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An Arab Religion, Right?

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    Posted: 16 May 2007 at 10:26am

http://onislam.net/english/reading-islam/my-journey-to-islam/contemporary-stories/412662.html

An Arab Religion, Right?

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By Nichole Arel
Thursday, 10 May 2007 11:02
Often I find myself reflecting upon how blessed I am. The life that I lead now is a world away from the one I expected to lead just a year ago: my first thoughts upon waking in the morning, my imagined path in life, and especially my heart and soul. I would never have dreamt that in less than a year my life would take such unexpected turns. Not only that. The path I now take has led me to roads I never knew existed. Indeed where you start your journey is in no way indicative of where you end up.

As a child, I longed to be taken to church. The feeling of community and worship held my mind in fascination. I longed for the feeling of drawing close to God even before I could formulate such thoughts in my own mind. Something incomprehensible held my young soul in awe, so much so that I made a habit of waking my father every Sunday by begging him to take me to church.

Unfortunately my family was much like average American Christians, content to call themselves religious based on their twice-yearly attendance to Catholic Mass: on Christmas and Easter Sunday. Thus I grew accustomed to hearing the phrase, "not today, maybe next week." Dejectedly, I would sulk back into my room and wait for next Sunday to arrive, only to repeat the disappointing process all over again.

It was an insistent nagging that never left me alone no matter what I did to drown it out.
As I grew older, I learned to stop asking since my attempts had all been in vain. I became content to spend all my free time in solitude reading, usually books on world cultures and religions. As I learned more about the history of my religion, Catholicism, I was repulsed by its condemnation of questioning the doctrine. "Surely this cannot be the right sect of Christianity," I thought.


Time ticked by and still I had not found the religion that seemed to speak to my heart. Perhaps I was expecting to find something to stir the same feelings that I felt as a child in church, although I knew this was a na�ve wish. The alienation from religion occurs only when one begins to understand religions' claims and contradictions.


I couldn't wrap my mind around the claim of the Trinity no matter how hard I tried. I couldn't understand how I was supposed to believe in concepts that were incomprehensible. I was angry that reason was assumed to have no place in Christianity and the act of questioning doctrine was considered a sign of weak faith. What then could be the reason God gave man the ability to rationalize?

Eventually I gave up altogether and assumed that I would never find the truth. I was resigned to believe that there was a God but that humans would never be able to know God's nature or the true religion for man until we met Him one day.

I lived many years with this belief until very recently when it seemed that something inexplicable was urging me back to my quest for the truth. This urge was almost a voice but not in the normal sense. It was an insistent nagging that never left me alone no matter what I did to drown it out.

So naturally I bought a Bible to read, thinking that the truth must be hidden between the pages. Maybe I just missed it all those years ago. This was closer to the truth than I could ever have guessed.

But Islam had to be an Arab religion, right?
During my reading of the Bible I happened to be obsessed with the current events of the world. I found myself spending all my free time alternating between writing letters to my government's officials pleading for the rights of the Palestinians and the Sudanese as well as against wars that are so commonplace around the globe, and reading about sects of Christianity.

I planned on volunteering in Palestine if I could gather the money to travel there. Naturally, given the turmoil in the region and my travel plans, it seemed necessary to read about Islam and understand the faith of the people that I yearned to help.

I was enthralled by what I read about the Muslim faith.The concept of One God not a trinity, the reverence for all of the prophets which I found lacking in the Bible, the scientific aspects of the Qur'an, the all-encompassing facets of Islam, the respect for mothers, the sanctity of family. This was the only religion that I had ever happened upon which made sense to a rational mind yet was still filled with the mystery of God.

But Islam had to be an Arab religion, right? It can't be the faith that young American women gravitate to, can it? I soon discovered that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, that the majority of Muslims are not Arab, and that some of the most rapid growth of Islam in the West is among my demographic group of young white women.


The thought of actually turning away from Christianity, no matter how little sense the religion itself made to me, was terrifying and confusing. I decided to attend a non-denominational church on Sundays and devote more time to reading the Bible. I prayed that I would find what I was searching for but all I came away with was more confusion. I still couldn't accept the Trinity and I was shocked that I couldn't find one passage in the Bible where Jesus claimed to be God.


