Tag: TERRORISM

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New Muslims Reflections

Emmanuel Adebayor : I Am A Muslim and That’s Why

Emmanuel Adebayor

Now I believe am a true follower of Jesus.

Emmanuel Adebayor, the Togolese international football star, is now a Muslim. His conversion went viral in the early days of the Ramadan this year after a video was posted online showing the Tottenham Hotspurs striker, 30, clothed in a white robe, while taking his Shahadah (the Islamic Declaration of Faith).

The story was doubted particularly as the Togo football star was known as a practicing Christian with him posting pictures of himself with a priest to Facebook with captions praising God.

It was until the former Arsenal, Man City and Real Madrid forward has all confirmed his recent conversion to Islam in a new post wishing fellow Muslims a happy `Eid along with his manner of dressing.

“SEA, to all my Muslim families: may the blessings of Allah fill your life with happiness and open all the doors of success now and always. Eid Mubarak! ?À toutes mes familles Musulmanes: que les bénédictions d’Allah remplissent votre vie de joie et vous ouvre les portes du succès, maintenant et à jamais. Eid Mubarak! #GodFirst #EverythingSecond #belief #OneGod #HappyEid #EidMubarak #GoodLife #GodIsGood #GoodOverEvil #LifesGood”

The soccer star shared a message on Instagram along with a photo of himself wearing the popular Arabian white thawb and an ankle-length white shirt. He covered his head with a shemagh, a heavy red and white scarf-like head cover.

In the past few months Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor has been releasing online family issues and how he has been dealing with them as well as vice versa.

As days, weeks, months stretched on, he was reported to have dumped his Christian faith and be a Muslim.

That’s Why I Became Muslim

In his expected usual self, he released the reasons why he converted to Islam.

Check out his reasons

I got 13 valid reasons why and how Muslims are like Jesus (peace be upon him) and true followers of Jesus than most Christians believe:

1- Jesus (peace be upon him) taught that there is only One God and Only God should be worshipped as taught in Deut 6:4, Mark 12:29. Muslims also believe this as taught in the Qur’an, verse 4:171:

O People of the Scripture! Do not exaggerate in your religion nor utter aught concerning Allah save the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, and His word which He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers, and say not “Three” – Cease! (it is) better for you! – Allah is only One Allah. (An-Nisaa’ 4:171)

2- Jesus didn’t eat pork as taught in Leviticus 11:7 , and neither do Muslims as taught in the Qur’an:

Say: I find not in that which is revealed unto me aught prohibited to an eater that he eat thereof, except it be carrion, or blood poured forth, or swine flesh. (Al-An`am 6:145)

3- Jesus greeted with the words “as-salamu `alaykum” (Peace be upon you) in John 20:21. Muslims also greet each other this way.

4- Jesus always said “God Willing” (in sha’ Allah), Muslims say this too before doing anything as taught in the Qur’an:

And say not of anything, “I shall do it tomorrow,” without adding, “if God wills.” (Al-Kahf 18:23-24)

5- Jesus washed his face, hands, and feet before praying. The Muslims do the same.

6- Jesus and other prophets of the Bible prayed with their head to the ground (see Matthew 26:39). Muslims do too as taught in the Qur’an:

O Mary! Be obedient to your Lord, prostrate ourself and bow with those who bow (in worship). (Aal `Imran 3:43)

7- Jesus had a beard and wore a thawb. It is Sunnah for Muslim men to do the same.

8- Jesus followed the law and believed in all the prophets, (see Matthew 5:17). Muslims do too as taught in the Qur’an in two verses:

Say (O Muhammad): “We believe in Allah, and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Isma’il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the prophets, from their Lord: We make no distinction between one and another among them, and to Allah do we bow our will (in Islam).” (Aal `Imran 3:84)

The Messenger believes in that which hath been revealed to him from his Lord and (so do) believers. Each one believeth in Allah and His angels and His scriptures and His messengers – We make no distinction between any of His messengers. (Al-Baqarah 2:285)

9- Jesus’ mother, Maryam (Mary) (May Allah be pleases with her) dressed modestly by fully covering her body and wearing a headscarf (hijab) as found in 1 Timothy 2:9, Genesis 24:64-65, and Corinthians 11:6. Muslim women modestly dress the same as taught:

