by heart and her religion is separate.

Her family respects her holidays. When she fasts during Ramadan, her whole family waits to break the fast with her at sundown, she said.

She accepts Jesus was a prophet, like Muhammad (peace be upon them).

Martinez always questioned the crucifixion of Jesus, and worshipping saints did not resonate with her. Muslims do not worship statues; when she was Catholic she always questioned why she had to pray to saints.

At Christmas, she celebrates with her family but does not participate in the Catholic rituals.

When she prays at home, she wears `abaya (a prayer dress that covers her body).

Praying five times a day is calming, she said. Sometimes, she prays when she is sad. Muslim women must cover their hair, neck and arms to their wrists and their legs to their ankles or the prayer won’t count, she said.

Between Religion & Culture

Martinez likes to cover up and wear hijab because she wants people to know anyone can be Muslim; it is not exclusive to Arabs. She separates Arab culture from the religion.

She is a modest person anyway. Wearing hijab does not stop her from being active.

To keep track of prayer times, Martinez uses an app called “Adhan” that can be set to go off before the five prayer times to alert the user it’s time to pray.

Martinez said her friends said even though she changed her religious belief, she is the same person. She is at peace with herself.

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Source: theranger.org

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