It can't be the faith that young American women gravitate to, can it?
How could we propose to think that God would come to earth to die for our sins? How could I explain the shocking parallels of Christianity's doctrine with the Pagan myths at the time of Christianity's rapid spread during the Roman Empire? What about Christianity's claim that we can live the life we want and still go to Heaven as long as we believed in Jesus? What could it mean when Jesus supposedly cried out that his God had forsaken him if Jesus was claimed to be God incarnate? Who did these passages refer to when it said that Jesus would send "a Comforter" after him? Who was the "Spirit of Truth" that was foretold to come after Jesus?

I was crushed by the questions that plagued me so I did the inevitable. As I sat at work, I prayed that God would show me the religious path that I should follow. If I was supposed to be a Muslim would God send me a sign?

Then I grabbed my purse and headed down to my car in the parking lot. To my astonishment, there was a Muslim woman standing next to my car while she searched for her keys. Could this be the sign I prayed for? "Impossible," my mind said, but I decided not to waste this opportunity so I approached her.

"Miss, may I ask you something? You are Muslim, right?" She seemed to flinch as she awaited the typical ignorant comment that is so common among people who, on average, have no knowledge of different cultures or religions. "Yes, I am," she replied. I asked her if she attended the masjid I knew of. I told her briefly that Islam seemed to be the only religion that made sense to me. She insisted that I go to the masjid on the way home but I claimed that I wanted to read the Qur'an first.

As I drove home I found myself parked in front of the masjid. I momentarily thought that this could be another sign but, again, my mind refused to believe it. I walked up to the door shaking like a leaf while I told myself to get back in my car and go home as fast as possible. But instead my legs carried me forward, paying no attention to the commands of my brain.

My father told me that I was dead to him and not to contact him again.
As I found my way to the women's section I was met by the most cheerful face I had ever encountered. This Muslim woman was my age and an American convert! Not only that, but she and I had the same name and when we compared our pasts and family life there were undeniable similarities. Needless to say, I declared my Shahadah then and there, not knowing that my future husband was in the masjid that very minute, al-hamdu lillah.

A couple of months after declaring my Shahadah, I felt educated and firm enough in my religion to finally break the news to my father and stepmother. My father responded by saying that as a clear-headed Christian he could tell me that I was making a mistake. I didn't bother to point out that he doesn't practice his religion and that his anger at Islam and prejudice against Muslims are sorely misguided. I just bit my tongue for the sake of Allah.

My father didn't contact me again after that, but when I emailed him a month later to tell him that I had gotten married, he told me that I was dead to him and not to contact him again. I still email my stepmother to keep in touch with the family but my brother, father, and my old friends have severed their contact with me.

I have spent the following year growing in my new religion, gaining knowledge from wherever I can, and trying to convey the message that has brought me such peace and contentment. I am in the process of learning Arabic and the recitation of the Qur'an, and trying to become a good Muslim wife.

My life has no resemblance whatsoever to the life that I lived before. I spend my days studying Allah's commands, the Prophet's life, and what is required of me in order to be a good Muslim. As a Muslim, I find such peace in every day, so much so that even if Paradise was not the reward for such deeds, I would still be thankful for the joy that comes with living a life dedicated to Allah.

I said in the beginning that the road you travel does not indicate where you end up, and that life is not merely full of surprises but can altogether change beyond recognition. Sometimes these changes can bring trials but often enough the person who survives these trials is blessed with more than what is ever dreamed possible. In my case, I was blessed with Islam and not only a better life but also a hope for the hereafter. Allah is the Most Generous and the Most Merciful.



Edited by peacemaker - 15 August 2011 at 4:48am
Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
Qur'an 55:13
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote minuteman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 May 2007 at 6:55pm

 

 Nichole, the blessed soul, you have reached your destination and a good destiny, Insha Allah. Please remember that Our God, Allah is a living God whois hearing and speaking God. You prayed to Him, He replied to you. Please See you own words below:

 I was crushed by the questions that plagued me so I did the inevitable. As I sat at work, I prayed that God would show me the religious path that I should follow. If I was supposed to be a Muslim would God send me a sign?

 The prayer, again and again, is very important. Everything you want, please ask Allah for it in your prayers. You can pray in any language any time but better during your Salaat.

Also, be good. Never severe realtions with your relatives. Never speakloudly to your father and step mother. If they are ill (spiritually) you should not make them more ill. Just donot try to preachtothemunless they want it, unless they ask for it. Otherwise be very loving and helpful to them.