O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them (when they go abroad). That will be better, so that they may be recognized and not annoyed. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful. (Al-Ahzab 33:59)

10- Jesus and other prophets of the Bible fasted up to 40 days (see Exodus 34:28, Daniel 10:2-6. 1Kings 19:8, and Matthew 4:1-Muslims do so also during the month of Ramadan. Muslims are required to fast the full obligatory 30 days (see Qur’an 2:183), and others take it a step further by fasting an additional 6 days to increase their rewards.

11- Jesus taught to say “Peace to this house” when entering it (see Luke 10:5), and to also greet the people in the house with “peace be unto you”.

Muslims do exactly what Jesus did and taught. When we enter our homes and the homes of others we say “bismillah” (in the name of Allah) and also greet with “as-salamu `alaykum” (peace be upon you) as taught in the Qur’an:

But if you enter houses, salute each other – a greeting of blessing and purity as from Allah. (An-Nur 24:61)

12- Jesus was circumcised. Circumcision is 1 of the 5 fitrah (pure nature) in Islam, so Muslim men are required to be circumcised. According to the Bible in Luke 2:21, Jesus was eight days old when he was circumcised. In the Torah, Allah/God stated to the Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) that it is an “Everlasting covenant” (see Genesis 17:13).

In the Qur’an verse 16:123 Muslims are required to follow the religion of Abraham. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “The Prophet Abraham circumcised himself when he was eighty years old.” (Al-Bukhari, Muslim, and Ahmad).

13- Jesus (peace be upon him) spoke Aramaic and called God ”Elah”, which is pronounced the same as “Allah”. Aramaic is an ancient, Biblical language. It is one of the Semitic languages that also include Hebrew, Arabic, Ethiopic and the ancient Assyrian and Babylonian language of Akkadian.

The Aramaic ”Elah” and the Arabic “Allah” are the same.

The Aramaic “Elah” is derived from the Arabic “Allah”, and it means “GOD”. “Allah” in Arabic also means ”God”, the Supreme GOD Almighty. You can easily see the similarity in their pronunciation so this concludes that the God of Jesus is also the God of the Muslims, of all mankind, and all that exist.

Now tell me who is the real follower of Jesus (peace be upon him)? Obviously Muslims.

Now I believe am a true follower of Jesus.

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Source: The Herald and other websites.

 

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Conversion Stories New Muslims

French Director Isabelle Matic Converts to Islam

 

French director Isabelle Matic has declared her decision of converting to Islam through her Facebook page, an unexpected announcement only a few days after the Charlie Hebdo’s Paris attack.

“Today, I passed through the first pillar of Islam”, she posted on January 11.

“I testify that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His Prophet.”

She added: “God show me the real way about the purpose of human existence.“

“Between the massacre at the premises of Charlie Hebdo and other events that occurred: I became a Muslim,” Matic posted.

She took the world by surprise with this step, and in one of her further posts, she thanked Moroccan actor Hicham Bahloul for declaring her decision on Moroccan papers. She also described what made her take this decision and how it effects on her principles of freedom of expression.

“Am I still for freedom of expression for all and Charlie Hebdo in particular? Yes!” , Matic affirmed.

In one of the other posts, she stated, “With regard to my stand towards the cartoons of the Prophet, I will write you the text of the SMS from a mosque which moderately agreed with my thoughts since the commencement of the cartoons, well before I became a Muslim,” “They are making fun of Muhammad and not harming him.

“They are mocking at a character which they have conceived and to whom they have given a name. This man is not our Prophet,” she wrote.

“The Makkans laughed at Muhammad (worthy of praise) in the appellant Modamam (worthy of name calling). The prophet, peace be upon him, merely smiled. Yes, he just smiled! And said: They are making fun of Modamam and not me,” cited Matic, adding “The wisdom is the answer to provocations. And this is what our beloved Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be with him) has taught us”.

She also made an appeal to fellow Muslims, saying “So when Charlie Hebdo will be published Insha’Allah (God willing), don’t pay any heed. Do not respond to the incitement and don’t give any importance to it.”

