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My Questions Answered

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    Posted: 03 November 2006 at 5:07am

My Questions Answered

By  Heather Greenwood

 
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My journey to Islam began when I was 10 years old. My father was Baptist and my mother is Anglican. Religion was not an important issue in my household when I was growing up. My parents rarely attended church or prayed, but they sent me to Sunday school.

I remember being confused during Sunday school, listening to the teachers speak of Jesus and forcing myself to believe everything. Inside I was struggling. I would tell myself I must believe these teachings because everyone else in the room believed them, so they must be true.

One night I came to the conclusion that God was the One I should pray to since He created me and everything in the world.

I had difficulty understanding Easter and the death and resurrection of Jesus and how he died for all our sins. We were taught to ask forgiveness for any mistakes we had made over the past year. It didn't make sense to me that, for example, a murderer could kill someone and be forgiven because Jesus died on a cross. I was also confused about the belief that Jesus is the son of God.

Later on in my middle teen years, I questioned (to myself) to whom I should be praying. It was confusing to me that I was taught to pray to Jesus and God. The concept of the Trinity was a real mystery to me. I used to sit in church and wonder and wonder about it.

One night I came to the conclusion that God was the One I should pray to since He had created me and everything in the world. This I kept to myself because I was afraid to tell anyone. It is such a relief now not to have to try to figure it out. God is One. It is that simple. I prayed to God to guide me to a religion which had a set of rules to live life by.

Years later while attending college, I met an Egyptian man who is now my husband of 20 years, al-hamdu lillah. He informed me he was Muslim. I wanted to learn about Islam, so I bought a book. When I came to the chapter concerning Jesus, I was so relieved. I felt at last I had found my answers and I could still believe in Jesus as a prophet. I read the line over and over again stating that Jesus is not the son of God.

Although my husband was not a practicing Muslim at the time, he would teach me about Islam and the Prophet Muhammad. I grew to love Islam and was eager to learn more.

I feel fortunate to have an understanding family and respect them for their patience.

My husband took me to the mosque and, subhan Allah, the day we arrived, there was a class in session for new Muslims. I found the people so friendly and the surroundings simple. Everyone was helpful and they gave me some informative books, which I still have.

I remember going to my first class later on and not knowing I was supposed to wear a scarf. No one ridiculed me. I was welcomed by the sisters and they invited me to sit down and listen to them recite Qur'an.

I was entirely content with my new religion, but my parents and siblings had a very difficult time accepting the changes in my way of life. They failed to see the reason for my new way of dressing, and it took years for them to finally accept it. They accept me for who I am but feel I have left the family because I cannot participate in family functions the way I used to. Christmas was a very difficult time of year for my family because I had stopped exchanging gifts and sometimes not attended at all. Now they give my children `Eid gifts.

I feel fortunate to have an understanding family and respect them for their patience. Tears were shed by my father concerning my hijab. He used to ignore me if he saw me in public, which hurt me immensely because we had always been so close.

I remember as a child watching cartoons containing racial comments about Islam. Not knowing it at the time, this was my first exposure to Islam.

Converting to Islam in 1986 changed my life.

Racism was something I had never encountered before converting to Islam. One time I was walking in the mall and a woman turned around to swear and spit at me. Many times while out driving my car, I would encounter problems with young guys in their cars and their mockery. I actually had a gang of kids come up to my car window once while I was waiting for my husband, and they tormented me to the extent that I had to roll up the windows and lock my door. Being raised in Canada and knowing the people and their ways allowed me to ignore them, but I remember thinking at the time how horrible and terrifying that situation would have been for a sister who emigrated from a Muslim country. Another time while shopping in a hardware store, I had a man follow me up and down the isles ridiculing me. I confronted him and when he realized I spoke English, he ran away.

Recently, my husband and I made the decision to move to Egypt in order for our childrento learn Arabic and Qur'an, in sha� Allah. We are adjusting to the different culture and have enjoyed our first Ramadan here, al-hamdu lillah.

We have experienced some racism here in Egypt as well. When I encounter Christians here, they stare at me, knowing I'm a foreigner and wondering why and hating the fact that I am Muslim. It saddens me since we are all supposed to respect one another's religion. My 11-year-old son was at the store and a Christian man asked him if he was a Muslim or a Christian. When my son told him he was a Muslim, the man told him Muslims are bad. It is so difficult to explain racism to a child.

Converting to Islam in 1986 changed my life. I felt like a new person. After becoming Muslim, I had many spiritual dreams. I have felt ever so peaceful since converting. Islam allows me to accept the things that happen in my life and believe that everything happens for a reason.

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C& ;cid=1162303324895&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam% 2FDIELayout

Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Qur'an 55:13
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