I am so happy that you have come to know your Creator. Wassalam. MM.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nichole Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 July 2007 at 4:20pm

Asalaamu Aliakum minuteman,

Sorry for the late reply. I agree with you completely. I have since tried to repair the relationship with my father but he responded once to me in a positive manner and I have yet to hear from him again. Insha'Allah I will be patient and things will be as Allah wants them to be.

I was worried about possibly being held accountable for severing the ties of kinship so I did all that I could do to patch the ties. It is in Allah's hands now.

Shukran for the advice. May Allah reward you.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote buddyman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 July 2007 at 3:11pm
Originally posted by peacemaker peacemaker wrote:

An Arab Religion, Right?

By  Nichole Arel

 
Image
Often I find myself reflecting upon how blessed I am. The life that I lead now is a world away from the one I expected to lead just a year ago: my first thoughts upon waking in the morning, my imagined path in life, and especially my heart and soul. I would never have dreamt that in less than a year my life would take such unexpected turns. Not only that. The path I now take has led me to roads I never knew existed. Indeed where you start your journey is in no way indicative of where you end up.

As a child, I longed to be taken to church. The feeling of community and worship held my mind in fascination. I longed for the feeling of drawing close to God even before I could formulate such thoughts in my own mind. Something incomprehensible held my young soul in awe, so much so that I made a habit of waking my father every Sunday by begging him to take me to church.

Unfortunately my family was much like average American Christians, content to call themselves religious based on their twice-yearly attendance to Catholic Mass: on Christmas and Easter Sunday. Thus I grew accustomed to hearing the phrase, "not today, maybe next week." Dejectedly, I would sulk back into my room and wait for next Sunday to arrive, only to repeat the disappointing process all over again.

It was an insistent nagging that never left me alone no matter what I did to drown it out.
As I grew older, I learned to stop asking since my attempts had all been in vain. I became content to spend all my free time in solitude reading, usually books on world cultures and religions. As I learned more about the history of my religion, Catholicism, I was repulsed by its condemnation of questioning the doctrine. "Surely this cannot be the right sect of Christianity," I thought.


Time ticked by and still I had not found the religion that seemed to speak to my heart. Perhaps I was expecting to find something to stir the same feelings that I felt as a child in church, although I knew this was a na�ve wish. The alienation from religion occurs only when one begins to understand religions' claims and contradictions.


I couldn't wrap my mind around the claim of the Trinity no matter how hard I tried. I couldn't understand how I was supposed to believe in concepts that were incomprehensible. I was angry that reason was assumed to have no place in Christianity and the act of questioning doctrine was considered a sign of weak faith. What then could be the reason God gave man the ability to rationalize?

Eventually I gave up altogether and assumed that I would never find the truth. I was resigned to believe that there was a God but that humans would never be able to know God's nature or the true religion for man until we met Him one day.

I lived many years with this belief until very recently when it seemed that something inexplicable was urging me back to my quest for the truth. This urge was almost a voice but not in the normal sense. It was an insistent nagging that never left me alone no matter what I did to drown it out.

So naturally I bought a Bible to read, thinking that the truth must be hidden between the pages. Maybe I just missed it all those years ago. This was closer to the truth than I could ever have guessed.

But Islam had to be an Arab religion, right?
During my reading of the Bible I happened to be obsessed with the current events of the world. I found myself spending all my free time alternating between writing letters to my government's officials pleading for the rights of the Palestinians and the Sudanese as well as against wars that are so commonplace around the globe, and reading about sects of Christianity.

I planned on volunteering in Palestine if I could gather the money to travel there. Naturally, given the turmoil in the region and my travel plans, it seemed necessary to read about Islam and understand the faith of the people that I yearned to help.

I was enthralled by what I read about the Muslim faith.The concept of One God not a trinity, the reverence for all of the prophets which I found lacking in the Bible, the scientific aspects of the Qur'an, the all-encompassing facets of Islam, the respect for mothers, the sanctity of family. This was the only religion that I had ever happened upon which made sense to a rational mind yet was still filled with the mystery of God.

But Islam had to be an Arab religion, right? It can't be the faith that young American women gravitate to, can it? I soon discovered that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, that the majority of Muslims are not Arab, and that some of the most rapid growth of Islam in the West is among my demographic group of young white women.