The latest edition of Charlie Hebdo magazine, first after the Paris attack, exemplifies a cartoon with a tear dropping through his cheek. The picture, placed on the cover page, is claimed to be of Prophet Mohammed which holds a sign saying, “Je suis Charlie” under the headline “All Is Forgiven.”

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Source: News Agencies

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Conversion Stories New Muslims

German Footballer Danny Blum Converts to Islam

Danny Blum

“Prayer calms my soul”, Blum told Bild newspaper

German Footballer Danny Blum has announced his reversion to Islam, the religion he describes as of hope and strength.

“Islam gives me hope and strength”, Blum told Bild newspaper on January 26.

Entering the fold of Islam was a momentous turning point for the young man who- in his own words- was “short-tempered, erratic and did not know where to belong”.

“Prayer calms my soul”, he said.

Blum joined FC Nürnberg in Bavaria last July. The team plays in the Second Division of professional football in Germany, the Bundesliga.

Shortly after joining the team, he injured his knee and was forced eventually to take six months off.

A few weeks ago, he took the decision to revert to Islam, joining the world’s fastest growing religion.

“Living in the lap of luxury. Every weekend make alarm. No responsibility for anything. And what actually comes after retirement?” the questions came to Blum as he sat at home.

“I have visited a mosque and I immediately risen the heart. I felt this is something for me and wanted to know more,” Blum told Bild.

Ever since, he prays five times a day and eat halal food. Informing his parents with his decision, the 24-year-old player said they were scare at first.

“They are devout Christians. But soon they said that I have to go that route if I believe that it is right,” he said.

May Allah bless him and keep him strong and firm on this true path. Ameen.

The video below talks about that …

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Source: thenewstribe.com

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Conversion Stories New Muslims

After a Lot of Research, An Indian Sikh Man Finds Islam

A disillusioned Sikh man from India has converted to Islam in Afghanistan’s Jawzjan province and has been named Abdul Rahman, according to a media report there.

Tota Singh has converted to Islam and has been named as Abdul Rahman in the northern Jawzjan, Pajhwok Afghan News reported.

Singh arrived from India in Shiberghan, capital of Jawzjan province two years ago.

He was thinking of converting to Islam, the report said.

“After doing a lot of research, he has finally chosen Islam,” he said.

“I was in prison for some time in India and there I finally found that worshipping idols, animals and trees were not rational,” he was quoted as saying by the news agency.

Reaching out to the Whole Family

After feeling the beauty of Islam, Abdul Rahman has pledged to persuade his brother and other family members to adopt Islam as their religion.

His family has been living in Shiberghan since last two decades.

Sheikh Abdul Rahim Islamyar, director hajj and religious affairs, said in a ceremony that Tota Singh was named as Abdul Rahman after consultations with religious scholars.

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Source: business-standard.com

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Conversion Stories New Muslims

Alex Pereira, Brazilian Kickboxing Star, Converts to Islam

Alex Pereira

Besides the physical, there was a different strength Pereira sought for, namely psychological and spiritual one, to fill the inner void that he had felt.

Alex Pereira, the Brazilian kickboxing star has converted to Islam, Sheikh Khalid Taqi Al-Din, the chairman of the Supreme Council of Imams and Islamic Affairs in Brazil, has announced.

“In search for inner peace, contentment, and perfect character and after a close reading about Islam,” Pereira, the first kickboxing star in Latin America and Brazil and the sixth in the world, “has found his purpose”, Sheikh Taqi Al-Din told International Islamic News Agency (IINA).

“That’s when he decided to visit (FAMBRAS) Federation of Muslim Associations in Brazil to learn more about the true message of Islam, its civilization and guidance to humanity”, he said in his statement to the agency.

Other Type of Strength

“Pereira, who will compete this month at Dubai World Cup 2015 for the World’s Title, talked about his physical strength, saying he is ready to fight the upcoming matches to win the title, but he stated that there was strength he sought for, namely psychological and spiritual strength, to fill the inner void that he had felt”, Taqi Al-Din pointed out.

