Keep them in your prayers

 

I hope everything is Great with you! May Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'alaa - Pure and Exalted Allah is) grant you with the best of health and strengthen your emaan (faith), Ameen.

 

I want to warmly welcome you to Islam, brother Shawn! Alhamdulilah (Praise be to Allah) you have been Blessed by Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'alaa - Pure and Exalted Allah is)!

 

Surely, those who practice the deen (religion) at a young age will be under the shade of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'alaa - Pure and Exalted Allah is) in Paradise! Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest)!

It is a great blessing from Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'alaa - Pure and Exalted Allah is) for a youth to be guided towards worship and be befriended by the righteous, since it is in youth that a person is most vulnerable to the temptations of life and liable to drift away from the Islamic Path. This becomes apparent when we look at society around us and we see that most of the worldly distractions, such as music, games, clubs, fashion etc. are all specifically targeted at the young. 'You're only young once!' they are told, which is why many Muslims nowadays waste their youth thinking that they will pray, wear hijab and go on Hajj, etc. when they are old, as if they have a guarantee of longevity from Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'alaa - Pure and Exalted Allah is)! How well we would do to heed the Prophet's advice when he said: 'Take benefit of five before five: your youth before your old age, your health before your sickness, your wealth before your poverty, your free time before you are preoccupied and your life before your death.' [Saheeh - Narrated by Ibn Abbaas & collected in al-Haakim & others. Authenticated by Shaykh 'Alee ibn 'Abdul Hameed in Forty Hadeeth of the Call and the Caller].

The beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Salam - Peace and Blessings be upon him) said;

"There are seven whom Allah will shade in His Shade on the Day when there is no shade except His Shade: a just ruler; a youth who grew up in the worship of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic; a man whose heart is attached to the mosques; two men who love each other for Allah's sake, meeting for that and parting upon that; a man who is called by a woman of beauty and position [for illegal intercourse], but he says: 'I fear Allah', a man who gives in charity and hides it, such that his left hand does not know what his right hand gives in charity; and a man who remembered Allaah in private and so his eyes shed tears." [Narrated by Abu Hurairah & collected in Saheeh al-Bukhari (english trans.) vol.1, p.356, no.629 & Saheeh Muslim (english trans.) vol.2, p.493, no.2248]

 

Verily, many who convert to Islam, even Muslims, shall not expect things to be easy. You will lose friends you had before and also some family members won't really accept your conversion, but the best of all is that you will gain MANY Brothers and Sisters from all over the world who loves you dearly for the sake of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'alaa- Pure and Exalted Allah is)! But also remember that it is a test from Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'alaa- Pure and Exalted Allah is), many times in life we face hardships, but stay strong and keep your faith in Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'alaa- Pure and Exalted Allah is) and InshaAllah (Allah Willing) ease will come after that and you will be rewarded!

 

Don't take it hard on yourself that you have problems in your family, because the most important thing is to please Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'alaa- Pure and Exalted Allah is). But remember to be dutiful towards your parents anyhow, even if they are nonmuslims.

InshaAllah (Allah Willing) Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'alaa- Pure and Exalted Allah is) will guide them too eventually, and tell them about the beauty of Islam!

 

There is a story about a new muslim and his mother that I would like to share with you. Before he was a Muslim, he lived with his mother until he was about 18 years old. Then he moved out of his home and lived in a different place on his own. During those days, he met some Muslims and became a very close friend of them. Eventually he himself became a Muslim after learning about the beautiful religion of Islam from them. He made an effort every day to learn more and more about Islam.

One day, he came to learn about the benefits of being good to one's parents. He learned that a person who looks at his parents with the eyes of obedience gets the reward of one accepted Hajj (pilgrimage)! (The reward is mentioned in an authentic hadith of Sahih Muslim). After knowing this, he decided to visit his mother whom he did not visit for many years. He bought some flowers and fruits for her on his way. His mother was very pleased to see him after so long time. He started spending lots of time with his mother on a regular basis. During his visits, he would stare at his mother and tears would roll down from his eyes. The mother noticed this happening many times and asked him one day the reason why he visits her so much all of a sudden and why he cries. He told her about how he became a Muslim and that the position of a mother in Islam is very high. He also told her about the reward he gets for looking at her. But while looking at her, he cries because the mother is not a Muslim and would not be able to save herself if she dies in this state. The mother immediately recognized the beauty of Islam and became a Muslim.

 

In the Qur'an it mentions that you should be good to your parents;

"And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour. And lower them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: "My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was young"." [The Qur'an; Chapter 17 (Al Isra' - The Journey by Night) : Verse 23-24]

 

And about your friend Ekram, I will say; Inna lillahi Wa Inna Ilayhi Raji'oon (We belong to Allah, and it is to Allah we return). May Allah Shower Blessings on her uncle's and cousin's graves and make their journey easy, Ameen.

In Islam, when we hear about someones death we say the phrase I mentioned earlier. Let me quote from the Noble Qur'an;

 

Whatever good I have said is from Allah and whatever bad I have said is from myself! May Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'alaa- Pure and Exalted Allah is) forgive our sins and mistakes, Ameen!

 

Once again brother; WELCOME TO ISLAM!

Take Care and Stay Strong and Blessed, brother!

Wa Alaykumusalam Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon you too)

 

PS. You might have noticed that I write this phrase Subhanahu Wa Ta'alaa- Pure and Exalted Allah is after each time I write Allah, and that is what many Muslims do and it shows reverence. It can also be written as an acronym like (SWT). Mentioning in case you didn't know.