The thought of actually turning away from Christianity, no matter how little sense the religion itself made to me, was terrifying and confusing. I decided to attend a non-denominational church on Sundays and devote more time to reading the Bible. I prayed that I would find what I was searching for but all I came away with was more confusion. I still couldn't accept the Trinity and I was shocked that I couldn't find one passage in the Bible where Jesus claimed to be God.


It can't be the faith that young American women gravitate to, can it?
How could we propose to think that God would come to earth to die for our sins? How could I explain the shocking parallels of Christianity's doctrine with the Pagan myths at the time of Christianity's rapid spread during the Roman Empire? What about Christianity's claim that we can live the life we want and still go to Heaven as long as we believed in Jesus? What could it mean when Jesus supposedly cried out that his God had forsaken him if Jesus was claimed to be God incarnate? Who did these passages refer to when it said that Jesus would send "a Comforter" after him? Who was the "Spirit of Truth" that was foretold to come after Jesus?

I was crushed by the questions that plagued me so I did the inevitable. As I sat at work, I prayed that God would show me the religious path that I should follow. If I was supposed to be a Muslim would God send me a sign?

Then I grabbed my purse and headed down to my car in the parking lot. To my astonishment, there was a Muslim woman standing next to my car while she searched for her keys. Could this be the sign I prayed for? "Impossible," my mind said, but I decided not to waste this opportunity so I approached her.

"Miss, may I ask you something? You are Muslim, right?" She seemed to flinch as she awaited the typical ignorant comment that is so common among people who, on average, have no knowledge of different cultures or religions. "Yes, I am," she replied. I asked her if she attended the masjid I knew of. I told her briefly that Islam seemed to be the only religion that made sense to me. She insisted that I go to the masjid on the way home but I claimed that I wanted to read the Qur'an first.

As I drove home I found myself parked in front of the masjid. I momentarily thought that this could be another sign but, again, my mind refused to believe it. I walked up to the door shaking like a leaf while I told myself to get back in my car and go home as fast as possible. But instead my legs carried me forward, paying no attention to the commands of my brain.

My father told me that I was dead to him and not to contact him again.
As I found my way to the women's section I was met by the most cheerful face I had ever encountered. This Muslim woman was my age and an American convert! Not only that, but she and I had the same name and when we compared our pasts and family life there were undeniable similarities. Needless to say, I declared my Shahadah then and there, not knowing that my future husband was in the masjid that very minute, al-hamdu lillah.

A couple of months after declaring my Shahadah, I felt educated and firm enough in my religion to finally break the news to my father and stepmother. My father responded by saying that as a clear-headed Christian he could tell me that I was making a mistake. I didn't bother to point out that he doesn't practice his religion and that his anger at Islam and prejudice against Muslims are sorely misguided. I just bit my tongue for the sake of Allah.

My father didn't contact me again after that, but when I emailed him a month later to tell him that I had gotten married, he told me that I was dead to him and not to contact him again. I still email my stepmother to keep in touch with the family but my brother, father, and my old friends have severed their contact with me.

I have spent the following year growing in my new religion, gaining knowledge from wherever I can, and trying to convey the message that has brought me such peace and contentment. I am in the process of learning Arabic and the recitation of the Qur'an, and trying to become a good Muslim wife.

My life has no resemblance whatsoever to the life that I lived before. I spend my days studying Allah's commands, the Prophet's life, and what is required of me in order to be a good Muslim. As a Muslim, I find such peace in every day, so much so that even if Paradise was not the reward for such deeds, I would still be thankful for the joy that comes with living a life dedicated to Allah.

I said in the beginning that the road you travel does not indicate where you end up, and that life is not merely full of surprises but can altogether change beyond recognition. Sometimes these changes can bring trials but often enough the person who survives these trials is blessed with more than what is ever dreamed possible. In my case, I was blessed with Islam and not only a better life but also a hope for the hereafter. Allah is the Most Generous and the Most Merciful.

http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&am p;am p;cid=1178723974429&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam %2FDIELayout

 

Peacemaker,

Make I ask what religion you were before?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nichole Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 August 2007 at 2:19pm

My family was Catholic. My brother was baptized but my parents didn't baptize me. When we went to church though it was always a Catholic church until just before I became a Muslim, when I tried non-denominational Christian churches.

 

Nichole

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote seekshidayath Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 August 2007 at 11:09pm

As-Salamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu,

Your journey towards islam is very intresting Nichole.I read the following lines again and again.