“The kick boxer, who read some books about Islam given to him by a friend of his, called Hamzah, became a frequent visitor to the Federation of Muslim Associations in Brazil to meet with scholars, who explained to him the principles of Islam. Consequently, he decided to convert to Islam,” Taqi Al-Din noted.

At the FAMBRAS, Alex pronounced the Shahadah (Testimony of Faith):

Ashhadu ana la ilaha illa Allah wa ashahdu anna Muhammadun rasulu Allah (I bear witness there is no god but Allah; I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of God).

Alexsandro Pereira, 27 years old commonly known as Alex Pereira or sometimes Alex Sandro competes in the middleweight division. He turned to kickboxing after giving up a career as a boxer.

Pereira came to prominence when he became a WAKO Pro Panamerican champion in 2013. He has competed in promotions such as the SUPERKOMBAT Fighting Championship, It’s Showtime, Jungle Fight and WGP Kickboxing, and signed with Glory in 2014.

As of 22 June 2014, Pereira is ranked the #5 middleweight in the world by GLORY, and #6 by LiverKick.com.

Learn More about Islam

In its efforts  to familiarizing the world with the sporting, intellectual and scientific elite who play a significant role in the Brazilian social life and the anti-Muslim campaigns launched by some media outlets, the Federation of Muslim Associations in Brazil has adopted a new project, dubbed “Muslims for Peace”, Sheikh Khalid said.

“These campaigns did not pose an obstacle to familiarize the people with Islam. On the contrary, they prompted more people to learn about Islam and convert as Muslims” he added.

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Source: International Islamic News Agency (IINA) & newspapers.

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Conversion Stories New Muslims

A Scottish New-Muslim: I Converted to Islam without Ever Meeting a Muslim

How does a middle-aged, white Scottish man living in the Scottish Highlands end up becoming a Muslim – especially when he hasn’t properly met a Muslim in his life?

Scottish Muslim

It’s important to point out that it’s Islam you have to accept, rather than any cultural specificities from out in the world.

For me, it all started when I heard the call to prayer from a local mosque while on a beach holiday in Turkey. It woke something up inside me, and inspired me to begin a spiritual quest.

The Qur’an

Back home in Inverness, I went to the local bookshop, bought a Qur’an and started to read. While reading, I always asked God to guide me on the journey I had set out on.

A lot of praying. A lot of time on my knees.

The Qur’an really shook me. It’s quite a scary book to read because it tells you so much about yourself. Some things that I found out about myself I didn’t like. So I decided to make some changes.

I knew that I could stop reading the Qur’an and halt the process at any time, but I also knew that would mean giving up something really important.

And I knew what the end result of this process would be: I would be a Muslim.

So I kept on reading. I read it three times, looking for the catch. But there was no catch; I was quite comfortable with everything.

The Quest for Truth

The difficult part in all of this was wondering who I would become. Would I become strange, dress differently, speak differently in the eyes of others?

What would my family, friends and workmates think of me?

Most importantly, what would I think about myself? Would I like who I became?

I would spent time conducting searches online, looking for the stories of people who had gone through this experience themselves. Nothing ever seemed to quite fit the bill – each person’s journey, of course, is unique. It is good to know, however, that others have gone down this same path as you.

Put simply, I turned to these resources when I became afraid I’d be seen as an oddball.

Online resources are great to find out how to pray in Arabic, to listen to the Qur’an, read out loud or perhaps to listen to some Islamic music. For me, music was a great way of picking up some of the phrases I wanted to start to use.

Key in all of this, though, is that I questioned absolutely everything – as is absolutely necessary in a religious conversion. You question yourself. You question what you hear, and what you read.

If something doesn’t feel right to you, then it’s a clear indication that it’s not for you. You have to listen carefully to your intuition and your heart.

Working through this process took me about 18 months. Some people take less time, some people more. And I was doing all this on my own, with no-one to help. I still hadn’t met any Muslims.

Scottish Muslim

After those 18 months, however, I considered myself a Muslim. I was praying five times a day, fasting for Ramadan, and eating and drinking only what was considered acceptable according to the teachings of the Qur’an. I went to my first mosque and met other Muslims properly for the first time.

It was only then I found out that there was actually a small mosque in my town. I popped along, knocked on the door and introduced myself.

They were surprised to see me and didn’t know quite what to do with me at first, except to give me the mosque door combination and to welcome me to their community. I was accepted from the very beginning, however, and am now a constant within the community.

I still had things to learn, of course.

What is Islam – and how do you divorce that religion from somebody’s culture? It’s important to point out that it’s Islam you have to accept, rather than any cultural specificities from out in the world.

It’s important to remember the distinction between written Islamic teachings and culture in the real world.

You always retain the freedom to define your own identity, so long as you stay true to the written tenets of the Qur’an.

So I am now a white, middle-aged Scottish Muslim. And happy with it.

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Source: independent.co.uk

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Conversion Stories New Muslims

How Did Czech Miss World, Marketa Korinkova, Convert to Islam?

Having an unidentified burden on her heart finally cleared, former Beauty Queen of Democratic Republic of Czechoslovakia/Czech, Marketa Korinkova has converted to Islam in Dubai where she made public announcement of her accepting Islam.

Czech Miss World

Learning more about the religion, Maryam decided to take the life-changing decision.

According to a report published in Arab Journal “Al Quds Al-Arabi”, in London, international fame production designer, super-model and film actress, Marketa Korinkova surprised her fans by her conversion announcement, as changed her name as Maryam.

From Czech to UAE

Marketa, who was Christian until months, said that she has decided to embrace Islam and settled down in Dubai, where she lives and works.

She was elected Miss Universe in a beauty contest held in Italy, after which she gained international fame. Many multinational companies acquired her services for publicizing their products. Very soon, she became the super model. Hollywood also offered her to perform in their films.

In the film ME90LOVE, she had played a key role. She held the position of Director of Prague’s Film Academy FAMU.

An acclaimed international designer, she established an advertising company in Prague before a noted company of Dubai, Ali and Sons Group of Companies, appointed her as their Sales Manager.

After spending some time in UAE, she decided to settle down permanently in Dubai.

Women Status in Islam

The status Islam has given to women attracted her to accept the religion and. She has been thinking of embracing this faith for the past three years.

She said that in her childhood she was told that Islam has not given any status to women. When she studied Islam, the truth was exposed that Islam has given a pious position to women whereas the west is playing with women in the name of freedom.

“I decided to settle down in Dubai so that I could get more of Islamic teachings”, she said.

Learning more about the religion, Maryam decided to take the life-changing decision.

Thirst for Peace

She holds a master’s degree in English Literature from Charles University of Prague. Later, she did her MA in Production Designing from National Film and TV School of the Royal College of Arts, London. She also worked for BBC.

After getting the position of Miss World, she scaled greater heights but she said that despite having everything she was mentally upset.

She tested everything to get rid of her internal restlessness. She resorted to drinking wine, playing music and gambling but the thirst of her soul could not rest.

On the advice of one of her friends, she started studying various religions three years back. As a born Christian, she did not find solace in Christianity. Disappointed with Christian life, she started studying Islam. Her eyes were then opened.

Burden Cleared

She expressed her feeling that for a long time there was a burden on her heart and she was restless without any reason. When she recited the “Kalimah”/Shahadah (Testimony of Faith), her restlessness came to an end.

She has given up Western garments and started wearing hijab. When she posted her photographs with hijab, millions of her fans got surprised. They thought that she has posted these pictures of her taking part in Arab fashion show.

When she announced that she has embraced Islam and changed her name, their surprise increased.

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Source: News Papers

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Conversion Stories New Muslims

Finding God: Why More and More Scots are Turning to Islam

A growing number of Scots are converting to Islam – with the majority young women.

Scots muslims

Glasgow Central Mosque alone is now seeing more than 200 Scots a year ‘revert’.

Glasgow Central Mosque alone is now seeing more than 200 Scots a year ‘revert’. Due to the rising number of Scots finding Islam, mosques across the country are also setting up support groups for new ‘reverts’. Many are fearful of abuse and intimidation.

Reversion is the preferred term within Islam for those who ‘convert’ – as Muslims believe everyone is born believing in Allah.