I was crushed by the questions that plagued me so I did the inevitable. As I sat at work, I prayed that God would show me the religious path that I should follow. If I was supposed to be a Muslim would God send me a sign?

Then I grabbed my purse and headed down to my car in the parking lot. To my astonishment, there was a Muslim woman standing next to my car while she searched for her keys. Could this be the sign I prayed for? "Impossible," my mind said, but I decided not to waste this opportunity so I approached her.
 

As I drove home I found myself parked in front of the masjid. I momentarily thought that this could be another sign but, again, my mind refused to believe it. I walked up to the door shaking like a leaf while I told myself to get back in my car and go home as fast as possible. But instead my legs carried me forward, paying no attention to the commands of my brain.

.

As I found my way to the women's section I as met by the most cheerful face I had ever encountered. This Muslim woman was my age and an American convert! Not only that, but she and I had the same name and when we compared our pasts and family life there were undeniable similarities. Needless to say, I declared my Shahadah then and there, not knowing that my future husband was in the masjid that very minute, al-hamdu lillah.

Your father's reaction was as expected from any such parents. But be it a non-muslim, Father is a father irrespective of religion. As its said that dawah shud be started from home first. So be in contact with your family. By the grace of Allah swt , u have been bestowed with Imaan and thus, saved yourselves from the torment hereafter. So please try for your family too. May Allah SWT help u in this cause. and ease your task. Keep visiting them even if they don't like. Present them few gud islamic books , cds etc.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: �All the descendants of Adam are sinners, and the best of sinners are those who repent."
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lovesakeenah Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 August 2007 at 2:06pm

As-salaam alaykum Nichole,

Reading your journey towards Islam was soul-lifting and very though-provoking!It is very true that Allah guides whom He wills.Am truly happy for you.Your guidance was ordained by Allah.You asked for His guidance and He didn't mislead you.I play the "sign" part in my head over and over again.I mean it was phenomenal,almost unbelievable.There you were thinking perhaps,may be not and the doubt or any uncertainty you might have had at the time was erased when you saw that muslim woman.I think Allah made your journey easier because your mind was willing to accept the'Truth' you had longed for since childhood.I glorified Allah when I read the part of the sign.Allah Is Great! 

It is good you're still in touch with your father,keeping and not breaking family ties.You're playing your path and the rest lies with Allah.

Alliamdulillah!

"I have conviction that Allah has power over everything.Verily!Allah's knowledge includes and encompasses everything".
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Khadija1021 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 August 2007 at 6:41am

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatu

Sister Nichole, I would like to share with you a bit of my own experience regarding family ties because it has been a heaviness on me for a long time but especially since I became a Muslimah.  As Muslims we are told to respect our parents and to treat them kindly unless they try to prevent us from our religion of Islam. 

My relationship with my mother had always been problematic.  In fact, after the death of my step-father in 1998, I had very little contact with her.  I always felt sad about this but did not know what to do.  After I became a Muslimah in 2005, this issue of my relationship with my mother contiuned and I felt worse about it.  I prayed to Allah for forgiveness for my actions of avoiding my mother and for guidance in making that relations in line with Allah's will.  

About a month ago, I received an email from my sister.  In it she said that my mother and her new husband were coming to visit my grown children and I in August.  My mohter never called to tell me she was coming to visit but she did call my oldest daughter.  I was at my daughter's house this pst weekend when my mother arrived.  During her stay, we had spent much time together with my children and grandchildren.  Alhamdulillah it was such a sweet time together just enjoying each others time.  

On the morning of her departure, I begain to cry...actually, I was sobbing...and left the room so that my mother could not see me crying.  I didn't want to upset her, but she followed me into the other room.  When she asked me what was wrong, Allah blessed me Alhamdulillah with the words I was never able to say to her in the past.  At that time, my mother embraced me and her tears came too.  Subhan Allah we were as loving mother and loving child.  Alhamdulillah, I know that now I have the kind of relationship with my mother than Allah wants me to have with her.  Allah is the best provider...Allahu Akbar!

Sister Nichole, please do not give up praying about your relationship with your father.  Allah hears our prayer and He knows the best way to provide for us.  When the time is right He will help you Inshallah.

Allah Hafiz

Sister Khadija

Say: 'My prayer and my rites, my living and my dying, are for Allah alone, the Lord of all the worlds. (Qur'an, 6:162)
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