From Christianity

The Sunday Herald spoke to Hannah, a 25-year-old administrator from Glasgow who recently “reverted”. Hannah asked for her surname to be kept confidential. Though brought up without any particular faith, Hannah is one of a growing number of Scots who are turning to Islam despite what many see as a “demonization” of the religion.

“I’d done a degree in comparative religion and had to analyze all the religious texts,” said Hannah. “I went away from that thinking that maybe I should be a Christian.

“But a few months later, while meditating, I found myself pulled in the direction of Islam. After that I started reading again, but this time in a more emotional way. I found, I preferred the simplicity of Islam.”

After mulling it over for six months, she decided to revert. In July this year, she visited Glasgow Central Mosque to take the Shahadah (the Declaration of Faith) in front of two witnesses, in which Allah is recognized as the only God.

Her conversion was shared online by the Glasgow Central Mosque along with others including 20-year-old Jade from the Shetland Isles, and Katie, also 20 and an administration worker from Glasgow, who made her Shahadah last month.

Increasing Influx

Glasgow Central Mosque says numbers of “reverts” have been gradually rising and they are now dealing with up to four conversions a week. Along with the Edinburgh Central Mosque, it has now started support groups for new Muslims.

The total number of converts is not known, but according to a report by Faith Matters, 5,200 people now join the UK-wide Muslim population of three million every year. Scotland’s community is significantly smaller at 90,000 people, over one-third of whom live in Glasgow.

Rizy Mohammad, a co-ordinator at the Glasgow Central Mosque, said: “We are seeing an influx, particularly in the number of women expressing an interest in Islam. I don’t think there is one reason for it but it’s interesting that after 9/11, where Muslims were blamed for the bombing of the twin towers, a lot of people started doing their own research. Many found out more about Islam that led them to different conclusions.

“There is also the spiritual dimension. They’ve been part of the material world, done the shopping thing and now they are looking for a deeper connection.”

Scots & Islamophobia

But for many reverts, it is not an easy transition. High-profile conversions of white Muslims such as Richard Dart, who is serving a six-year jail sentence for plotting an attack on soldiers in Royal Wootton Bassett, mean alarm bells often sound for family members.

“Because of the extent of Islamophobia in the media, my mum, who is a Pagan, thought that I was going to join IS,” said Hannah.

“People see the violent, loud things. They don’t see the quiet Muslims who aren’t doing anything bad. My brother told her not to be so ridiculous and after about a week she came round. Now she makes sure that I don’t drink when I come to her house and even cooks halal for me.”

Hannah has also found some of the more conservative aspects of the religion, which still segregates men and women at places of worship, difficult to deal with. She admits she has taken off her hijab in parts of the city where she perceived the reaction to Muslim men and women wearing full traditional dress to be less than supportive. Since converting she has not been swimming due to concerns about covering up, and finds it hard cycling while wearing a hijab.

A 2013 Cambridge University study about women’s experience of conversion claimed it was “not for the faint-hearted”.

“I think in Islam men and women are equal but different,” said Hannah. “But I also think there are some cultural issues with equality.”

Inner Peace… Inner Power

Jay (not his real name), who converted less than three months ago after a near-death experience with drugs, said that while some friends had asked if he was going to travel to Syria and fight for IS, most people have been positive about his decision. Before his conversion, he said, he worked and partied too hard, and lived for the weekend.

“One of my colleagues in particular was keen to know why I converted,” said Jay. “He wanted to know how I could give up the clubs, drink and girlfriends, and now spend my time praying.

“I told him that now I had inner peace. I could now go to sleep at night. A few weeks later he also became Muslim.”

The Convert’s Need for Support

However, other converts have been left disillusioned. Dawud Duncan, originally from Oban, who became Muslim nine years ago, believes the lack of support from fellow “heritage Muslims” – people born into Islam -has led some reverts to leave their newfound faith.

“When a person takes the Shahadah they are treated like a superstar and everyone wants to know their story,” he said.

“However, within a week they can be left to their own devices. This can make the individual feel very isolated as they are often caught between two communities.”

Duncan, who now lives in Glasgow, currently hosts an online radio program for converts and also aims to set up a support and advocacy group. He hopes that issues raised by the group can be taken up by the leadership of the mosque to help avoid future problems.

“New Muslims have so much to offer the Muslim community and Scotland,” said Duncan. “This would include a fresh perspective and a deeper understanding of the cultural issues our society faces. Converts find it easier to explain Islam to a Scottish audience.”

His experience chimes with that of Saleem Mcgroarty, 43, from Edinburgh, a member of the Edinburgh Muslim Community Association who was raised a Catholic and converted to Islam at 26.

He no longer attends his local mosque due to concerns about its links to Saudi Arabia, a country with a very conservative approach to Islam, and has found it hard to integrate.

Mcgroarty said: “I think there should be some emotional and community support, a buddy network; the things you really need when you are moving into another world.”

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Source: The Herald

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New Muslims Worldview

Islam Denounces Terrorism

This film, produced by the Science Research Foundation, a Harun Yahya institution, presents the Muslim response to and denunciation of terrorism. Beginning with the event of September 11, the film explains that all kinds of violence against civilians are crimes against humanity and grave sins in religious terms. It is also stressed that terrorism is an inherent feature of secular ideologies like communism, fascism and racism. In contrast, all theistic religions – Islam, Christianity and Judaism – are opposed to terrorism and their ultimate goal is to bring peace and brotherhood to mankind.

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Conversion Stories New Muslims

This Dutch Belgian Man Travelled the World & Found Islam

Four years ago he decided to leave his home and live his dream to travel the world. Among the countries that he has been to are: Turkey, Indonesia, Albania and Malaysia. It all started as a trip to live one’s own dream.

Dutch Belgian Man Travelled the World, Found Islam

Michael traveled to 60 countries in just 4 years and found Islam.

He shared his trip with family and friends through postcards, which has created popularity among family friends and friends of friends. It didn’t take long or they started to request for postcards from him too. Most of us would love to travel the world, right?

To receive a postcard from someone living their dream and sharing their experiences with you, that will definitely make your day awesome! This is a short story of Michael Ruppert. A 29 year old Dutch and Belgian guy, who traveled to 60 countries in just 4 years and found Islam.

Curiosity

When you call yourself a traveler it means you will be living at most minimal cost throughout your journey and the most important thing are the memories you gain and exploring parts of the world not seen by others is what you look forward to.

His passion to travel and share with everyone inspired many generous donors who wanted to see him continuing his journey. In return he send more postcards and most part of the donation that he received, he will give away to those in need, for example a school in Zimbabwe he visited that is surviving on its own and other learning institutions where he gave inspirational talks.

Michael wasn’t a Muslim when he started his journey. It was throughout the time he spend with a host family who interested him to find out more about Islam. As he explained in our interview with him

“After staying with many Muslim families in Malaysia and Indonesia I got curious and had questions like: What are they reading in the Qur’an? What do they do in the mosque? What do they celebrate on their holidays? My curiosity led me towards Islam.”

Lessons from Travelling

Dutch Belgian Man Travelled the World, Found Islam

“The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: ‘O mankind! Your God is one and your forefather (Adam) is one…

In the interview he even spoke about similarities of cultures in this world. He wishes through his sharing that everyone will learn about other people’s cultures because only then we will be able to accept everyone’s differences. Then, what was said by Donald Trump and some Islamic scholars will not divide us between different races or religions.

On his Facebook page Starring You he wrote on one photo he wrote:

“The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: ‘O mankind! Your God is one and your forefather (Adam) is one. An Arab is not better than a non-Arab and non-Arab is not better than an Arab, and a red (i.e. white tinged with red) person is not better than a black person and a black person is not better than a red person, except in piety’.”

He created the page when he started to receive overwhelming requests to send postcards from others than his family and circle of friends. It was also an opportunity for him to share his experiences and at his current locations he made arrangements to meet his followers in person.

In this current technology era receiving a simple postcard through the mailman still excites many of us. Hence, anyone of you who would love to be part of it, don’t be shy to send your address to this friendly guy or like his page to stay updated on his journey.

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Source: mvslim.com

 

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